Beauty’s Worst Eco-Offenders (And Best Bets) for Mani-Pedis
by Siobhan O’Connor and Alexandra Spunt, authors of No More Dirty Looks
Back before we were clean girls, twice-a-month manicures were a big part of our beauty routine. What’s better than a massage chair, some trashy magazines and the best of your besties? Not a whole lot. Unfortunately, most conventional manicures involve being exposed to a host of chemicals that we’d rather avoid—and don’t get us started on what that means for salon workers.
Nail polish alone can contain some of the worst chemical culprits in the industry: phthalates, toluene and formaldehyde being among the best known of the worst. And while some companies have taken out the “big three,” as these are called, we weren’t entirely sure about the replacement ingredients.
We missed our manis.
Enter Scotch Naturals. Not only do we love the bottles and branding—which, admit it, adds to any beautifying experience—the polish comes in 17 super fun colors. We’re talking navy, coral and mint, along with the more standard red and candy pink too. They also only contain three ingredients, which is shocking for a nail polish. These are: water, acrylic polymer emulsion, and non-toxic colorants. Yay!
Scotch Naturals Nail Polish ($14.99) and Remover ($11.99)
The Scotch Naturals website offers a few tips for best application, and warns that nails that are too dry may experience chipping. We love that they’re up-front about this: It’s important to understand that eco-friendly products won’t always perform in the same way as their more conventional counterparts—not worse, just different. Scotch suggests using a little jojoba oil—we bet argan, coconut or even organic olive would work too—and buffing it into the nail. Which takes us to…
Buffing. We heart buffing. When Alexandra stopped using chemical polishes and started buffing instead, she noticed a huge change in her nail health. If you like the look of long nails, buffing should be for you. The action stimulates blood flow beneath the nail bed, and we’re totally convinced that it helps nails grow faster and keeps them strong (that’s purely anecdotal by the way, but we’re sticking to it). It also gives nails a lovely sheen—and you never have to worry about chipping. Woot!
The best part? The next time you and some friends are longing for quality salon time, you can just bring your clean goodies with. Whip out your Scotch Naturals, or ask for a buff. Who knows who you’ll inspire?
Siobhan O’Connor and Alexandra Spunt are the coauthors of No More Dirty Looks: The Truth About Your Beauty Products, and the Ultimate Guide to Safe and Clean Cosmetics.
