Non-Toxic Nail Polish (Toxicity Rating + Testing)

Whether a brand is “10-free” or “16-free” does not tell us much about how they compare. Anything after 9-free isn’t a standardized list. You could make a “million-free” if you wanted to. You can add a long list of toxins a product is free of that were never in nail polish in the first place, or are not a risk when in nail polish.

So My Chemical-Free House’s toxicologist and I made our own rating system to rank the nail polishes.

(Our rating system includes the commonly used 9-free list and more).

These are the best of the best “clean” nail polishes, and I tested them for how long they wear and how strong they smell.

They range from toxin-free water-based options to solvent-based options that cure cleanly (the solvents flash off fast).

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This post is not sponsored.

My Ranking Criteria

I am going to give the nail polishes a clean ingredients score out of 20 based on how many of the following ingredients they have removed:

My 20-free criteria: formaldehyde (any type), bronopol, toluene, phthalates (the whole class, including DBP, DEP, DMP, BBP, DEHP, DINP, DnOP etc.), camphor, ethyl tosylamide/tosylamide/p-toluenesulfonamide, xylene, triphenyl phosphate (TPHP), parabens, alcohols, MEK, acetone, alkyl acetate esters (butyl Acetate, ethyl Acetate), heptane, octocrylene, E-series glycol ethers, synthetic fragrance, benzophenones (PBT/BP-1, Oxybenzone, etc.), isothiazolinones (MIT, BIT etc.), ethoxylated ingredients (non-E-series) due to potential contamination with trace 1,4-dioxane and ethylene oxide.

Please note that this is my personal “free of” rating system based on my opinion and experience, and input from Dr. Mudgal, our resident toxicologist.

This rating system is not standardized in the industry, though it is similar to many “free of” lists. It’s also not based on an individualized toxicity report of each brand.

This is a list of ingredients that can be:

• Considered problematic in regular use (so not counting sanding/dust or ingestion).
• Actually exist in nail polish
• Are possible to eliminate

The potentially problematic ingredients include:

• Solvents (apart from water) – the fumes of volatile solvents can be harmful to breathe in. Toluene, xylene, acetone, methyl ethyl ketone (MEK) (in specialty removers or “quick-dry” systems), heptane, and alcohols (which are irritants at high exposures, though generally less toxic than other solvents). And camphor, while not a solvent, has similar effects on the body.
• Endocrine disrupters (potential or confirmed) – octocrylene (may act as an endocrine disruptor at high doses and can degrade into benzophenone, a potential carcinogen), parabens, benzophenones, and phthalates.
• Carcinogens (suspected and confirmed, or potentially contaminated with) – including formaldehyde, formaldehyde releasers (e.g. tosylamide/formaldehyde resin, Ethyl tosylamide, bronopol) due to toxicity of formaldehyde (used in very low concentrations here in the product (below thresholds), but still of concern due to their classification as carcinogens by agencies like IARC, says Dr. Mudgal). Ethoxylated ingredients due to potential contamination with trace 1,4-dioxane (probable carcinogen) and ethylene oxide (known carcinogen).
• Fragrance – not all fragrance compounds are toxic, but whether toxic or not, we don’t usually get to see the list of fragrance chemicals in beauty products and both categories can be a trigger for the chemically sensitive.

Not on my “free of” list (though on some brands’ “free-of” lists):

• Gluten – is not a toxin, and it’s not used in standard nail polish, only in nail strengtheners. Though I will mention if a product contains gluten.
• Heavy metals – while lead is not intentionally added to any nail polish brands (it’s prohibited in cosmetics in general), it can be a natural contaminant in all brands that contain earth elements like bentonite, diatomaceous earth, and iron oxides, though not at any significant level (especially since nail polish would use cosmetic-grade ingredients). Some brands also contain tin and/or aluminum, and manganese-based pigments. As for chromium, hexavalent chromium (Cr⁶⁺) compounds are never used in cosmetics—only Cr(III), which has no carcinogenic classification.
• Surfactant sulfates/sulfates – not relevant to nail polish.
• Styrene – Present only as a residual monomer in some styrene/acrylate copolymer formulations if polymerization is incomplete. Brands that use styrene/acrylate claim to be styrene-free.
• BPA – BPA is used in epoxy formulas, but there may not be any free BPA in the final product as brands that use BPA in their chemistry claim to be BPA-free.
• Nonylphenol ethoxylate – not used in nail polish as far as I know.
• Microplastic glitter – not on my list because it’s only slightly worse than the fact that the base of all nail polish is plastic which degrades into microplastics with time.
• Triclosan – not allowed in the US anymore in nail polish.
• EDTA – not a risk in nail polish.
• Dust Hazards – silica, titanium dioxide, mica, and tin oxide, and more, pose inhalation risks only in dust form(e.g., if polish is sanded or buffed, not in the liquid or dried/cured state), and in some cases in ingestion.

