5 Brands of Long-Lasting Non-Toxic Nail Polish

Looking for a nail polish that is long-lasting but also safe for your health? Here is a list of 5 brands of long-lasting non-toxic nail polish.

1. Scotch Naturals (for adults) and Hopscotch Kids (for kids),
2. Keeki Pure & Simple (for kids, tweens, and adults),
3. Acquarella (for adults, including pregnant women),
4. Suncoat (for everyone under the sun), and
5. Piggy Paint (for kids, adults, and pets).

All of these brands are non-toxic and free from the Big-3 (dibutyl phthalate (DBP), toluene and formaldehyde). Also, because they are water-based formulas, they do not contain any harmful chemical solvents. Instead, their main ingredient is water!

If you are looking for a safer option to regular nail polish, try one of these toxic-free nail polish brands, for safe and long-lasting results!

Which brands of non-toxic nail polish have you tried?

Water Based and Regular Nail Polish Compared

Water based nail polish is a fairly new invention, having entered the market in the 2000's, so many people do not know what it is. Regular solvent based nail polish has been manufactured since the 1920's, having been inspired by car paint. Here is a comparison of water based and regular nail polish.

• The primary ingredient in water based nail polish is water. Regular nail polish contains volatile chemical solvents that quickly evaporate when the polish in painted onto your nails. These solvents give nail polish its unpleasant smell. Since water based nail polish does not contain such solvents, it has very little smell.
• Water based nail polish dries to the touch in about 15 minutes, but takes up to 6 hours to fully dry. You can speed up the drying process with a hair dryer. Regular nail polish reaches a fully dry state in about 15 minutes.
• Water based nail polish comes in both long-lasting and peel-off formulas. Regular nail polish comes primarily in long-lasting formulas. Water based nail polish which is properly applied lasts around one week on fingernails. Many regular nail polishes lasts for a similar amount of time.
• Water based nail polish becomes more difficult to remove over time. It requires special nail polish remover meant for water based nail polish. Regular nail polish can be removed just as easily if it is worn for one week or one day. Regular nail polish requires acetone or acetone-free nail polish remover.
• All water based nail polishes are not only "3 Free" but also free of other harmful chemicals. Some regular nail polishes are "3 Free," while others still contain carcinogenic and other toxic ingredients. 
• Water based nail polishes do not dry out the nails, since they allow water to reach the nail bed and hydrate the nails. Regular nail polish forms a hard layer that does not allow water through. Also, the ingredients found in regular nail polish and remover are very drying. 
• Water based nail polish in non-flammable, while regular nail polish is highly flammable and should not be used near open flames. 

Is there anything else you would like to know about how water based and regular nail polishes compare?

How Many Brands of Water Based Nail Polish Can You Name?

Do you know any brands of water-based nail polish that you can name off of the top of your head? What about naming brands of water based nail polish from their bottles? If you are familiar with many water based nail polish brands, you may be able to ace this quiz! But even if you don't know a single brand, take this quiz as a fun introduction.

I saw a similar quiz, asking you to name main-stream brands of nail polish from their bottles, but there was not a single water based brand listed. I thought it would be fun to put a twist on this idea and make a quiz with only water based polishes.

So, here is how it works. Below you will find 10 numbered images of nail polish bottles. Jot down the brand that comes to mind when you see each bottle. If you have no idea, just make something up! Have fun with it! After you have written down your 10 answers, keep scrolling to reveal the answer key. Don't sweat it, you won't be getting a grade. :) But I would love to hear how you did in the comments!

Name These Brands of Water Based Nail Polish

 

And now, for the answers!

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1. Honeybee Gardens WaterColors
2. Suncoat
3. Keeki Pure & Simple
4. Acquarella
5. Hopscotch Kids
6. Piggy Paint
7. Sula Paint & Peel
8. Suncoat Polish & Peel
9. AQmore
10. Scotch Naturals

Were you able to name any of the water based polish brands from their bottles?

Piggy Paint Water Based Nail Polish

Piggy Paint is a water based nail polish for kids. It is also an excellent choice for adults who want to use a safe and long-lasting nail polish. I tested Piggy Paint water based nail polish on my fingernails.

