Our pro pick for best nontoxic nail polish of the year is from Dazzle Dry. (Dazzle Dry)
For those of us looking for a reason to ditch our gel manicures, now might be just time to switch to nontoxic nail polish for good. Concerns over the potential harms of gel formulas are nothing new, but earlier this year, the European Union officially banned the use of an ingredient that's found in — and essential to the efficacy of — many gel polishes, identifying the chemical trimethylbenzoyl diphenylphosphine oxide, or TPO, as a type of “reproductive toxicant." In its announcement, the European Commission cited clinical studies that showed reduced fertility in animals ingesting high levels of TPO.
To be clear, this is not a complete ban on these polish systems. And, it's important to note that not all experts agree with the accuracy of these findings. However, nontoxic nail polishes might be a good idea anyway — they're not only an alternative to gels but also the conventional drugstore brands you picked up in your youth. While those classic nail lacquers remain widely used and FDA-approved, some still contain trace amounts of chemicals like toluene or formaldehyde-related compounds, which has raised questions about their potential impact on long-term health. Though more research is needed, these concerns have prompted a shift toward formulations labeled as "3-free," "7-free" or even "10-free" — indicating they are made without certain controversial ingredients.
In researching this story over the past few months, I began to see nontoxic nail polishes as less crunchy-hippie-unnecessary and a lot more mainstream-appealing. Especially since these products have become just so good. In the past, non-toxic nail products were inferior in almost all ways to their conventional counterparts, swiping on streaky with bland color options and annoyingly short wear times. But innovations in nail care mean you can now find non-toxic polish alternatives in a range of coveted shades and — as with our top pick below from Dazzle Dry — with sturdy and long-lasting finishes too.
Over the past year, I've consulted with some true nail pros and tested more than a dozen nontoxic nail polishes. The following are my expert-approved picks for the best of the year.
I consulted with nail technicians along with TikTok and Reddit threads and hundreds of Amazon reviews to identify the top dozen nontoxic nail polish brands. I tried them on my own nails and rated them on ease of use, dry time, pigment quality, value and how long each lasted without chipping.
I tried Gucci's extremely fancy, $35 "nontoxic" polish and not only was it barely nontoxic (it just cracks 3-free) it was also streaky and hard to apply. Similarly, the pigments in Essie's nontoxic Love line were extremely weak.
Nontoxic nail polishes are typically labeled by how many potentially harmful chemicals they don’t contain — a shorthand known as “X-free” formulas.
For example, many conventional polishes today are at least 3-free, meaning they’re made without dibutyl phthalate (DBP), toluene and formaldehyde — three ingredients that have raised health and environmental concerns.
From there, the numbers climb: 5-free, 7-free, even 15-free polishes exclude additional ingredients like formaldehyde resin, camphor, ethyl tosylamide and parabens. While there’s no universal standard or regulatory definition for these labels — in fact, the term "nontoxic" itself isn't regulated and therefore does not have a standard definition — they can still offer a useful guideline for shoppers who want to minimize exposure to certain chemicals.
If you're aiming for the cleanest formulas possible, opt for polishes with higher “free” numbers or, in some cases, like two of our top picks, those that market themselves as completely free of synthetic chemicals. Just keep in mind that “nontoxic” doesn’t always mean 100% risk-free — but it does reflect a growing demand for safer, more transparent beauty products.
Most experts I spoke with suggest seeking out products that are 5-free or higher — my top pick from Dazzle Dry is 14-free and there are loads of options that are also plant-based and vegan, if that's important to you.
Though there's usually no set expiration date, due to a lack of chemical preservatives, nontoxic nail polishes will most likely expire at least slightly more rapidly than regular nail treatments. If you notice the product has separated, even after you shake it, it's probably time to give it a toss. Even if an expired nail polish is not harmful, it will be less effective and your color will appear uneven.
Mazz Hanna, award-winning celebrity manicurist and CEO of the nail talent and training agency, Nailing Hollywood.
The reviews quoted above reflect the most recent versions at the time of publication.
