When the weather gets cold and wet, we are quick to blame. If it isn’t our brittle nails or that drafty house, it’s our nail polish. After all, nail polish is a known culprit when it comes to destructive habits. Despite what you may have heard, there is no such thing as the nail-polish-herd. While yes, some nail polishes are more harmful than others, the problem lies in their ingredients rather than the bottle itself.
Nail polishes are composed of several chemicals; some of which are safe while others pose a threat to your health and well-being. Copper disulfide, for instance, is found in almost every nail polish on the market but its safe level varies greatly depending on which brand you buy. And no matter how long your nails grow or how often you reapply your polish over the course of a week, copper nails will never kill a tree – unless that tree was wearing acrylic nails.
What Is Copper Disulfide?
Copper disulfide is a chemical compound that is used in nail polish as its main ingredient. It is also used to create other complex compounds such as dyes and pigments. The compound itself is harmless, but it can be harmful if inhaled or ingested.
Nail polish is composed of many ingredients, which are dangerous when they come into contact with the body. Some of these ingredients include formaldehyde, toluene, and phthalates. While some make their way out of the body through sweat or urine, others linger in your nails long after you’ve applied them to your nails.
Why Does Copper Disulfide Kill Trees?
Copper disulfide is an ingredient that’s found in almost every nail polish on the market. The chemical is typically used as a pigment, which means that it’s necessary for the nail polish to turn from clear to bright color. In addition to that, copper disulfide is also used as a preservative and antioxidant.
Despite what you may have heard, there are no such thing as copper nails or copper-infused nails. If anything, copper disulfide actually protects your nails from UV radiation and keeps them looking healthy, shiny, and smooth.
In the United States alone, 3 million pounds of copper are used in nail polish each year. That’s about 1 percent of all the copper produced in the U.S., which means that even if 10% of all Americans wore red nail polish every day for their entire life (which would only be two months), we would use one-tenth as much copper as we do now.
So yes, some nail polishes contain chemicals more harmful than others but this does not mean you should stop wearing nail polish altogether – just make sure you’re picking a quality brand and applying less chemicals over time!
The Best Nail Polish for Copper Disulfide Toxicity
When it comes to the safest nail polish for copper disulfide toxicity, a safer choice would be a nail polish with titanium dioxide. Titanium dioxide is an ingredient that protects against sun damage and UV rays. There are also water-based polishes that contain biocompatible ingredients like Formaldehyde and Camphor, which help protect your nails from dehydration and infection.
If you’re looking for an alternative to traditional toxic nail polishes, try eco-friendly brands like OPI or Sally Hansen. They offer organic versions of their popular colors while staying true our earth with safer ingredients like natural pigments and oils.
The best way to prevent harmful chemicals from entering your body is by using the right kind of polish in the first place!
Which Nail Polishes Are Safe to Use?
The first step in finding a nail polish that is safe and healthy to use is learning about the ingredients. Make sure you are only buying polishes that don’t contain any of the following:
formaldehyde
formaldehyde resin
dibutyl phthalate
ethyl acetate
benzophenone-1
hexamethylene diisocyanate with 2,4-hexadiene diamine (HDI) as a key component
Conclusion
At first glance, copper disulfide seems like a harmless chemical that offers a beautiful and shiny finish. However, the chemical has been found to be toxic to trees and the research continues to show that it will continue to kill trees and cause damage to the environment.
To protect your tree from the effects of copper disulfide you can use nail polish that contains no copper disulfide. The best nail polish to use is one that contains no acetone, no formaldehyde, no urea, no formaldehyde resin and no resorcinol. The safest nail polish to use is only made of natural ingredients.
The new trend of using copper disulfide in nail polish has been shown to be extremely toxic to trees. It is important to know the effects of this product before you use it.
FAQ’s
What are the ingredients in nail polish?
There are a variety of ingredients in nail polish. Below is a list of some of the most common, along with their respective prices and harmful effects:
– Toluene (synthetic): Harmful to the central nervous system and kidneys. Can cause damage to the liver and reproductive system.
– Benzophenone (synthetic): May be carcinogenic. Toxic to aquatic life, birds, and mammals.
– Ethyl acetate (natural): Harmful to aquatic life, birds, and mammals. Toxic to plants and can be fatal to fish embryos.
– Acetone (natural): A major environmental pollutant that is extremely toxic to fish at high concentrations due to its ability to break down fats and proteins in aquatic organisms (including eggs). Other effects may include digestive problems, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and death in extreme cases. It is also not a good idea for gardeners as it can destroy plants
What are the potential health risks associated with nail polish use?
While nail polish is generally considered safe and healthy, there are some specific dangers associated with the ingredients used in nail polish that warrant caution.
Nickel is a highly toxic metal that can cause serious health complications when ingested or inhaled. Nickelodeon can be found in many nail art products, including metallic glitters. Excessive intake may cause nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain due to its ability to affect the gastrointestinal system.
Amines are known carcinogens, which increase the risk of certain forms of cancer such as skin cancer. They have also been shown to contribute to liver and kidney damage in some individuals.
Formaldehyde is a highly toxic chemical that has been linked to cancer and other health conditions. However, because it is not always listed on ingredient labels, safe exposure levels are difficult to determine.
Petroleum distillates BINDS HAVE BEEN ADVERTISED AS SAFE AND WELL-KNOWN INGREDIENTS IN NAIL POLISH BUT THIS MSDS CONFIRMS THAT THE REASON FOR THIS STATEMENT IS IA LACK OF INFORMATION ON THE SUBSTANCE IN AIR AND CIVILIAN EXPERIENCE IN THE US WITH DIFFERENT VARIATIONS ON POSSIBILITY OF SPLIT SKIN RESPIRATION BACTERIAL/FUNGAL CONTAMINATION OF TREATMENT FACILITIES/HOSPITALS – IONIZING RADIATION: IARC CLASSIFICATION AS A CANCER CAUSE.
How can you minimize the health risks associated with nail polish use?
While nail polish may seem harmless, the truth is that it can have serious side effects. One of the worst ingredients in nail polish is toluene. This chemical is highly toxic and can have severe negative health effects. One study showed that toluene got lodged into the brain cells of rats, damaging their cells and eventually killing them. The study also showed that even low concentrations of toluene can cause damage to the red blood cells and nerve cells.
Nail polish is also filled with nanoparticles which are smaller than 50 nanometers. These nanoparticles are extremely toxic and damaging to your health. The effects of these particles are still being researched, but one thing’s for sure: they’re dangerous!
Aside from all that, nail polish contains toxic VOCs (volatile organic compounds). These VOCs contain pesticides and are unhealthy to breathe in and can get stuck in your lungs. Even worse, these VOCs don’t easily biodegrade and can end up stored in our fat tissues which increases the risk of cancer later on in life.