If you are using Piggy Paint nail polish on your kid's piggies or fingernails, the colored polish is all you need. If you want to wear Piggy Paint on your own nails and have it last a long time, you should also use the new base coat and new top coat. With the base, color, and top coat the nail polish was almost permanent! It lasted well on my fingernails for a week, with only tip wear, even though I was hard on my hands.

I bought Piggy Paint online in Sea-quin (turquoise). I love the Sea-quin color! It is a beautiful bright aqua/ turquoise color that is perfect for summer time. It is shown above with a mint chip truffle.

The only difficulty I had with Piggy Paint was removing it. Make sure to use one of the Piggy Paint nail polish removers. You may also want to read some advice on removing water based nail polish.

Peel-Off Nail Polish Has Its Limitations

As I have experimented with water based nail polishes, I have grown to appreciate peel-off nail polishes. Removing water based nail polish can be tough and time consuming. It is nice to have the option to just soak my nails in water and then peel the polish off.

I decided to try wearing peel-off water based nail polish on my toenails. I thought this could be useful for times when I want to change my toenail polish frequently or while I'm traveling. I painted my toenails with a purple color from Suncoat. It looked great on my toes. You couldn't even tell that it was a peel-off polish. But when it came time to remove the polish, it was more stubborn than expected. I soaked my nails in warm water, as usual. Then I tried to peel off the polish, but it didn't want to come off. I loosened the polish with a cuticle stick and tried again. The polish did come off, but so did the top layer of my toenails. I was left with dry nails with uneven surfaces.

So end the end, even though peel-off nail polish can be fun and fast to remove from fingernails, it is better to skip the peel-off formulas for toenails.

Have you ever worn a peel-off nail polish on your toenails?

Brands of Water Based Nail Polish in My Collection

I have been accumulating quite a few water based nail polishes lately. There are only a few brands that I have not tried yet. Here is a list of the brands of water based nail polishes in my collection so far:

• Acquarella
• AQmore
• Honeybee Gardens
• Scotch Naturals
• Sula Paint & Peel
• Suncoat
• Hopscotch Kids
• Keeki Pure & Simple
• Piggy Paint

Which brands of water based nail polish have you tried?

Scotch Naturals Review {Video}

Scotch Naturals review explaining what I like and dislike about Scotch Naturals nail polish. Sometimes it's just easier to watch a video than to read a written review.

Summer Nail Polish Colors from Acquarella

I just added three new summer nail polish colors from Acquarella to my polish collection! Acquarella was so kind to send me all three of the new colors! Yippy! I am so glad to have more Acquarella water based nail polishes.

I love the green, blue and purple color palette! I much prefer these types of colors over the ordinary reds and pinks. I have been excitedly awaiting 30 Love (lemon lime green) ever since I saw a photo of it. 30 Love just screams summer time!

It was harder to tell what Date Night and Dream Car would look like. As soon as I took those two out of the boxes I could see that they were shiny metallic colors. When I first saw Dream Car I thought "Ooh, lah lah, I would like to have a car this color!" I wear clothes that are mostly blue, teal, or aqua, so this greenish blue nail polish will match my wardrobe! The purple Date Night polish looks grape flavored to me. I like the silver shimmers in the purple base color. 

I swatched all three new colors right away, so I could see what they look like on my nails.

I think all three colors are awesome, but I definitely recommend wearing 30 Love during the summer. The metallic purple and blue will still be good choices into the fall.

Keeki Pure and Simple Nail Polish in Cherry Pie {Video}

Video review of Keeki Pure and Simple nail polish showing the Cherry Pie red color. Watch this video to see what I like and dislike about Keeki Pure and Simple. The Keeki brand may be meant for kids, but I still enjoy using the nail polish and lip shimmers!

Find more Keeki nail polish reviews on the Pretty Painted Nails Water Based Nail Polish Blog.

Nail Polish Remover for Water Based Nail Polishes

Along with water based nail polishes, I have recently been accumulating complimentary nail polish removers. Regular acetone and non acetone nail polish removers do not work on all types of nail polish. To successfully get water based nail polish off your nails you need a remover intended for water based nail polish.

So far I have tried water-based, soy-based and alcohol-based removers with water based polishes. I am planning to compare the various removers soon. For now, just know that your regular old smelly remover is not going to work with water based polishes.

