5 Free Nail Polish Isn't Always Safe!

Over the past year, there has been TONS of buzz regarding the Mentality Nail Polish scandal, which left many customers with Onychomycosis (nail fungus) and chemical burns!  Adverse reactions included nail lifting, burning, redness, and pretty much just the entire nail dying and falling off. X_X 

One of the most disheartening (and scary) part about this whole scandal was that these products were praised as a 5-Free nail polishes! We tend to blindly trust nail polishes marketed as such because they are free of 5 of the worse chemicals usually found in nail polishes: Toluene, Dibutyl Phthalate (DBP), Formaldehyde, Formaldehyde Resin, and Camphor. However, just because they may not give you cancer in the long run doesn't mean they are completely safe!

Long story short, this is another example of how scary it is that the FDA doesn't require companies to test their products before selling them! To make this all even more pathetic, Mentality Nail Polish complained their lack of testing was due to the fact that it was too expensive to do (though it was later pointed out that it would have been only ~$1000)!

In general, when shopping for any sort of cosmetic that will be absorbed into your body, try to focus on companies you trust. Larger companies have more resources (and more to lose if something goes bad), so they may do a better job at testing for safety. However, some of theses massive corporations will still try to cut corner to increase profits. Indie companies on the other hand, like Mentality Nail Polish, will also cut corners due to lack of resources and experience. Personally I try to find the companies in the middle: large enough to have good resources, but not so big they only care abut the bottom line. As always, try to choose a company that is dedicated to it's customers and it's cause.

Here are some of my (personally-tested and approved) favorites:

Nail Polish I Heart You By 100% Pure
Vapour Organic Beauty Vernissage 3-Free Nail Lacquer-Captive
Mineral Fusion Natural Nail Polish, Coral Reef, 0.33 Ounce
Nail Lacquer Or Rose 10 ml by Kure Bazaar
Zoya - Nail Polish Summertime Summer Collection Sooki - 0.5 oz.

~KK

Why autumn is the best time to buy foundation!

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Liquid foundation can be great! It gives wonderful coverage, is easy to blend, it comes in so many shades to match you skin tone. However, it also can also be time-consuming to put on in the morning, expensive, and heavy feeling on your face. The average liquid foundation expires in 6-12 months, and if you're anything like me, you never go through a whole bottle before it comes time to chuck it. 

So how do you get the most out of this pricey product? Find a way to use it all year round! Here's what I do:

1. Purchase your foundation in the beginning of fall. The short days and overcast skies of these darker months are wonderful for keeping harsh sunlight off your look (foundation can appear cakey under full sun). Try also experimenting with more dramatic looks, like burgundy lips and smokey eyes, which compliment well with full coverage foundation. 
2. As spring rolls around, you can lighten the look buy making a tinted moisturizer by mixing 1 part liquid foundation to 1 part moisturizer. My personal favorite blend is Vapour Organic Beauty Atmosphere Soft Focus Foundation - s120 and 100% Pure Purity Hydrating Lotion, 1.6 Fluid Ounce
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3. Lastly, in the summer you won't need to splurge on a new tinted sunscreen since you can simply mix 1 part of your same liquid foundation with 1 part sunscreen. Personally, I really love Loving Naturals Clear Body SPF 30+
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