Most conventional nail polish contains a plethora of toxic chemicals that can harm your health and the environment. Luckily, some companies have removed the worst offending chemicals and microplastics from their formulas (look for a polish that says at least 8-free, but better yet 12-free or more!). In addition, better, more eco-friendly brands have brought new types of polish to market in recent years.
Nail polish is full of nasty things, at least typically. Here are my top picks for the best eco-friendly, non-toxic nail polish that does better than the rest.
Need a little extra pizzazz? We’ve got you covered with the best eco-friendly, non-toxic glitter nail polish options!
Honeybee Gardens Nail Polish
Highlights: Made in the U.S., non-toxic, vegan-friendly, Feingold and PETA certified Cruelty Free nail polish.
- Free of toxic chemicals found in most nail polish
- Vegan certified by PETA
- EWG rated low hazard
- Made in the U.S.
- Available in a wide variety of colors
- Comes off easily with rubbing alcohol
- Packaged with paper and card
- Plastic bottle caps
Honeybee Gardens polish is a water-based nail polish that is vegan-friendly, certified cruelty-free by PETA, non-GMO and free of:
- Parabens
- Gluten
- Formaldehyde, toluene, DBP (the big 3 in nail polish)
- Xylene
- Camphor
- Benzophenone-1
- FD&C colors
- Nitrocellulose resin
- Animal ingredients
- Triphenyl phosphate.
This makes Honeybee Gardens one of the least toxic nail polishes around and my top pick for Leaf Score. It’s also well rated by the Environmental Working Group, has rave reviews online, and is made in Pennsylvania, USA, although some products may be made in Canada and Germany.
None of the products are tested on animals and all have been reviewed by the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics, with a score of 2 or lower. The company works with the National Resources Stewardship Council (NRSC) to obtain ethically sourced mica, with most of the mica in Honeybee Gardens products sourced in the US.
Honeybee Gardens was created in 1995 by herbalist Melissa J. Buckley. The company uses natural ingredients and reuses and recycles as much as possible. Honeybee Gardens uses recyclable and recycled products to pad retail orders during transit, including reusing materials from deliveries and shredding paper and newspaper as fill.
Kid Licks Edible Nail Polish
Highlights: The best option for kid-safe nail polish. Made in the U.S., microplastic-free, and technically edible!
- Microplastic-free and made with confectioner’s glaze
- Made in the U.S.
- Can be removed with soap, water, and alcohol
- Contains some lake colors
- Not vegan
- Contains some shellac (so, not really cruelty-free)
One of the least toxic nail polishes around, this polish can be removed with alcohol, soap, and water. Instead of using acrylate polymers, Kid Licks uses confectioner’s glaze, making this polish plastic-free.
The other name for confectioner’s glaze is shellac (or purified lac resin). This means Kid Licks is not really cruelty-free and is definitely not vegan-friendly as raw lac resin contains around 25% insect matter.
Aside from that, Kid Lick’s polish seems to use some of the safest FD&C colors in most polishes. It’s best suited for temporary use as it will flake and chip much more than conventional polish. It’s also great for kids as it’s easy to apply and easy to remove.
Even though this polish is technically edible, I don’t recommend letting kids eat it.
Unfortunately, Kid Licks don’t seem to have any clear policies on sustainable manufacturing or recycling, so all those leaves are purely based on the product itself. Wherever possible, thoroughly rinse empty Kid Licks glass bottles and either reuse them for arts and crafts at home or recycle them.
Piggy Paint
Highlights: Quick-drying, kid-safe, super affordable polish. Mostly odor-free, lasts well, and is easy to remove. Made in the U.S. and cruelty-free.
- Cruelty-free and vegan
- Water-based nail polish that’s easy to remove
- Plastic bottle caps
- Contains acrylates
- Avoid colors containing ‘violet 2’ (potentially hazardous)
- Microplastics in the glitter polishes
Piggy Paint is a popular brand for kid-safe nail polish, and for good reason. Their 7-free polish is vegan and cruelty-free and was created by a mom looking for a safe polish for her kid.
These water-based polishes typically get an EWG rating 1 as low hazard. They are free from:
- Formaldehyde, toluene, dibutyl phthalate (DBP)
- Formaldehyde resin.
The polishes aren’t FD&C color-free, though. If Piggy Paint made the switch to mineral colorants only, I’d give these polishes an extra leaf. In the meantime, your best bet is to choose colors carefully and avoid those containing violet 2.
Piggy Paint also offers a topcoat and base coat/sealer, plus a nail polish remover that works quickly on all polishes, especially Piggy Paint Nail Polish.
Piggy Paint is the kids’ version of SOPHi polish and, in a fun twist, is also SOPHi’s parent company. This means that like SOPHi, Piggy Paint has no discernible environmental policies or sustainability practices. So, all those leaves are purely for the product, not for the company’s eco-friendly approach to business.
Acquarella nail polish
Highlights: 10-free, EWG rated low hazard, and longer lasting than other water-based polishes. Made in the U.S. and vegan.
- Made in the U.S.
- Genuinely vegan and cruelty-free
- Longer lasting than most water-based polishes
- No base coat or topcoat needed!
