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Kris Carr

Blog Post

The Best Non-Toxic Nail Polishes

Hiya Beautiful,

You know what I love? Pretty, polished nails. You know what I don’t love? The harmful chemicals found in so many (most!) of the nail polishes in salons and on store shelves.

An at-home mani-pedi or trip to your favorite progressive salon (here’sΒ California’s list) can be so rejuvenating. But when we’re not careful about the products we choose and use, crappy ingredients, chemical-filled workplaces and horribly cruel animal testing can really rain on our beautifying parade.

There’s good news, though: Better-for-all-of-us nail polish brands exist!

And today, I’m highlighting the best of the best in my newest Crazy Sexy product review: nail polish edition. With happier and healthier ingredient lists void of the scary stuff, you can breathe a non-toxic sigh of relief when you use these polishes to glam up your fingers and toes. High-five!

To make all of my product reviews as accurate and useful as possible, I always bring in one of my favorite organizations, theΒ Environmental Working Group (EWG).

EWG is a leader in up-to-the-minute research on toxins and chemicals present in the environment and our personal and home products. Together, we’ve teamed up and created aΒ Healthy Home ChecklistΒ and done several beauty reviews like this one, includingΒ deodorant,Β lipstick, mascara,Β foundationΒ and concealerΒ (stay tuned for more reviews to come!).

EWG did us a huge favor by analyzing the ingredients in these nail polishes and adding the product ratings to theirΒ Skin Deep Cosmetics Database, which contains information and online safety assessments for over 60,000 products. Thanks, EWG!

Check out the awesome infographic below for the results. And for those of you who are wellness detectives like I am and want to know more about how we vet the products I recommend,Β read this.Β 

*Note: I was bummedβ€”but not totally surprisedβ€”that many of the polishes in our list landed in EWG’s β€œModerate Hazard” category. So we chose to only include polishes rated 5 or lower, 6 being the high end of moderate (no thanks). I imagine creating a polish that looks great, lasts long and is free of weird, potentially toxic ingredients is no easy task, but I’m excited for the day that someone cracks the code on an ultra-clean, ultra-gorgeous polish formula. I know some of you will choose to avoid all polishes and show off your fingers and tootsies in their au naturale beauty, and to that I say, β€œHeck yeah, girl!” For those wanting to rock a colorful mani-pedi, but use safer, smarter products, these polishes are for you.

My Crazy Sexy Non-Toxic Nail Polish Review

non toxic nail polish review

 

A Note on Nail Polish Removers

We’re still on the hunt for great, effective, non-toxic polish removers! We tried a boat load, and while some looked fab on paper, they were mostly β€œmeh” in use. If you know of a safe, worthy remover, let us all know in the comments!

Your turn: What’s your #1 non-toxic polish pick and why? And if you have a go-to remover, please share that, too!

Gentle Request: If you work for a beauty company, please be coolβ€”we’re trying to keep these comments as unbiased and useful as possible. Sharing your product is welcomed and awesome. Hundreds of comments about your product and/or why you’re cranky that it wasn’t included is NOT awesome. Thank you!

Peace & polished nails,

Add a comment
  1. Wow, didn’t realize there were so many great brands out there! Thanks for the review!

  2. Anne says:

    I love the Poofy Organics Polish because it’s 11-free and lasts a long time. I also use Poofy’s nail polish remover. It’s different but works well. Nicee citrus scent instead of a harsh alcohol scent and more of an oil which keeps nourished. They also have an awesome cuticle salve stick. Thanks for doing these reviews! I use Poofy for almost everything in my home, to avoid cancer and other health issues!

  3. BMNE Direct says:

    Nice Blog!! The content you have shared is very elaborative and informative. Thanks a lot for sharing such a great piece of knowledge with us.

  4. Paige says:

    Cote!!! Small but growing, woman-owned company. Gorgeous polishes and completely clean. They’ve joined Beautycounter’s Counteract Coalition for Cleaner beauty. They even have cute kids polishes.

  5. Natalie says:

    I really love RMS nail polishes and the TREAT 10free superduper formula from Germany!

  6. Witney Sudan says:

    That is truly a beautiful range of nail polishes you have here. Please recommend nontoxic and environmental friendly nail polished for my 4-year-old as well.

  7. Melissa says:

    First, thank you for doing what you do. Your journey and knowledge is an abundance of opportunity for the rest of us. You’re beautiful inside and out!

    Have you tested the Suncoat Girl nail polish line? I’m looking forward to trying some of these others, especially for my young daughter whom I can’t seem ti distract from wanting colorful nails!

