Painted Toes and Toxins

As a Miamian, I find that it’s too hot (for me at least) to wear makeup. It melts away, and I’m back to that fresh and sweaty face. But, one perk of the heat is that I get to make my girly statements elsewhere. Since I can wear open-toed shoes all year long, I love painting my toenails different colors.

Once I choose my color and sit down to decorate myself, I open the bottle to find a smell that is intoxicating. And, there’s the zinger. The fumes released from that bottle are probably harmful! But, nail polish is so common, it can’t be toxic, can it?

I flip the bottle over to read the ingredients and warnings. The most information I can find is “flammable: keep from heat and flame.” Only one bottle (of my nine), Electric Pink, actually reads “toluene, formaldehyde, DBP and camphor free” — that must be good… not that I know what any of those things to do my body. And, then removing the nail polish is dangerous, too. Most nail polish removers contain acetone, which is poisonous to swallow and can blind you if splashed in the eyes.

So, now it’s time to educate myself.

Toluene is a toxic, water-insoluble ingredient in nail polish. It is also used as an inhalant drug, yet it can cause serious neurological damage.

Formaldehyde is in certain nail polishes and it also lurks in our homes in construction materials. The fumes from formaldehyde irritate the eyes, nose and throat and cause headaches, nausea and difficulty breathing in larger doses. Exposure to formaldehyde causes cancer in animals, and may be carcinogenic to humans.

DBP, or diabutyl phthalate, is banned from all cosmetics in the European Union. This substance enters our bodies through the air and (very slowly) through the skin. Its effects may include early puberty in females and lower sperm count in males, liver problems with long-term exposure and possible harm to a pregnant woman’s developing fetus.

The information on these ingredients can be overwhelming. Some people don’t believe these are harmful, while others do. To be on the safe side, I’ll probably choose a nail polish without them.

Trusted brands such as Polished Mama, Acquarella and OPI (except for its “nail hardening” line) offer fun, fresh and non-toxic polishes. Sinful Colors is the one brand I own that’s safe, and I picked it up from Walgreens for $2.

As far as nail polish remover is concerned, an acetone-free option is safer than the normal acetone solution. Gaiam sells non-toxic nail polish and remover that is 100% biodegradable. The remover is soy based. It’s a little more expensive than your average nail polish, but at least it’s safe.