No Need For The Soapbox

Today’s post is a quickie, but one that puts things into perspective on a different level. Although the residue of this varnish factory is on city walls, you can imagine what it could do to already fragile ecosystems or unfortunate animals that come into contact with it.

This image actually says more than words ever could.

Look Like A Place You’d Like to Visit?

Many thanks to Tom, for putting beauty in perspective so dramatically. We are convinced.

Feeling Good About Looking Good

Many of us don’t stop to think about what goes into the beauty products we buy, or how they are made. However when you really consider it, anything we use on our skin, hair or nails every day, could very well have an affect on us – good or bad. Whether you are loyal to brands you have used for years or someone who tries something different every time, this post will help you determine if the brand deserves you.

We are big advocates of reading labels and knowing your ingredients, but that’s not always an easy task.

Ethically Beautiful

When we say ethical we aren’t just talking about companies that don’t test their products on animals. It’s also about the ingredients they use, their manufacturing process and their overall ethos. Toxic cosmetics pollute the environment and destroy natural animal habitats, not to mention how those chemicals may affect you when you wear them.

Find Out For Yourself

Don’t take our (or anyone’s) word for it, learn about the brands you use (& the ingredients they use) for yourself. The best way to evaluate a company’s ethics is to go directly to them. However, we also recommend researching their reputation for honesty & discovering if they have a parent company online.

Ultimately it’s your body and your judgement call.

Beauty Resources

Here are some resources which will help, enlighten and perhaps frustrate you if your favourite brands aren’t up to snuff. They cover everything from animal testing to cosmetic safety. We are not affiliated with any of the websites below, and as always urge readers to use anything they read online for personal research purposes only.

EWG’s Skin Deep Cosmetics Safety Database
Nature of Beauty’s Guide to EWG’s Database
Campaign For Safe Cosmetics
EWG’s Cosmetics Section
Breast Cancer Fund’s Campaign for Safe Cosmetics
Nurture Nature Project’s Guide to Safe Cosmetics
Cosmetic Ingredients

PETA’s Cruelty Free Company Search
Choose Cruelty Free’s List of Accredited Cruelty Free Companies
In Defense of Animals’ List of Cruelty Free Companies
Uncaged’s Cruelty Free Shopping Guide
Go Cruelty Free’s Shopping Guide

PETA’s List of Animal Ingredients Used in Cosmetics
Happy Cow’s Animal Ingredient List
The Vegan Society’s Animal Substance List
Ethical Junction’s Hot List of Animal Derived Ingredients in Cosmetics

Naturally Beautiful

We are the first to admit that it’s almost impossible to be totally non-toxic or organic when it comes to nail varnish ingredients. However there are plenty of brands which produce varnish as toxic-free & ethically as possible. Be sure to visit our store for brands with a conscious.

On Our Soapbox

We talk a lot about choosing brands that respect the environment, their customers and themselves. These are the brands that source, manufacture and distribute in a more environmentally friendly manner. It’s important to consider everyone & everything around you before you make any purchase, especially one that is riddled with chemicals and clearly not good for you.

While formulas will vary by brand and product, there are a few specifically dangerous ingredients that can often be found in conventional nail polish.

Repeat Offenders

For something that is supposed to make you feel & look more beautiful, the names of these ingredients kind of scare us. As we said above, no two varnish formulas are the same (and some are highly guarded trade secrets). The ingredients below may not be in all nail varnish recipes, but are still commonly found. We’ve listed a little about each one, some of their other uses, what to look for (and avoid) when reading labels and some dangers associated with them.

Film Forming Agents

This is the primary ingredient in many conventional polishes and acts as a hardening agent by creating a film over the nail. Unfortunately film forming agents don’t stick to the nail, so they require even more chemicals to do their job.

Also used to for: Making dynamite, gunpowder, laquers & paints.

What to avoid: Generally called nitrocellulose (or cellulose nitrate cotton).

The Danger: Highly flammable and cause varnish to be dangerous near any type of open flame.

Synthetic Resins & Plasticizers

This is one ingredient that varies largely depending on the varnish formula, and is used to improve flexibility and add resistance to soap & water.

Also used for: Making electrical cables, concrete, adhesives, rubber & plastic products and for softening PVC.

What to avoid: Dibutyl pathalate or DBP

The Danger: Exposure to this type of toxin can affect thyroid function & cause reproductive problems in the fetus of pregnant women.

Solvents

Solvents hold the entire toxic mix together while in liquid form inside the bottle. One or more solvent may be employed to do the job and some of them can double as a plasticizer.

Also used for: Household, industrial & automotive cleaners, paints & thinners and dry cleaning.

