Fake Nails - what they forget to tell you!
Painting and applying fake nails is a very popular practice amongst women's 'grooming' habits. I would say, at least in the circle of women that I know, this is something I see FREQUENTLY. I am told that this is a thing girls do to make themselves feel good, more 'put together', more beautiful and more in control of their lives...and I get it because I used to do the same thing to feel the same way. I use to paint my nails and somehow magically feel more powerful and confident but I quickly gave up the practice about 3 years ago when I learnt about the chemicals in nail polish that seep through the nail bed and leach straight into our bloodstreams...
Wait, what Chemicals??
"1. DBP (DIBUTYL PHTHALATE)
Dibutyl phthalate (DBP) is used in nail polish to minimize chipping. Phthalates are classified as endocrine disruptors and mimic the hormone estrogen in your body. They are proven to impair the hormonal development of male fetuses, cause organ damage, and may even instigate early-onset menopause.
Though no human studies have been done on DBP, animal studies show decreased fertility, hormonal disruption, bioaccumulation, and liver damage. The European Union banned DBP in cosmetic and personal care products, and the Australian government currently classifies DBP as a risk to the human reproductive system.
2. TOLUENE
Toluene is a ingredient used to create a smooth application and finish. It's fumes are highly toxic and studies have shown that exposure to toluene can cause neurological damage, decreased brain function, impaired breathing, hearing loss, and nausea. When inhaled too frequently by pregnant women, it may result in impaired fetal development. Animal studies have also shown that toluene is linked to reproductive impairment, immune system toxicity, and blood cancers like malignant lymphoma.
The European Union has restricted the use of toluene in personal care products, including nail polish, and advises that pregnant women and children should not be exposed to its fumes. In California, toluene is on the state’s Prop 65 list of chemicals that are harmful to fetal development. It is currently allowed to be used in Australia as far as I can find.
3. FORMALDEHYDE
Formaldehyde is used to harden and strengthen nail polishes, also serving as a preservative that protects against bacterial growth. Formaldehyde is naturally produced by the body in incredibly small amounts—similar to the concentration found in some vaccines. At this low level, formaldehyde is not dangerous.
However, exposure to larger doses of formaldehyde in the air or on the skin may cause cancer of the throat, nose, and blood. Nail salon workers and their children are especially at risk for chronic health problems caused by formaldehyde, including asthma, convulsions, nausea, and miscarriages. Repeated exposure can cause a build-up of fluid in the lungs and cause abnormal fetal development in pregnant women. The European Union allows only limited use of formaldehyde in personal care products, while Japan and Sweden have banned it completely."
I won't go into much more detail because you get the idea. These are just three of the hundreds of chemicals that are found in nail polishes and fake nails!! Some of the other chemicals are more toxic than what I have mentioned above, and most are less toxic but that doesn't mean they aren't still bad for our health.
Fat lot of good these masks are going to do for inhaling those nasty chemicals!
Other considerations...
The personal cost (health, financial and time)
Getting your nails done on average costs $50 each time you get them done and the time cost is a good few hours of your free time sitting in a chemical fume-filled nail salon. Because women typically get their nails done every 3 weeks, across the year that equates to almost $900 spent on getting your nails covered in chemicals that seep through the nail bed and into the blood - no thank you!
The environmental cost
Now, this is obviously a big consideration for us all because we need to take responsibility for the waste that we dump in the world which we rely on to live. What happens once all those fake nails and nail polish is removed from everyone's fingernails? They head straight into landfill to sit and leach the strong chemicals that they're made from into the soil around them to eventually run into our waterways, our air and out into the world in which we depend upon to keep us healthy, fed, hydrated with clean water and to provide up with clean fresh air to breathe - which is impossible to get if we are dumping our toxic waste straight into the world!
So I gave up nail polish 3 years ago and I don't miss it at all. My nails are natural and I look after them by cutting and shaping them how I like and leave the glary chemical polishes behind. This saves my health, time, money and the environment which I love so dearly. Why don't you give it a go?
