Attempting a zero-waste lifestyle often requires sacrifices. I can’t remember the last time I bought yoghurt, I sometimes dream of the taste of my favourite plastic-wrapped chocolate, and gone are the days of buying chewing gum.
But there’s one thing I haven’t given up: nail polish.
I’ll be honest… it would be more sustainable to not paint your nails. But for those of us who aren’t ready to let go of enjoying coloured fingernails to express ourselves, here are six natural and cruelty-free brands who are trying their best to make nail polish animals, planet, and people-friendly.
Image via Kester Black
Hanami
Hanami polish is bold, bright, and beautiful. Founded on the concern for animal welfare and the environment, Hanami is certified vegan and PETA approved too. Rock a jet black, deep blue, mossy green, or cherry red, or even buy your bestie one of their cute gift packs while knowing you’re also donating $1 to Humane Research Australia.
Hanami is perfect for those of you who don’t have the time to sit and wait. They’ve come up with a fast setting formula that means you can swipe on the polish and run out the door to your next adventure.
Butter London
Butter London is the toxin-free nail polish veteran. Starting out in 2005, they continue to provide eight natural and cruelty-free nail polishes in a range of colours that are said to have your mani lasting up to 10 days.
They’re free from formaldehyde, formaldehyde resin, DBP, toluene, camphor, ethyl tosylamide, Xylene, and TPHP. Butter London serves up mini polishes, peel-off glitter (questionably sustainable), and all the colours you could ever imagine.
Kester Black
Let’s start with my personal favourite. Kester Black are a carbon neutral company, B Corp certified, and their brushes are so well shaped that they make me look like I’m a manicure artist. From paperless offices to manufacturing in small batches to reduce their waste, Kester Black are truly trying their best to make painting your nails a guilt free practice.
This polish is 10-free: free from the top 10 nasties that are usually in nail polish. Kester Black aren’t just the experts in standout colours, but their nail care range of oils and nail repair masks are excellent too.
Sienna Byron Bay
Warning: Sienna Byron Bay has the cutest nail polish packaging in the universe. The tops are made from local non-native weed wood instead of plastic, nailing both sustainability and aesthetics. Being the first to ban micro-plastic glitter from all production, Sienna Byron Bay is one of the cleanest nail polish brands around.
Their in-house recycling program means customers can return their empties, and most of the polish production happens within a 100-kilometer radius; dramatically decreasing their business footprint. Sienna Byron Bay has particularly nailed their dreamy pastel collection; Poetry. Run, don’t walk.
Scout Cosmetics
Scout Cosmetics is known for more than just their groovy colours; the nourishing ingredients in the polishes bring in all the positive reviews too.
Broccoli Seed Extract and Aloe Vera are just a few of the ingredients Scout Cosmetics use to make their polishes helpful to our nails, and of course beautiful to look at. Choose from 41 colours including a dual base and topcoat to ensure longevity no matter what your hands go through.
Life Basics
You know that glossy look at the end of a manicure that seems as though only manicure artists can create? Well, Life Basics offer a high-shine finish that may prove that myth wrong.
Made in Australia without 7 of the main nasties, Life Basics can be purchased at Nourished Life; a highly respected toxin-free beauty platform. Will it be the Black Knight, Berry Lovely, or Bondi Icebergs? Their polish names are on point.
