Embracing a sustainable lifestyle does not mean you have to give up on the things you enjoy or on the activities that bring you joy. For instance if you enjoy mani-pedis and do not want your nails to suffer owing to your lifestyle choices you can use these eco friendly nail care routine tips to revamp your nail care routine. Adopting a sustainable lifestyle is about being flexible and finding new and realistic ways to continue with the things we love. The good news is that these days it is becoming easier to do this as more and more brands opt to produce more sustainable products for their consumers, which means you can keep your nails looking beautiful while not causing harm to the planet.

Importance of following an eco-friendly nail care routine

Any little change each of us make towards being more sustainable, benefits the planet. When the planet benefits we benefit. You might think that something like nail care will not have a huge impact, but it does. Every step we take towards a toxic-free environment with less waste is a win for all as we help our planet remain beautiful.

Listed here are some simple steps you can take towards adopting an eco-friendly nail care routine that will benefit your nails as well as you because products that are kinder to the planet are definitely kinder to you as well. Enjoy nail care that does not cause toxins to enter your body.

Selecting eco-friendly products

Fortunately this has become much easier because as said earlier more and more brands are switching to producing vegan, cruelty free and sustainable products. They provide greater transparency regarding their manufacturing process and about the ingredients used while most also take greater care with the packaging. Even if you do not follow a vegan diet, vegan and cruelty free products are something you can adopt in your lifestyle choices.

You can start by checking the ingredients of the products you buy to make sure they are not filled with toxins, other nasties and non-biodegradable ingredients. Look for nail polish that does not contain some of the most harmful ingredients such as the toxic trio including formaldehyde, camphor, toluene, DBP, formaldehyde resin, parabens and animal derived ingredients. Also avoid glitter nail polish made with micro-plastics that do not breakdown and then end up in our oceans. Instead you can opt to use biodegradable glitter sealed in with top coat as a more environmentally friendly glitter manicure.

Another good way to ensure you are buying eco-friendly toxin free nail polish brands is to look for recognised authentication such as those from the Vegan Society and Leaping Bunny.

Choose products with recyclable packaging

Unfortunately the nail polish glass bottles themselves cannot be recycled while the applicator brushes are usually plastic and non-recyclable. However, many environmentally conscience brands are making the effort to ensure that their overall packaging is done with recycled material such as recycled plastics and that it is recyclable and sustainable. By using fewer raw materials such as plastic and polythene they ensure that there is less additions to landfills and the environment.

Nail accessories

Another area you can make a change in is by opting for eco-friendly nail accessories such as a glass nail file which looks like a standard nail file but is made from glass which is recyclable. There are those that come with a wooden handle or no handle at all. Glass nail files are generally gentler on your nails when compared to some mental files.

You could also choose reusable nail files such as those made from sandstone which is a small block with a superfine grit which smooths and shapes the nail. As they are purely sandstone they are biodegradable and plastic free.

Try using reusable bamboo pads without cotton pads when removing your nail polish and eco-friendly cuticle oil that has no toxins and is so much better for your nail beds. You can even try making it at home with simple ingredients such as an oil base, vitamin E and an essential oil of your choice for fragrance. There are homemade nail strengthener options as well which promote nail growth and that can be made without formaldehyde. Being made with natural ingredients they help promote healthy nails by healing brittle nails providing the perfect sustainable nail care.

Look for new eco-friendly false nails which are still in the early stages though. Currently false nails are usually plastic based and need a strong glue to keep them in place, providing a toxic blend of plastic and harmful chemicals.

Beauty brands are working on finding sustainable solutions for the nail polish removers as well, as currently the normal options available are full of toxins and nasties. Many are choosing to use natural or gentler ingredients such as oil based removers using rosehip oil or avocado or jojoba instead of the usual harsh ingredients.

You can start your journey by using acetone-free removers which do not strip your nails of its natural oils. You will need to put in a little more effort to remove your nail polish when using natural and organic removers, however they are kinder to your nails and to the environment, so the extra effort is definitely worth it.

Conclusion

If you do love your nail care and mani-pedis do not despair that you have to give it all up and walk around with a natural nail. You can use the tips and suggestions given here to adopt an eco-friendly nail care routine and enjoy the best of both worlds. Look for nail salons that are making a move towards more sustainable nail care or simply adopt the routine at home for guilt free beautiful and well cared for nails.