Summer’s slowly coming back, and that means showing up your toes again. How about switching from your regular brand (likely to be chemical-based) to one that is water-based and therefore more eco-friendly?

Canada-made Suncoat Products is one such brand. With 32 different vibrant colors to choose from, you will probably find one that you like. If not, or if you are a loyal customer of your nail polish big Brand name, then look at the ingredient list very carefully and understand what you read.

What’s wrong with conventional nail polish?

If it’s not water-based, then your nail polish is mostly chemical solvent-based. You just need to remove the cap and smell to know: it smells of chemicals, that evaporate into the air and pollute it with toxic chemical fumes (and damages your lungs). Typically, those solvents are toluene, acetates, alcohol, formaldehyde - a toxic, flammable and carcinogenic chemical compound, and phthalates - toxic, endocrine disruptive esters causing birth defects.

Some big brands, such as L’Oréal, offer a limited selection of formaldehyde, toluene and phthalate-free nail polishes, which should be the three bigger offenders to spot in the list and to avoid. There is also Revlon Liquid Quick Dry, Acquarella Nail Polish and Cover Girl. There are other less well-known brands, the health safety of which you can check out at Skin Deep, EWG cosmetic safety database.

One thing to keep in mind: the longer the list of chemicals, the worst it is for you and the environment. But also, there is no completely harmless nail polish out there, as they all contain chemicals. So whatever brand you select, it won’t be fully green. But it will be one step in the right direction.

Choose a safe, “green” nail polish remover, too

It should be free of acetate or acetone. Suncoat Natural Nail Polish remover is an earth friendly product which does not contain any petroleum ingredients. Non-toxic, non-carcinogenic, it is also readily biodegradable and removes both water-based and conventional nail polishes.  There are others, such as HoneyBee Gardens, which is vegan, but some don’t remove both kinds of nail polish.