'You'll see 3-free, 5-free, 7-free, and so on, but 3-free is just as safe as 7-free,' says Saunders. 7-Free Nail Polishħ-free polishes exclude seven questionable ingredients, including all five found in 5-Free, plus ethyl tosylamide and xylene. Some nontoxic nail polishes are 5-free, indicating they do not contain formaldehyde, toluene, and dibutyl phthalate, plus formaldehyde resin and camphor. 3-Free Nail Polishįor those who prefer fewer chemicals in their manicures, Saunders says you should choose one that is 3-Free, meaning it omits formaldehyde, toluene, and dibutyl phthalate - the three primary offenders in regular nail polish. She breaks down the most common classifications of nontoxic nail polish and what ingredients are omitted, regardless of the brand. To help simplify your search for nontoxic nail polish, we tapped Michelle Saunders, an A-list manicurist known for working with celebrities including Emily Blunt, Mandy Moore, and Taraji P.
You also have nail polishes that are 14-free and 16-free, but those are less common.
Through our beauty editor's research, she found that most nontoxic nail polishes are typically either 3-free, 5-free, 7-free, or 10-free, indicating each item is without at least three controversial ingredients. When shopping for nontoxic nail polish, it's essential to read the ingredient label and online product description.
