10 Non-Toxic Nail Polishes You Can Feel Good About Using

May 8, 2017

Courtesy, design by Monica Park

If that groundbreaking NYT exposé on nail salons didn't leave you completely shook up, you weren't reading closely enough. Luckily, we've since made some strides in eliminating health-problem-causing chemicals from our lacquer, as the 10 non-toxic formulas below prove.

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<p><strong data-redactor-tag="strong" data-verified="redactor">What you get:</strong> An opaque poppy red with an ace name</p><p><strong data-redactor-tag="strong" data-verified="redactor">What you don't: </strong>formaldehyde, toluene, or dibutyl<span class="redactor-invisible-space" data-verified="redactor" data-redactor-tag="span" data-redactor-class="redactor-invisible-space"></span></p><p>Smith & Cult in Kundalini Hustle, $18, <a href="http://www.smithandcult.com/color/kundalini-hustle.html" target="_blank" data-tracking-id="recirc-text-link">smithandcult.com</a>.</p>

What you get: An opaque poppy red with an ace name

What you don't: DBP, toluene, formaldehyde, formaldehyde resin, camphor, xylene, ethyl tosylamide, or TPHP

Smith & Cult in Kundalini Hustle, $18, smithandcult.com.

<p><strong data-redactor-tag="strong">What you get:</strong> A streak-free, shimmery green and a snicker or two, depending on how mature you are</p><p><strong data-redactor-tag="strong">What you don't: </strong>formaldehyde, DBP, toluene, camphor, formaldehyde resin, triphenyl phosphate<span class="redactor-invisible-space" data-verified="redactor" data-redactor-tag="span" data-redactor-class="redactor-invisible-space">, or animal products</span></p><p>Côte in No. 69, $18, <a href="https://coteshop.co/collections/all-polish-1/products/no-69" target="_blank" data-tracking-id="recirc-text-link">coteshop.com</a>.</p>

What you get: A streak-free, shimmery green and a snicker or two, depending on how mature you are

What you don't: formaldehyde, DBP, toluene, camphor, formaldehyde resin, triphenyl phosphate, or animal products

Côte in No. 69, $18, coteshop.co.

<p><strong data-redactor-tag="strong">What you get:</strong> A '50s coral in the shame shade as the beauty guru's popular cream lip and cheek products<br></p><p><strong data-redactor-tag="strong">What you don't: </strong> petrochemicals, parabens, DPB, TPHP, toluene, camphor, xylene, formaldehyde, formaldehyde resin, or animal products
</p><p>RMS in Smile, $15, <a href="https://www.rmsbeauty.com/products/nail-polish" target="_blank" data-tracking-id="recirc-text-link">rmsbeauty.com</a>.</p>

What you get: A '50s coral in the shame shade as the beauty guru's popular cream lip and cheek products

What you don't: petrochemicals, parabens, DPB, TPHP, toluene, camphor, xylene, formaldehyde, formaldehyde resin, or animal products

RMS in Smile, $15, rmsbeauty.com.

<p><strong data-redactor-tag="strong">What you get:</strong> A bright orchid cream with yet another cheeky name (they're really good at this, aren't they?)</p><p><strong data-redactor-tag="strong">What you don't: </strong><span class="redactor-invisible-space" data-verified="redactor" data-redactor-tag="span" data-redactor-class="redactor-invisible-space">f</span>ormaldehyde, formaldehyde resin, DBP, toluene, camphor, ethyl tosylamide, xylene, or TPHP<span class="redactor-invisible-space" data-verified="redactor" data-redactor-tag="span" data-redactor-class="redactor-invisible-space"></span></p><p>Butter London in Molly Coddled, $18, <a href="http://www.butterlondon.com/Nail/Molly-Coddled-Patent-Shine-10X-Nail-Lacquer.html" target="_blank" data-tracking-id="recirc-text-link">butterlondon.com</a>.</p>

What you get: A bright orchid cream with yet another cheeky name (they're really good at this, aren't they?)

What you don't: formaldehyde, formaldehyde resin, DBP, toluene, camphor, ethyl tosylamide, xylene, or TPHP

Butter London in Molly Coddled, $18, butterlondon.com.

<p><strong data-redactor-tag="strong" data-verified="redactor">What you get:</strong> A high-shine hot pink and a Top Shelf-worthy bottle</p><p><strong data-redactor-tag="strong" data-verified="redactor">What you don't: </strong>formaldehyde, formaldehyde resin, toluene, DBP, camphor, or any animal products<span class="redactor-invisible-space" data-verified="redactor" data-redactor-tag="span" data-redactor-class="redactor-invisible-space"></span></p><p>Context in Runaway, $15, <a href="https://www.contextskin.com/nails/runaway" target="_blank" data-tracking-id="recirc-text-link">contextskin.com</a>.</p>

What you get: A high-shine hot pink and a Top Shelf-worthy bottle

What you don't: formaldehyde, formaldehyde resin, toluene, DBP, camphor, or any animal products

Context in Runaway, $15, contextskin.com.

