The best nontoxic nail polish of 2025, according to a celebrity manicurist
Though they've recently gone viral on TikTok, nontoxic nail polishes are a relatively new beauty obsession. When I was growing up in the '80s and '90s, manicures were fairly straightforward. You'd pick up a bottle of Wet 'n' Wild, paint your nails, let them dry for what seemed like forever and admire your handiwork (no pun intended) until the polish chipped (approximately one to two days later). But over the past few decades "doing" your nails has become more complicated, with a dizzying array of treatment options and even a few safety concerns. For example, new research suggests that the ultraviolet lamps used to cure gel polish — and make your manicure last longer — can damage cells and potentially increase the risk of skin cancer. In a 2020 survey of 2,000 women who regularly used gel nail polish, 84% reported unpleasant side effects, including pain and burning. And studies show that even regular ol' nail polish you pick up at the drugstore can increase your exposure to heavy metals such as aluminum and cause headaches and even hormone disruption. Suddenly, the best nontoxic nail polishes are looking less crunchy-hippie-unnecessary and a lot more mainstream appealing.
Especially since these products have become just so good. In the past, nontoxic nail products have been inferior in almost all ways to their chemical-jammed counterparts — swiping on streaky with bland color options and annoyingly short wear times. But innovations in nail care mean you can now find safer polish alternatives in a range of coveted shades and — as with my top pick from Dazzle Dry — with sturdy and long-lasting finishes too.
Over the past few months, I consulted with some true nail pros and tested more than a dozen nontoxic nail polishes (and a handful of nontoxic nail polish removers). The following are my expert-approved picks for the best of the year.
The best nontoxic nail polish of 2025
Other top nontoxic nail polishes we recommend for 2025
How we tested nontoxic nail polishes
Nontoxic nail polishes we tested that didn't make the cut
Nontoxic nail polish FAQ
Meet our expert
I consulted with nail technicians along with TikTok and Reddit threads and hundreds of Amazon reviews to identify the top dozen nontoxic nail polish brands. I tried them on my own nails and rated them on ease of use, dry time, pigment quality, value and how long each lasted without chipping.
I tried Gucci's extremely fancy, $35 nontoxic polish and found it to be not only not very nontoxic (it barely cracks 3-free) but also streaky and hard to apply. Similarly, the pigments in Essie's nontoxic Love line were extremely weak.
Nontoxic nail polishes are categorized by the number of harmful chemicals their formulas exclude. While most nail pigments have been 3-free (meaning they're made without dibutyl phthalate, toluene and formaldehyde) for the past decade or so, today there are loads of options ranging from 5-free all the way up to 15-free. Since there's no government oversight on most cosmetics, we don't really know what all this means, but if you're looking for the best nontoxic nail polish, go for a higher "free" number or, in the case of two of our picks above, those that are completely chemical free.
Most experts I spoke with suggest seeking out products that are 5-free or higher — my top pick from Dazzle Dry is 14-free and there are loads of options that are plant-based and vegan.
Though there's usually no set expiration date, due to a lack of chemical preservatives, nontoxic nail polishes will most likely expire at least slightly more rapidly than regular nail treatments. If you notice the product has separated, even after you shake it, it's probably time to give it a toss. Even if an expired nail polish is not harmful, it will be less effective and your color will appear uneven.
Mazz Hanna, award-winning celebrity manicurist and CEO of the nail talent and training agency, Nailing Hollywood.
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