Nail polish has always stunk. It was a fact we all grew up with. But the irritants in polish go far beyond just smelling poorly. Things like toluene, a chemical that's connected to reproductive abnormalities; formaldehyde, a potentially cancer-causing carcinogen; and dibutyl phthalate (DBP), which is banned in Europe because it can cause reproductive challenges, have long been ingredients we've been using to paint our nails. But with the uptick of brands paying closer attention to toxicity levels in products, there are now many safe polishes to choose from. See how they stack up.
This vegan friendly TenOverTen Nail Polish Prince 024 ($18) doesn't contain dibutyl phthalate, toluene, formaldehyde, formaldehyde resin, camphor, ethyl tosylamide, xylene, or triphenyl phosphate.
Zoya Nail Lacquer ($9) is a popular choice because not only is it five-free, but the brand is also known for its impressive range of shades.
This vegan friendly Context Nail Polish ($15) is five-free, meaning you won't find formaldehyde, formaldehyde resin, toluene, DBP, or camphor in it.
A leader in the safe-nail polish space, Butter London "Patent Shine 10X" Nail Lacquer ($18) is tipping the scales, coming in at eight-free. It does not use formaldehyde, formaldehyde resin, DBP, toluene, camphor, ethyl tosylamide, xylene, or TPHP.
Feel confident when you paint your nails in Whim Cover-Your-Bases Base Coat ($10). It's free of DBP, toluene, formaldehyde, camphor, and formaldehyde resin.
Bliss Genius Nail Polish ($12) is another strong choice because it doesn't contain dibutyl phthalate, camphor, toluene, formaldehyde resin, or formaldehyde.
Julep Holographic Nail Color ($14) is five-free and vegan, and it contains green coffee extract.
JINsoon Cool Blue ($18) is five-free and will leave you with a high-gloss finish.
All Deborah Lippmann Women's Nail Polish ($18) shades are seven-free and never tested on animals.