Non-Toxic Nail Polish Brands Reviewed

1. SOPHi (Water-Based) Review

SOPHi is my top choice on this list, toxicity-wise, as it’s the only brand that only uses water as the solvent, so there are no solvent odors/fumes here.

But it was the least durable, not making it through one day for me, so I would not buy it again for that reason.

My Chemical-Free House “Free of” Rating: 20/20

Ingredients: Water, Acrylates copolymer, Neem Oil. May also contain the following colorants (depending on shade): Red 7, Red 34, Red 28, Iron oxide, Titanium dioxide, Ultramarines, Chrome Green, Mica, Violet 2.

Sniff Test: I used SOPHi nail polish when chemically sensitive, and it definitely is low in odor.

It smells a lot like acrylic artist paints, but less strong than acrylic 0-VOC wall paint.

There could still be a subset of folks who prefer a solvent-based nail polish because of how fast and cleanly they cure.

Wear test: I applied 3 coats of the color at night, and I had 5 chipped nails by morning!

I reapplied another coat in the morning for the photo, and a few hours later, it was chipped.

I think for this one, you might have to try the prime coat and topcoat as well.

It also looked lumpy but I’m not sure if that is because the bottle I bought was expired.

Notes: The fact that it is a 100% water-based formula makes this unique, though it may not last as long as solvent-based formulas.

They say when applied with SOPHi’s 4-step system (Prime, Color, Shine, Seal), this formula easily competes with standard nail polish durability.

Cruelty-free & Vegan.

The same brand makes Piggy Paint for kids (which is water-based as well).

2. Poderm Color Care (Breathable) Review

I like that Poderm is a breathable formula that you can use on toenails, even if they have fungus, or if you want to prevent toenail fungus.

The solvents smelled stronger in this one in my experience (due to acetone), and it didn’t last as long as those with less harsh-smelling solvents, like Zoya.

My Chemical-Free House “Free of” Rating: 17/20

Contains the following solvents from my free of list: Butyl Acetate, Ethyl Acetate, Isopropyl Alcohol, and Acetone.

(These solvents have lower toxicity compared to aromatic solvents like toluene or xylene, but are still respiratory irritants, says Dr. Mudgal).

Ingredients: Butyl Acetate, Ethyl Acetate, Isopropyl Alcohol, Nitrocellulose, Adipic Acid/Neopentyl Glycol/Trimellitic Anhydride Copolymer, Acetyl Tributyl Citrate, Acetone, Stearalkonium Hectorite, Silica Silylate, Styrene/Acrylates Copolymer, Stearalkonium Bentonite, Polyhydroxystearic Acid, Lecithin, Biotin, Silica, Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Oil (Melaleuca Alternifolia (Tea Tree) Leaf Oil), CI 77891 (Titanium Dioxide), CI 77742 (Manganese Violet), CI 77510 (Ferric Ammonium Ferrocyanide), CI 60725 (Violet 2).

Sniff Test: I certainly notice the acetone here, and I personally experience this as harsher than the other nail polishes on this list (it’s the only one on the list with acetone). It made me cough.

Wear Test: At 24 hours, 5 nails were chipped. I had done no unusual labour, activities and had not done the dishes or housework.

I also really had trouble letting this dry long enough to not get marked up. 1.5 hours after applying it I still got marks in it. I guess it needs much thinner coats.

Notes: Poderm is vegan and cruelty-free.

The film formers are synthetic plastics, but more breathable than most polishes, so you can still treat your toes for toenail fungus while wearing this polish. It is tea-tree & biotin–enriched for damaged or fungus-prone nails.

Swiss-made.

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3. Zoya Review (Top Pick)

Zoya is my top pick based on my testing. It has no acetone, just the more common, less toxic solvents, and it lasted longer than the others that I tested.

This is one I will buy again.

My Chemical-Free House “Free of” Rating: 18/20

Ingredients still present: Contains the following solvents: Butyl Acetate, Ethyl Acetate, and Isopropyl Alcohol.

A lower-toxin solvent list (compared to other options for nail polish).

Ingredients: Butyl Acetate, Ethyl Acetate, Nitrocellulose, Acetyl Tributyl Citrate, Isopropyl Alcohol, Sterikonium Hectroite, Acrylates Copolymer, Styrene/Acrylates Copolymer. Pigments not listed.

Sniff Test: I have used Zoya since I was moderately chemically sensitive.