  8. 192.168 ll says:

    One vote for karma!

  9. Alix says:

    There’s a company called Aila. I like their nail polish remover a lot and there’s no horrible smell. It also leaves my nails with a nice shine. It’s non-toxic. I don’t use their nail polish because I prefer Acquarella’s formula and ingredients.

  10. sam says:

    rally nice nail arts

  11. Sophie says:

    Not sure if anyone has tried Sparitual or Zoya?
    They state they are “5 free”.

    Zoya has a really nice nailpolish remover πŸ™‚

  12. Jenn says:

    I tried Josie Maran’s nail polish remover wipes, and they worked great, but they’re hard to find. Sometimes they have them at Sephora.

  13. Johnag says:

    Love this nail polish because it works great and smells good. It doesn’t smell like pure chemicals which I really like. gadecosmetics.se

  14. Alexa says:

    Dear Kris!

    I love this post and also wanted to add (I wrote it already on Instagram) that I really love your style. Would you think about sharing some tips on shops with great colorful tops, t-shirts, accessories you like? You have a great taste and I love the style!

  15. Kim says:

    What about the Zoya line? They claim to be ‘5 Free’

  16. Sireesha Sivala says:

    Hi Why isnt Mischo beauty included in this list…they have great products and are very safe

  17. my girl friend loves making nails, she’s always go to make her nails almost twice a month even though i’ve told her so many times, i think it’s toxic

  18. Pamela Negri Lenzen says:

    Tenoverten! Great colors, great product — nice small local and growing business too…

  19. Charlotte says:

    I’m lovin’ the beauty reviews Kris… I would really appreciate if you could do one on non-toxic hair dye, as I would like to keep my highlights but I’m trying to switch to a chemical free, non-toxic lifestyle, so it’s a dilemma! Thanks xx

  20. Kelly says:

    I like Debra Lippman. Looking forward to trying some of the others. How many days do they typically last on natural nails to get a β€˜long wearing’ assessment?

  21. katrinah says:

    Wonderful resource, thank you, Kris! I love Lauren B Beauty polish (vegan friendly, free of harsh chemicals). I use their polish and base/top coat. Also love their aloe-infused nail polish remover pads – the pads smell wonderful and moisturize. Great to learn of new brands I hadn’t heard of as well, am going to check them out! : )

  22. Paige says:

    I find turpentine removes much better than acetone. And turpentine, when you get the real stuff, is basically an essential oil. In the olden days, it was used as a medicine.
    I put it in baths but found out how much better it is than acetone when I was using acetone to remove sticky label residue off an amber kimbucha bottle I wanted to reuse. Pure acetone was taking forever with a lot of product and a lot of scrubbing with cotton ball. Why not try turpentine? Works really fast, really well for this purpose.
    I get mine from Diamond G Forest Products, in Patterson, GA.
    Their turpentine and pine resin are derived from slash pines growing in So. GA using sustainable forest practices.
    For further uses of pure pine gum spirits of turpentine, go to Tony Pantalleresco’s website, AugmentinForce.com or just go to YouTube and check him out. He has tons of videos and definitely one specifically on great uses of turpentine.

  23. Hi Kris Carr​, I loved your article, but it seems that you may have overlooked one.
    Top in America and Canada, and has recently made it’s debut in both Australia and New Zealand.
    Have you heard of Jamberry Nails?
    You don’t have to just take my word for it, not only do we supply wraps which are revolutionalizing the nail industry, but lacquers and gels as well!
    Forget nail polish, that’s the past. Jamberry is the top NON-TOXIC, CRUELTY FREE product to hit homes!
    Check us out!
    https://belindarenee.jamberry.com/au/en/

  24. Yiota says:

    Snails are also a french non toxic nail polish, and the only 6 Free! It’s totally water soluble, hypoallergic and enviromentally friendly, Made to strictest cosmetic standards!

  25. Bilyana Miletic says:

    Hi there πŸ™‚ I’m an organic beauty therapist (Aesthetician) and i have tried to eliminate as many chemical laden products and only use toxic free & safe products on my clients.., I use the bio polish nail Laquer and soy polish remover from ‘Kaia house organics’ based in New York actually. The polishes are great! And long lasting, but the soy polish remover takes time to Work and doesn’t make the job of removing nail Laquer very easy. If like to know How these two products rate compared to your top picks πŸ™‚

  26. Crystal says:

    I use Jamberry nail wraps because they are non toxic. I would love to know more about their lacquer, which is 5-free and vegan.

