a mani-cure

Ever notice how manicurists sometimes wear those mask over their mouths? Or just the general chemical-y smell of a nail salon? That's because...you guessed it...conventional nail polish is LOADED with harmful chemicals. Yuck! Dibutyl pthalate (DBP) Formaldehyde and Toluene are some of the main guys you should avoid when picking a polish. So how can you get shnazy nails without intoxicating yourself? There are quite a few brands out there devoted to leaving out the nasties. Now, I understand that polishes without chemicals tend to cost a few dollars extra, but think about all the chemicals you are keeping out of the atmosphere! To make this initiative more exciting for myself, each time I needed a manicure (which I realized was more often when I was using chemical-laden nail polishes that dried out my cuticles) I instead bought myself a new polish from an eco brand and did my nails myself. Not only have I built up a bit of a collection, but I've also gotten pretty good at painting my own nails, if I may say so myself :) I actually look forward to trying out some fabulous nail art.

Source

The first eco-polish company I discovered is called Priti. The founder Kim D'Amato created the line while she was pregnant in 2005 due to the fact that she was switching over to all organic food, but could not find adequate substitutions in her beauty regimen. Ok, so I know you're supposed to be supper careful with your body when you're preggers and all, but isn't that a little scary that people don't think twice about the impact of their weekly manicures anyway?! Also, find out why you should just say no to the nail dryer at the nail salon

I set out to revamp my nail collection and see if these safer alternatives could actually hold up. The first bottle I purchased to replacement my conventional deep black polish was from Priti. While perusing the cosmetics at Whole Foods, I came across a brand called Karma Organics. First of all, love that name, and secondly, after testing out their organic nail polish remover made with soybean and lavender oils, which actually left my nails more moisturized than before removing my polish, I was hooked. I will admit, the remover takes a bit more elbow grease to take off darker colors, but it's totally worth it. I also picked up two of their polishes, a dark dark purple-y red shade called Venom and a greyish color called Concrete Jungle. Yeah, I judge books by their covers, so what?

The last brand that I have tried out is sold exclusively online, and goes by the name Zoya. I'll admit, I was hesitant to give them a try because I'm totally that girl that tries out every shade of polish on a different finger before choosing one, so picking out polish on a computer seemed a bit sketch. However, I stumbled upon this coupon for three free bottles, so I thought it must be a sign! Out of all the polishes I've tried out, Karma Organics is my fav. They have a great selection of nail polish colors and products, the price is pretty reasonable for the quality, and I can easily find them at my local Whole Foods so I can see it for myself before I buy!

Do you have any eco tips for your tips?