I would say it is a little less odorous than Essie.

I experience it as less odorous than nail polish with acetone, and although it is solvent-based like most on this list, it flashes off quite fast.

Wear Test: It started to chip at 3 days. Though it was minor and could have been touched up.

By day 4, it was significantly chipped (I did not touch it up on day 3).

Notes: Vegan, cruelty-free; plastic-free glitter (uses mica).

Zoya Clear Polish: Zoya’s Naked Manicure Nail Base can be used on it’s own, it’s not high gloss though. Zoya Naked Manicure Perfector is more ideal as a clear coat (I test it here).

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4. Sally Hansen Good.Kind.Pure. Review

I like that Good.Kind.Pure. has a plant fiber brush to reduce plastic and 77% plant-derived sugar-based solvents.

Isosorbide dicaprylate/caprate is sugar-based; Ethyl acetate, Butyl acetate, Isopropyl alcohol can be sugar-based.

My Chemical-Free House “Free of” Rating: 18/20

Ingredients Still Present are just the solvents: Butyl Acetate, Ethyl Acetate, Alcohol, Isopropyl Alcohol, and Diacetone Alcohol.

Ingredients: Color butyl acetate, ethyl acetate, nitrocellulose, isosorbide dicaprylate/caprate, adipic acid/neopentyl glycol/trimellitic anhydride copolymer, alcohol, calcium aluminum borosilicate, stearalkonium bentonite, synthetic fluorphlogopite, isopropyl alcohol, silica, diacetone alcohol, tin oxide, phosphoric acid; may contain mica, titanium dioxide (CI 77891), D&C Red No. 7 calcium lake (CI 15850), aluminum powder (CI 77000), iron oxides (CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499), D&C Red No. 34 calcium lake (CI 15880), D&C Red No. 6 barium lake (CI 15850), ultramarines (CI 77007), FD&C Yellow No. 5 aluminum lake (CI 19140), D&C Black No. 2 [nano] (CI 77266), ferric ammonium ferrocyanide (CI 77510), manganese violet (CI 77742).

Sniff test: My subjective experience is that it smells “stronger” than Zoya and less strong than Essie. This could really vary from person to person, though, because my nose may be picking up some solvents stronger than others.

Wear test: The nail polish had started to separate between the time I bought it and the time I put it on, which was about two months.

It also took many coats to get it even. It took five coats and it still didn’t look all that great.

I put four on at night and one in the morning, and a few hours later it was chipped.

Notes: Vegan, cruelty-free; high bio-sourced ratio, ~77 % plant-derived sugar-based solvents, plant-fiber brush.

Are Other Sally Hansen Nail Polish Lines Non-Toxic? Diamond Strength has the common solvents (alcohols; alkyl acetate esters) plus triphenyl phosphate (a suspected endocrine disruptor). Xtreme Wear only has the typical solvents (alcohols; alkyl acetate esters), so it is 18/20.

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5. Ella + Mila Review

Ella+Mila is similar to other options on the list.

If you want an ingredient list that is “clean” once those solvents flash off, this is also a good one.

My Chemical-Free House “Free of” Rating: 18/20

The ingredients from my list still present are the solvents: Butyl Acetate, Ethyl Acetate, Isopropyl Alcohol.

(Pretty low-toxin solvents compared to other options).

Ingredients: Butyl Acetate, Ethyl Acetate, Nitrocellulose, Acetyl Tributyl Citrate, Phthalic Anhydride/Trimellitic Anhydride/Glycols Copolymer, Isopropyl Alcohol, Stearalkonium Hectorite, Adipic Acid/Fumaric Acid/Phthalic Acid/Tricyclodecane Dimethanol Copolymer, Citric Acid, Bis(glycidoxyphenyl propane/Bisamino methylnorbornane Copolymer (BPA-based epoxy), Aluminum Hydroxide, Polybutylene Terephthalate, Polyethylene Terephthalate, Styrene/Acrylates Copolymer.

Polish May Contain (+/-): Aluminum Powder (CI 77000), Iron Oxides (CI 77499 / CI 77491), Red 34 Lake(CI 15880), Red 6 Lake (CI 15850), Red 7 Lake (CI 15850), Yellow 5 Lake (CI 19140), Ferric Ammonium Ferrocyanide (CI 77510), Mica (CI 77019), Blue 1 (CI 42090), Yellow 11 (CI 47000), Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891), Violet 2 (CI 60725), Yellow 10 (CI 47005), Red 28 (CI 45410), Red 22 (CI 45380).

Sniff Test: My subjective experience was that it smells similar in terms of potency to Zoya, and less “harsh” than nail polish with acetone.

