Painting nails is part of the Mommy/daughter bonding experience, but who wants to create a spa-like experience in the garage? How is it that opening a small bottle of nail polish can leave such a big smell in its wake? That smell, even if it can be isolated, isn’t harmless, and is a sign that chemicals are present. With my picks for the best non toxic nail polishes for kids, that will be no more!
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Best Non Toxic Nail Polish For Kids
SuncoatGirl is my top pick for a non toxic kids nail polish because they check all the marks. While I want my kids to paint their nails, I don’t want to be exposing them at such a young age to so many chemicals. Suncoat really created a product I can feel good about when painting my kids nails! I love that they don’t have a smell, they’re water based so way less chemicals and they dry quickly. These are the things I look for in a kid’s clean nail polish. I also love the gift sets they offer, making it a great gift for kids when they get several nail polish colors.
What to Look for in Non Toxic Kids’ Nail Polish
Key Ingredients to Avoid
If you’ve searched for non-toxic nail polish, you’ve likely come across terms like, 3-free, 5-free, 7-free, 10-free, 15-free and beyond, this denotes the number of chemicals the polish is free from. While 3-10 are generally the same across all brands, once you get past 10, there doesn’t seem to be a set standard.
Generally, a nail polish that is 7-free or beyond is going to be more suitable for children.
Many conventional nail polishes are now free of the toxic trio: Formaldehyde, Toluene, Dibutyl Phthalate (DBP).
5-free means it doesn’t include formaldehyde, toluene, DBP, and it’s also free from camphor and formaldehyde resin.
7-free – formaldehyde, toluene, DBP, camphor, formaldehyde resin, plus xylene and triphenyl phosphate.
9 free- formaldehyde, toluene, DBP, camphor, formaldehyde resin, ethyl tosylamide, xylene, parabens, acetone.
10-free and beyond can differ from brand to brand
Certification and Safety Standards
- Cruelty-free
- Vegan
- Water-based vs solvent-based
Cruelty-free nail polish means that the polish has not been tested on animals, whereas vegan nail polish means that it does not contain any animal-derived ingredients or animal by-products. I think we’d all feel better knowing that carmine beetles weren’t used to create the red dye of our nail polish.
Water-based nail polishes don’t have the stink factor like solvent-based nail polishes. While the water content can vary from brand to brand, they generally don’t have a smell to them because they contain less chemicals.
You can also check to see how the nail polishes rate in the EWG Skin Deep database.
Related Content: Olive and June Nail Polish Review
Tips For Best Nail Polish Application For Kids
- Shake the bottle well.
- Paint nails in 2-3 strokes per coat. Between each coat, give your child something to do by having them wave their hands or ask them to wiggle their fingers, or better yet, use a hair dryer to really speed up the drying process!
- Allow a minute or two between each coat.
- Apply a top coat.
Are non-toxic nail polishes as long-lasting as conventional ones?
Most non-toxic nail polishes won’t last as long as conventional gel nail polishes. However, with proper nail prep, application, and care, you can usually squeeze a solid week out of a non-toxic nail polish.
Best Non Toxic Nail Polish For Kids
Karma Kids
Karma Kids is the offspring of Karma Organic Spa in Ridgewood, New Jersey that is an environmentally friendly, non-toxic nail salon with a devoted clientele. And, it is the answer to parents who want nail polish that is safe for children of all ages, but especially for those who may have allergies. Their polishes are also safe for pregnant women.
Certification and Standards
- Cruelty-free
- Vegan
- Plastic-free
- 7 free – toluene, formaldehyde, DBP (phthalate), camphor, formaldehyde resin, xylene, and/or parabens.
Products Offered
Karma Kids Nail polish comes in 12 colors in 3 sets of 4 mini polishes. Karma also offers more than 100 nail polish colors for women. Karma’s nail polishes are organic and chip-resistant. Plus no plastic is used in their products!
Cost
$19.99 for a set of 4 mini polishes.
Review
- Offerings- My girls liked the bright colors they offered.
- Ease of application- They were easy to apply. The only one that felt a little harder was the milky green color. Just found it came out a little more goopy than the rest.
- Drying Time- They dried like normal nail polish. It didn’t seem any quicker than normal. This was the downside as anyone who has kids knows, the hardest part about getting their nails done is having them dry.
- Longevity- They lasted for a while! A week on my daughter. We were impressed with the longevity.
- Ease of Removing- They came off easy with soy based nail polish remover.
Final Thoughts
They say they don’t smell but I disagree. They still smell like traditional nail polish. Overall I was happy with the performance. I just didn’t like how it took longer to dry.
Piggy Paint
Piggy Paint has made painting nails with your girls a fun and worry-free experience. The brand was birthed by Melanie Hurley, a Mom, who loved painting her young girls’ nails but worried that she was exposing them to harsh chemicals every time they put their hands in their mouth. Piggy Paint creates non-toxic nail polishes that are water-based, virtually odorless and safe for kids.
Certification and Standards
- Cruelty-free
- Vegan
- Gluten-free
- In Piggy Paint’s own words, “they are better than 17 free or 21 free, because they are free of ALL chemicals.”
