Ever walk into a nail salon and wonder why some of the manicurists wear face masks? I’m no expert when it comes to the ingredients. However, three components in particular have been in the news for their direct link to a number of serious health issues. The “toxic three”, as they are known as, include: dibutyl phthalate (DBP), toluene, and formaldehyde – a known carcinogen.

Now there are some brands who have tackled the issue head on and have rid themselves and have rid their nail lacquers of such components and thus are “3 Free” (like Butter London, Essie, OPI, and Deborah Lippmann polishes just to name a few).

For an in depth look at the unfortunate consequences of prolong exposure that these and other strong chemicals are having on manicurists, I urge you to read the NY Times expose Perfect Nails, Poisoned Workers.  While long-term data is limited on this issue, there are some precautions I take to lessen my exposure such as:

  1. Only using “3 Free” nail polishes and avoid getting acrylic nails.
  2. Make sure your applying nail polish in a properly ventilated space.
  3. If desired, wear a face mask when applying polish on nails.
  4. Secure all nail polish lids and store in a safe environment.