That’s right, vegan isn’t just about not eating cheese and wearing hemp shoes – there’s a whole lot of choices you need to be making. And we’re just talking about putting stuff in your body that is healthy and good for the environment. Don’t ask us why nail polish still contains all these nasty chemicals – let’s move on! It’s good for our bodies, the environment and industry as a whole if we make informed buying decisions. Most nail polish products if they are green will be proud of the fact (and rightly so), meaning the labels will state that they don't contain any of the below ingredients. You definitely want to make sure they are not tested on animals.

Reading labels and checking ingredients is a really important thing to do no matter what you're buying. Sometimes it’s just about being educated and you don’t even know that some products are bad for you so let’s take a look at nail polish nasties so you know what to avoid.

Firstly, what is vegan nail polish? Well, a nail polish brand is non-vegan when they use the crushed Carmine beetle to obtain the pigment for red nail polish. If you love a good shimmer nail polish, these often contain fish scales and oyster shells to obtain their translucence. Suddenly biting your nails doesn’t seem so appetising and that’s not all…

Formaldehyde is described as a ‘well known human carcinogen’ by the US National Toxicology Program meaning there is a high possibility of it causing cancer. It can also be used as a cleaning or embalming agent. Not the kind of thing you want to be nibbling on or have anywhere near your skin.

Toulene is most commonly used in glue. Inhalation of this chemical has the potential to cause sever neurological harm. It is a common paint thinner used on an industrial cleaning level.

DBP (Dibutyl phthalate) is listed in the Safe Work Australia 'List of Designated Hazardous Substances' with warnings such as May cause harm to the unborn child and Possible risk of impaired fertility. Not really heart warming stuff, is it?

Xylene is a petrochemical and skin irritant that strips the skin of its oils, making it more absorbable to other chemicals.

Knowledge is power dear friends and we hope to help you make informed decisions when painting your dainty fingers. So keep an eye out for these wee nasties in the ingredients list on your nail polish bottle so you can choose healthy nails!