- EWG rated 1 (low hazard)
- Contains styrene
- Plastic caps
- A bit pricier than other options
Acquarella’ water-based nail polish is made with water, styrene acrylates copolymer, and acrylates copolymer, with a range of possible colorants and mica.
Sure, the styrene isn’t great, but this polish is technically free from any chemicals on the European Union’s list of restricted substances, making it vastly better than most other polish.
As a bonus, you don’t need a base coat or topcoat with this polish, which helps offset the slightly higher price tag.
All of the Acquarella Water Color products are made in Tucson, Arizona, with the company exerting complete control over production from beginning to end. None of the finished products are tested on animals, nor do they contain any animal products or by-products, and they have been approved as such by PETA.
Unfortunately, Acquarella has no clear policy on sustainability, so the onus is on the customer to reuse and recycle product packaging.
SOPHi nail polish
Highlights: Vegan and Cruelty-Free, made in the U.S., and water-based. Free from the most toxic chemicals in nail polish.
- The adult Piggy Paint
- Water-based formula
- 100% Cruelty-free and vegan
- Removable with rubbing alcohol (or vodka!)
- Some colors contain violet 2 and other things to avoid
- Mica sourcing unclear
SOPHi nail polish is, to all intents and purposes, the adult Piggy Paint and is made by the same company. It is available in some more sophisticated colors (and some fun colors, too – don’t worry), and is non-flammable.
SOPHi polish is free from most potentially hazardous chemicals, including:
- Formaldehyde, toluene, phthalates
- Bisphenol A (BPA)
- Ethyl acetate.
SOPHi nail polish has won a bunch of awards, including from Pregnancy & Newborn magazine. And with a decent EWG rating, this is a good option for most folks.
While eco-friendly in the sense that there are no highly troubling chemicals in this polish, the company, like many other beauty brands, does little else to protect the environment. There’s no recycling or reuse policy in place, no solar panels, carbon offsetting, or partnerships with eco-organizations. So, again, the onus is on you as a consumer to rinse and reuse these glass bottles for arts and crafts at home, or recycle where possible.
Zoya Nail Polish
Highlights: More than 400 shades, all of which are at least Big 10-free and vegan. Incredibly long-lasting natural nail polish with glitter options that are plastic-free.
- Vegan and made in the U.S.
- More than 400 shades available!
- Breathable and water permeable
- Plastic-free glitter polishes available
- In recyclable glass and plastic
- Packaged in cardboard
- Family company founded in the US by refugees
- Contains some dubious chemical ingredients
- Plastic caps
A popular brand for nail salons, Zoya offers a huge range of colors, many of which are eye-poppingly bright.
Zoya polish has a reputation for being hardwearing. It’s also made in the U.S. and while it’s not the most sustainable brand, it does better than most. For instance, Zoya only uses plastic-free glitter, though this is from mica with no responsible sourcing policy at Zoya.
Suncoat
Highlights: Made in Canada, great nail polish for kids and adults, virtually odor-free, contains mostly natural ingredients.
- Cruelty-free , water-based polishes
- Doesn’t dry out nails
- Mostly made with mineral pigments
- Contains styrene and plastics
- Washes off very easily (wear gloves for doing dishes!)
- Avoid the glitter polishes (they contain even more plastic)
Suncoat has been making water-based nail polishes since 2001 and was, once again, founded by a mom looking for safe nail polish for kids. The difference here is that this mom was a scientist! Handy.
The resulting polishes mostly use mineral pigments and natural ingredients, and all Suncoat Girl products are created and manufactured in Guelph, Canada.
These polishes are free of:
- Formaldehyde, toluene, phthalates
- Acetates
- Alcohol
- Glycol ethers
- FD&C dyes.
Unfortunately, these polishes contain a plethora of plastics, including acrylic copolymers, polyurethane, and plastic glitter in some polishes.
Suncoat is far from perfect, but still much better than most polishes. I’d avoid the glitter polish, just in case the PET in these is a source of phthalates.
The problem with conventional nail polish
The U.S. has no robust regulation restricting potentially hazardous chemicals in cosmetic and personal care products. That means nail polish typically contains a whole bevy of nasty chemicals.
These chemicals can harm your nails (especially with regular use) and can also cause skin irritation and respiratory issues, and even affect hormonal health.
Here’s a more in-depth look at what to watch out for in nail polish.
In general, it’s best to avoid nail polish that contains acrylate copolymers or other microplastics. These usually end up in wastewater and are persistent pollutants. They can seriously affect the health of fish, birds, frogs, and other wildlife and can also accumulate in human tissue where they continue to cause health issues.
Finally, when it’s time to remove your nail polish, don’t just pick away at it or reach for the acetone and disposable wipes. Consider using the following products instead to make things a bit healthier and more eco-friendly all round:
- Organyc Organic Cotton Rounds in biodegradable and compostable packaging
- Sephora Organic Cotton Rounds with GOTS certification
- TL Care’s Nursing Pads made with organic cotton – made for nursing but great for removing make-up and nail polish!
- Priveganic organic cotton make-up removal pads come with a convenient washbag to stop them getting bunched up or stuck in a dryer vent.