The Dangerous and Hidden Toxins in Your Nail Polish
Do you (or someone you love) paint your nails? If so, you probably think of nail polish as being perfectly harmless, right? After all, it’s marketed to us as safe and fun. But the truth is, most nail polish is an unhealthy cocktail of chemicals and toxins that may be disrupting your endocrine system and endangering your health…
The Dirty Truth About Toxic Nail Polish
In fact, researchers from Duke University and the Environmental Working Group recently uncovered one particularly dangerous toxin lurking in some popular nail polishes. Studies show this toxin can lead to hormone imbalance, weight gain, and even reproductive disorders. Worst of all, many of the nail polishes that include this toxin don’t even mention it on the label!
So what is this toxin? It’s TPHP (triphenyl phosphate). TPHP is primarily used as a flame retardant in furniture, but it’s showing up more and more as an ingredient in nail polish. Scientists have been researching the impact of this chemical, and growing evidence supports that it can affect hormones, metabolism, reproduction, and development. Knowing how dangerous TPHP can be, researchers decided to conduct a study to investigate the risks of TPHP in nail polish.
First, these researchers bought nail polish from common department stores and pharmacies and assigned each polish to a woman in their study. Each woman supplied a urine sample before painting her nail (this sample was used to establish a baseline amount of TPHP in each woman’s body).
The next day, each woman painted her nails with her assigned nail polish. After 10 – 14 hours of painting her nails, each woman provided a second urine sample. And that’s when the study’s disturbing results were revealed…
After just a single application of nail polish, these women had a terrifying seven-fold increase of TPHP in their bodies!
Now, if you’re reacting as I did when I first heard these results, you may be wondering if the brands you use contain TPHP. Some of the most popular nail polish brands that contain TPHP include:
- Sallie Hansen
- Revlon
- OPI
- Wet N Wild
- Maybelline
- SpaRitual
I Recommend These TPHP-Free Nail Polishes
Fortunately, there are nail polish brands that do not include TPHP! A few of these TPHP-free nail polishes include:
- Zoya
- Scotch Naturals
- Acquarella
- Honeybee Gardens
- Suncoat
I recommend everyone avoid all nail polishes that use TPHP as an ingredient – the risks just aren’t worth it! And it’s not just nail polish that contains harmful toxins…
Detox Your Beauty Cabinet
Sadly, the majority of beauty and skin care products are oozing with toxins that can make you sick!
Fortunately, there are some excellent natural beauty products to achieve your desired look without jeopardizing your health. Click here for a comprehensive list of my favorite natural beauty products and get the intel on how to build your upgraded, risk-free beauty routine that is TPHP free!
Click Here for References+
- Sciammacco, Sara. “Duke-EWG Study Finds Toxic Nail Polish Chemical In Women’s Bodies” Environmental Working Group. OCTOBER 19, 2015. https://www.ewg.org/release/duke-ewg-study-finds-toxic-nail-polish-chemical-women-s-bodies#.WzkqMmaZMb0
- Mendelsohn E, Hagopian A, Hoffman K, Butt CM, Lorenzo A, Congleton J, Webster TF, Stapleton HM. “Nail polish as a source of exposure to triphenyl phosphate.” Environ Int. 2016 Jan;86:45-51. doi: 10.1016/j.envint.2015.10.005. Epub 2015 Oct 18.
- “Your Nail Polish Could Be Disrupting Your Hormone System” Environmental Working Group. OCTOBER 21, 2015. Originally published on Ms. Magazine by Heather White, EWG Executive Director.
- Laurie, Julie. “These Nail Polish Brands Contain a Chemical That Could Mess With Your Hormones.” Mother Jones. Oct. 19, 2015. https://www.motherjones.com/environment/2015/10/nail-polish-tphp-endochrine-disruptor/