Perhaps my biggest frustration with water based polishes is how hard they are to remove. One time it took over 30 minutes for me to get the polish off my nails! Since then I have learned some useful tid bits about removal. I will share with you what I have learned. If you have any more suggestions, please share in the comments below. It will save us all some time and scrubbing.

Removing Water Based Nail Polishes:

1. Select one of the brands of remover intended for use with water based polishes.
2. With water based polish, timing is always key. The best time to paint your nails is right before bed. The best time to remove your polish is right after a shower or bath.
3. Cotton balls will not do the trick. Go for something with more texture, such as cotton rounds or piece of old cloth.
4. Soak the cotton round in remover and slather a good helping of remover onto each nail. Allow it to soak in for a minute. Be patient. Sitting and letting the remover soak in is easier than scrubbing away forever! 
5. Starting with the first nail, hold the cotton pad drenched in remover on the nail for a few seconds.
6. Then wipe off some of the polish.
7. Move onto the next nail and wipe for a bit, then the next.
8. After you have wiped at all of your nails for a short bit, go back to the first and repeat. 
9. Continue this process until all or almost all of the polish is removed.
10. If there are still stubborn bits left, immerse your nails in warm water and scrape off the bits with a wooden cuticle stick.
11. Wash, dry, and moisturize your hands with jojoba oil.

Removal may take longer than you are accustomed to with regular nail polish, but at least you are avoiding the dangerous fumes found in regular polish and remover!

Honeybee Gardens Water Based Nail Polish

In the past, I hardly ever wore black nail polish. Now that it's a main stream trend, I decided to give black a try. I chose Abyss from Honeybee Gardens water-based nail polish line.

I tried out Abyss on my toenails. First I painted on a layer of clear nail polish from Honeybee Gardens. Then I used 2-3 layers of black polish, allowing it to dry in between. The black nail polish went on nicely and kind of looked like a jelly until it reached opacity. It dried to a nice glossy finish.

I really liked the finished black toenail polish look, especially for a formal event with heals. I think it looks very classy.

I was happy with my pedicure until I went to ballroom dance class a couple days later and the polish started chipping off left and right. After a week the polish looked awful. It was chipped off halfway down my nails!

I also tried out Honeybee Gardens nail polish on my fingernails and had a bit better luck using a coat of clear on top as a top coat. You can read a full review of Honeybee Gardens water based nail polish on the Water Based Nail Polish Blog Pretty Painted Nails.

Acquarella Nail Polish Review and Demonstration {Video}

Acquarella is one of my favorite brands of water-based nail polish! It has hardly any smell and lasts nicely on my fingernails for a week. It stays on my toenails for a full month!

Watch this video to learn more about Acquarella water-based nail polish and see a demonstration of applying the nail polish in Mahalo (blue) and Wicked (green).

You can also see the original video review of Acquarella and a written review of Acquarella nail polish on the Pretty Painted Nails Blog.

Suncoat Mineral Nail Polish in Beige

The latest additions to my nail polish collection are two mineral nail polishes from Suncoat. The one shown above is the non-peel-off water based formula in Beige. I also bought one of their peel-off polishes in Mulberry, which I will try next.

This was the fifth brand of water based nail polish that I have tried and not my favorite. I got both the colored polish and the top coat, but even with the top coat my manicure did not last as long as I would have liked. It is awesome that the Suncoat polish has no smell, but there are other brands that last much longer which are also odor free.

The beige color is okay, but not what I was expecting. Sometimes I order a polish not caring too much what the color is. I wonder why others get so bent out of shape that the color is a shade lighter or darker than expected. This time I was trying to order a particular color. I wanted a pale nude color that matched my skin. The descriptions and color chart on the Suncoat website are horrible. Many of the polishes look quite different than expected, as I found from reading other reviews. Too bad I read them after I got my polish. The beige color ended up being a dark metallic copper color. I wonder what the polish they call Copper looks like!

Removing the polish was not a pleasant experience. It came off after 25 minutes, which isn't bad for a water based polish. However, the Suncoat remover smelled awful! One reason I prefer water based polish over conventional polish is the lack of smell. This remover ruined that. I'm looking forward to trying the Suncoat peel-off polish, since it does not require remover.