Love,
Liza
REFERENCES:
https://www.ellamila.com/blogs/in-the-news/115515716-5-toxic-chemicals-to-avoid-in-nail-polish
Wait, what Chemicals??
Where does chemical waste go when we throw it 'away'?
Dibutyl phthalate (DBP) is used in nail polish to minimize chipping. Phthalates are classified as endocrine disruptors and mimic the hormone estrogen in your body. They are proven to impair the hormonal development of male fetuses, cause organ damage, and may even instigate early-onset menopause.
Though no human studies have been done on DBP, animal studies show decreased fertility, hormonal disruption, bioaccumulation, and liver damage. The European Union banned DBP in cosmetic and personal care products, and the Australian government currently classifies DBP as a risk to the human reproductive system.
2. TOLUENE
Toluene is a ingredient used to create a smooth application and finish. It's fumes are highly toxic and studies have shown that exposure to toluene can cause neurological damage, decreased brain function, impaired breathing, hearing loss, and nausea. When inhaled too frequently by pregnant women, it may result in impaired fetal development. Animal studies have also shown that toluene is linked to reproductive impairment, immune system toxicity, and blood cancers like malignant lymphoma.
The European Union has restricted the use of toluene in personal care products, including nail polish, and advises that pregnant women and children should not be exposed to its fumes. In California, toluene is on the state’s Prop 65 list of chemicals that are harmful to fetal development. It is currently allowed to be used in Australia as far as I can find.
3. FORMALDEHYDE
Formaldehyde is used to harden and strengthen nail polishes, also serving as a preservative that protects against bacterial growth. Formaldehyde is naturally produced by the body in incredibly small amounts—similar to the concentration found in some vaccines. At this low level, formaldehyde is not dangerous.
However, exposure to larger doses of formaldehyde in the air or on the skin may cause cancer of the throat, nose, and blood. Nail salon workers and their children are especially at risk for chronic health problems caused by formaldehyde, including asthma, convulsions, nausea, and miscarriages. Repeated exposure can cause a build-up of fluid in the lungs and cause abnormal fetal development in pregnant women. The European Union allows only limited use of formaldehyde in personal care products, while Japan and Sweden have banned it completely."
I won't go into much more detail because you get the idea. These are just three of the hundreds of chemicals that are found in nail polishes and fake nails!! Some of the other chemicals are more toxic than what I have mentioned above, and most are less toxic but that doesn't mean they aren't still bad for our health.
Fat lot of good these masks are going to do for inhaling those nasty chemicals!Other considerations...
The personal cost (health, financial and time)
Getting your nails done on average costs $50 each time you get them done and the time cost is a good few hours of your free time sitting in a chemical fume-filled nail salon. Because women typically get their nails done every 3 weeks, across the year that equates to almost $900 spent on getting your nails covered in chemicals that seep through the nail bed and into the blood - no thank you!
The environmental cost
Now, this is obviously a big consideration for us all because we need to take responsibility for the waste that we dump in the world which we rely on to live. What happens once all those fake nails and nail polish is removed from everyone's fingernails? They head straight into landfill to sit and leach the strong chemicals that they're made from into the soil around them to eventually run into our waterways, our air and out into the world in which we depend upon to keep us healthy, fed, hydrated with clean water and to provide up with clean fresh air to breathe - which is impossible to get if we are dumping our toxic waste straight into the world!
So I gave up nail polish 3 years ago and I don't miss it at all. My nails are natural and I look after them by cutting and shaping them how I like and leave the glary chemical polishes behind. This saves my health, time, money and the environment which I love so dearly. Why don't you give it a go?
Love,
Liza
REFERENCES:
https://www.ellamila.com/blogs/in-the-news/115515716-5-toxic-chemicals-to-avoid-in-nail-polish
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