The world is changing. There is no denying it. Over the last few decades, we have begun to wake up to the harsh realities that we are facing as a world. One serious reality is the climate crisis. As human beings, we are responsible for the damage that we have done to this world and the damage we could cause in the future. We can try and mitigate the damage and prevent more by altering the lifestyles that we lead. There is a multitude of problems facing the natural world currently like plastic and fossil fuels and deforestation. All things from everyday items to industrial appliances can harm the planet and there is one substance that is in your house right now that can cause problems. Nail polish.  

There are many things that contribute to the nail art industry being unsustainable and problematic to the environment. One of these is that there is lots of single use products involved such as cotton pads. These are an item in everyone’s home right now and only a few people know the problems they cause the environment. The main problem is that like plastic, they are not biodegradable. This means it cannot be digested by bacteria or any living organisms leading to them becoming a pollutant. Moreover, it is not just the end of its life cycle, which is the problem, but the beginning as well. Every kilogram of cotton grown needed 20,000 liters of water to do so. This is a colossal and in fact, the same amount of water to produce 1kg of beef which is famously a very unsustainable product due to the water it takes to produce. 

 Cotton fields also have a lot of chemicals put on them which often leaks into the surrounding habitat for wildlife putting their lives at risk. Not only this but the water has to come from somewhere and this is usually taken from the surrounding area causing it to go dry. As if this wasn’t bad enough, cotton is grown in poorer developed countries and then shipped off to more advanced countries meaning that the area being destroyed cannot even benefit from the product. 

There are ways we can combat this problem though. Instead of buying a pack of cotton pads every few weeks, you could buy a pack of reusable cotton pads. These are normally made of a soft flannel material that you can use and then wash when you are done. This ensures you are not supporting the unsustainable farming. It may seem like a bit more work to have to wash the pads, however, take a moment to think which is more important.  

As if that wasn’t bad enough, there are many other issues with nail art and the environment. If you think of nail polish what is one of the first things that comes to mind? The smell. It is one of the most recognisable scents but not for good reasons. Nail polish is usually packed with toxins which can cause harm to the environment. The problems with these toxins arise when you decide to throw away a nail polish. Maybe it is because you don’t use it or because it’s past its use by date or even because you don’t like the way it looks anymore. Whatever the reason, one thing you should never do is simply toss it into the rubbish bin. This is the worst thing you could possibly do with your old nail polish. 

 Some people may wash some of the left-over nail polish down the sink, but this can contaminate the water supply and the toxins and find its way to sewage treatment plants. Putting the nail polish in the bin is also not a good idea because no matter how well you believe the lid is screwed on, there is a way it can leak such as the glass breaking. Wildlife are the main victims here as nail polish can then easily seep into the ground and contaminate the ground water which then impacts the streams and rivers nearby. Local animals are then at serious risk because they drink this water and the chemicals can kill you. 

 Another big problem is nail polish remover. A lot of them contain acetone which is flammable, toxic and a carcinogen. These cannot be simply dumped into the bin or down a drain either. For both products, the most responsible way to dispose of these products is to a waste disposal unit that can properly dispose of hazardous waste. Better yet, if you have nail polish which you no longer like but it is in good condition, then donate it to a charity such as an organisation called Give Makeup. They will take your unwanted nail polish and give it to disadvantaged women and children. What better way is there to get rid of unwanted nail polish? 

Nail polish contains a lot of ingredients and practically no one has the time or the energy to go through the extensive list on the back. However, if we did, we would see a troubling array of things. An example of what could be in some nail polishes is palm oil. This is something that many people have become familiar with in recent years. Palm oil is the main reason why, in Indonesia and Malaysia, forests are being chopped down at an alarming rate. In Borneo, 1.3 million hectares of forest a year are being felled. This is destroying the biodiversity of one of the most biodiverse places on earth. Rainforests cover only 2% of the world’s surface and yet hold 50% of the world’s species. Just imagine how much damage 1 hectare does let alone millions. Palm oil plantations take the place of the rainforest and as well as the lack of life they cannot take in the huge amounts of carbon dioxide that the unaltered rainforest accounts for. This accelerates the problems of climate change.  

There are ways to avoid buying nail products that use palm oil and other unsustainable products. The most important thing is to become educated on how to spot palm oil products as it has a multitude of names such as etyl palmitate, octyl palmate and even more obscure names. Furthermore, try to purchase products which have been ethically sourced. As the consumer, you hold the power and if you buy more of the ethical brands other brands will have no choice but to change their products in order to keep sales up. You have more power to instigate change than you know use it.  

A recent technique has recently become very popular in the nail art world and it is called ngative space nail art. This is where the natural nail is not completely covered. You can do designs on the bear nail or a box in the center with designs in it. The beauty is that it uses less nail polish and it chips much less as it is not right at the edge of the nail. This means less nail polish wasted and longer on the nail. Lastly, there is a reduced need for topcoats meaning that there will be less harsh topcoats being utilsed.  

There is so many things you can do to improve the state of the planet and these changes are small but can impact the environment. The change starts with you.