Wear Test: I applied 2 coats. At 40 hours, one nail chipped; by 48 hours, a few were significantly chipped.

This comes in in 3rd place for me behind Zoya, Manucurist Green and Pacifica (tied for second place).

Notes: Vegan, cruelty-free.

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6. Manucurist Green

Like most of the “best of” brands above, Manucurist Green only has 2 chemical classes on my 20-free list – the Alcohols and Alkyl acetate esters.

It’s not solvent-free, but it uses safer solvents.

This came in second place after Zoya because it lasted 48 hours.

My Chemical-Free House “Free of” Rating: 18/20

What is Present: Just the Alcohols and Alkyl acetates (less toxic solvents).

Ingredients: Butyl Acetate, Ethyl Acetate, Isophorone Diamine/Isophthalic Acid/Tromethamine Copolymer, Nitrocellulose, Adipic Acid/Neopentyl Glycol/Trimellitic Anhydride Copolymer, Acetyl Tributyl Citrate, Alcohol, Stearalkonium Bentonite, Alcohol Denat., Acrylates Copolymer, Hea Ipdi Isocyanurate Trimer/Polycaprolactone Diol Copolymer, Isopropyl Alcohol, Ci 45410 (Red 28), Tris-Hea Ipdi Isocyanurate Trimer, Diacetone Alcohol, Sorbic Acid, Phosphoric Acid, N-Butyl Alcohol, Ci 45380 (Red 22), Ci 77891 (Titanium Dioxide), Ci 19140 (Yellow 5 Lake), Ci 73360 (Red 30), Ci 77499 (Red 30)

Sniff Test: My subjective experience is that it smells stronger than Zoya.

My Testing: The bottle said to apply two coats as well as a base coat and top coat.

I generally don’t use a base coat and top coat for any brand, but just this regular colored nail polish (in Neon Pink) needed four coats for me to cover up being able to see through to the gradient colors of my natural nail.

It was also very matte looking, which I was surprised about, but I did like it a lot.

At 48 hours, it began to noticeably chip and had to be removed.

So overall, I’m happy with this. It’s in second place after Zoya (which lasted 3-4 days).

(It did stain my nails pink after with no basecoat).

Notes: 77-84% plant based.

7. Pacifica (Up To 80% Biobased) Review

Pacifica is an affordable brand has a high percentage of biobased ingredients and although is solvent-based uses the less toxic solvents.

My Chemical-Free House “Free of” Rating: 18/20

What is Present: just the Alcohols and Alkyl Acetates (less toxic solvents).

Ingredients: Blue Moon color: butyl acetate, ethyl acetate, nitrocellulose, adipic acid/neopentyl glycol/trimellitic anhydride copolymer, acetyl tributyl citrate, alcohol, stearalkonium bentonite, butyl acetate, diacetone alcohol, hexanal, algae extract/lithothamnium calcareum extract, phosphoric acid, mannitol, isopropyl alcohol, diatomaceous earth, zinc sulfate, silica, n-butyl alcohol, tocopherol (vitamin E). May Contain/Peut Contenir: CI 77891, CI 77499, CI 77007, CI 77742, CI 19140, CI 15850.

Sniff Test: it smells different than Zoya, perhaps only slight “stronger” to my subjective sense. Though not that different.

Wear Test Clear: I really liked the Translucent Topper clear coat when applied in two coats, but at three coats (in the photo), it started to look uneven.

This is a top coat though they say it can be used alone.

There was one small chip at 48 hours. At 54 hours, it was significantly chipped.

The clear tied with Manucurist Green for second place.

Clear finish: If you want a clear finish you could use the milky top coat that I used, but you can only apply two coats before it becomes uneven.

Wear Test Opaque: I also tried a base coat color in nude (Baby Deer). This was more difficult.

I had to apply 4 coats on all nails, and 5 coats on some nails, to get it to look even.

It started to chip at 8 hours. So I was not happy with this one.

Their truly clear top coat is better as a solo clear coat.

Notes: 80% biobased. Some of the Pacifica colors are super affordable at under $2.