What to avoid: Toluene and (not as much anymore) acetone

The Danger: Breathing the noxious fumes can cause problems in the nervous system and irritation of the eyes, throat and lungs. Can also be highly flammable.

Colouring Agents

While there are great trends leaning toward more natural pigments, colour is still the most important part of every varnish. A wide variety of colourings & dyes are used to create the rainbow and often pigments are selected based on their ability to mix well with solvents – not how healthy they are for human nails.

Also used for: Colouring agents are used for everything from food to cosmetics to pharmaceuticals.

What to avoid: They can be mineral components such as coal tar or aluminum powder, natural ingredients like carmine (ground up insect) or other colours created through a variety of chemical means.

The Danger: While we couldn’t find anything specifically dangerous about colouring agents. It really depends on their source and creative naming makes them even more difficult to pin down.

Micas

These are tiny reflective materials that create many of the shimmering and glimmering varnish effects. We love the look and this isn’t a particularly dangerous ingredient. However it should be noted that it must be mined from the earth and there is rarely anything environmentally friendly about a mined product.

Also used for: Making mildly abrasive tooth paste, automotive paint and insulator for concrete block.

What to avoid: Often simply called mica, can be coated in titanium dioxide

The Danger: Known as bioaccumulators which means they tend to accumulate in the bodies of mammals – and that just sounds gross.

Fish Scales

Fish scales are widely used in cosmetics to create all of those beautiful pearlescent, opalescent and iridescent colours. This is obviously an animal product and some people will have a problem with that. Often women don’t even know, but If it’s shimmering, glimmering, glowing, pearly or opal it’s probably got fish scales in it.

The Danger: While it’s not necessarily a danger for you, it’s sure rotten for the fish!

Our Advice

Read labels on everything…it’s as simple as that. If you know what you don’t want in your cosmetics it’s a lot easier to rule brands out quickly. We say, opt for safer water-based formulas created specifically for pregnant women and children – & we’ve got a great range of safer minded brands in our store.

*It should be noted that we aren’t doctors (or scientists) and the list above is provided for informative purposes only. Ask your doctor (or a scientist) about how specific chemicals or ingredients may affect you.

These days many people are becoming more aware of what they use on their bodies & how it affects the environment around them. Those concerns are why the Cosmetics Safety Database was created.

Do The Right Thing

We like to promote healthy, natural options for your nails wherever possible & there are non-toxic options out there for a number of products. Avoiding highly processed, chemical items helps to protect our fragile environment and all the critters that depend on it. Not to mention, what you put on and in you is important & should be purchased with care.

Remember every penny you spend is a vote & it’s important to vote for companies who care about the health of their customers & the environment around them.

The Most Important Part

Thanks to the folks over at the Environmental Working Group you can now get the real deal about the safety of your cosmetics. Learn which ingredients are dangerous, which brands use them and (more importantly) which brands don’t.

The results for your favorite products may surprise you, luckily this is a good place to start when shopping for new ones.

The site is easy to use and filled with information. You can search by product, brand or ingredient and they cover everything from fragrances to baby products to nail care.

How Did Your Brand Add Up?

We’d love to hear your results, what brands do you use & do they live up to your expectations? Getting the word out there about the solid companies helps to keep them in business making good products.

To learn more about keeping your nails (and the rest of you) healthy be sure to check out essential vitamins & minerals for healthy nails.

Research for these lists made us want to take up cooking and we found a great variety of yummy ideas. For ease of use, we broke our recipes into 3 categories & we’ve got you all covered. We’ve done recipes for the carnivores, the vegetarians and this week is dedicated to vegan nails.

Keeping your body healthy is the most important part, healthy nails will follow.

Essential Vitamins for Healthy Nails

Not every recipe will encompass every nutrient (it’s a little harder for you vegans) but they are all mouth watering ways to get the most out of each meal.

A | B | C | E | calcium | copper | iodine | iron | selenium | silicon | zinc

The Food

Being limited to non-animal products means that vegans should choose their meals wisely. Opting for organically raised, chemical-free & locally grown fruit & vegetables guarantees better flavor and better health benefits.

When a recipe calls for frozen or canned fruit or veg always replace them with fresh ingredients. Much better for your body (and nails).

For the Vegans

We were pleasantly surprised at the number of recipes we found that don’t use animal products.

Soups

Cajun Vegetable Gumbo
Chunky Minestrone Soup
Cretan Bean & Spinach Stew

Salads

Black-Eyed Pea Salad
Jicama Watercress Avocado Salad with Spicy Citrus Vinaigrette
Puy Lentil Salad with Soy Beans, Sugar Snap Peas & broccoli
Squash & barley Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette

Pasta

Bulghur Couscous with Veggies
Spicy Spaghetti with Garlic Mushrooms
Vitality Veggie Pasta

Misc. Yum

Broccoli with Kasha & Black Bean Sauce
Potato Kale Enchiladas with Roasted Chili Sauce
Tofu, Greens & Cashew Stir-Fry
Vegetarian Club

Not Enough Food?

