7 Pregnancy-Safe Nail Polishes We Adore!

Pregnancy is shrouded in myth and mystery, and of course, that extends to nail polish. For example, some experts believe that nail polish could be harmful to your unborn baby.

But there is no clear scientific evidence to suggest that the occasional pedicure or manicure is unsafe.

It’s been reported that around 10% of pregnant mommas-to-be give up pampering their fingers and toes when pregnant. Isn’t that just a shame?

While there are chemicals in nail polish that could be absorbed into the nail bed and the body, the exact amount is unknown. Experts say the likelihood of these getting into the bloodstream is very small.

Currently, nail polish is considered safe. So, you can rest easy if you’re still asking yourself can you use nail polish while pregnant.

As I said, nail varnish is generally considered safe during pregnancy. But if you’re on the cautious, chemical avoidance side, there are plenty of non-toxic pregnancy-safe nail polishes. These polishes come free from harsh chemicals like formaldehyde.

Always looks for non-toxic polishes marketed vegan. Usually, you’ll see them advertised as ‘3-free’, ‘5-free’, and ‘7-free’, meaning they don’t contain certain potentially toxic ingredients. Let’s go into these further;

1. 3-Free

3-Free nail is a safe nail polish during pregnancy because it doesn’t include the three toxic chemicals formaldehyde, toluene, and DBP (dibutyl phthalate).

Formaldehyde has the potential to cause breathing problems and cancer. In addition, toluene has the possible chance to interrupt reproduction, and DBP could potentially cause hormone-production problems in an unborn baby.

So, it’s no surprise pregnant women want to avoid these chemicals to be on the safe side.

2. 5-Free

Just as above, these pregnancy-safe nail polishes don’t contain formaldehyde, toluene, and DBP but also lack formaldehyde resin and camphor. There is a suggestion that these extra ingredients can cause allergic contact dermatitis in some people.

3. 7-Free

Again, just as above, these safe nail polishes during pregnancy hold the 5-free formula. But these polishes also avoid xylene (which can irritate the eyes and throat when inhaled in large amounts) and ethyl tosylamide (which again can cause allergic reactions in some people).

You can also look for 8-free and 10-free pregnancy-safe nail polishes if you want to avoid as many irritating and potentially harmful ingredients as possible.

Of course, just as nail polish is safe to use during pregnancy, it is perfectly fine to use nail polish remover during pregnancy.

But again, if you’re still on the cautious side, look for the many brands that have brought out pregnancy-safe nail polish removers for expectant mothers.

These acetone-free nail polish removers are free from harmful chemicals and formulas like the nail polishes above.