Also Good:

• Huella – it only contains Alcohols and Alkyl acetate esters from my 20-free list. (Again, it’s not solvent-free, but it uses safer solvents).
• Suncoat Girl (water-based, peel-off for kids) – It does contain the (low-toxicity) solvent Propylene Glycol n-Butyl Ether, so it’s not 100% water-based. Still, some may prefer this to other solvent-heavy brands. It has relatively low acute toxicity, says Dr. Mudgal, though still a glycol ether and not completely inert. I do appreciate peel-off brands, as I hate having to use solvent-based nail polish remover. (Suncoat Girl is meant for kids/teens). My Chemical-Free House “Free of” Rating: 20/20.
• LONDONTOWN lakur – the only items on my 20-free list are the Alcohols and Alkyl acetate esters. I tested it, I will post the review soon. This is potentially my top pick because it only needed 2 coats and it lasted almost 3 days. My others reported their nails drying out and I did experience that as well. Though I’ve been testing so many brands that it’s hard to know for sure if it was from this brand.
• BKIND – the only items on my 20-free list are the Alcohols and Alkyl acetate esters. 77% plant-based.
• Kure Bazaar – the only items on my 20-free list are the Alcohols and Alkyl acetate esters. They also say it’s up to 90% biobased.
• Kapa Nui – made with water, acrylates copolymer, and mineral pigments. I would be hesitant to try this after SOHPi, which has a similar ingredients list, due to SOHPi not making it through one day. But if you want to try another solvent-free brand, this is one to try.
• Habit – like almost all the other top brands, it only contains Alcohols and Alkyl acetate esters from my 20-free list. 75% bio-based and breathable. However I tried this, the coral color was exceptionally uneven. I couldn’t get it even looking somewhat decent after four coats. It dried so fast that by the time I got from one side of the nail to the other, it was drying and so started to like clump at the overlaps. I got a new batch to try, the same coral color, it was a bit better in that it was not drying in the middle of painting one nail. But after five very thick coats, it still wasn’t full coverage. And it was slow to dry, of course, because I was doing thick coats. So I’m still not happy with this nail polish at all and I won’t be using it again.
  • I also tried their iridescent base coat, which was really pretty and made my nails feel very hard. It was easy to apply and two coats was enough. It lasted about 24 hours before there was a small chip for me and 48 hours before I removed it.

Other Brands I Considered:

These other brands I ruled out due to endocrine disrupters and/or other concerns:

Please don’t panic if you use or have used these brands; these chemicals in nail polish don’t necessarily have a high risk, especially since they are not applied to the skin, says Dr. Mudgal.

But we are ruling them out due to not being as “perfect” on paper as the brands above, based on our 20-free list. This does not mean they are objectively more toxic overall, says Dr. Mudgal.

Essie: Good for a mainstream brand, but ruled out due to Octocrylene. Permitted in cosmetics, though studies suggest potential endocrine activity and benzophenone formation on UV exposure. Risk depends on concentration and skin absorption, which is very minimal in nail polish, says Dr. Mudgal (source). Full review of Essie here.

Olive and June: Ruled out due to Octocrylene.

Nails Inc. Plant Power: Ruled out due to Octocrylene.

Dazzle Dry: Ruled out due to Octocrylene, Synthetic fragrance, Ethyl tosylamide / tosylamide family, Ethoxylated ingredients.

Karma Organic: Ruled out for Benzophenone-1 – the evidence supports genotoxicity and endocrine activity, specifically estrogenic activity, weak anti-androgenic activity, and possible thyroid-related activity (source).

I also was confused by their marketing:

“Our polishes use a natural, plant-based formula,” they say, though they don’t mention which ingredients are plant-based (since of few of them could either be plant-based or synthetic). On Amazon, it says “all natural,” though the film formers are plastic. “No plastic is used in our products,” they say, though the nail polish itself is plastic-based (Nitrocellulose; Adipic/Neopentyl Glycol/Trimellitic Anhydride Copolymer; PET, PBT, EVA, Acrylates, Polyacrylate-4). The glitter also looks like it is microplastic because they do not use mica and they do use PET which is what glitter is normally made of. Not clear if the brush bristles are plastic-free. The bottle cap may be plastic-free.

TenOverTen: Ruled out due to Benzophenone-1.

Zero by 100% PURE: Ruled out due to Benzophenone-1.

Dear Sundays: Ruled out due to Benzophenone-1.

(As for phthalate-free nail polish brands, most brands are phthalate-free now, but I did still see a few brands listing phthalates in the ingredients at the time of writing. But if you are concerned about phthalates, I would suggest looking at the brands that I listed that are free of all endocrine disrupters.)

A 100% Chemical-Free Alternative?

I usually use this glass nail buffer on my nails to make them shiny.

It looks like I have clear polish on.

I don’t do this all the time, but it has not weakened or damaged my nails at all.

Non-Toxic Nail Polish Remover

I use this soy one and I’m happy with it. It takes more work than acetone but it does the job in the end.

Corinne Segura is an InterNACHI-certified Healthy Homes Inspector with certifications in Building Biology, Healthier Materials and Sustainable Buildings, and more. She has 10 years of experience helping others create healthy homes. You can book a consult here.