Essie is a salon-like nail polish that is safe to use during pregnancy. Their products are 100% vegan and do not use toxic chemicals such as formaldehyde, toluene, dibutyl phthalate (DBP), formaldehyde resin, camphor, xylene, triphenyl phosphate, and ethyl tosylamide in their nail paints.
Table of Contents
Essie Nail Polish Ingredients
We’ll list some ingredients that are used in Essie nail polish below.
- Ethyl acetate
- Butyl acetate
- Nitrocellulose
- Propyl acetate
- Isopropyl alcohol
- Trimethyl pentanyl diisobutyrate
Ethyl acetate and butyl acetate are common ingredients in nail polish and nail care products. Both these solvents are clear and have a fruity smell. Another similar ingredient that contains an odor is propyl acetate.
Nitrocellulose helps to form a film and makes the nail polish adhere to the nails. It makes the nail polish durable and soluble. Trimethyl pentenyl diisobutyrate adds flexibility to the paint. While isopropyl alcohol makes the nail polish less thick and reduces its tendency to foam when shaken.
Some other ingredients found in Essie nail paints are Stearalkonium Bentonite, Diacetone Alcohol, Stearalkonium hectorite, Benzophenone-1, Synthetic fluorphlogopite, Citric acid, Silica, and Aluminum hydroxide.
Is Essie Nail Polish non-toxic?
Essie states that their nail polishes have been completely vegan and 8-free since 2020. For non-toxicity, the higher the “free of” number for nail polish, the safer it is.
The brand mentioned they will not be clarifying on being free of ingredients that do not belong in nail polish.
But the eight chemicals that they do not use in the production of their nail polishes are formaldehyde, toluene, dibutyl phthalate (DBP), formaldehyde resin, camphor, xylene, triphenyl phosphate, and ethyl tosylamide.
Does Essie Nail Polish Contain Formaldehyde?
As per their list of 8-free ingredients, Essie nail polishes are free from formaldehyde. Formaldehyde is an ingredient that helps harden nail polishes and also serves as a preservative. But it can have adverse effects on the human body if applied for a longer duration.
Does Essie Nail Polish Contain Metal?
Essie Nail Polish might contain metal in the form of stainless steel mixing balls. These metal balls help to mix the color and maintain the fluidity of the paint for easy application. Various metals are also present in metallic nail paints.
Does Essie Nail Polish Contain Phthalates?
Dibutyl phthalate, which is used as a plasticizer, gives nails a shiny look and improves the durability of nail polish. But it damages the liver, kidneys, and sometimes even the reproductive system.
Essie nail polish does not contain dibutyl phthalate. They have included it in their 8-free ingredients list.
Does Essie Nail Polish Contain Gluten?
Essie nail polish does not contain gluten. Essie nail paints are 8-free. Their 8-free list states the toxic chemicals that they do not use in their products.
Apart from that list of chemicals, Essie does not claim to be free of products that do not belong in nail polish. So, even though they do not use gluten, they will not claim their nail paints to be free of it. The reason they stated this justification is that they want to keep their “free of” list simple.
Does Essie Nail Polish Contain TPhP?
Triphenyl phosphate (TPhP) is sometimes used as a plasticizer in nail polish. But Essie has included this chemical in their 8-free list of ingredients. So, Essie nail polish does not contain TPhP.
TPhP is harmful and may cause skin allergies. It can also, at times, cause adverse effects on the liver and kidneys.
Does Essie Nail Polish Have Acetone?
Usually, acetone is a key ingredient used in certain nail polish removers. Nail polish does not contain acetone. So, Essie nail polish does not contain acetone.
Acetone causes nails to be dry and sometimes leads to irritation of the skin. Breathing a high amount of acetone can cause irritation to the eyes, nose, and throat.
Does Essie Nail Polish Have Toxins?
Nail polishes are considered toxic when they comprise chemicals like formaldehyde, toluene, and dibutyl phthalate. These chemicals, when collectively used, are called the toxic trio. The nail polish that claims to be 3-free does not consist of these chemicals.
Essie nail polish is 8-free and hence, also 3-free as it does not contain these toxic chemicals.
Is Essie 3-free?
Essie is 8-free, so evidently, it’s 3-free as well. 3-free products do not contain any of these three harmful chemicals: DBP (dibutyl phthalate), toluene, or formaldehyde.
Essie, in its 8-free list of ingredients, has stated that its nail polishes are free from these three toxic chemicals.
These chemicals can have harmful effects on the human body. And so they are among the foremost chemicals to check for avoidance in nail polish.
Is Essie 5-free?
The 5-free list comprises two more chemicals on top of the 3-free list. The higher the number of “free of” lists, the better and safer the product. So, 5-free means the nail polish is also free from formaldehyde resin and camphor.
Once again, as stated in the 8-free list for Essie nail polish, their products do not consist of these two chemicals. So, Essie nail polish is 5-free.
Is Essie 7-free?
7-free nail polish means these products are free from two other chemicals on top of the 5-free ones. So, the 7-free products are also free from xylene and triphenyl phosphate (TPhP).
As Essie nail polishes are 8-free, they do not consist of these two chemicals. So, we can say that Essie is 7-free.
Is Essie 10-free?
The 10-free nail polishes are free from three other products, on top of the 7-free ones. These chemicals include ethyl tosylamide, paraben, and tert-butyl hydroperoxide.
While Essie does not contain ethyl tosylamide, which is included in its 8-free list, there is no mention of the rest. Essie nail polishes do not contain parabens. As they insist on keeping their “free of” lists straightforward, they do not claim to be free of chemicals that are not meant to be in nail polish.
Essie claims to be just 8-free. So, their nail polishes are not 10-free.
Is Essie Gel Couture Safe During Pregnancy?
Essie gel couture is a longwear that you can apply at home. It is a 2-step formula to apply gel couture color and then a gel couture top-coat over it.
As all Essie nail polishes are vegan and 8-free, they are safe to use during pregnancy.
Is Essie Gel Polish Safe for Pregnancy?
Essie gel polish is their collection of salon gels. All of their nail polishes have been vegan and 8-free since 2020. So, Essie gel polish is safe to use during pregnancy.
References:
- https://www.essie.com/nail-polish
- https://incidecoder.com/products/essie-treat-love-color-nail-strengthener
- Does Glossier Skincare Have Fragrance? - October 21, 2022
- Is Aveeno Color-Safe? - October 20, 2022
- Is Acure Color-Safe? - October 20, 2022