Find more Suncoat nail polish reviews on the Pretty Painted Nails blog.


Have you tried Suncoat nail polish? What did you think?

Keeki Pure and Simple Water Based Nail Polish

Keeki Pure and Simple was the second water based nail polish for kids that I tried. After testing it out, Keeki is now one of my favorite brands of water based nail polish. And even though it is safe for kids, women can wear it too!

Keeki offers a base and top coat, which helps that polish last on fingernails for a whole week. Keeki is one of the longest lasting water based polishes that I have tried.

There are fun and playful colors like green and blue, but there are also classic colors like red. Shown above is Cherry Pie, which is a sparkly red.

I tried the Spicy Gift pack, which came with base and top coat, nail polish, remover, and an Organic Shimmer stick for lips. The Organic Shimmer Stick in Sophisticated has a nice minty tingle to it and gave my lips a subtle red tint.

Find out more about Keeki and other water based nail polishes. 

Hopscotch Kids Water Based Nail Polish

Just because a nail polish is marketed towards kids, who says us grown-ups can't use it? I decided to give Hopscotch Kids water based nail polish a try. I love trying out any and all water based nail polishes.

This bright orange color, called Peter Peter Pumpkin Eater, immediately caught my eye on the Hopscotch Kids website. Orange is not a very common nail polish color, except around Halloween, but I really liked the way this looked on me.

Unfortunately the polish started to chip the first day and was super chipped by the 5th day. Oh, well. Maybe I would not want to wear orange nail polish for too long of a time, anyway.

If you are interested in this safe, non toxic polish, you can read a detailed Hopscotch Kids review or find out about water based nail polish for grown-ups. 

Peel Off Nail Polish- Sula Beauty Review

I recently tried Sula Beauty's water based peel-off nail polish. This polish is not intended for kids, but for grown ups!

My test of Sula Paint and Peel got off to a bad start. First off, the nail polish is advertised as water based, but the top coat that comes with the duo is regular solvent based nail polish. They should make that more clear! Secondly, I prefer polish with very little or no smell, but they add perfume to the nail polish! Thirdly, the polish painted on very unevenly. I tried to use three very thin coats. It still added up to a thick texture with ridges all over.

But then my experience with Sula got a bit better. I loved the color! Modern mauve is a cheery purple color. I got compliments on it right away. I wore the polish for two days, and the annoying perfume smell did go away once it dried. The polish started peeling after showers and while washing dishes. It looked okay the first day, but by the second day it had peeled back to reveal the tips of some of my nails. That's okay, I thought. It is meant to be a temporary polish.

So after wearing it for two days I removed the polish. I had already read other reviews complaining that peeling off the polish peeled off bits of the nail plate. So I started by only taking the polish off one nail. It did peel the nail plate off a bit. So next I soaked my nails in warm water for five minutes. After that it peeled off like a charm, without damaging my nails!

If you don't mind the gloppy texture and the perfume smell, Sula Paint and Peel is a fun novelty. I'm am thinking of getting a single bottle of polish in Azure, a pretty aqua.

Has anyone tried the single bottles of polish? If so, can you tell me if the ingredients also include perfume on those ones? 

Non Toxic Nail Polishes: Acquarella and Scotch Naturals

Looking for a non toxic nail polish that is not just for kids? It is scary to think of all the harmful chemicals present in traditional nail polish. A safe option is getting a long-lasting water based nail polish.

If you are ready to try water based nail polish but not sure which brand to choose, here is a helpful comparison of Acquarella and Scotch Naturals.

Things I like about Acquarella:

• I has good lasting power for a water based nail polish. It looks good on fingernails for about 5 days and easily lasts a month or more on toenails. 
• It only takes two thin coats of polish, so you do not need a base coat or top coat.
• I do not smell a thing while painting my nails! What a contrast to solvent based nail polish!

Things I like about Scotch Naturals:

• It is easy to remove with their soy based remover. Only takes about 15 minutes. Much shorter than the 30-50 minutes of scrubbing to remove Acquarella with Acquarella remover.
• The colors are sophisticated and appeal to a more mature crowd than just tweens. 
• The base coat helps the polish paint on smoothly and the top coat adds shine. 