  27. Joanne horenstein says:

    I’m a nail tech in AZ & we LOVE Dazzle Dry (created by a 70+ woman chemist). It’s vegan, dries in 5 minutes, lasts longer than regular polish, comes off w/ polish remover (no soaking in acetone) & needs no UV light. No formaldehyde, toluene, DBP, camphor or nitrocellulose. It’s a system in that it has a base coat, top coat & prep (sold in a kit). Check out dazzledry.com

  28. EEileen says:

    Wow you want us to be healthy and pretty thank you Kris and Have a Healthy , Happy and Miraculous Holiday !! p.s got your book so pretty and lots of unexpected recipes , Still have all the bonus gifts to listen too – <3

  29. Laura McNamara says:

    Hi Kris,
    I’m just wondering if you’ve looked into Zoya? I have a bunch of their nail polishes and their remover. I thought it was very non-toxic but after reading this I think I need to research them better. What are your thoughts?

  30. Mel says:

    This is a great resource. I have recently come across Sienna Byron Bay nail polish that I am going to purchase and try (bottles are cute too!). They also have a Soy Nail Polish Remover that I’m hoping works well. Would be great if you could try for you any future testing πŸ™‚

  31. Jan says:

    I don’t normally wear nail polish, but would like to more often. Where do you find these products? Thanks!

  32. Deirdre says:

    Wouldn’t it be great if EWG had ratings on everything?! I loved the Josie Maran Bear Naked Remover Wipes. Not sure about the ingredients, though and “natural” fragrance seems fishy to me. I will ask them and see what they say!
    Ingredients: dimethyl glutarate, cyclopentasiloxane, dimethyl adipate, ethylhexyl palmitate, argania spinosa (argan) kernel oil*, dimethyl succinate, parfum (fragrance)**
    *ORGANIC
    **NATURAL

  33. Debi says:

    What do you think of Zoya? They are 5 free (+ no TPHP & no benzophenone 1 either) & do not test on animals. IMO the only polishes more non toxic than Zoya would be the water based ones

  34. Kelly says:

    Thank you for this!!!! I’m so careful about what I use but getting glammed up for a night out without a manicure is not an option πŸ˜‰ Since I won’t get toxic gel or acrylics, I’m excited to try the brands you say are long wearing. How many days do they last to get a ‘long wearing’ assessment? I’m curious why Zoya didn’t make the list, does it rate higher than 5?

  35. Mary says:

    I love when you do beauty reviews! Thanks Kris Carr! I am surprised Zoya nail polish brand isn’t including in this list. It is one of the “safe” ones as far as I know. Would like to know how it measures up to the others. Also wish you mentioned something about the pigments of the colors. Sometimes I’ve found with natural nail polishes that the colors will fade and won’t be as strongly pigmented.
    As always, thank you for everything!
    -Mary, Owner CSD and CSK and lover of you and your message for over 5 years!

    • Karen says:

      You may have already researched, but in case you are still wondering, I just double checked Think Dirty and Zoya rates as a 9 for toxicity. I had several as well and was sad to see them go, but ready for some better options! πŸ™‚

  36. mary haley says:

    Do you know if these polishes are endocrine disrupters?

  37. Tiffany says:

    I would love to hear the toxic rating on Julep polish as well as the Gel lacquer for Jamberry. I have used the Jamberry wraps! easy to apply, and easy to remove. last to 2 weeks no problem! last even longer on the toes!

  38. WooHoo! So happy to see Poofy Organics; Poofy Polish on the list!! We love our Toxic-Free Poofy Polish. Poofy creates products truly safe & healthy for EVERYONE!

  39. Allison says:

    So glad to see Poofy Polish on the list! With over 100 colors to choose from, it really rocks! They do make a polish remover that works well with Poofy Polish. Haven’t tried it with other polish but just wondering if it was on your list to try.

  40. Sheila says:

    Green Spa loves Spa Ritual! Have you tried the Spa Ritual brand yet? It is non toxic, 5 free, vegan and cruelty free of coarse! At The Green Spa & Wellness Center in Brooklyn New York, we have lots of pregnant women that source us out because we use these polishes and the remover – which smells like candy by the way! The color selection is quite extensive that may be rare in the Eco Polish world and polishes are priced well at around $12.50. We use Spa Ritual body products in our body treatments and everyone raves about them- especially the pregnant ladies! We love their hand and foot salve which are both truly amazing. Check out our products and services GreenSpaNY.com

  41. Crystal says:

    Thanks so much! I was looking for a non-toxic nail polish for my mom who has a lot of health issues. This list is very helpful!

