Which begs the question: Is your supposedly healthy 5-free nail polish still putting your health at risk? MORE: How Healthy Is Your Manicure? We asked Amanda Sergay, MD, a dermatologist at Marmur Medical Group in New York City, whether you need to worry about these 3 new ingredients being put on the chopping block:
Ethyl Tosylamide, a plasticizer that helps transform polish from drippy to dry in minutes; the ingredient has already been barred from personal care products in Europe due to its antibiotic properties and concern over antibiotic resistanceXylene, a solvent that keeps your nail polish from getting gloppy; it’s also a known allergen and possible carcinogen, according to research from the International Agency on Research For Cancer Scientific Publications SeriesParabens, preservatives that have gotten a bad rep for their estrogen-mimicking effects, which past research from the University of Reading and other institutions has suggested may trigger major health concerns like hormonal problems
So, should you switch to 7-free polish? You bet. These ingredients can be absorbed into your body through your nail plate, Sergay says. You also inhale some of the fumes when you’re polishing your nails (or having them polished), which can lead to further toxicity. “We don’t know the exact quantities of these chemicals that will affect your health, but if you can choose these new cleaner polishes, it’s a much safer way to go,” she says. You can clean up your nail act with Butter London Patent Shine 10X ($18, nordstrom.com), which leaves out both ethyl tosylamide and xylene, or Pacifica 7 Free Nail Polish ($9, pacificabeauty.com), whose newest nail line skips xylene and parabens. MORE: 8 Reasons Your Nails Keep Breaking
