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Nail polishes have evolved considerably. Toxic elements, such as lead, have been found in nail polish, and it is unclear if new finishes using metallic effect pigments may be contributing to metals exposure in nail technicians. We characterized concentrations of trace elements in 40 nail polishes, 9 technicians' urine, and 20 technicians' toenail clippings from 8 nail salons in the Boston area in 2017. We also collected 24 salon surface wipes from 3 of the salons. Antimony was not disclosed as a nail polish ingredient, yet concentrations (<15 μg/g) were above existing cosmetics guidelines (0.5 μg/g) in five (13%) of the samples. Aluminum (<11,450 μg/g), barium (<11,250 μg/g), iron (<3,270 μg/g), and magnesium (<2375 μg/g) were disclosed as ingredients and were also found on salon surfaces where nail polish was stored or used. Heavy metal impurities in nail polish were not detected for cadmium. Lead and nickel were found at low concentrations (<0.40 μg/g lead, <0.67 μg/g nickel). Tin (p = 0.003) concentrations were higher in nail polish with finishes compared to without. Barium and strontium (both p = 0.0001) concentrations were higher for red nail polishes compared to all other colors. Of those elements in nail polish and salon surfaces, aluminum and iron were detected in toenails, manganese was detected in urine and toenails, and barium was detected in urine at comparable levels to the general population. Besides preventable antimony levels in nail polish, individual metals in nail polish did not appear to be from impurities but mainly from colorants (i.e., pigments) and not major contributors to nail technician exposure. It is unclear if low-level chronic metals mixtures in nail salons are of health concern. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the 2000s, nail polish manufacturers started promoting "3-Free" products, phasing out three widely publicized toxic chemicals: toluene, formaldehyde, and dibutyl phthalate (DnBP). However, DnBP was sometimes replaced by another endocrine-disrupting plasticizer, triphenyl phosphate (TPHP). Many new " n-Free" labels have since appeared, without any standardization on which n chemicals are excluded. This study aimed to compare measured plasticizer content against nail polish labels. First, we summarized definitions of labels. Then, we measured 12 phthalate and 10 organophosphate plasticizers in 40 nail polishes from 12 brands selected for popularity and label variety. We found labels ranging from 3- to 13-Free; 10-Free was the most inconsistently defined (six definitions). Our samples contained TPHP and bis(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) at up to 7940 and 331 μg/g, respectively. The 5- to 13-Free samples had lower TPHP levels than unlabeled or 3-Free samples (median <0.002 vs 3730 μg/g, p < 0.001). The samples that did not contain TPHP had higher DEHP levels (median 68.5 vs 1.51 μg/g, p < 0.05). We measured plasticizers above 100 μg/g in five brands that did not disclose them and in two that excluded them in labels. This study highlights inconsistencies in nail polish labels and identifies TPHP and DEHP as ingredient substitutes for DnBP.