Nail polish brands that work -- without as many chemicals

As you probably know by now, I link quite a bit to articles in Grist, the online environmental magazine. They have this series where they test eco-friendly products to see how well they stack up against traditional brands, and to determine which ones work the best. This entry tests nail polishes that have removed the toxic chemicals toluene, formaldehyde, and Dibutyl phthalate, a controversial plastic softener that is slowly being linked to a whole host of health problems.

Why? Because these chemicals are potentially dangerous, and they are widely used. The article starts out like this: "If you've ever gone in for a manicure and, getting a good whiff of the stuff, wondered what sort of chemicals create a smell like that, you've hit the nail polish issue on the head."

So in the spirit of presenting "news you can use," the top rated eco-friendly nail polish is ... drum roll please ... Revlon Sheer Translucide nail enamel, $4.99 for a .5 fl. oz. bottle.

-- Scott Streater