Have you tried Acquarella or Scotch Naturals? What do you think of these two non toxic nail polishes? Can you recommend any other water based nail polishes?

I Love Water Based Nail Polish Even if If It Is Not Natural

Lately my nail polish obsession has been collecting water base nail polishes. I love that they are non toxic and do not contain strong smelling solvents like traditional nail polish.

Some brands of water based nail polish advertise themselves as being natural, which got me thinking. Is water based nail polish natural? I can read the label on the back of the bottle, which says "water, acrylic polymer emulsion, non-toxic colorants." I know what water is and that it is natural-check.

Now what is acrylic polymer emulsion? I looked up each part of the term. An emulsion is a suspension of one liquid in another liquid that it is not soluble in. A "polymer" refers to a compound that has a chain of repeating units. Okay. But what about acrylic? I know that some clothes are made out of acrylic, but what is it?

After lots of research I came to the conclusion that acrylic is a synthetic plastic produced by a chemical process. So, water based nail polish is not natural after all.  Oh, well, I still love it!

And even though water based nail polish contains plastic, it is still safe for kids and people of all ages.

Nail Polishes I Would Wear During Pregnancy

Stack of Safe Nail Polishes for Use During Pregnancy

A good number of females are probably wondering if it is okay to paint their nails while they are expecting. It turns out, you can paint your fingernails and toenails while expecting. But I would advise to do so with caution. Listed here is my approach when it comes to selecting a safe nail polish during pregnancy.

It's Best to Paint Your Nails Outside if Using Traditional Nail Polish

Consider where you are going to do your nails. The best place is somewhere with lots of fresh air. It is smart to stay out of nail parlors while expecting. The biggest risk presented by nail polish and various other nail treatments is smelling injurious fumes. The ingredients in nail treatments could furthermore be soak into your nail bed or mistakenly be eaten when you place your nails up to your lips.

In the event that you visit a nail salon to have your nails painted, you will be vulnerable to the harmful substances in the nails products not only applied to your nails but also those used for everybody else getting their nails painted at the same time. People may recommend bringing along your own less risky nail polishes to the beauty parlor. Unfortunately, you will continue to be around any other chemicals in the parlor.

Stay Away From the Big Three

It is preferable to wear a water-based safe nail polish during pregnancy. If perhaps you might not be willing to shift to a water-based nail lacquer, at the very least select a conventional nail lacquer that is 3 free. A good number of labels of varnish presently are 3 free, which means that they do NOT contain dibutyl phthalate (DBP), toluene, or formaldehyde.

DBP is certainly perilous to expecting females since it is a developmental and reproductive toxicant. Toluene is also dangerous during your pregnancy and may trigger developmental injury to the fetus. Formaldehyde is known to cause cancer and might cause discomfort or an sensitivity on your skin.

When you buy a classic nail polish that is 3 free, it will nonetheless include smelly vapors, so ensure there is reasonable air flow while you are polishing and drying your nails!

I would Only Wear Water Based Nail Polish While Pregnant

Why not pick a water-based safe nail polish during pregnancy? Some advisable safe nail polish labels are Acquarella, Keeki Pure & Simple, and Scotch Naturals.

Avoid Traditional Nail Polish Remover While Pregnant

Traditional nail polish remover, which is acetone based, is often applied to take off solvent-based nail polish and fake nails. Shellac polish is removed utilizing 100% acetone. The possible health impacts of acetone can include eye discomfort, drying of the skin and nails due to frequent or prolonged exposure, and breathing in high levels may trigger nausea, headache, dizziness, unconsciousness, and lung irritation.

A few substitute types of safe nail polish remover are Scotch Naturals soy based remover, Acquarella water-based remover, and Keeki Pure & Simple non-toxic remover.

I Would Not Get Acrylic Nails While Pregnant

The safety concerns regarding wearing fake nails while pregnant entail smelling the dust and fumes and acquiring a bacterial or fungal problem between the acrylic and real nail. Even if you have worn fake nails before getting pregnant, you may be extra sensitive to the fumes and more likely to develop a hypersensitivity.


I say, stay on the safe side while pregnant and only use water-based nail polish and the safe remover that goes with it!

Click here to find additional information about safe nail polish during pregnancy and water-based nail polish for women.