The Most Toxic Ingredients in Your Nail Polish—and Safer Formulas to Try Instead

Dibutyl phthalate (DBP)

Dibutyl phthalate (DBP), a type of phthalate, is a plasticizer used to improve polish durability. And while we all want our nails to stay perfect as long as possible, you should really stick to these non-toxic tips to make your manicure last. DBP is also a suspected endocrine disruptor, which means it interferes with normal hormone function, and studies suggest a link between exposure to DBP and fertility issues and birth defects in lab animals. The results are similar to that of human phthalate studies. The European Union has banned the use of DBP in personal care products and California classifies it as a reproductive and hormonal toxicant—although the federal government has not officially recognized it as dangerous or made any kind of move to ban it. Do you know the five toxic chemicals that can clog your arteries? (Hint: Phthalates made the list).