Big 3 Free
Zoya Fall Collection Preview
I know we’re not even officially into summer yet but this was too good to keep under wraps until fall. All Lacquered Up is fortunate to be the first to bring you info about the new fall collections from Zoya, courtesy of Art of Beauty.
Disclaimer: The artwork shown is for the exclusive use of All Lacquered Up and appears courtesy of Art of Beauty. The content is not to be republished without permission.
Nubar Nail Lacquer
Based in LA and named after founder Noubar Abrahamian, Nubar nail polish is “The Healthy Alternative for Beautiful Nails.”
I received a sampling of Nubar shades to test out and I’m very pleased with the quality of their formula.
Precarious Lavender and Unfaithful Red are part of the Liquid Metals collection and while I tend not to like metallic finishes because they show brush marks, I was pleasantly surprised when I put Unfaithful Red on my tips (see below). The brush stroke marks were extremely slight and probably something only I could see. The polish itself is a bit goopy and I did have to redo my first nail until I figured out the right amount of polish to have on my brush but after that, it applied beautifully.
Red Ruby Glitz is part of the Trendy 1 Nail Lacquers which includes the fabulous Grass Green Glitter. Unfortunately, this one fell short for me. It’s a red glaze with glitter and too sheer for my taste. I used 3 coats on the nail wheel below and it was still semi-sheer. It just doesn’t compare to my beloved China Glaze Ruby Pumps.
Mali-Blue & Pasadena Purple are also part of the Trendy 1 Nail Lacquers collection and are both well pigmented shimmers. Mali-Blue is my favorite shade of the bunch. Being a blue lover it was pretty much a given that I’d be drawn to Mali-Blue and the bright royal hue will look fab this summer. Pasadena Purple is grapey purple that would make a great addition to most collections. I do have similar shades though so it’s not a must have for me.
Finally Indigo Illusion from the Trendy 2 Nail Lacquers collection is a truly unique shade that may not be everyone’s cup of tea but certainly got my attention. It’s a hard shade to describe. Blue, green, purple, it changes depending on the light. If you like that sort of duochrome thing, I suggest you see it for yourself.
Speaking with Nubar’s Terry Akins, an extremely knowledgeable manicurist, she suggested that using base and top coats that contain the Big 3 chemicals with a more natural product, like Nubar, will affect it’s wearability. So I did the Unfaithful Red mani below using Nubar’s Foundation Base Coat and Diamond Seal & Shine top coat.
The base coat dried quickly and gave me a nice even surface to apply the lacquer. The top coat dried very fast considering that it’s not a speed dry product, like Poshe or Seche Vite. I was able to function after about ten minutes. The only downside for me was the wear. My polish hardly ever chips and after a couple days, I not only had tip wear but a couple of chips on my tips. So even though I am impressed with the lacquer as a whole, based on one mani, their treatments aren’t winning me over. But, I will give them another shot and report back.
The Big 3 (toxic chemicals that is)
Ok so there has been a lot of talk about toxic chemicals in nail polish. Established brands have changed their formulas to be free of these chemicals which raises a lot of questions. What are they? What do they do? Why are they so bad? Are polishes just as good without them? Who makes polishes free of the Big 3? I’m going to try and answer those questions here.
What are the Big 3 toxic chemicals?
The chemicals we’re talking about are Dibutyl Phthalate (DBP), Formaldehyde and Toluene.
What do they do?
Dibutyl Phthalate (DBP) is a plasticiser to prevent chips and cracks. DBP is an oily liquid that is soluble in fat and slightly soluble in water. It is not very volatile so it does not evaporate readily into the atmosphere.
Over 75% of DBP is used as a plasticiser in polymers such as PVC, 14% is used in adhesives, 7% in printing inks and 3% in other miscellaneous uses, including sealants and grouting agents used in construction as well as consumer products such as cosmetics.
http://www.greenfacts.org/glossary/def/DBP-dibutyl-phthalate.htm
Formaldehyde does not exist in nail polish. It is used in some nail hardeners but not in the actual polish. A resin,tosylamide/formaldehyde resin, makes the polish tough and resilient. While the resin is manufactured from formaldehyde, once the product becomes a resin, the formaldehyde is chemically changed and essentially no longer present. So while formaldehyde is grouped in with toluene and DBP in marketing statements and considered one of the Big 3, it isn’t actually an issue unless you have a reaction to the formaldehyde resin.
The bottom line, you should be aware of formaldehyde in your treatment products, not polish.
