Vegan nail polishes are for everyone. Even if you do not follow a vegan diet you can still adopt with ease, a plant based lifestyle in other areas of your life. Cosmetics is one such area with top quality vegan products on offer these days making the transition relatively easy even for non-vegans to embrace. If you are still thinking about making the change but have not as yet, read on to find vegan nail polish switch reasons that will leave you in no doubt of the benefits of such a move.
1. Free from toxic ingredients
One of the main benefits of switching to vegan polishes is that you are not exposed to harmful chemicals which are found in regular nail polishes. Vegan nail polishes use the term ‘paraben free’ which lets you as the consumer know that harmful chemicals are not part of their formula. They also do not contain any animal-derived ingredients or pigments.
Traditional nail polish uses three main chemicals, Toluene, Formaldehyde and Phthalates, that are known to be harmful with long term use. For nail polishes key ingredients also include the compounds that give them their colour. These pigments can be both carbon-based/organic or inorganic, which includes the use of iron oxide for reds and oranges, chromium oxide for greens and ferric ferrocyanide for blues. Vegan nail polishes use the carbon based or organic option.
2. Cruelty free
Vegan and cruelty free most often go hand in hand so switching to vegan nail polish means you are also moving to cruelty free nail polish. Cruelty free means that the product you are purchasing or using has not been tested on animals. By making the conscious decision not to contribute towards products that are animal tested you are doing your part to reduce the suffering and ease the life of lab animals kept in small cages and who often end up maimed, blinded or killed.
An additional benefit of not testing on animals is that cruelty free nail polish brands do not have to use bad chemicals as all their ingredients are naturally sourced. This means the nail polish is clean and less likely to cause allergies. Vegan nail polish brands that do not want to harm animals always ensure that they use the cleanest ingredients in their products so that it is not harmful to people either.
3. Contains no animal by-products
Even today, sadly, most traditional nail polishes do still include animal-derived ingredients. Many top brands are working to reduce these in their products but they have not been eliminated completely. However, a plant based nail polish contains no animal by-products as everything used is predominantly natural and sourced from plants so there are no synthetic harsh ingredients to cause harm or irritation to your skin. Using animal derived ingredients to manufacture cosmetics is a form of animal cruelty.
4. Better for the environment
As mentioned, vegan nail polishes do not contain harmful chemicals and are mostly water based, which makes their manufacturing process better for the environment. Also most vegan and cruelty free cosmetic brands provide eco-friendly packaging. Vegan brands work hard to minimise their carbon footprint by manufacturing quality products in limited quantities to minimise waste.
5. Better option for sensitive and allergy prone skin
With no animal products or by-products or toxic chemicals vegan friendly nail polishes are genuinely gentler on your nails and skin. This makes them safer for continuous use especially because they are organic and contain natural vitamins that counter nail damage. Further the natural benefits of the plant based ingredients help nourish nails and keep them healthy and strong. This is why an increasing number of nail salons offer vegan friendly nail care for customers.
6. Many budget friendly options in the market today
Luckily today there are many top quality budget friendly vegan nail polish brands available in the market making it easier to make the transition. For the reasons already mentioned many are making the shift to vegan nail polish as an easy way to benefit both themselves and the planet. With a bit of research you will be able to find a brand that you prefer and start enjoying the benefits of using vegan nail polish.
7. Quality
Most top vegan cosmetic brands go through stringent vetting processes to be certified as a Vegan product, so consumers can be assured of their quality. If you see the Vegan Society certification or any other recognised vegan certification on a product you can be assured that you are buying a quality product.
8. No damaging effect on nails
No harmful or toxic chemicals especially the lack of the five most toxic chemicals found in traditional nail polishes, that of dibutyl phthalate, formaldehyde, formaldehyde resins, toluene or camphor, means that your nails will not suffer when you use vegan nail polish. You can use vegan nail polish as often as you like without worrying about your nails becoming weak or brittle. The only difference when using vegan nail polish is that you may have to apply a few more coats than normal or use a clear top coat to seal in the colour.
9. Recyclable packaging
Vegan brands will also offer recyclable packaging because it is ingrained in the ethos of their brands. As they pay attention to the quality of their products they pay attention to the overall product and ensure that they are in eco-friendly packaging.
10. It is the more ethical choice
There is really no reason for you not to make the shift to vegan nail polishes because not only will it be better for you, better for the environment it is also the more ethical choice. You will not be contributing unnecessarily towards already overflowing landfills, but you will also be doing your part to save lab animals from being test subjects. Vegan products have come a long way and are constantly finding ways to make their products even better. Owing to constant innovation they are now affordable and easily accessible and available to more and more ethically conscious consumers.
