What are vegan nail polishes and how are they different from regular ones

Vegan nail paint is becoming more and more common.

Eco-friendly vegan nail polishes are made without using any ingredients derived from animals or undergoing testing on animals. Vegan nail polish alternatives use synthetic or plant-based ingredients instead of animal byproducts like guanine or carmine. Because of this, they’re an excellent option for people looking for cruelty-free cosmetics and wanting to have as little of an impact on the environment as possible without sacrificing vibrant, long-lasting nail color.

What are Vegan and Cruelty Free varnishes

English vegan. Veganism is, from a human perspective, the avoidance of animal products and, in terms of cosmetics, the use of ingredients that are not derived from animals.

In this instance, the term "vegan" would be more appropriate than "vegetarian," as the latter term only permits abstaining from some animal products.

Avoid using vegan nail polishes on:

• Keratin is an animal protein;
• Carmine is a red dye obtained from cochineal insects. It is used for pigmentation of gel polishes, varnishes, lipsticks, blush. In the composition of the varnish it can be called crimson lake, natural red 4 or CI 75470;
• Guanine – a component for adding shimmer, obtained from fish scales;
• Shellac is a resin, the end product of the life activity of scale insects.
• Musk oil is part of perfume compositions, gives the product aroma. Obtained from the secretions of beavers, muskrats, otters.

These are the most often occurring animal-based ingredients in gel and varnish formulations. There is a synthetic or plant analogue for each of them, meaning that there are other substances that serve comparable purposes. For instance, aluminum or artificial pearls are used in place of guanine to create shimmer.

The second word is cruelty, which comes from the English word for "testing products on animals." Conversely, a product labeled as Cruelty-Free means that it hasn’t been subjected to animal testing.

In order to ascertain whether the chosen gel or varnish is vegan, you must:

• Study the composition – there should be no products of animal origin;
• Visit the official website of the manufacturer – vegan brands always publish information about the absence of animal components on their websites, as well as on the product packaging. It is advisable not only to make sure that the icon is present, but also to look at the certificate – it can tell a lot. For example, the certificate issued by the Belgian company NATRUE allows the use of Products of Animal Origin – hereinafter PGO, if the animal does not need to be killed for this.

You can download a file containing a list of the most popular certification bodies, along with their logos and requirements for certificate issuance, at the conclusion of this section. This is also depicted in the pictures:

How to determine whether a varnish or gel polish is cruelty-free and has not been tested on animals:

• Re-examine the site for the presence of the Cruelty Free logo and a certificate of ethics;
• Check which organization issues the certificate – all using the same file at the end of the section;
• Find out whether the products are sold in China. Manufacturers have particularly complicated relationships with China. The fact is that, according to the law, the import of cosmetics into the country is possible only after testing it on animals. It turns out that a brand may not test its products in the US or UK, but is forced to do so when importing polishes to China.

The simplest method to learn which companies sell cruelty-free gel polishes and vegan polishes is to refer to our list of ethical producers at the conclusion of this post.

The third word you should be aware of is environmentally friendly, or "eco-friendly," though it has nothing to do with the morality of the goods. Cosmetics brands, such as those that carry this mark on nail polishes, are concerned about the environment; the products’ manufacture, their composition, and the outcome of their breakdown are all safe for the natural world. These polishes typically have a safe formula and don’t contain any harmful ingredients like formaldehyde, toluene, or camphor.

How is vegan polish different from regular polish

Not only are vegan and cruelty-free products ethical, but their producers also give thought to the treatment of animals; these varnishes and gel varnishes may differ in other ways.

• Smell. It has been noted that vegan nail polishes almost always have no smell at all, or have an unexpressed aroma. Usually these are water-based nail polishes;
• Application. Not all, but many ethical nail polishes are less pigmented than regular ones. This means that the product will need to be applied in 2, or even 3-4 layers, to get an even, dense shade.

Other than that, vegan nail polishes are not tested on animals and possess all the same qualities as conventional ones. Additionally, ethical brands work hard each year to enhance the sustainability, usefulness, and ease of use of their products.

Ethical brands

Zoya

Zoya nail polishes and remover are 100% cruelty-free and vegan-friendly, meaning that neither the ingredients nor the testing of the products are done on animals. Furthermore, formaldehyde and its derivatives, toluene, camphor, and dibutyl phthalate are all absent from Zoya nail polishes.

For every taste, the brand offers over 900 shades.

Nubar

The primary goal of Nubar is to provide nail art supplies without compromising health. neither uses animal testing nor contains any animal products. possesses a certificate from PETA, a group that promotes the humane treatment of animals.