Toluene (methylbenzene, toluol, phenylmethane) is a solvent that makes the polish easy to apply. It is an aromatic hydrocarbon commonly used as an industrial solvent for the manufacturing of paints, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, and rubber.
Toluene is found in gasoline, acrylic paints, varnishes, lacquers, paint thinners, adhesives, glues, rubber cement, airplane glue, and shoe polish. At room temperature, toluene is a colorless, sweet smelling, volatile liquid.
http://www.emedicine.com/emerg/topic594.htm
Why are they bad?
I’m not convinced that they are bad. I really think this is something each person should decide for themselves. There are risks and effects caused by exposure to each of these chemicals. But, whether or not limited exposure to polish will actually result in those effects is yet to be determined. I don’t feel it is my place to make that call so I choose to present you with the info I’ve found so you can make up your own mind.
US FDA Office of Cosmetics and Color’s report on Using Nail Products
Professional Beauty Association’s Facts About Salon Nail Polish Products for Consumers
Campaign for Safe Cosmetics
Environmental Working Group’s report The Dangers Of Phthalates Industry Spin vs. Fact
California Proposition 65
Are Polishes Just As Good Without Them?
The not so fun answer is, it depends. While some brands have been Big 3 free for years and have top notch formulas, some of the brands jumping on the band wagon don’t have it quite right yet. The best thing I can tell you is to experiment. I’ve noticed that with OPI’s newest collection, Night Brights, it’s hit or miss.
Who makes polishes free of the Big 3?
Avon, Butter London, Dashing Diva “Extra Virgin”, HoneyBee Gardens, Lippmann Collection (newer collections), NailTini, NARS (new formula), Nocti, Nubar, OPI (Australia collection & newer), Revlon, Sally Hansen, Vinyl Deborah Lippmann, Zoya
DBP free but still contain toluene: Creative Nail Design, Misa, Orly
UPDATE: Please check out this post for a more current list of Big 3 Free polish brands – Celebrate Earth Day – Check Your Ingredients
Are there brands I left out? Please email me or post a comment, I want to keep this listing as accurate as possible. Thank you!
NOTD – Nocti Flying Naked
Well, I’ve learned my lesson about trying to do a last minute mani. It’s a Don’t! I was trying to be quick like a bunny yesterday morning and I should have known better.
Cremes, brights and darks are not the kind of polishes you can just slap on and run out the door. Thank goodness this pic doesn’t show it but, I ended up with air bubbles from not waiting between coats, blue polish on my skin from rushing and overall blech-ness.
On the upside, I love the color. Nocti Flying Naked is bold and well pigmented. The shade flourishes even more under a shiny top coat and it flowed on my nail extremely well.
Now I know that the issue I had applying them to my nail art wheels was just because of the surface not the polish. Though I must point out that this is a two coat polish. The initial coat did go on a bit streaky and uneven. But the 2nd made it perfect. I’m always afraid of cremes because they magnify imperfections as compared to a shimmer/glitter polish but the nails that I didn’t eff up actually look really good and smooth.
So those of you that took the plunge and ordered Nocti sight unseen, I can honestly say you’ll be pleased.
NOTD – Nocti Nip Tuck
After posting the other day about how I thought the Nocti polishes were tricky to apply, I had to do a full mani with one. So I chose my favorite color from the line, Nip Tuck.
OMG you guys, it applied like a dream. So smooth, very easy to control. I did one of my best manis ever with it. I literally had only one spot to clean up and that was on my dominant hand, which I screw up all the time. I wonder if it makes a difference what surface you’re applying the polish to. Since this is a designed for natural nails, my guess is that it doesn’t adhere well with acrylic, like my nail art wheels (lemming wheels).
Not only is Nip Tuck the name of one of my favorite television shows, it is now one of my favorite nail colors. An intense sea green/turquoise shade loaded up with a fine shimmer, it is one HOT summer polish. I’ve only had it on for a day and I got two compliments from random strangers.
I scoured through my collection looking for duplicate shades and found China Glaze Turned Up Turquoise. In a side-by-side bottle comparison, they are twins. Swatched, the Nocti lacquer is a bit more intense. My ruling, if you have Turned Up Turquoise you don’t need both. If you don’t have either, get the Nocti. And that’s all I have to say about that.
We haven’t done a check in lately. What’s on your tips? Are you gearing up for sandal season?
Lisa N.
Ms Meatballhead
Birdie
Spa pediccure chairs
