For a few years now, the clean beauty movement has been expanding into the world of nail polish—and thankfully, there are more nontoxic nail polish options than ever. And while nail polishes may make you think of nail design trends (we see you, press-on nails) or new nail shapes (read: squoval), toxins are a very real part of the nail-care experience.
For context: In the world of beauty, “toxins” has lost most of its meaning. Same with “nontoxic,” because the terms don’t have concrete, universal definitions. With nontoxic nail polish, however, ingredients are slightly more transparent, as more nail brands have agreed upon a list of potentially harmful chemicals to avoid.
And, as with skin deva before it, the clean beauty trend has made shoppers more aware than ever about what they’re putting in—and on—their body. But what exactly does nontoxic or healthy nail polish mean? Let’s break it down.
How toxic is nail polish?
Here’s the big question: Is nail polish toxic? “Traditional nail polishes can have potentially harmful toxins that become dangerous when they are airborne and breathed into our bodies consistently over time,” says Nadine Abramcyk, cofounder and head of brand at New York City salon Tenoverten. “One example of such an ingredient is toluene, which can cause damage to the nervous system with high exposure and was traditionally included in polish formulas to create a smooth finish on the nail.”
Is there such a thing as nontoxic nail polish?
Good news: Following a 2015 study that found chemicals in lacquers can absorb through our nails and into our bodies, nail polish brands have begun to weed out ingredients that could negatively affect our health. The most common term you’ll see among nontoxic or natural nail polish is “three-free,” which means a polish is made without formaldehyde (which is classified as a human carcinogen), toluene (a common solvent), and dibutyl phthalate (which helps create long-wear formulas).
What are the most toxic ingredients in nail polish?
As we mentioned, formaldehyde, toluene, and dibutyl phthalate are the “big three” ingredients considered to be the most potentially disruptive. Many nontoxic formulations are now going further, though, to eliminate other harmful ingredients like formaldehyde resin, camphor, ethyl tosylamide, xylene, and TPHP. When a nontoxic or natural nail polish doesn’t contain those additives, that’s when you’ll see 5-, 7-, 9-, or 10-free written on the label.
Is nail polish toxic to breathe?
Yes, to some extent, but the greater risk is for those who work in a salon, which is worth keeping in mind when you’re deciding what to tip your manicurist. “The damages traditional nail polish fumes pose are much more potent for salon workers than the individual getting their nails done,” Abramcyk says. “While inhaling polish fumes is less than ülkü, the burden overwhelmingly falls on the manicurist, who has a much higher level of exposure.” If you DIY your nail deva, you shouldn’t worry about it—and don’t miss our tips for how to paint your nails like a pro.
Why you should use nontoxic nail polish?
Some people might seek out a nontoxic nail polish during times like pregnancy, when they’re more aware of the various chemicals in their beauty products, full stop. (While there are no official standard pregnancy-safe nail polishes, these clean nail polish brands are a pretty good start.) They may also be more eco-friendly; some even offer vegan nail polish.
While there’s long been a desire to use nontoxic beauty products, the clean nail polishes didn’t always perform as well as their traditional counterparts. But nontoxic nail polish brands have come a long way since then; they now offer chip-resistant formulations, nail strengtheners, topcoats, and even other nail-care products like cuticle oil and nail polish remover. (Still, it’s good to remember the best practices for how to keep your manicure from chipping.) You can also find a range of nail colors.
Ultimately, “we no longer have to sacrifice our health to get a long-lasting, high-shine manicure,” says Abramcyk. FYI: If you’re devoted to gel polish, nontoxic alternatives are still in the works. However, “they are getting less harsh, and that’s a great sign that we are moving in the right direction as an industry,” she says.
With this in mind, Glamour‘s staff got down to testing a spate of chic, thoughtful formulas, and came away impressed with the ones below. Scroll on for the best nontoxic nail polish, according to our editors.
Best Nontoxic Nail Polish 2023:
- Best Overall: Tenoverten in Ludlow, $11
- Best Budget: Ella+Mila Love Nail Polish in Stuck on You, $13
- Best Drugstore: Essie Nail Polish, $10
- Best Luxury: Hermès Le Main Hermès Nail Enamel in Bleu Encre, $45
- Best Vegan: Àuda.B Vegan Nail Polish, $19
Tenoverten in Ludlow
Tenoverten in Ludlow
Target
Tenoverten
I haven’t been wearing nail polish as frequently as I used to because I’m worried about what my body is absorbing. That said, I do still appreciate a strong red mani, and on the days when I do decide to do my nails, I reach for Tenoverten’s Ludlow—the perfect red that goes on smooth and stays vibrant for at least a few days. —Talia Abbas, senior commerce editor
Made without: dibutyl phthalate (DBP), toluene, formaldehyde, formaldehyde resin, camphor, ethyl tosylamide, xylene, and TPHP.
