8 free: A polish that cares for your nails while giving them color and shine

You probably pay attention to the quality and ingredients of what you eat, and the quality and ingredients of the products you use on your skin and even in your hair. But you might forget about your nails and not consider that the nail polish you use is also absorbed by your body and can have effects on your health.

In the beginning, women painted their nails with natural products like henna , but with industrialization, chemicals began to be incorporated, and virtually the same compounds found in car paint were introduced. Among these chemicals , some have been identified that can be very harmful to health , and at LOLA Barcelona, ​​we are firmly committed to ensuring that your nails are not only beautiful but also protected.

So we've made a formulation effort and have managed to create top-quality enamels that fall into the exclusive 8-free category, because they eliminate eight of the most harmful compounds typically found in lacquers: acetone, camphor, phthalates, formaldehyde, formaldehyde resin, silicone, toluene, and xylene.

If you're not a chemist, these names probably won't mean anything to you, so we're going to give you a few brushstrokes on each of them so that from now on you can look at the labels of other nail polishes you have around the house.

Acetone

In very small amounts, acetone is processed by the liver and is not harmful, but continued use can cause irritation of the nose, throat, lungs, and eyes . In larger amounts, it can even cause headaches, dizziness, nausea, and vomiting, and can interfere with a woman's menstrual cycle.

Synthetic camphor

Camphor is rapidly absorbed through the skin and gives a cooling effect similar to menthol, but it can also cause irritation to the eyes and respiratory system if inhaled .

Dibutyl phthalate

Phthalates are often included in nail polish to give it a plastic-like texture, but their toxicity has been proven through several studies, and they are being eliminated from any product that comes into contact with the body. It is an endocrine disruptor that can also cause headaches, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, etc.

Formaldehyde

The World Health Organization and the European Union classify this compound , which has been used for years in cosmetics, as carcinogenic .

Formaldehyde resin

It's a derivative of the former that 's also used in nail hardeners , but given the danger it poses to our health, we'd certainly prefer to have delicate nails than to have this chemical in our bodies.

Silicone

The body can't absorb silicone, but it clogs pores and prevents them from breathing or perspiring . Allergic reactions such as itching or burning can occur.

Toluene

It has always been used as a solvent, but it irritates the eyes, throat, and lungs. It can cause fatigue, headaches, and nausea . If toluene is contaminated with benzene, it is considered a carcinogen.

Xylene

It's a synthetic fragrance that often doesn't even appear on the label, because it only says 'perfume,' but it can cause allergic reactions.

The problem with these compounds isn't that once you apply nail polish, they'll cause a reaction. However, think about all the years you've been wearing nail polish , especially if you've been doing it regularly. All of this combines with toxins found in creams, shampoos, and makeup that we've used daily for decades, and the cumulative effect can be harmful to our health .