Are acetone nail polishes bad for your nails?
Today in the market you will come across different types of nail polish remover namely acetone nail polish remover as well as acetone free nail cleaners. The majority of well-known brands carry both of these types of nail polish remover that will be listed on the label.
Both of these types consist of a solvent (similar to acetone) that helps dissolve the hard film left on the nails using the ingredients found in nail polishes. These ingredients consist of plasticizers, resins, color pigments, as well as film formers. This helps to provide an even coat of nail polish that dries evenly and quickly. However, it is quite difficult to remove these ingredients once you apply them on your nails.
Acetone nail polish
Being an extremely strong solvent, acetone happens to be the best choice when it comes to removing nail polish. However, it is also quite harsh since many natural oils will be removed from the skin and nails. And, in case too much acetone is applied to the skin, your skin will appear white in color. This means your skin is dry.
Why is Acetone nail polish effective?
- This type of nail polish remover will help you remove shades of nail paint that are quite dark such as black, maroon and also deep blue.
- It won’t take much scrubbing and the color can come off the nails with just one swipe.
- Things will last longer since you only use a small amount.
- You can use it on artificial or acrylic nails without dissolving them at all.
Why is acetone bad for your nails?
- Being somewhat strong in nature, Acetone nail polish removers will also wipe away moisture as well as natural oil from the cuticles and nail bed.
- In most cases, a white residue is left on the nails, which is not pleasant to look at if your nails have not been coated with a fresh nail polish.
- This solution can prove to be harsh for those people whose nails happen to be dry and brittle.
Are acetone-free nail polish removers effective?
The pros:
- Non-acetone removers are not very strong, unlike acetone. But not much residue is left on your nails after cleaning.
- Acetone-free nail polish removers will be more effective at getting rid of light shades like white and pink.
- Your nails won’t look overly dry and if they spill onto your skin they aren’t likely to damage your skin.
The disadvantages:
- Since they are not as strong, they are not very effective in removing dark nail colors.
- Unlike acetone, they wear out faster, as more solution will be needed for each removal.
- It will not be possible to remove the color with a single swipe and you have to rub the solution on the nails again and again to get the job done.
Final Verdict: So, it is evident from the above discussion that acetone is the most effective method for removing nail polishes. But it is quite harsh and your nails and skin can feel dry after applying it. Other solvents may do the job, but they won’t be as effective as acetone in removing nail polish. This means that you will have to spend more time removing the polish from your nails if you use an acetone-free remover.
As a professional nail tech and a very environmentally conscious person, I use acetone-free nail cleaners. I believe in environmentally friendly practices in everything we do. Hopefully, this article above provided you with a little guidance in choosing the type of nail polish remover to use in the future. If you want to read about the health concerns about nail salon, click here to read this article.