There are more than 300 varnish shades available from Nubar. Varnishes could previously only be purchased overseas, but now distributors and Russian internet retailers carry them as well.

ORLY

Being a vegan company, ORLY doesn’t use animals in its product testing. Furthermore, the composition does not include any potentially harmful components. More than 300 professional nail polishes are included in the palette.

OPI

It should be noted that not every OPI cosmetic is vegan. In 2021, they introduced their first line of vegan nail polishes. Thus far, the Vegan Society community has designated 30 shades in the collection as vegan. not composed of PFP and not subjected to animal testing.

Apart from the vegan composition, the production process employed the 9-free formula, which involves excluding nine potentially hazardous components such as formaldehyde, toluene, and dibutyl phthalate. Further information about complimentary varnishes.

The new line of gel polishes has packaging that is made of 20% recycled plastic, confirming its eco-friendliness.

There are other well-known ethical brands, but it can be difficult to locate them in Russia. For instance, there are over 80 ethical nail polish brands available in the US alone.

Questions

The Essie company asserts that it does not conduct animal testing on its products and is vegan. Are these polishes genuinely moral?

It’s unclear what the current status is with the Essie brand. They claimed not to use animal components or conduct animal testing for their products in 2021, but as of right now, they lack certifications. Additionally, the company recently declined to sell its goods in China, which might mean that the producer plans to soon obtain certification for ethical cosmetics.

Dimension is the only verified ethical gel polish manufacturer that we could locate. They have a PETA certificate and make varnishes, gel polishes, and other nail products that are 100% vegan and not tested on animals. Nevertheless, nail technicians order gel polishes from the official website; they are not represented in Russia.

We were unable to locate any additional vegan gel polish brands; if you are aware of any, please share it in the comments section below or by using the feedback form.

Does a product qualify as vegan if it hasn’t been subjected to animal testing?

No, these ideas are not interchangeable; a company may employ veganism while refusing to test its products on animals.

"Vegan varnishes are sold by Étoile." Why aren’t Sally Hansen’s products listed among the brands?

Although Sally Hansen does not test its polishes in-house and does not use animal products, the company sells its products to China, where it is required for cosmetics imports to undergo animal testing.

To the best of our knowledge, Sally Hansen is in talks with Chinese authorities to find a substitute for using animals in testing; however, as of right now, their cosmetics are sold in China under normal circumstances, involving animal testing.

Share with friends!

Popular on the topic Manicure Materials

How to pick a color for your polish that goes well with your outfit, accessories, and other colors

Chic suggestions for a glossy manicure

Ideas for pearl manicures

70 "Quail egg" nail design ideas with step-by-step instructions

How to properly operate a manicure machine

Applying reflective gel polish to my nails

Adorable manicure concepts

Office manicure requirements, trendy colors, and textures

Ideas, combinations, and tones for blue manicures

Ideas for black manicures

Magazine sections

Express your opinion or ask a question! Cancel reply

2 comments on “What are vegan nail polishes and how are they different from regular ones”

AinaEditorial staff

Salutations for the afternoon! Indeed, Orly polishes are entirely vegan, free of animal ingredients, and have not undergone animal testing.

Aspect	Vegan Nail Polishes	Regular Nail Polishes
Ingredients	Free from animal-derived ingredients and not tested on animals.	May contain animal-derived ingredients and could be tested on animals.
Sustainability	Often more environmentally friendly and ethical.	May not prioritize environmental impact or animal welfare.
Common Additives	Typically avoids harmful chemicals like formaldehyde and phthalates.	May include these chemicals which can be harmful.
Certification	Usually certified vegan by organizations.	Certification varies; may not have vegan or cruelty-free labels.

In comparison to conventional nail polishes, vegan nail polishes provide a cruelty-free and more environmentally friendly option. They adhere to moral and environmentally friendly standards since they are made without components derived from animals and do not undergo animal testing.

Vegan nail polishes are a better option for the environment and your nails because they don’t contain dangerous ingredients like formaldehyde, toluene, or DBP. Alternative, non-toxic ingredients that lower the chance of irritation and are less harmful to the environment are frequently used in these polishes.

Selecting vegan nail polish is a fantastic way to promote cruelty-free aesthetics, contribute to environmental sustainability, and improve animal welfare. It’s a minor adjustment that can result in a more accountable and thoughtful beauty regimen.

Video on the topic

How to choose a nail polish//Choosing a polish

A polish that will strengthen and restore nails. IQ Beauty – a strengthening varnish system with bioceramics

What is a base for gel polish? Why do you need a base for nails, its types and applications