But ultimately, I understand the hesitation to make the switch: It used to be that free-from polishes didn’t have the staying power (these do), or you couldn’t find a wide spectrum of shades to choose from (now you can find nudes, glitter, neons, and everything else), or they just didn’t have that signature professional, slick finish (the below options are about as silky smooth as they come). But the big ingredients you really need to look out for are formaldehyde (a strengthening agent), camphor (which is used to provide high shine), and toluene (for vibrant color). From there, other common culprits are xylene, triphenyl phosphate, gluten, parabens, and dibutyl phthalate (DBP). The red flags attached to these ingredients range from the fact that they may be common allergens and irritants—to even serious issues like possible carcinogens (such as is the case of formaldehyde, camphor, toluene, and xylene). And as always, no manicure is complete without a quality top and base coat: These are essential for a safer and long-lasting finish. Here, too, you need to be mindful of the ingredients. “The most important being your base coat because that is what is touching your nail and seeping into the skin,” Nadine Abramcyk, co-founder of clean salon tenoverten tells us. The most basic to check: See if they are formaldehyde-free. “This is the most common ingredient in base coats, so even if a brand or salon carries 8-free polishes, that doesn’t mean the same thing across the board. They still might have formaldehyde in the base coat.” 10-Free Nail Lacquer, Mischo Beauty ($20) Nail Polish, Rooted Woman ($15) Nail Polish, Côte ($18) Polish, tenoverten ($12) Nail polish, dear sundays ($18) Nail polish, Olive & June ($8) Nail polish, JinSoon ($18) Good Kind Pure nail polish, Sally Hansen ($7) Nail Polish, Zoya ($10) Nail polish, Ella + Mila ($10.50) Plant Power polish, Nails Inc. ($10) OG (10-free) polish, Base Coat ($20) Nail polish, Taupe Coat ($11)