Products Offered
Piggy paint has it all, from glitter to shimmer, to matte polishes and they come in at least 130+ colors. Oh and if that wasn’t enough, there’s more…about half of their nail polishes are scented because they know what kids like! They also have a line of 70+ polishes called Sophi (short for sophisticated) that’s made for adults or the kid who has a sophisticated taste.
Cost
$5.99 for scented and $8.99 for unscented
Review
- Offerings- They offer a wide range of colors. I was impressed with how many colors they offered. I know years ago when I had tried them they didn’t have as many as they have now.
- Ease of application- The application was ok. It’s different from a traditional nail polish since it’s water based versus solvent based. You definitely need a couple coats of nail polish.
- Drying Time- They took longer to dry than conventional nail polish. I know water based nail polishes can take longer to cure overall. My daughter smudged her nails a couple times because it took a while to dry. I did read that they recommend using a hair dryer to speed up drying time.
- Longevity- It did last a while. She got a good 5 days wear out of it.
- Ease of Removing- It did remove easily at first with rubbing alcohol. However, the longer it stayed on, the harder it was to remove. At the end I was using nail polish remover to get it off.
Final Thoughts
I do love that there isn’t a nail polish scent when you’re using Piggy Paint, so I feel like I don’t have to go into the garage to do my kids’ nails! I also like that they offer a wide variety of colors. They take longer to dry, so if you don’t have a patient kiddo, pulling out a blow dryer might be a good option. I also think you need at least two coats as well.
SuncoatGirl
SuncoatGirl nail polish was created by a Canadian chemist and mother of two young girls. She set out to create one of the most natural nail polishes on the market by replacing chemicals with water and colors with mineral pigments and natural colorants.
Certification and Standards
SuncoatGirl nail polishes are free from harmful chemicals like formaldehyde, toluene, and acetates and exceed the standard 15+ free by a significant margin.
SuncoatGirl polishes conform to the health requirements of the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) standard D4236 and meet the criteria defined in the U.S Consumer Product Safety Commission’s (CPSC) Regulations 16 CFR 1500.14
Products Offered
SuncoatGirl offers water-based, odorless nail polishes in 36 fun colors, specially designed for kids. Their nail polishes can last for weeks on toenails and days on fingernails.
Cost
$10.00
Review
- Offerings- Comes in a variety of color options.
- Ease of application- I loved applying these! They went on super easy and smooth.
- Drying Time- These dried so quickly! When I came back to the other hand, the polish was already dry.
- Longevity- They lasted for 5 days well. I made sure and did the free edge as well.
- Ease of Removing- They are easy to remove. Just soak in warm water and then peel off.
Final Thoughts
I really love these! They have no smell, dry quickly and are water based. I love that they come in a gift set- such a great gift idea for a girl!
Ella + Mila
Ella + Mila was birthed out of the belief that beauty and health go together. To this end, they created an eco-friendly and on-trend clean beauty brand. Ella+Mila release a new collection of nail lacquer every couple of months.
Certification and Standards
- Leaping Bunny and PETA certified
- Vegan
- 17-free
Products Offered
Ella + Mila polishes besides being 17-free are also chip resistant, quick drying and high shine. They offer 17 Mommy&Me nail polish sets with an adult nail polish color and a complementary kid’s nail polish along with a nail decoration sheet. The Mommy nail polish contains 0.45 fl oz and the Me nail polish contains 0.24 fl oz.
Cost
$10.00/set
Review
- Offerings- They have so many color options, and sparkles, so impressed with their offerings.
- Ease of application- They went on so smoothly. The application was really nice. No clumping and they didn’t feel goopy.
- Drying Time- They dried quicker for a solvent based nail polish. Especially compared to other nail polish brands that I’ve tried in the past.
- Longevity- They stayed on well! Especially when using their base and top coat. The girls had them on for 5 days and the polish only had been chipped on a few nails.
- Ease of Removing- Super easy to remove. You can use regular nail polish remover. They have a soy based, natural nail polish remover that works great.
Final Thoughts
I was really impressed with Ella + Mila. I had never tried their nail polish before and loved how smooth it went on and how it dried so quickly. It gives so many color options which my girls love and it just has really cute packaging as well. Even my daughter’s commented on the packaging. While it did smell like nail polish it wasn’t nearly as strong as some nail polishes. I actually want to use this nail polish on myself!
Airdom
Airdom nail polish kits are created for kids with water-based, natural ingredients, completely free of formaldehyde, benzophenone, and heavy metals. Their nail polishes are also easy to peel off and are virtually odorless.
Certification and Standards
- Water-based
- 16-free
Products Offered
Airdom offers 5 types of nail polish sets from their 4 color set to a 12 piece set. Most of their sets include a 2-in-1 Top & Base Coat and their popular 8 piece set includes 6 colors and a glittery silver color that can turn 6 colors into 13! Recommended for children 3 years and up.
Cost
$17/set
Review
- Offerings- They don’t have as many colors to choose from, but still enough to get you going.