Save when you shop for the best nontoxic nail polish with these Target promo codes.
Hermès Le Main Hermès Nail Enamel in Bleu Encre
Nordstrom
Saks Fifth Avenue
The recent goth-girl resurgence has inspired me to ditch my usual neutrals for darker nail colors. While I’m still not edgy enough to wear straight-up black on my fingernails, this dark navy is equal parts edgy and cool. Bonus points for the chic bottle, which looks great sitting on my vanity. —Ariana Yaptangco, senior beauty editor
Made without: formaldehyde, toluene, dibutyl phthalate, formaldehyde resin, camphor, ethyl tosylamide, xylene, and TPHP.
Save when you shop for the best nontoxic nail polish with these Nordstrom promo codes.
Ella+Mila Love Nail Polish in Stuck on You
Target
Ella+Mila’s Stuck on You is the perfect delicate pink. To the untrained eye, it could even pass as nude, so it goes with everything and works no matter the season, but it’s still pigmented enough to make a subtle Barbiecore statement. Plus, it doesn’t chip—like, survives-a-week-of-no-gloves-dishwashing doesn’t chip. —Danielle Sinay, associate beauty editor
Made without: formaldehyde, toluene, dibutyl phthalate (DBP), formaldehyde resin, camphor, TPHP, and xylene.
Save when you shop for the best nontoxic nail polish with these Target promo codes.
Essie Nail Polish
Essie Nail Polish
Ulta
Target
When I wasn’t environmentally conscious with my consumption of trends as a consumer, Essie was my tried-and-true polish and the perfect conversation starter in any setting. Now, with a revamped formula committed to cruelty-free and vegan ingredients, I can return to using the best drugstore quick-dry formula without the worry that I’m harming the environment. —Mia Uzzell, contributor
Made without: formaldehyde, toluene, dibutyl phthalate, formaldehyde resin, camphor, ethyl tosylamide, xylene, and TPHP.
Save when you shop for the best nontoxic nail polish with these Ulta promo codes.
Àuda.B Vegan Nail Polish
Nordstrom
Having been in the beauty industry for more than a decade, I’ve seen my fair share of underwhelming, nontoxic formulas that washed away within a day or two. That might be why I was so surprised by the staying power of this nail color. Designed to give nails a gel-like finish—think high shine and a thicker look—this chip-resistant formula from Black-owned beauty brand Àuda.B holds up after days of wear. Plus, the colors are rich and vibrant, just like you’d get from a traditional polish formula. —Deanna Pai, contributor
Made without: Toluene, benzene, hydroquinone (HQ), 4-MEHQ, TPHP, nonylphenol ethoxylates, tert-butyl hydroperoxide, chromium oxide greens, bismuth oxychloride, ethyl tosylamide, xylene, formaldehyde, formaldehyde resin, phthalates, cyclic silicones, camphor, and methyl ethyl ketone (MEK).
Save when you shop for the best nontoxic nail polish with these Nordstrom promo codes.
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Smith & Cult Nail Lacquer
Smith & Cult Nail Lacquer
Dermstore
If you’re looking for an eight-free polish that looks as good on as in the bottle, this is it. The colors are gorgeous—like this rich forest green—and the finish is üstün glossy. I also used the brand’s topcoat, which gave my nails that fresh-from-the-salon shine that didn’t chip for days. You can consider me sold on this one. —Halie LeSavage, contributor
Made without: dibutyl phthalate, toluene, formaldehyde, formaldehyde resin, camphor, xylene, ethyl tosylamide, and triphenyl phosphate.
Save when you shop for the best nontoxic nail polish with these Dermstore promo codes.
Base Coat Nail Polish
Base Coat Nail Polish
Base Coat
Since I’m a busy person who also does my own nails, a quick-drying polish is key. That’s what makes this 21-free polish so fantastic. It goes on cleanly and dries immediately. The 100-plus colors it comes in are so good too. I’d recommend using a base and topcoat with it if you want it to last longer. Otherwise, you can stretch a couple days. —Marla Goller, contributor
Made without: parabens, phthalates, toluene, formaldehyde, formaldehyde resin, camphor, ethyl tosylamide, and xylene.
