Review: Rainbow Honey Nail Polish

Did you know that many nail polishes aren't vegan? Many conventional brands, particularly red shades, contain carmine. When you're looking for polish, I recommend getting one that's both vegan and free of the "Big 3"(formaldehyde, toluene, and dibutyl phthalate). One brand that passes this test? Rainbow Honey.

Pros:

• Super cool themes and polish names
• Available in many fun colors
• Big 3 free (formaldehyde, toluene, and dibutyl phthalate)
• Mini (half size) bottles offered
• All vegan line

Review: Benecos Nail Polish

Vintage Red

I have a love-hate relationship with nail polish. It seems like every time I decide to start wearing it, I take up a new hobby like playing the ukulele--which just happens to destroy polish. Most nail polishes chip off after a couple of days on my hands, and only a few have ever risen to the challenge of daily wear and tear. One of these special contenders is Benecos Nail Polish, which claims to be long-lasting and chip resistant.

Pros:

• Long-lasting
• Chip resistant
• Smooth, silky finish
• 5-free: No formaldehyde, toluene, camphor, phthalates or colophony
• Large variety of colors
• Vegan and gluten-free

Review: Dazzle Dry Lace Texture Nail Polish

When I was in middle school, I was really into painting my nails. I loved the idea of perusing the rows of colorful bottles at the store and picking out the next new way to decorate my nails. I wasn't into streaking my hair or wearing heavy makeup, but nail polish was good fun.

Some of my favorite polishes were the novelty polishes - glow in the dark, crackle polish, etc. Dazzle Dry, a fast-drying vegan nail polish line, recently expanded into novelty polishes with their lace texture nail lacquer.

Pros:

• Fun lace/crackle effect
• Free of toluene, formaldehyde and phthalates
• Dries in 5 minutes
• Can be applied easily over other colors
• Vegan formula

Cons:

• Takes a little practice to predict the lace effect

Summary:
I layered this fun silvery-white polish over a purple-blue hue. The company recommends applying this over a top coat and sealing with a top coat as well. While the lace polish applies like any other polish when wet, the crackled texture starts to emerge as it dries. I painted from the bottom of the nail to the top, so many of my cracks were vertical, but a few were horizontal. I tried painting one nail from left to right to see how the texture changed and, sure enough, it pulled apart more were the polish was thinner (in a more horizontal pattern). With some practice, you could probably create some neat effects, as the crackling does comes out differently depending on the direction and the thickness of the application. This polish is fairly gentle and avoids many of harshest chemicals found in conventional polishes. If you're looking for a fun novelty polish from a vegan and cruelty-free company, check out this lace texture lacquer.

Product Ratings (out of 5)

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Performance
Presentation
Purity
Value

Disclosure notice: This product was sent to me free of charge by the manufacturer for review. No additional compensation was accepted and the opinions are my own. Please verify any claims with the manufacturer, especially if you have any allergies or concerns.

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Review: Dazzle Dry Nail Prep, Base Coat, and Top Coat

I recently had my first manicure, in preparation for a wedding.  I had chosen a deep red shade which was fun for a few days, but really started to show the chips.  I usually do my own nails at home using vegan products in softer shades, so I was delighted to try the vegan line Dazzle Dry, a quick-drying polish.

Pros:

• Fast Drying (5 minutes)
• Chip Resistant
• Strong adhesion
• Won't yellow
• Free of camphor, formaldehyde, toulene, and phthalate

Cons:

• May be hard to find in stores

Summary:
The nail prep, base coat, and top coat were sent to me in the three-piece Nail Prep Kit, which retails for $28.50. Individually, the base and top coats are $12.50 each. While it is not the cheapest polish on the market, it is definitely a better value than most that include toxic chemicals.  Safety ratings, via the EWG Skin Deep database, came in at a 1 for the nail prep, 0 for the base coat, and a 4 for the top coat (due to the use of fragrance and Ext. Violet 2).  This is quite safe, at least for the first two products.  I love how quickly the polish dries. I can spend less time waiting for polish to dry and more time having fun!  If I were to offer one suggestion for improvement, I would recommend adding the ingredient lists to the store product pages for improved clarity.