  42. Penelope says:

    I hope that someday Kris and her team will post an article like this one about hair dye products. I’d love to know what Kris uses to get her hair so blond. I haven’t found anything yet that isn’t harmful, so I’ve mostly lived with mousy brown hair that is very blah.

    Please, Kris, I’ve been asking for a long time?!? Please tell us what you use to get those gorgeous blond locks?

    : ) Penelope

    • Crystal says:

      I would love to hear from Kris and her team about hair color as well. They do such a wonderful service with spreading great information with their non-toxic product reviews! In the meantime Penelope perhaps you would like to read how I have been handling my drab hair since my own cancer diagnosis. You might get a few ideas about some of the organic and non-toxic choices some salons offer these days. All the best to you and the Kris Carr team on the journey to healthier ways of being! Shine On! http://thequeenstable.blogspot.com/2015/01/dna-lab-organic-hair-chemistry-salon.html

  43. Jacki says:

    Any advice for a base coat? That’s the one that bothers me the most…prob because it the first thing applied to the nail.

    • Kaitlin says:

      Nail-Aid products are PETA and Leaping Bunny certified! You can order from their website nailaidcares.com or it is actually available at Walmart (don’t shoot the messenger, I am not endorsing Walmart as a retailer!) They are not in the EWG database but they are “5-free” meaning no formaldehyde, toluene, etc. I haven’t researched all the other ingredients but I love the fact that it is cruelty free, vegan, and made in the USA.

  44. Susan says:

    Thank you again Kris for providing me with such useful information. I am glad to see that my favorite nail polish, Deborah Lippmann is on the top of the list. I also use their nail polish remover and was wondering then if there is something in it that prevents it from being acceptable? It takes off nail polish so easily. It also comes individually packaged if you are on the go. Thank you again.

  45. Also as mentioned, you can use coconut oil to remove the wraps. The lacquer & gel removers smell great and don’t have too much junk in them for Jamberry πŸ™‚

  46. Jamberry! Vegan, GF, 5 free lacquers and the wraps are the same! And so many fun colors and prints to choose from!

  47. Margarita says:

    Great article! Surprised Kure Bazaar isn’t mentioned here – it’s based on potatoe starch und contains mostly natural ingredients.
    When it comes to natural nail polish removers: Fresh Therapies is my favorite brand. It not only works but also leaves my nails looking healthy and shiny.

  48. Joan says:

    Thank you so much fot tacking this subject. A while back in the NY Times there was a series of 2-3 articles re: the dangers to manicurists & their offspring. I have brittle nails & have tried doctor recommended medication that didn’t work. I have gone without polish for extended periods & that didn’t work either. I will look over your list and see if I can find the products to try. Thank you again.

  49. mackenzie says:

    wow, i’m so happy that deborah lippmann polish made the cut! i’ve been wanting to give my nail polish an overhaul for the longest time but always assumed the alternatives would be less-than-amazing. thanks for putting this together!!!

  50. Kat says:

    I recently tried Suncoat peelable nail polishes, now, I can’t say they last a long time, for me it was just a day, but at least you don’t need any polish remover, just peel it off and you’re done, no chemicals. But having to apply it every day is a bit of a pain. I ordered their non-peelable non-toxic nail polishes and their remover too, but I haven’t received those yet.

  51. Suzanne says:

    Kris, I am so inspired by all that you do. I aspire to live a clean and healthy life and I must say you have really helped me to do that.
    I love all of your product reviews and this nail polish one is a surprise. I always thought 100% pure was lower on the toxic scale for nail polish, that was an eye opener.

    Have you ever done a hair product review, I cannot and not for lack of trying found a clean mouse or gel.

    May your Christmas be filled with lots of love, laughter and of course good health for all the years to come.

    Cheers
    Suzanne

  52. Cynthia says:

    Zoya is my fave! It’s on PETA’s list and the colors are beautiful.

  53. Mary Kate says:

    Hi Kris,

    I’m in love with RMS Beauty’s new nail polishes. I don’t see them on the EWG Skin Deep database yet but thought I’d recommend them! The colors are amazing and they’re very long-lasting.

  54. Bob says:

    I know there are tons of nail polish websites out there; but, I think you should give this one a very close look. The above website gives all kinds of information about the products and then points to the Etsy site where purchases can be made. Tons of great reviews.
    Thanks much!

  55. Tammy says:

    Thanks for the list. Can you tell me whether “Jessica” nail polish was tested and where they landed on the list? I use them exclusively. They are supposed to be natural also. What about SpaRitual? Where did they end up on the list? Looking forward to learning about other products that are natural. I use Avalon Organics’ Shower Gel and Body Lotion. Love them!