You can always check out the vegetarian recipes, many of which can be turned vegan by eliminating or substituting simple ingredients.

Research for these lists made us hungry but we came up with a lot of fantastic ideas. For ease of use, we broke our recipes into 3 categories & we’ve got you all covered. Last week it was all about the carnivores, this week we focus on the vegetarians and next week is dedicated to the vegans.

Three cheers for vegetables, they keep our nails (and the rest of us) healthy & happy.

Essential Vitamins for Healthy Nails

Not every recipe will encompass every nutrient (it’s a little harder for the vegetarians) but they are all yummy ways to get the most out of each meal.

A | B | C | E | calcium | copper | iodine | iron | selenium | silicon | zinc

The Food

Eating dairy & eggs makes it easier to get your nutrients, but it’s important to choose them wisely. Opting for eggs from humanely raised, hormone-free chickens & dairy from rBST-free, grass-fed, free-range animals will guarantee better flavour and better health benefits.

When a recipe calls for frozen or canned ingredients always substitute them with fresh when possible, your nails will thank you.

For the Vegetarians

There is a lot here to choose from (even for the picky eaters).

Pasta

Cauliflower Cheese & Spinach Pasta Bake
Cheesy Leek & Spinach Pasta
Five-Veg Lasagne
Fiorentina Baked Pasta
Spaghetti with Spinach & Garlic
Spinach & Three Cheese Cannelloni

Rice

Creamy Risotto Layer Cake
Fragrant Vegetable & Cashew Biryani
Mushroom & Spinach Risotto
Spicy Tofu Kedgeree
Spinach, Mushroom & Lemon Pilaf

Veggie Burgers

Carrot & Sesame Burgers
Mexican Bean Burgers with Lime Yoghurt & Salsa

Veggie Pastries

Green Garden Veg Pie
Layered Squash, Barley & Spinach Pie
Melty Mushroom Wellingtons

Salads

Honeyed Winter Salad
Spinach, Broad Bean & Feta Salad

Casseroles

Easy Cheesy Bake
Spring Veggie Casserole with Little Herb Dumplings

Misc. Yum

Broccoli Baked Potatoes
Florentine Pizza
Goat’s Cheese & Watercress Quiche
Leeks & Peas with Lemon Butter
Saffrom-Roast Tomatoes with Labneh

More Veggies

Many of these recipes can be made without dairy or eggs very simply, but stay tuned for next week when we dedicated a whole post to the vegan lifestyle. Plus, you vegetarians might want to check out the carnivore recipes for some great meat-free omelettes & quiches.

Research for these lists was mouthwatering & we came up with a lot of fabulous ideas. For ease of use, we broke our recipes into 3 categories & we’ve got you all covered. Today it’s all about the carnivores, next week the vegetarians and our final installment is dedicated to the vegans.

The good news is this: if your nails are healthy, chances are the rest of you is healthy too.

Essential Vitamins for Healthy Nails

Not every recipe will encompass every nutrient (hey, we tried) but they are all tasty ways to get the most out of each meal.
A | B | C | E | calcium | copper | iodine | iron | selenium | silicon | zinc

The Food

Eating meat makes it much easier to get your daily nutrients but it’s important to choose your meat wisely. Opting for organically raised, free-range, hormone-free meat & sustainably fished, hormone-free seafood guarantee you better flavor & better health benefits.

Remember to use fresh ingredients instead of frozen or canned whenever possible, they’ll always be packed with more vitamins.

For the Carnivores

Whatever your favorite meat, we’ve got something yummy for you here.

Beef
Asian Beef & Vegetable Stir Fry
Farmers Market Vegetable Beef & Brown Rice Salad
Beef Tagine with Dried Fruit
Beef Stir-Fry with Broccoli & Oyster Sauce
Beef, Mushroom & Greens Stir-Fry
Stir-Fried Beef with Cashews & Broccoli

Chicken
Barbecued Chicken & Prawns with Lettuce & Mushrooms
Parmesan Spring Chicken
Watercress & Chicken Stir-Fry
Summery Chicken Stir-Fry
Chicken & Broccoli Pasta Bake
Spinach & Feta Stuffed Chicken

Pork
Pork Chops with Cider, Cream & Spinach
Mustard Pork with Spinach
Balsamic Pork & Watercress
Mustard Pork with Cauliflower Mash
Spiced Pork with Heaps of Stir-Fried Greens
Aromatic Soy Pork

