Hypoallergenic Nail Polish Brands To Try If You Have Sensitive Skin

Nuts, shellfish, grass — they're all common allergies. Nail polish? Not so much, but that doesn't mean it can't happen.

There are some serious ingredients (methacrylates and toluene to name a few) in nail posh that can prompt contact dermatitis, according to Byrdie. One woman even experienced such an allergy after getting a gel manicure in New York (via Allure). She suffered from swollen lips, eyes, and mouth, as per the outlet. "The rash can occur wherever the chemical allergen comes into contact with the skin," Purvi Parikh, an allergist and immunologist, explained to Allure. That means your arms, legs, neck, eyes, and more can become inflamed simply by touching it with your polished hand. 

"We inadvertently touch our eye area multiple times during an average day, and because the skin in this area is thin and sensitive, skin allergies to nail products often show up in the eye area," dermatologist Hadley King said.

Even if you're allergic to some of the ingredients in nail polish, don't worry, you'll still be able to wear nail polish daily. Per Byrdie, as the beauty industry moves slowly to cruelty-free and vegan products, more nail companies are developing hypoallergenic polishes that anyone can use! 

Cruelty-free and vegan nail polishes don't always have to be expensive! That's why you have drugstore options — Pacifica 7 Free Nail Polish Collection, for an example (via Best Products). This nail polish is free of harmful chemicals and parabens, the outlet added. Plus, it's a low price ($9) for a high-quality polish — name a better deal than that.

If you're looking to spend a little bit more money, then you definitely need to try the Deborah Lippmann polish, per Byrdie. It's gel, which makes it last longer, and is free of chemicals. All of this for only $20 — begone nail salons, hello at-home manicures.

Though there are a lot of clean nail polishes, you should read the ingredients of every bottle before painting your nails, per Allure. A lot of clean nail polish brands contain methyl acrylate, which some sensitive nail wearers can be allergic to, so do your research, the outlet added. And if you are nervous about getting a reaction, do a patch test first or take an allergy test. You can still have a fabulous manicure without worrying about puffy lips and swollen eyes, we promise.