<p><strong data-redactor-tag="strong">What you get:</strong> "The shade of universal love," as used by street artist Chris Riggs</p><p><strong data-redactor-tag="strong">What you don't: </strong>formaldehyde, toluene, or dibutyl<span class="redactor-invisible-space" data-verified="redactor" data-redactor-tag="span" data-redactor-class="redactor-invisible-space"></span></p><p>Jin Soon in Love, $18, <a href="http://jinsoon.com/love/" target="_blank" data-tracking-id="recirc-text-link">jinsoon.com</a>.</p>

What you get: "The shade of universal love," as used by street artist Chris Riggs

What you don't: formaldehyde, toluene, or dibutyl

Jin Soon in Love, $18, jinsoon.com.

<p><strong data-redactor-tag="strong">What you get:</strong> A fun, yacht-bronzed-hands-complementing tangerine named after Hannah Storm </p><p><strong data-redactor-tag="strong">What you don't: </strong>formaldehyde, camphor, toluene, DBP, formaldehyde resin, xylene, ethyl tosylamide, parabens, or lead<span class="redactor-invisible-space" data-verified="redactor" data-redactor-tag="span" data-redactor-class="redactor-invisible-space"></span></p><p>Dr. Dana in Hannah, $18, <a href="https://drdanabeauty.com/product/hannah/" target="_blank" data-tracking-id="recirc-text-link">drdanabeauty.com</a>.</p>

What you get: A fun, yacht-bronzed-hands-complementing tangerine named after Hannah Storm

What you don't: formaldehyde, camphor, toluene, DBP, formaldehyde resin, xylene, ethyl tosylamide, parabens, or lead

Dr. Dana in Hannah, $18, drdanabeauty.com.

<p><strong data-redactor-tag="strong" data-verified="redactor">What you get:</strong> The glossy bubblegum pink Betty Draper would wear on vacation at Palm Springs</p><p><strong data-redactor-tag="strong" data-verified="redactor">What you don't: </strong>formaldehyde, toluene, or dibutyl<span class="redactor-invisible-space" data-verified="redactor" data-redactor-tag="span" data-redactor-class="redactor-invisible-space"></span></p><p>Deborah Lippmann in Inez van Lamsweerde Break 4 Love, $18, <a href="https://www.net-a-porter.com/us/en/product/436919/deborah_lippmann/nail-polish---inez-van-lamsweerde-break-4-love" target="_blank" data-tracking-id="recirc-text-link">net-a-porter.com</a>.</p>

What you get: The glossy bubblegum pink Betty Draper would wear on vacation at Palm Springs

What you don't: formaldehyde, toluene, or dibutyl

Deborah Lippmann in Inez van Lamsweerde Break 4 Love, $18, net-a-porter.com.

<p><strong data-redactor-tag="strong" data-verified="redactor">What you get:</strong> A cream-finish periwinkle with a cute name</p><p><strong data-redactor-tag="strong" data-verified="redactor">What you don't: </strong>formaldehyde, camphor, toluene, DBP, formaldehyde resin, xylene, ethyl tosylamide, parabens, and lead<span class="redactor-invisible-space" data-verified="redactor" data-redactor-tag="span" data-redactor-class="redactor-invisible-space"></span></p><p>Londontown in Chuffed to Bits, $16, <a href="https://londontownusa.com/product/chuffed-to-bits/" target="_blank" data-tracking-id="recirc-text-link">londontownusa.com</a>.</p>

What you get: A cream-finish periwinkle with a cute name

What you don't: formaldehyde, camphor, toluene, DBP, formaldehyde resin, xylene, ethyl tosylamide, parabens, and lead

Londontown in Chuffed to Bits, $16, londontownusa.com.

<p><strong data-redactor-tag="strong">What you get:</strong> A glassy mauve <span class="redactor-invisible-space" data-verified="redactor" data-redactor-tag="span" data-redactor-class="redactor-invisible-space">that makes your fingertips look like gum balls (in the best way)</span></p><p><strong data-redactor-tag="strong">What you don't: </strong>dibutyl phthalate, toluene, formaldehyde, formaldehyde resin, camphor, ethyl tosylamide, xylene, and triphenyl phosphate<span class="redactor-invisible-space" data-verified="redactor" data-redactor-tag="span" data-redactor-class="redactor-invisible-space"></span></p><p>TenOverTen in Watts, $18, <a href="http://www.tenoverten.com/product/037-watts" target="_blank" data-tracking-id="recirc-text-link">tenoverten.com</a>.</p>

What you get: A glassy mauve that makes your fingertips look like gum balls (in the best way)

What you don't: dibutyl phthalate, toluene, formaldehyde, formaldehyde resin, camphor, ethyl tosylamide, xylene, and triphenyl phosphate

TenOverTen in Watts, $18, tenoverten.com.