I was recently looking at my nails and realised I needed to give them a little bit of attention. One of my nails had split and kept catching on my jumper, which was a bit annoying. Out I went to look for a nail file. Normally I would buy a pack of 10 nail files which, more often than not, comes in a plastic blister pack. But being far more conscious about everything I buy I started my search for a plastic free, reusable nail file. It wasn’t easy and I didn’t totally succeed, however it got me thinking about how to have eco-friendly manicures or pedicures (at home rather than done by a professional.)
It might not be something you’ve thought much about but we (women mainly) buy a lot of lotions, potions and bits and bobs all aimed at making ourselves look and feel better. You might be more ‘woke’ about the plastic bottles that the creams and gels come in but what about all the other stuff?
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Eco-Friendly Nail Care
Nail Files
I’m going to start with nail files considering that’s the reason this article came about. You might be asking what’s wrong with a pack of 10 nail files if you can buy them without a plaster blister pack? Well that is possible, but you’re also buying something that’s used a few times and then thrown away. Disposables should be avoided wherever possible, especially when there are alternatives available.
As I mentioned before, I actually found buying an eco-friendly nail file pretty difficult and in the end I had to make a compromise. The one I’ve bought is metal and should last me for years, the compromise came because it was sold in plastic. Sadly so many shops are still not thinking clearly and insist on selling everything in plastic when it’s just not needed. I caved in because all of the disposable nail files were also being sold in plastic, and at least this one will last for a while. (Less rubbish in landfill, less plastic packaging in the long term). It was also the third shop I’d been into and I’d lost hope at that stage of finding what I was looking for.
However let’s look at what is actually available in the shops and online.
Glass Nail files
Glass nail files or crystal nail files should last you a long time, and for those people with fragile nails they are a bit more gentle and less likely to damage your nails. They have Swarovski crystals on them which provide the abrasive surface. One drawback with glass nail files is how they’re produced, it’s a chemical process (acid engraving).
Metal Nail Files
Years ago I had a metal nail file in a small manicure set I owned, but it was a bit crappy. These days you can get much better quality metal nail files. The one I ended up getting was the Boots Sapphire Nail File which has a plastic handle as well as the plastic packaging but the nail file itself is really good. Like the glass nail file, metal nail files will last for years if you take care of them properly.
Sandstone Nail Files
A new one on me are sandstone nail files, and I wish I’d found these before buying a metal one. This sandstone nail file is 100% natural and made out of sandstone from Sweden. “The nail file, thanks to its unusual density in the grinding grains, gives the nails a very nice and even edge. The file efficiently and quickly forms the nail and even a dry cuticle can gently be filed away so the skin becomes soft and smooth again.” It even comes with a natural cork case.
Nail Polish
I’ll be honest, in my 45 years I think I’ve only owned about 3 nail varnishes and 2 were gifts. I’m not a huge fan of how they smell, how annoying it is waiting for them to dry or how easily the varnish chips and makes your nails look a bit crap. Having said that I know a lot of people like nail polish.
So, is it possible to find environmentally friendly nail polish? Before researching for this article I would have said no because from the way they smell you just know they’re full of nasty chemicals. But it is possible to get environmentally friendly nail polishes (far less toxic) which are also vegan. This article covers the topic really well.
Vegan Nail Polish
These Vegan nail polishes come in a variety of colours and are free of many toxic ingredients normally found in many other nail polishes.
The bottles also have bamboo screw tops, reducing the amount of plastic used.
Vegan Base Layer / Nail Hardener
You can also buy a vegan Nail Polish Top Coat / Base Layer and a Nail Hardener from the same company as the nail polish as well.
Nail Polish Remover
You can buy soy based nail polish removers which are much kinder to your nails and your skin and reportedly smell a bit better too. If you can, try to buy it in a glass bottle rather than plastic. Karma Organic Natural Lavender Nail Polish Remover seems like a really good option. (It’s certainly highly rated on Amazon).
Nail Varnish Remover Pads
You can buy reusable Nail Varnish remover pads with your normal nail polish remover to reduce the amount of disposable cotton pads you’re getting through as well.
Pumice Stones
Natural Pumice Stone
Pumice stones are great for removing hard skin from your feet. I’ve used them for years. Pumice stone is actually from volcanic rock, who knew?
Being natural, pumice stones themselves will be eco-friendly, just make sure you don’t buy one with any plastic packaging.
Pumice Foot File
If you find a pumice stone hard to handle you can buy a pumice foot file with a wooden handle, which just looks much easier to use.
Other Tools for Eco-Friendly Manicures & Pedicures
When looking at nail scissors, toenail clippers, cuticle implements etc, try to go for metal without any plastic handles. Most manicure sets are generally plastic free apart from the case / packaging they come in, but you can probably find a good set in most pharmacies around the world. Go to the bigger stores for the larger ranges available.
If you’re buying a manicure set online, check out what it’s made of carefully and if necessary also ask the seller if the set comes in plastic free packaging. The majority of manicure sets for sale on Amazon appear to come in PU leather cases (normally vegan friendly), but I haven’t found any seller that advertises their manicure set as ‘eco-friendly’ or ‘vegan’ or ‘plastic free’. Just something to be aware of. Buying from an actual shop would be much better as you can see what the tools and the case are made of and what, if any, packaging there is.
Hand Creams & Balms
No eco-friendly manicures are complete without finishing off with a hand cream or balm, but finding zero waste hand creams is pretty difficult, but not impossible. (Finding non-toxic and vegan hand creams or balms is very easy in comparison.) However we’ll focus on some of the plastic free hand creams and balms that are available because we want to be as eco-friendly as possible!
Click the links to buy and find out more. These are just some of the options available.
Plastic Free (non-vegan)
- Lavender Hand Balm – Anti-Bacterial
- Floral Hand Balm
- Uber Balm – Sensitive Skin
- Foot Balm – Two Mint & Tea Tree
Plastic Free & Vegan
- French Lavender & Sweet Orange – Organic Vegan Hand Cream
- Citrus Hand Balm – Softening & Hydrating
- Peppermint Foot Cream – Exfoliant & Nourishing Cream
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