- Ease of application- These did feel a little more like water when applying. It’s easy to get too much product on the brush, so I recommend wiping some off before applying.
- Drying Time- They took a while to dry and cure. My girls kept getting smudges because it was taking a while for their nails to fully set.
- Longevity- They lasted for a while. While they chipped, getting the rest of the polish off was harder.
- Ease of Removing- They were harder to remove. They say you just need to peel off the polish from a corner of the nail. The only problem is if the polish is already chipped, then it makes it harder to peel it. We had to soak the nails in warm water and pick at the nail polish to remove it.
Final Thoughts
I do like how these are odorless and peel off. The downside for me is the drying time and smudging. They just took longer to dry overall. Wish it was shorter.
Kid Licks
Kid Licks is the world’s first nail polish that is food based, made of 100% edible ingredients. Their nail polish dries in less than a minute and can be removed with alcohol, soap and water.
Certification and Standards
- Free of toluene, formaldehyde and DBP
- Non-GMO and cruelty free
- Made in small batches in the U.S
Products Offered
Kid Licks offers 12 colors and 4 packs of 3 colors and a pack of 6 colors.
Cost
$12.99 per bottle
Review
- Offerings- Kid Licks definitely has the lowest amount of color options. However, I still think most kids would think it’s a good amount.
- Ease of application- The application was harder with Kid Licks because it’s more liquidy, so easier to make a mess! I found I needed less product on the brush for it to go on smoother.
- Drying Time- They dry really quickly which is nice. 30-60 seconds.
- Longevity- They didn’t last as long as other nail polishes we tried. The tips chipped quicker, but the middle part stayed longer I noticed.
- Ease of Removing- They easily removed with alcohol and soap and water.
Final Thoughts
I think it’s a great option for those wanting something super clean. It doesn’t act like traditional nail polish, so just be aware when you first start application. It will be a little more liquidy. They’re also more matte, unless you add a top coat. My kids wanted them to be shiny, so I did add a top coat to the nail. They also offer a top coat to make them shiny as well.
Dazzle Dry
Dazzle Dry was created by Dr. Valenty, a bio-organic chemist, who wanted a more natural alternative to traditional nail products. It is the only quick-drying, long-lasting natural nail care system that is also free of harmful chemicals, animal byproducts and animal testing.
Certification and Standards
- Vegan
- Cruelty-free
- Hypoallergenic
- Non-toxic
Products Offered
Dazzle Dry products are formulated to work together as a system. Dazzle Dry’s 4 Step System + Revive product, produces manicures that dry in 5 minutes and last 7+ days. With 157 products including mini kits, starter kits and full system kits, there is a color and combination for everyone including kid-friendly colors.
Cost
$22.00 per bottle
Review
- Offerings- They have so many options, any color you could want!
- Ease of application- They are easy to apply. Feel like regular nail polish. It is more of a process applying them since you have to follow their steps in the system. Base coat, nail color and top coat. But worth it if you want the nail polish to stay.
- Drying Time- They dry within 5 minutes which is great. Longer than some, but you get more wear out of the polish too.
- Longevity- They lasted for a week. Since it’s more like a gel polish you really get a lot of wear time out of the polish.
- Ease of Removing- Harder to remove the polish overall. You have to use acetone and soak the nail sometimes even to really get it off. I’ve found you can use a natural nail polish remover but you just have to soak them in it for a while and work at it more.
Final Thoughts
I like Dazzle Dry for kids that are a little older and can hold still for at least 5 minutes. It does have more steps so they have to be a bit older to be able to handle that. It’s great for a pre-teen who wants nail polish. It doesn’t ruin your nails like traditional gel polish either. I love that it stays on longer and then my kids aren’t asking me to redo their nails everyday! 🙂
Related Content: Dazzle Dry Guide (All You Want To Know!)
Manicurist Paris
Manicurist is changing the manicure game with their green manicures. Along with their nail polish line for adults, they also have nail polishes specifically designed for children that are water-based and non-toxic.
Certification and Standards
- Vegan
- Cruelty-free
- Made in France
- Sustainable packaging
Products Offered
Manicurist Kid’s Nail polishes come in mini bottles with mini brushes and 19 different individual colors and a variety of nail polish sets. Nail polish can be removed with soapy
Cost
$8.50 per bottle
Review
- Offerings- They offer a decent amount of color shades.
- Ease of application- The polish is a little goopy, not quite as smooth as some polishes.
- Drying Time- It takes a long time for the polish to dry. Too long.
- Longevity- The polish didn’t last as long. But I think it’s partly due to it smudging because it too so long to dry.
- Ease of Removing- It was harder to remove. They say just use warm soapy water, but it still didn’t come off.
Final Thoughts
I wouldn’t recommend this kids nail polish. While they have super cute packaging, it just took way too long to dry and we kept having to fix the smudges.
Check out Manicurist on Amazon also!
Related Content: Best Non Toxic Gel Nail Polish
What’s your favorite non toxic nail polish for kids? Share it below!
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