Nail polish makes such a great stocking stuffer or Easter basket addition for little girls, but health and safety is a big concern. We don’t want our children breathing in toxins or applying it to their fingernails, which do allow compounds to cross into the body.
Is there a way for girls to have fun and paint their nails, but still be natural and safe?
I think so, and after testing over two dozen nail polishes rated non-toxic or less toxic, I’ve identified the safest nail polish for both adults and little girls.
This polish is a good choice for children because it barely has any odor. When reviewing non-toxic polishes for little girls, I did not worry as much about how long they lasted.
First, if you’re curious why you shouldn’t just grab any old national brand at the drugstore, be sure to educate yourself on why choosing safe nail polishes is so important.
You can also check out all the reviews, child and adult, in a comparison to find the best non-toxic nail polish, with plenty of progression pictures of how they all chipped off or stayed on over a week’s time.
Natural Nail Polish Review
Piggy Paint
Overall
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Ease of Application
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Staying Power
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Product Smell
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Ingredient Safety
Details:
5-Free or 7-Free depending on the color
Shop: Typically found online in the $5-10 range. Price check at Amazon or Thrive Market.
Ingredients: Water, acrylates copolymer, neem oil. May contain the following colorants (depending on shade): Red 34 Lake, ultramarines, iron oxide, titanium dioxide, mica, red 28, yellow 10, violet 2, zinc sulfide/copper, copper flake, orange 5, and red 22. View the MSDS.
EWG Rating: 1-2 depending on color
From the company:
- NON-TOXIC WATER-BASED FORMULA – 100% Chemical Free & eco-friendly. 5 Free, 7 Free, Vegan & animal cruelty free, All Free. NO Formaldehyde, NO Toluene, NO DiButyl Phthalate (DBP), NO Formaldehyde resin, NO Bisphenol A, NO ethyl acetate and acetone or Camphor.
- ODORLESS – Natural ingredients make Piggy Paint nail polish virtually odorless compared to solvent-based alternatives.
- KID-FRIENDLY, SAFE FOR PREGNANCY – Made in the USA, you can rest assured that all of the natural ingredients are safe for pregnant & nursing moms, for use on babies, toddlers and young children.
- This water-based, hypoallergenic formula makes it safe to use on all piggies!
- From God’s natural ingredients, dries to a hard, durable finish that can easily be removed with our planet-friendly, low odor Piggy Paint nail polish remover.
From the public: Doesn’t smell strong like “regular” polish, comes off quickly – lasts days at most on kids
Other Comments: This blog said they got a different ingredient list when they called (2004)
- She says the colors are not “natural” – can any be? Nope. She has found zero as of 2014. So it’s impossible to be perfect – but what’s the next best thing? (and then the next to next best thing?) That’s my job for you and your daughters today!
- I don’t love that the colors are made of petroleum, which is the same as food dyes.
- It’s something that if my kid was sensitive to food dyes, I’d be wary 100% .
- Ingredients listed on website, not on Amazon.
Smell: Testers said Piggy Paints had a “slight smell” or a “subtle scent” which is why it could not get a “1” rating. But it’s not an offensive smell.
Application: Piggy Paints are nicely opaque after 2 coats but wouldn’t pass muster with one coat.
Long-lasting: With 2 coats, Piggy Paint stayed on quite well after 3 days and wasn’t too bad after 5 days, but nothing an adult would really want to tolerate in my opinion.
Katie’s Notes: My prior experience with natural, safer nail polish was almost exclusively Piggy Paint, so I was expecting it to be one of the best (and have the least scent), so its performance overall was a surprise. The good news is that Piggy Paints are good, safe nail polishes for kids, and the great news is that there are even better ones that don’t market as well (so you might not have heard of them!).
Pros
- Low if any scent
- Pretty safe ingredients
Cons
- Dyes made with petroleum
- Not long-lasting
Is This the Right Non-Toxic Nail Polish for You?
Even though a lot of proven toxic ingredients are missing in all the nail polish brands I reviewed, including this one, we still have to remember that we don’t know what we don’t know.
There’s always new research coming out, and it seems that scientists discover another problem with personal care product ingredients every day. I prefer to err on the side of caution and use these natural nail polish products in moderation, especially because little ones are more likely to put their fingers in their mouths and ingest whatever is on their fingernails.
But painting nails together is a really fun activity, so I’m glad you have this less toxic nail polish brand available.
For other ideas to fill a natural Easter basket or healthy stocking stuffers, I have you covered.
Remember to check out the full review of non-toxic nail polishes to find your best new brand or this list specifically for the safest nail polish for kids.
Unless otherwise credited, photos are owned by the author or used with a license from Canva or Deposit Photos.