KrisInPhilly asks…Can nail polish, like from Remedy Nails, be “healthy”? Is their claim that they have the most unique polish on the market true?
The Beauty Brains respond
Kris thanks for such a great question. I just wish I had a definitive answer about Remedy Nails.
Healthy polish?
I had trouble finding much information about how Remedy Nails claims to be so healthy and unique so I wrote to the company asking for an explanation. Unfortunately they have not responded. So, I can’t really tell for sure how they support their claims. In my humble opinion, it all depends on how you define “healthy.” Having worked in the beauty industry for many years, I can speculate how a company might respond when asked “what does healthy mean?”
Definition 1: Free from damage (that negatively affects appearance)
Example: Healthy looking nails.
Comment: Claims related to appearance are almost always easily substantiated.
Definition 2: Free from disease
Example: Fights nail fungus.
Comment: This would be a drug claim so I doubt Remedy Nails would use such as approach unless, of course, they are selling a drug product.
Definition 3: Improved quality
Example: Stronger nails, longer lasting color, etc.
Comment: This is a gray area. Nail strengtheners can also cause brittleness. Is that really healthier? Many people would say not.
Definition 4: Less dangerous side effects, less toxic
Example: No harmful solvents.
Comment: We’ve written about the dangers of breathing nail polish and there is certainly reason for concern about neurotoxicity. Water-based polishes could “healthier” in this regard. Perhaps this is Remedy’s approach? If so, do they provide the same quality polish as solvent-based systems? If not, you have to ask yourself: how much are you willing to give up to get a “healthier” product?
The Beauty Brains bottom line
As you can see from these examples, “healthy” is a very subjective claim that is open to interpretation. It would be interesting to see how Remedy Nails defines “healthy” for their products.
What do YOU think? Have we missed any definitions of healthy that you would include? Leave a comment and share your thoughts with the rest of the Beauty Brains community.