When you think about it, we live in a strange world when our food and beauty has to be labelled “free-from” (and “anti-….”). Years ago, it started with “sugar-free” (but stupidly, instead of replacing sugar with stevia or other natural alternatives, manufacturers pumped in artificial potentially cancer-causing sweeteners instead).
It all comes down to cheap ingredients = bigger profits, lack of consumer awareness and activism (we must keep voting with our wallet) and lack of ethics.
Beauty Shortlist Awards winner Kure Bazaar does the colours of the Sardinian sea
Kure Bazaar’s shades are one big, gorgeous Pantone dream.
Dive in/drool over them all at LoveLula HERE
It started with 3-FREE
How the gentle nail laquer revolution began
In the glossy world of nail polishes, the free-from formulas/awareness campaigns kicked off with “3-FREE” – eliminating the toxic trio of formaldehyde (a hardener – and a well known carcinogen!), and toluene, a paint thinner which evenly distributes the colour in nail polish formulas and makes them “smoother”, and can cause dizziness, nausea and at extreme levels, death).
The third in the toxic trio is DBP – dibutyl phlalate. This is a plasticiser which also improves the lasting-power of a nail product and more seriously can cause birth defects and is considered a potential cancer-causing ingredient. How lovely.
Getting the message across, Italian model Kartika Luyet, founder of Kure Bazaar
To play it safe (better for you and the planet), make sure your brand is cruelty-free and free-from.
Here are 9 brands to add to your nail collection in the coming months, including Beauty Shortlist Awards winners red carpet makeup and nail artist Deborah Lippman (Lady Gaga, Gwyneth Paltrow and fashion houses Versace and Donna Karan – among many), Kure Bazaar (created by Brazilian-born Italian model Kartika Luyet), Maggie Anne and ZOYA.
For 2019 Beauty Shortlist Awards info and a first look at the inaugural Beauty Shortlist Wellbeing Awards with 18 new beauty and 40 new wellness awards including Vegan, CBD Oil, Zero Waste and Gluten-Free, click HERE
Deborah Lippman
Kure Bazaar
RMS Beauty
Butter London
Julep
Maggie Anne
ZOYA
AILA
Spa Ritual
The toxic trio has a malignant extended family, however, which includes TPHP, camphor, formaldehyde resin, TPHP, xylene, ethyl tosylamide, parabens and (even gluten) among others, which explains why 3-Free became 5-Free then 7-Free, 10-Free and even 11-Free, like Korres, (but after a while it almost becomes a kind of marketing ploy).
Then you’ve got to make sure your nail polish is cruelty-free.
Beauty Shortlist Awards winner Maggie Anne
nails the perfect purple for summer-into-autumn
See all the Maggie Anne shades HERE
And…
…are three other brands that deserve a mention here – there are lots more, but it all comes down to shades, formulas and staying power.
Where to look for free-from brands?
Start with the natural beauty retailers like Content, Naturisimo, John & Ginger, LoveLula, Ecco Verde or Big Green Smile (where you can stock up on eco-home cleaning and laundry supplies while you’re at it). In the US, The Detox Market – among many more – while in Australia, natural retailer Nourished Life stocks Butter London, Mineral Fusion, SCOUT and Life Basics.
Everything’s gonna be all bright
Beauty Shortlist Awards winner ZOYA
See the ZOYA collection HERE
To go with your Free-From Nail Polish, you need a Free-From Nail Polish Remover
When it’s time to take things OFF, Kure Bazaar, Zoya, Priti NYC and Fresh Therapies all make free-from nail polish removers. Again, there are more out there but we’ve tested these ones and can vouch for them.
Side note here: oil-based, more natural removers don’t work as quickly or “magically” generally, but they’re far less drying and gentler and for the health of your nails it’s worth it in the long run.
Beauty Shortlist Awards winner Deborah Lippman’s Gel Lab Pro, as gorgeous on the sunlounger as in winter (but let’s not go there yet!)
See celebrity nail and makeup artist Deborah Lippman’s range
at Nail Polish Direct in the UK
Are you using a good free-from nail brand we should know about/share?
Let us know in the comments below!