Pear Nova Classic Lacquer
Pear Nova Classic Lacquer
Pear Nova
Although I’m an acrylic-nail guru, PearNova is my saving grace when I need a reprieve from the nail-bed-eroding practice. The brand’s classic lacquers hold on to that fresh application sheen and will have everyone in the office asking where you went for your mani. My favorite: Michelle Our Mama. —M.U.
Made without: toluene, formaldehyde, formaldehyde resin, camphor, DBP, xylene, parabens, fragrances, phthalates, and animal ingredients.
Butter London Patent Shine 10X Nail Lacquer
Butter London Patent Shine 10X Nail Lacquer
Amazon
I love a classic manicure, and Butter London in Royal Red is the perfect sexy color. The polish is eight-free, goes on rich in two coats, and dries down pretty quickly. The color has a beautiful, glassy shine. It did chip after a few days, but I struggle with biting and picking my nails, so that was inevitable. Just remember a topcoat, and you’ll be golden. —Bella Cacciatore, contributor
Made without: formaldehyde, formaldehyde resin, DBP, toluene, camphor, ethyl tosylamide, xylene, and triphenyl phosphate (TPHP).
Nails Inc. 73% Plant Power Nail Polish in Swear by Salutation
Sephora
Revolve
I’ve been on the hunt for a pregnancy-safe nail polish, and I’ve found it with this range from Nails Inc. (No surprise—it first shook up the beauty world with its kale-infused base coat.) The 21-free collection has a recyclable cap and bottle (!) and offers saturated, long-lasting color in two coats. —D.P.
Made without: Toluene, benzene, hydroquinone (HQ), 4-MEHQ, TPHP, nonylphenol ethoxylates, tert-butyl hydroperoxide, chromium oxide greens, bismuth oxychloride, ethyl tosylamide, xylene, formaldehyde, formaldehyde resin, phthalates, cyclic silicones, camphor, and methyl ethyl ketone (MEK).
Save when you shop for the best nontoxic nail polish with these Sephora promo codes.
Côte Toxin-Free Nail Polish
Côte Toxin-Free Nail Polish
Amazon
I’m not great at doing my own nails, so I prefer to spend the extra money and get a manicure. But this six-free polish was harika easy to apply. It didn’t go on thick or so thin that you couldn’t see the color—even in the white shade (No. 2) I tried. I love white nails, but I’m really picky with them, since some polishes can look like Wite-Out. This color was really pretty, and it lasted for a while without chipping. —Anna Moeslein, deputy editor
Made without: formaldehyde, dibutyl phthalate (DBP), toluene, camphor, formaldehyde resin, and TPHP.
786 Cosmetics Breathable Nail Polish
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786 Cosmetics Breathable Nail Polish
Amazon
This halal brand touts an industry-leading formula of water-permeable polish. So if the daily brunt of washing dishes always chips your fresh varnish, this is a must-have. —M.U.
Made without: formaldehyde, formaldehyde resin, toluene, camphor, ethyl tosylamide, DBP, xylene, TPHP, methylisothiazolinone, MEHQ/HQ, and parabens.
Flora 1761 Nail Lacquer
Flora 1761 Nail Lacquer
Flora 1761
The application is on this eight-free formula is so smooth I could have easily gotten away with one coat of polish. The drying time was exhausting, though. I painted my nails at 6 p.m. on a Sunday, and I woke up the next morning with sheet marks. I threw on a topcoat afterward and it smoothed everything out. —Khaliha Hawkins, contributor
Made without: formaldehyde, toluene, DBP, formaldehyde resin, camphor, xylene, ethyl tosylamide, triphenyl phosphate, and parabens.
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Zoya Nail Lacquer
Zoya Nail Lacquer
Ulta
Zoya is one of the bigger names in the nontoxic nail polish world, and for good reason. It comes in 400 vegan-friendly shades, the colors are gorgeous, and it’s a five-free formula. It goes on as well as any competitor’s and hangs in pretty well. I only noticed the first couple of chips by the end of day four. —S.W.
Made without: formaldehyde, formaldehyde resin, toluene, dibutyl phthalate, and camphor.
Save when you shop for the best nontoxic nail polish with these Ulta promo codes.