  56. Kat says:

    What about the brand called “Butter”??? Surprised no mention! Thx!!

  57. Rachel says:

    have you tried Zoya? I love them!!!

  58. Stephanie Warrington says:

    RMS has a new line of nail polish. It goes on really nice and the colors are great but I’m not sure how it is rated?

  59. ANN says:

    Thanks Kris for the reviews !! I am looking forward
    to trying some of those polishes that you have listed. I do have a favorite
    nail polish remover that may be helpful.
    It is Josie Maran’s nail polish remover wipes.
    They leave my nails feeling healthy and clean
    with no harsh smells or chemicals. Hope this
    is helpful !!

    • Kris Carr says:

      Thanks for the recommendation, Ann! xo, kc

      • Becca says:

        I also use the Josie Maran nail wipes! I haven’t looked on Skin Deep yet, but the label denotes a lot (not all) of naturally sourced ingredients. I don’t think it’s ALL clean, but it’s miles better than most choices!
        It takes polish off really well (sometimes I use Vinylux and Deborah Lippmann on my hands because I pick it off quicker but it stays better than Scotch) and it will still take the Scotch polish off my toes (I only use Scotch on my toes because it’s the cleanest one I own and it stays the longest on my body), but it takes more effort to get the water-based polish off..

  60. Suzanne says:

    Great list! Bummed that my beloved Zoya didn’t make the cut, I thought they were fairly clean. I appreciate all your hard work and will check out some of these brands.

  61. OH and I forgot to mention, I just use a bit of coconut oil to remove the Jamberry wraps… No harsh chemicals needed!

  62. Becca says:

    I’m thrilled–and had no idea–that Deborah Lippmann polishes were relatively clean/nontoxic! Did you rate the Gel base and top coats, also?
    3 brands I have questions about, though:
    –RMS nail polishes are pretty new-did they not make your list because they were too new to try in time for this list, or for other reasons?
    –Scotch Naturals- what happened, did they disappear? I like their polish for my toes because it stays forever. People’s chief complaint is that it’s hard to get off, but I find that when I chip it, it’s pretty easy to scratch off with my nails, not with a tool.
    –Zoya–I have a few of these and thought they might be better rated?

    Thanks for your time!!

  63. Amy says:

    Love this list. I would LOVE to see your list on shampoo and conditioners. I have teenagers and finding organic, clean S/C that work and have a good detangler is very hard to find!

    • Kris Carr says:

      Thanks, Amy! I’ll add your suggestion to our list. πŸ™‚ kc

    • Amanda says:

      I love Desert Essences shampoo and conditioner. They’re ingredient lists are always clean. They’re grape one is my favorite.

    • Laura says:

      I love Andalou Naturals Shampoo and Conditioner they have several different kinds for different hair types, smell great, lather nice and make hair gorgeous with no nasty ingredients.

  64. Elizabeth says:

    Wow…this is exactly what I needed. I am totally committed to using the purest, most natural skin care, and putting the cleanest food in my body. But I tend to slip up with some of my cosmetic picks. So happy Deborah Lippmann made the cut! Love her stuff! And I’m anxious to try some of the others.

  65. Birgitte says:

    Hi Kris!

    I’ve just tested out a Berlin-based nail polish brand called Treat Collection. They are 5-free, great performance and great colours. And they have an amazing soy based nail polish remover that is totally free from acetone etc, doesn’t smell anything, and it really works. You have to leave it on the nail for a little while before rubbing the polish off.
    Really worth checking out!

    Birgitte <3

  66. Erika says:

    So glad you posted this, and even happier still to see that my beloved Deborah Lippmann polish past the EWG rating. The nail polish remover that is incredible is by Karma Naturals tea tree oil nail polish remover. Thanks for continuing the mission of allowing more natural and gentle products on our bodies. Is deodorant next??

  67. Tracy says:

    Hi Kris,
    I love Karma Organic polish and their remover is amazing. Smells like lavender and nourishes and moisturizers the nail as it removes the polish.

    • Maddy Bortes says:

      Thanks for posting Tracy! I’ll look into that remover. I haven’t had much luck with “alternative” ones.

    • Mindy says:

      I use & love the Karma Organics remover as well. (haven’t tried their polish yet) I buy the plain one though, not the lavender one. It works pretty good, you have to rub a little bit sometimes to get all the polish off, but it does the job with safe ingredients. πŸ™‚

    • Anna says:

      Another vote for karma! Love it!

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