I was very skeptical when I heard about Acquarella nail polish, but I thought I’d give it a try. Unlike most nail polishes, this water-based nail polish does not contain toxic ingredients such as toluene, formaldehyde, camphor, or petrochemical solvents and claims to be non-toxic. It also claims to be suitable for people like me who have Multiple Chemical Sensitivities and cannot withstand the fumes of conventional nail products. Prior to Acquarella, whenever I wanted to apply or remove nail polish, I had to wear a mask, place one fan by the window (to suck out the fumes) and another to blow the fumes away from me. Crazy, I know, but it was this or awful migraines.
This nail polish is pretty amazing. There is a light smell (I wouldn’t call it a scent) to the nail polish and nail polish remover but I didn’t have to wear a mask or anything. I did not get sick at all – no headaches or nausea.
My next question was how long will this nail polish stay on and will the texture look alright? I’ve tried some other water-based nail polishes and they usually peel right off the next day. The nail polish stays on for about 2 to 3 weeks. I usually only paint my toes because I find that even with conventional nail polishes they wear off or get scratched because I wash my hands so often. So, I’m not sure how long the polish would stay on your fingernails.
As advertised, the polish dries really quickly. Also, I found that the nail polish was very “user friendly” in that it’s not too runny or thick and it’s super easy to cleanup around the edges after application. I barely had to do that anyway.
As for the nail polish remover, it does take a little longer to get the nail polish off compared to the conventional ones. I found that holding a cotton pad with the remover over the nail for about 15 seconds sped up the process. Even though it wasn’t as “easy” to remove the product, I prefer using a healthier product like this one. (I’ve learned that I can’t have it all. For example, I used to complain that there were too many bugs on my organic veggies but hey, it’s good that bugs want to hangout in them because they are natural. Or, I know that when my bread gets moldy after a few days or my cosmetics don’t last for years, it means that they aren’t full of nasty preservatives and chemicals. I rather use a product that takes a bit more effort than one that is harmful to me and the planet.)
The Environmental Working Group Skindeep Database rates Acquarella with a 1, which is a good rating (http://www.ewg.org/skindeep/…/570677/Acquarella_Nail_Polish/). I checked out some other conventional brands of nail polishes and many of them rate as high as 8, which means that they are extremely hazardous.
I’m also happy that they do not test on animals.
With respect to their claim that their products are “non-toxic”, I’m not so sure about that. You can check out their specific ingredients from their site (http://acquarella.com/…/produc…/acquarella-nail-polish-cupid) and judge for yourself. A rating of 1 from the EWG is good but it’s not a zero. In my opinion Acquarella is much safer than all of the other conventional nail products I’ve tried. It also claims that their products let your nails breathe and that your nails won’t get brittle or turn yellow. Not sure about the breathing part, but I did not have yucky yellow nails at all.
I contacted Acquarella directly to see if I there was a Canadian vendor. They directed me to Mint and Berry (http://www.mintandberry.com/brands/Acquarella.html) and that is where I purchased mine.
PS. I wasn’t paid by anybody to write about this!
Lionheads 