What does 5 free, 7 free, 10 free and 12 free nail polish mean?

Nail polish throughout history

Nail polish was invented over 5000 years ago and used to display wealth and influence in society. Early Indian and Egyptian civilizations were thought to have used henna to dye their nails whereas Chinese civilizations used a mixture of egg whites, vegetable dyes, beeswax, and gelatin. (1)

Modern nail polish unfortunately isn't as natural! The first liquid nail polish was invented and sold in 1916 by the company Cutex. This polish contained nitrocellulose, a common ingredient used for explosives, gunpowder and painting cars. As nail polish grew in popularity a host of other ingredients were added to improve the product such as stabilisers, plasticisers and adhesives. (2) Today, according to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration there are a number of nail polish ingredients that are cause for concern: (3)

5 free, 7 free, 10 free and 12 free nail polish

Due to concern about the harm that these chemicals are doing to your nails and surrounding skin there have been a number of companies that now sell "x-free" nail polish. The number corresponds with how many of these common chemicals are not contained in their product:

5 Free:

dibutyl phthalate, toluene, formaldehyde, formaldehyde resin, camphor

7 Free:

dibutyl phthalate, toluene, formaldehyde, formaldehyde resin, camphor, parabens, xylene

10 Free:

dibutyl phthalate, toluene, formaldehyde, formaldehyde resin, camphor, parabens, xylene, fragrances, phthalates, and animal derived ingredients.

12 Free:

dibutyl phthalate, toluene, formaldehyde, formaldehyde resin, camphor, parabens, xylene, fragrances, phthalates, animal derived ingredients, ethyl tosylamide and triphenyl phosphate.

It's always a good idea to check the ingredients contained in your nail polishes before buying especially if you already have weak and damaged nails. Using products such as Inacril's Nail Serum or Cuticle oil can also help support your nails through any damage they may have sustained from chemicals in harsh polishes or polish removers

(1) https://maniology.com/blogs/maniology-blog/history-of-nail-polish

(2) https://edu.rsc.org/everyday-chemistry/whats-in-nail-polish/4017835.article#:~:text=However%2C%20in%201917%2C%20Northam%20Warren,cars%20(and%20in%20explosives).

(3) https://www.osha.gov/nail-salons/chemical-hazards