Nail polish health risks

The study involved 24 women and experts evaluated the effects of the chemical toxins in their bodies. The source of these chemicals was nail polish.

All of the participants were found to have signs of triphenyl phosphate in the body only 10 hours after applying nail polish.

The same researchers, in a follow-up study, evaluated 10 different nail polishes for triphenyl phosphate and found it in 8 of them.

What’s more, two of these 8 did not even list the presence of the chemical on the label. Therefore, 20% of nail polishes we purchase have a harmful chemical that is not listed on the label.

Triphenyl phosphate (or TPHP) is a dangerous chemical that disrupts the humans’ endocrine system, which controls all our hormones. According to the lead researcher of the study, Dr. Heather Stapleton, “There is growing evidence suggesting that TPHP may affect hormone regulation, metabolism, reproduction, and development.”

Hence, his is extremely alarming for young girls who use nail polish on a daily basis and the healthy hormonal development is vital for their growth. TPHP  is a known:

• Neurotoxin (causes developmental effects)
• Reproductive Toxin
• Skin irritant and allergen
• Endocrine Toxin

Nail polish contains other harmful ingredients as well, such as:

Formaldehyde

Formaldehyde is a popular carcinogen which dissolves in water and air. It leads to asthma, scratchy throat, and difficulty breathing. Individuals suffering from some chronic diseases are especially prone to poisoning from formaldehyde.

Dibutyl Phthalate

This chemical poses the similar risks as TPHP, as it disrupts the hormonal balance and contains reproductive system toxins.

Toluene

Toluene impedes the development in children and irritates skin.

Yet, there are some natural nail polish alternatives you can use in order to prevent these effects and help you avoid allergies, cancer, and hormone disruption.

These are the best of them:

-Acquarella offers more than 50 polish colors, which are all water-based, meaning that you can remove them effortlessly with standard rubbing alcohol, and don’t contain any of these harmful ingredients like formaldehyde, toluene, dibutyl phthalate, mercury, or wheat products.

-Peacekeeper Cause-Metics offers bright nail polishes, which do not contain toxins and are infused with argan oil, which moisturizes your nails.

-SpaRitual is a completely vegan brand that produces toxin-free nail polishes.

-Honeybee Gardens offers nail polishes in various colors, which are water-based, and are free of carcinogens and harmful chemicals.

Make sure you always choose health-conscious nail polishes in order to protect your wellbeing and avoid the side-effects of regular nail polish brands.

Faith is everything

The rains failed again that year. It was the third year in succession when there was no rain. The crops had disappeared and the land was a brown swath of dusty rubble. Trees had lost their leaves years ago and stood out like silhouettes of cactus on the dusty horizon. There was a stream that skirted the village in years bygone. Now the riverbed was dry. Where once flowed clean, fresh water from the nearby mountains, there was now a bed of clay, cracked in a checkerboard pattern with gaps as wide as a foot.  No one knew what had happened to the birds except for the vultures that circled the town, looking for a carcass or two of an animal that was left dying.

There was famine in the land. People walked around like sticks, sans flesh, surviving on whatever ration was brought to them by various international charities.

Desperate for help, the people of the village held a meeting under a big banyan tree that was as old as the village. “Let us pray”, said an elderly woman. “Only God can help us now.”

There lived people of many faiths in the village and there ensued a big debate as to where to hold the prayer – in a church, a mosque, a synagogue  or a temple. There was no consensus. Exhausted, they decided to hold their prayer in the open, late that night, under the open sky, away from the town. It was a full moon night and the moon shone with its alluring brightness against a background of shimmering stars.

Amongst the people gathering for prayer a little girl holding hands with her young brother came running from a nearby village, holding high an open umbrella over their heads. Huffing for breath, they stood there, looking up, umbrella still unfurled. The gathered crowd could not but help turn around and wonder what was going on.  Some were curious; others were annoyed and some others were even furious as they kept being poked by the spokes of the umbrella.

Finally a curious bystander asked, “Why did you bring the umbrella?  Can’t you see there is no rain and we have come here to pray for rain?  Only a foolish person would stand on a clear night like this with an open umbrella.”

“Yes  indeed”, chimed in the two young siblings. “We came to pray too. We are certain that our prayer will be answered and it will rain. That is why we brought this big, colourful umbrella.”

Adapted from The Child who Brought an Open Umbrella for Prayer