Product Ratings (out of 5)

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Performance
Presentation
Purity
Value

Ingredients:
Dazzle Dry Nail Prep - Isopropyl alcohol, SD Alcohol 40B, Water, Ethyl Acetate, Calcium-D-Pantothenate, AMP Isostearoyl Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein
Dazzle Dry Base Coat - Isopropyl Alcohol, Water, Polyurethane
Dazzle Dry Top Coat - Ethyl Acetate, Butyl Acetate, Cellulose Acetate Butyrate, Propyl Acetate, Isopropyl Alcohol, Dipropylene Glycol Dibenzoate, Octocrylene, Fragrance, Tosylamide/Epoxy Resin, Polyisobutyl Methacrylate, Cyclomethicone, Blue 1, Ext. Violet 2

Disclosure notice: This product was sent to me free of charge by the manufacturer for review. No additional compensation was accepted and the opinions are my own. Please verify any claims with the manufacturer, especially if you have any allergies or concerns.

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Review: Keeki Nail Polish and Base Coat

I love a little nail polish to brighten my day and accessorize for each season. But I think we've all had unfortunate experiences with that awful "nail polish smell." My personal worst was when I was riding on a train in Europe when a woman next to me started painting her nails. The entire compartment reeked and boy, was I glad when I reached my stop.

If you're planning to paint your nails on a train or anywhere else, I encourage you to think of your own health, the environment, and those around you when selecting your nail polish. Consider gentle, non-toxic polishes such as those by Keeki Pure & Simple.

Pros:

• Available in fun colors
• No "nail polish smell"
• Safe for children
• Gentle ingredients
• More affordable than many natural nail polishes
• Vegans and gluten-free
• Non-toxic and environmentally-friendly
  

Review and Giveaway: Dr.'s Remedy Enriched Nail Polish Holiday Colors

Red and green are everywhere in December, but sometimes it's fun to branch out a bit during the season. Holiday parties are the perfect excuse to show off festive, colorful nails. Dr.'s Remedy Enriched Nail Polish celebrates the holidays with a fun lineup of colors, from the traditional red and green to classy winter hues.

Pros:

• Offered in fun, festive colors
• Finishes range from glittery shimmers to mattes
• Professional finish
• Long-lasting
• Three-free (no dibutyl phthalate (DBP), toluene and formaldehyde)

Review and Giveaway: Dr.'s Remedy Enriched Nail Polish Fall Colors

It can be fun to celebrate the change of a season with a transition to the latest colors. I have a beloved deep blue sweater that is the perfect color and weight for when weather cools down. Why not let your nails in on the fun as well? Dr.'s Remedy Enriched Nail Polish constantly updates their collection with new colors to usher in the change of each season.

Pros:

• Frequently adding fun, trendy colors for each season
• Smooth texture adds polish to autumn looks
• More staying power than most conventional polishes
• Gentler ingredients than drugstore polishes

Review: Acquarella Nail Polish and Conditioner

I first fell in love with nail polish in middle school. I wasn't allowed wear makeup at that age so I loved decorating my nails with bright blues, greens, or purples. I stopped painting my nails when I found out that my polishes contained many hazardous chemicals. However, I began to search for more natural polishes when I was told to include them as part of my makeup kit. I recently came across a brand called Acquarella, a water-based polish company. Read on to learn why this has quickly become my favorite polish among all I have tried.


Pros:

• Dries quickly
• Can rinse to remove with water for a brief period of time after application
• One of the safest polishes on the market
• Uses no carmine (suitable for vegans)
• Wide range of colors
• Doesn't chip easily (took over a week to chip)
• Very smooth application
• Rich, solid colors

Review and Giveaway: Dr.'s Remedy Enriched Nail Polish

It's easy to pick up nail polish at the drugstore, but it's rarely something that you'd feel comfortable putting on your skin. With ingredients such as toulene and formaldehyde, conventional nails polishes are far from natural. Instead, I recommend seeking out gentler polishes such as Dr.'s Remedy Enriched Nail Polish.

Pros:

• Comes in a range of colors, both shimmery and matte
• Nice texture and finish
• Didn't chip easily after a couple of coats
• Gentler ingredients than many conventional polishes