Liver – yeah it’s gross, but it’s really good for you
Chinese Style Liver
Creamy Liver & Mushroom Gravy

Fish
Spiced Salmon with Puy Lentils & Mint Yoghurt
Confit of Salmon with New Potato & Crab Crush
Italian Broccoli & Salmon Bake
Salmon & Spinach with Tartare Cream
Warm New Potato & Smoked Mackerel Salad
Smoked Mackerel with Quick Grilled Ratatouille
Smoked Mackerel Risotto
Two Bean, Potato & Tuna Salad
Winter Tuna Nicoise
New Potato, Tuna & Spinach Salad
Sardines & Watercress on Toast

Seafood
Egg Fried Rice with Prawns & Peas
Rice Noodles with Prawns, Edamame & Grapefruit
Prawn Curry
Crab & Asparagus Salad with Real Salad Cream
Seafood Tagliatelle, Spanish-Style

Eggs
Veggie Omelette
Baked Florentine Omelette
Broccoli Mushroom Omelette
Spanish Spinach Omelette
Jill’s Asian Omelette
Melting Tomato & Basil Omelette
Sweet Potato & Broccoli Frittata

More Mouthwatering

Stay tuned, next week we’ll be bringing you foodie delights for the ovo-lacto vegetarians and the following week healthy vegan recipes.

Vegetarian diets are more likely to be lacking in this mineral because the most common sources are animal based.

Interestingly enough, pumpkin seeds have the highest non-meat concentration.

Zinc helps with the absorption of both minerals & enzymes which helps to prevent weakening of nails and encourages their growth.

Food Sources

There are a number of tasty sources.

Animal Sources
beef, lamb, pork, crab meat, turkey, chicken, lobster, clams, salmon, flounder, sole, milk & cheese.

Fruit & Veg Sources
peanuts, cashews, beans, whole grains, brown rice, potato, yoghurt & pumpkin seeds.

Signs of Deficiency

If you aren’t getting enough zinc in your diet you may see white spots on your finger or toe nails.

Help Your Nails With Every Meal

Maintaining a healthy diet of fresh, unprocessed foods is the best way to keep your claws in great shape. With such a wide variety of good sources, it’s easy to get a little zinc every day.

Be sure to take a look at other essential nail vitamins & minerals such as A, B, C, E, calcium, copper, iodine, iron, selenium & silicon.

This mineral is essential for the healthy functioning of nerve cells & tissues, the synthesis of vitamins & the transmission of nerve impulses.

Not called the beauty mineral for nothing, getting enough silicon in your diet will keep your skin clear, your hair strong and your nails supple.

Fingernails contain significant levels of silicon & consuming ample quantities improves health & quality of nails while protecting them against infection.

Food Sources

There is a wide variety of fantastic options.

Animal Sources
Fish

Fruit & Veg Sources
Whole grains, rice, lettuce, cucumbers, avocados, strawberries, root vegetables, apples, cabbage, onions, carrots, honey, beets, bell peppers, cabbage, eggplant, corn & oranges.

Signs of Deficiency

The first signs of inadequate silicon are often manifested in the skin, hair & nails which become brittle & fragile.

Food is Good For Your Nails

Eating a healthy diet filled with fresh fruit & vegetables and avoiding processed foods is a good way to ensure that your body gets the silicon it needs to keep those nails healthy.

Be sure to take a look at other essential nail vitamins & minerals such as A, B, C, E, calcium, copper, iodine, iron & selenium.

It is incorporated into proteins with antioxidant properties, some of which help to prevent things like cancer & heart disease, while others regulate the thyroid gland.

Plants are the largest dietary sources of selenium & food content depends on the level of the mineral in the soil where it grows.

Important for tissue repair and retaining skin elasticity, this mineral also helps to keep nails flexible & promotes healthy nail growth.

Food Sources

There are a plenty of yummy sources.

Animal Sources
Cod, shrimp, snapper, tuna, halibut, salmon, beef, cheese, milk, pork, turkey (white meat), chicken & eggs.

Fruit & Veg Sources
Brazil nuts (most highly concentrated source), rice, oats, walnuts, whole grains & mushrooms.

Signs of Deficiency

When you aren’t getting enough selenium in your diet you may notice a whitening of fingernail beds and your nails may become brittle and dry.

Who Knew Selenium Was So Important?

Only recently has the scientific community fully realized the importance of this mineral. However the evidence is overwhelming to us that it is an important component in strong, & healthy nails.

Be sure to take a look at other essential nail vitamins & minerals such as A, B, C, E, calcium, copper, iodine & iron.