How to have an eco-friendly manicure
Getting a pedi or a mani is a pleasure that I have the hardest difficulties to let go of. So instead of letting it go, I decided to search for an eco-friendly manicure!
Growing up I never had any. The idea would never even pop up in my head. In France, it was all about the good ol’ DIY fashion way. When I visited the US as a teenager and later when I moved here, getting manicures and pedicures by professionals was my own little revolution. I was seeing it as my affordable way to get a nice beauty treat.
Yet, as I grow more each day into the world of sustainability and zero waste, I am having a harder time with some of this industry’s wasteful and toxic practices (from conception to treatments in salons.) It all has gone from awesome to awwww-not-so-some-and-getting-close-to-full.
So I wanted to address this topic as I am probably not the only one who longs for waste free and eco-friendly manicures.
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Look for Eco-friendly Businesses
First things first I would suggest you call and ask your local businesses to see how they perform their pedicures and manicures. Some business might not offer any eco conscious solution depending on where you live, but most of them will understand the concern and try to accommodate. Don’t worry about “being a pain!” I sometimes feel bad about the extra requests but there’s nothing wrong about knowing what you want. This especially when the request is about having a peaceful moment in accordance with your beliefs and needs. Doing so will allow you to know exactly what to expect.
Turn your sacred time into a DIY
If you can’t find an business that fits your needs or don’t have the budget to go to an eco-friendly one? Turn your me time into a DIY. Organize with you friends a afternoon or happy hour treat.
Make sure you prep nice beverages with or without alcohol ready. I personally am a huge fan of mimosas or fruit water* (see below for recipe)
Prep big bowls put epsom salts, or mini fizz bombs like these ones and once you are ready to launch
Use essential oils and candles to create a nice comfy atmosphere. ( you can even make the candles). You can put the essential oils in a vaporizer or in a spray bottle.
Choosing the right products for a perfect eco-friendly manicure
Polish Remover
If you have old polish that needs to be remove, I suggest Karma Organic, their product is a soy based, non toxic polish remover that doesn’t contain petroleum products. On top if it, they source their soy from local farmers and use recycled glass. I give them an A+.
One of the best alternative to cotton balls is to make or buy reusable pads. They will be handy ro remove the nail polish. You can either use old bath towels or micro fiber cloth. Cut them in square or round shapes. Saw the contour and voila! You have your very own zero waste makeup and nail remover pads.
Massage O’Clock
Next step, a massage! The best way to nourish your nails naturally is to use olive oil! I am sure some other oils will have great results on the skin and the nails but I come from Mediterranean where olive oil is queen.
Nail Polish
Zoya was created by Zoya and Michael Reyzis of Art of Beauty. This brand has among the first of its healthy and eco-friendly kind. The brand doesn’t use the usual chemicals you can expect in nail polish (toluene, camphor, formaldehyde, formaldehyde, etc) yet offers a long lasting formula. They offer a nice and large series of colors as well as a manicure kit that you can find here. Worth the try!
LVX. LVX means “light” in Latin. This brand is 5-free, vegan, cruelty-free and produced in the United States. The co-founder, Branka Tomic, loves fashion. She has a passion for high quality hues as you’ll see on the website. LVX is perfect for people looking for luxury and eco-friendly brands. Order yours here.
Suncoat. This brand offers water based and non toxic polish for over 18 years. Instead of using chemicals they found a great way to use a water base and minerals to create the color. They also offer a peelable version of their polish so you don’t even need to use polish remover. Check out their clear version and their classic red!
Piggy Paint. Melanie Hurley founded this brand because she was horrified at how toxic nail polish were. She decided her kids would no longer have that type of chemicals on their nails and worked on crating this series of nail polish. She dedicated herself to making a water-based, non-flammable, non-toxic nail polish that has an almost unnoticeable odor. The vibrant colors of this hypoallergenic and cruelty-free lacquer make Piggy Paint the perfect option for fun-loving kids of any age.
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