Nail Strengthening: A Greener Option

Back in the halcyon days of my youth — when I was footloose and fancy free, and my biggest concern was an upcoming algebra test — I sported perfectly manicured nails. 

Seriously.

Each week, I would sit down and soak, file, massage, polish and dry my tips to a state of enameled perfection.

But several years, a husband and three kids later, my nails hardly receive the attention they once did.  (I’m lucky if I pull out a nail file once a month, let alone once a week.) 

And while, these days, I tend to skip polish all together (housework has a tendency to severely shorten the lifespan of your manicure), I have learned a little trick that manages to keep my tips in check. 

Nail strengtheners.

I’m a fan.

Nail strengtheners are like fast-drying top coats that you can apply (sometimes daily) to your nails.  Through some "magic" I don’t completely understand, my nails always look neat and well-groomed after I apply a nail strengthener.  So, I make a point to use one regularly.

But I’ve also been giving a lot of thought lately to "greening up" my beauty routine.  And, in case you didn’t know, nail polish can be a pretty toxic brew.

A lot of polishes on the market contain formaldehyde.  Formaldehyde (yes, I’m talking about that awful smelling solution that permeated your 10th grade biology class) has been a source of controversy for many years. 

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, formaldehyde is a proven carcinogen.  Formaldehyde has been banned in Canada and Japan, but its potential dangers are widely disputed in this country.  Some studies claim to have linked formaldehyde to leukemia, pancreatic, skin, liver and lung cancer.  U.S. regulatory boards don’t agree, however, and formaldehyde has been determined "safe" for use in U.S. cosmetics.

Well, doesn’t that just make you want to run out and get a manicure?  What’s a health-conscious gal supposed to do?

Enter Citra Formaldehyde Free, a new nail strengthener by Nail Tek.

Citra replaces the traditional formaldehyde element with citral, a naturally-occurring aldehyde derived from citrus fruit.  That means you get all the benefits of traditional nail strengtheners, without the potential toxicity.  Citra is also free of dibutyl phthahate and toulene — two other common nail polish chemicals that don’t have the best of reputations. 

Citra Formaldehyde Free comes in three formulas.  Since weather, lifestyle and the rigors of daily life influence the health of our nails, different problems may periodically require different solutions.  Citra’s formulas allow you to move freely among the three strengtheners to provide the right kind of conditioning and strengthening at the right time.

I started out using Formula 3 for dry, brittle nails, but after two days it became obvious that I really needed Formula 2 for soft, peeling nails (which, by the way, is the most common nail problem experienced by women).  Formula 1 is a maintenance formula for strong, healthy nails.

Citra goes on super smooth and dries within two minutes to a perfectly glassy finish.  You can use it as either a basecoat and topcoat, or you can apply it daily by itself.  After using Citra, I found my nails looked manicured and groomed — and they are definitely stronger.  What’s more, the price point — $15, makes Citra a lot more reasonable than other nail strengtheners I’ve tried.

It’s impossible to find a completely "green," natural nail polish, but Nail Tek has done a good thing in removing some of the most potentially toxic chemicals.  I can rest easier knowing that the product I use is safer — and can rejoice in the fact that my nails look great.

Even if I don’t manicure them weekly.

Citra Formaldehyde Free is available at all ULTA store locations, fine salons across the country and www.nailtek.com.   

Michelle blogs regularly about life and family at her personal blog, Life with Three.