Today I wanted to talk about one of my favorite nail products that I have come across, especially since starting an IVF journey.
I, like most women, love looking down at a freshly polished set of nails. There's something so girly in the joy of picking out a new color or even better, glitter! That little bit of time in the day that is carved out just for you. Whether you choose to do your own nails, or get to indulge yourself in a manicure with your favorite nail tech, or even better, with your bestie by your side; there's just something so satisfying in those perfectly done digits!
But, most of us have never really given thought to what that nail polish could be doing to our bodies though. I never really gave it a thought myself until one day at my fertility consult they looked at my nails and told me the pretty color that I had just had put on...had to go! Um, what?!?!
So I started to do some digging...
Now of course we knew in the back of our minds, nail products are of course riddled with all sorts of chemicals, I mean, the smells alone give that away, right? And a lot of us knew there was formaldehyde in there and probably some other stuff we just didn't want to worry about. What I started to learn was that many volatile compounds such as formaldehyde, Phthalate like dibutyl Phthalate (DPT) and toluene are used as ingredients in nail polish. These chemicals pose a high risk in causing fertility issues, miscarriage and even birth defects. Women who polish their nails very frequently are at a greater concern in terms of facing fertility issues. TPHP (Triphenyl phosphate) is immediately metabolized to DPHP (diphenyl phosphate) and can put women at an elevated risk of fertility problems.
This sounds pretty scary, I know. For those of us trying to conceive or are already pregnant, even scarier to hear for sure! But you don't have to give up your polished look for bare nails forever, there's hope! A lot of companies are starting to develop products that are 3, 5, 7 and 9+ Free. Well what does that even mean? The 3-free refers to the “toxic trio” which are dibutyl phthalate (DBP), formaldehyde, and toluene. DBP is the main ingredient in creating a chip-free product, formaldehyde hardens the laquer, and toluene creates the smooth texture. These three are not necessary for getting long lasting colors and a great gloss, which is why so many brands like Zoya, Sally Hansen and Butter London are now excluding them. The 5, 7 and 9- Free products are developed to exclude even more harmful chemicals and resins.
Which now brings me telling you about one of my favorite products that I have been now using for over a year and wanted to share. I had fallen in love with getting dip powder manicures- the strength and lasting power of acrylics without the harsh commitment. I am pretty hard on my nails and needed a product that could stand the test of time, but after learning above, I found myself frantically searching for something that I could use. I was ready to concede to going back to gel nails when I came upon Revel Nails. (Insert singing hallelujah angels here)
Revel nails has become a staple in my beauty life. Their products are made in the USA, are Vegan and cruelty free and have over 280 colors to choose from including sun changing and mood changing. Their products are 5 free & 7 free, non-toxic and odor free. Traditional acrylics and gel polish contain an ingredient called methacrylate which weakens nails beds, Revel does not and you'll see that your nails will LOVE you again. The best part, they are made to be done AT HOME! They have the most amazing tutorials on their IG and blogs, the products are very user friendly.
I hope that you found this article helpful and maybe even eye opening. Here are some pics of my own nails also. This is not a paid endorsement, only to share something amazing with all you beautiful ladies!
Please share with your friends!
XO- Melissa
Shop Here: Revel Nail
