When most people think about reducing their toxic in-take, they usually remember to change their diet and focus on organic products. They usually look at their cleaning and personal products. However, one such personal product that is often overlooked is nail polish. People incorrectly assume that just because nail polish isn’t applied to your skin your body won’t be affected. But the truth is, there are three very toxic ingredients that arefound even in “non-toxic” brands which are absorbed through the nail bed. According to the state of California’s Department Toxic Substances Control, most nail polishes they tested contained these toxic substances, and ironically even in those which claimed to be toxic-free! The three substances we are talking about are:
Toluene: This ingredient helps make nail polish appear smoother. It is banned in Europe due to its high toxicity. Other products that contain toluene include gasoline and as a raw material to create the explosive TNT. Toluene is especially toxic to the nervous system as it can cross the blood-brain barrier. Thus, it can interfere with important neurotransmitters and cause seizures, headaches, nausea, birth defects, liver and kidney damage, etc.
Dibutyl Phthalate (DBP): Used to help keep nail polish from chipping, DBP is banned in Europe but unfortunately not in the United States. Despite DBP being linked to cancer in lab animals, some nail polish companies continue to use DBP. The Centers of Disease Control and Prevention, in 2006, tested 2,600 people and found that phthalates were common in American adults, especially in women.
Formaldehyde: This product is also used as a hardening and drying agent. Formaldehyde is a known carcinogen according the International Agency for Research on Cancer. The chemical can be inhaled while applied nail-polish cause irritation. In some cases, it has been linked to throat and lung cancer.
If you, like many women, enjoy getting your nail done, look for a salon that uses nail polish free of these ingredients. You can even bring your own or give yourself a manicure with a trusted brand such as Honeybee Gardens or Aquarella. The nail-polishes have low hazard ratings from the Environmental Working Group’s Skin Deep Cosmetic Database.
NON-TOXIC NAIL POLISH ALTERNATIVES
- Acquarella
- Honeybee Gardens– water-based, and free of carcinogens and harmful chemicals.
DETOX TOXINS FROM YOUR BODY
Fortunately, it is quite easy and inexpensive to cleanse your body of toxic substances by using foods in your diet such as spirulina.
Spirulina is the most effective food that removes heavy metals from the nervous system and the liver. It has the most detoxifying effect on your body