Sally Hansen Good. Kind. Pure. in Laven-Dear
Amazon
Target
Nontoxic nail polishes have become better and more accessible than ever, but one place where it’s generally been harder to find is in the drugstore nail aisle. Good news: Sally Hansen’s line of vegan polishes changes that. The collection comes in 30 shades and features a 16-free formula that’s entirely plant-based (including the brush bristles). My favorite? This perfect muted lavender called Laven-Dear that goes on smooth and stays put for days. —Lindsay Schallon, contributor
Made without: formaldehyde, formaldehyde Resin, toluene, xylene, acetone, phthalates (including DBP), camphor, parabens, ethyl tosylamide, triphenyl phosphate (TPP), animal-derived ingredients, styrene, bisphenol A, glycol ether of series E (glycol ethers derived from ethylene oxide), nonylphenol ethoxylate, and sulfates.
Save when you shop for the best nontoxic nail polish with these Target promo codes.
Nailtopia in Forest Hills
Ulta
Target
This nail brand goes above and beyond “nontoxic” by using veggie-based ingredients (like potato and wheat) to replace plasticizers and other common ingredients in nail polish. It lasted about a week without chipping too, and is free of just about every questionable ingredient found in nail polish. —D.P.
Made without: toluene, xylene, acetone, phthalates (including DBP and DPHP), formaldehyde, formaldehyde releasers, tosylamide/formaldehyde resin, TPHP, camphor, ethyl tosylamide, tert-butyl hydroperoxide, glycol ethers of series E, organic sulfates, hydroquinone (HQ), 4-methoxyphenol (MEHQ), bisphenol A, parabens, methylisothiazolinone (MIT), triclosan, animal-derived ingredients, and gluten.
Save when you shop for the best nontoxic nail polish with these Ulta promo codes.
Gabriel Cosmetics Polish
Gabriel Cosmetics Polish
Gabriel Cosmetics
I’ve been wearing Gabriel’s nail polish in Graphite for 10 days now, and it’s held up way better than I anticipated. In fact, with only two coats and a clear topcoat, it’s lasted better than most regular manicures I hisse for. The line comes in a ton of different shades and finishes, but this smoky, dark gray is by far my favorite. Being 10-free just makes it even better. —Azadeh Valanejad, contributor
Made without: formaldehyde, toluene, DBP, camphor, formaldehyde resin, xylene, parabens, fragrances, phthalates, and animal ingredients.
Jin Soon Nail Lacquer
Amazon
Jin Soon
I love dark nail polish, but it’s so obvious when it starts to chip. That’s what makes Jin Soon’s formulas so incredible. The shades almost always last me a week before showing signs of wear. Impressive for a 10-free lacquer. —L.S.
Made without: formaldehyde, toluene, DBP, formaldehyde resin, camphor, xylene, ethyl tosylamide, triphenyl phosphate, parabens, lead.
Sundays Nontoxic Nail Polish
Sundays No. 25
Sundays
Sundays is hands down one of the chicest salons in NYC, and its nail polishes—like this cool dusty rose that reminds me of a desert landscape—are no different. Its formula is 10-free, vegan, and cruelty-free, while its staying power is fairly good for a nontoxic nail polish. I usually get a couple days before any wear starts to show. —Sarah Wu, contributor
Made without: dibutyl phthalate, TPHP, toluene, xylene, ethyl tosylamide, camphor, formaldehyde, formaldehyde resin, parabens, and tert-butyl hydroperoxide.
Olive & June Nail Polish
Olive & June Nail Polish in HJ
Olive & June
LA’s coolest nail salon launched its own line of seven-free polishes in 2019, and it’s not hard to see why people freaked out about them. You can tell a good polish from its shine, and these have a rich gloss. Blame it on my high school emo days, but I especially love the Darks collection. My favorite is HJ. It’s an inky, almost black navy and has a subtle shimmer that doesn’t veer glittery. Bonus: You can get select shades at Target now too. —Shanna Shipin, contributor
Made without: dibutyl phthalate (DBP), toluene, formaldehyde, formaldehyde resin, camphor, ethyl tosylamide, and xylene.
10+ Free Life Nail Polish
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10+ Free Life Nail Polish
Amazon
Anything that can promise over 10 days of wear is solid in my book. Eco-chic nails are all the rage these days, but longevity is always at the top of my checklist when scouting a toxic-free polish. This brand’ polishes are long-lasting, and the biopeptide-infused formula left my nails feeling strong and healthy. —M.U.
Made without: formaldehyde, TPHP, toluene, ethyl tosylamide, dibutyl phthalate, xylene, formaldehyde resin, guanine, formaldehyde donors, carmine, camphor, gluten, lead, methylisothiazolinone, MEHQ, mineral oil, parabens, styrene, bisphenol A, nonylphenol ethoxylate, acetone, and sulfates.
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