Nailing it?

***I'll be sharing Earth-friendly posts every Friday in April for Earth Month. This is #3 of 5 (post  #1 and #2 are here). And don't forget to comment to be entered in the Three Bluebirds giveaway, ending next Friday!

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My beauty routine is pretty basic. I'm not into makeup. I use only a handful of beauty products each day, mostly things I make at home. Though I doubt my husband would agree, I'm fairly low-maintenance in the beauty department. Good genes, I guess. Or a complete lack of time, energy, and money. Whichever.

But. 

I have an extensive nail polish collection. I used to paint them at least twice a week, fingers and toes. I even had acrylic nails off and on before I became a mom. I had so much nail polish I recently decided to give some away.

These days, my time for such things is limited, and so is my tolerance for toxic chemicals. As far as nail polish goes, it's pretty vile stuff. So when I get a chance to pamper myself a bit, I don't want the products I use to hurt me or my kids. I've begun using brands that are least "3-free", meaning they don’t use toluene, dibutyl phthalate (DBP), or formaldehyde, which are all known carcinogens. Some brands also describe themselves as "5-free" when they don't use the three chemicals mentioned above and also remove formaldehyde resin or camphor. If knowing what's in the products you buy is important to you, I strongly suggest becoming familiar with the Environmental Working Group website and app. 

Here's a roundup from Sierra Club of stylish and toxin free nail polish brands. Fair warning: if you live in a rural area without access to stores like Target and Ulta like I do, you'll probably need to purchase from Amazon. From this list I've personally used Piggy Paint. I have no hesitation using it on my girls. In fact, it is the only polish I've ever used for Harper. The colors are bright and last at least as long as conventional polishes on little fingers and toes.

I also like Jamberry nail wraps. There is some debate on whether they are as safe as advertised because they contain PVC, a kind of plastic. Most of what I've read declares PVC safe if not heated above 145 degrees Celsius, which is well above the level of heat needed to seal the wraps to your nail. Though they claim to last for up to two weeks, I've never gotten them to last longer than 7 days. Jamberry also has some 5-free nail polish options. (Full disclosure: I don't sell Jamberry, and I wasn't perked for mentioning them. I just like them.)

The hardest part for me is to stop and think before buying or using something as simple as a pretty little bottle of nail polish. I want to protect my kids, pets, and nail salon workers from dangerous chemicals. And I want our shared land, air, and water to last longer than my manicure. 

What are some ways you're greening up your beauty routine?