While most typical women hope to get a full week of decency out of their manicures- I’m realistic. I recognize that the cute little ladies at the nail salon always promise a week but after 2-3 days of typing, cooking, touching stuff, and just living life my nails will chip, crack, and leave me with a weird sense of “ugh I can’t go anywhere with these nails” anxiety. And let’s not even get started on all the crazy, harmful chemicals that are typically found in average nail polish like formaldehyde. Seriously, I’m not trying to preserve my nails from an untimely death (aren’t they already dead? and isn’t that stuff seeping into my nailbed?!).
You can imagine I was pretty excited when my new friend, Lori, emailed me a couple weeks ago to ask if I want to check out Polished Beauty Bar on the Upper West Side of Manhattan with her for a totally natural and non-toxic mani-pedi experience. I figured it was worth a shot and I’m all about healthying up my normal routines up if at all possible. When I got there I was beyond pleased- the cute space is tucked into a quiet block so you get the full relaxation effect when soaking your feet in one of several pedicure tubs lined with high-tech surfacing designed to kill bacteria on contact. You know what that means- no more fear of creepy nail salon germs. Amazing.
Instead of the typical polishes you’ll find in salons, Polished Beauty Bar uses Zoya, a line free of formaldehyde, toluene, and DBP lacquers available in more than 300 shades. Um, Essie who? Most importantly, the polish lasts like crazy. I’m on day 8 of my manicure now and I don’t so much as have a chip.
Polished Beauty Bar also boasts a Certificate of Healthy Air, and that means that you won’t smell any funky acetone or nail polish odors- perfect if you’re prone to headaches or are just sensitive to odors. They also have a special machine that looks like something out of Back to the Future to house your shoes as you enjoy your pedicure. Light technology kills germs and bacteria in a flash and will destroy and pesky shoe odors. Ladies who go sockless, this will change your life. In fact, for regular customers the gals at Polished are happy to let you borrow their shoe zapper any time- they’re just that nice.
Founders Susan and Micki Nam created this little natural nail oasis with pregnant and nursing women in mind, but the concept of less-toxins and better nails really applies to everyone.
Polished Beauty Bar
250 W. 78th Street
New York NY 10024
212-933-1830
Disclosure: Service was provided for review. No monetary compensation was received for this review. All opinions belong to the author.
Disco nails!
A cosmetic chemist can tell you all about the “formaldehyde” in polish:
http://personalcaretruth.com/2010/08/exposing-the-formaldehyde-myth/
And in hair-smoothing treatments:
http://personalcaretruth.com/2010/10/doug-schoon-responds-to-misleading-claims-by-oregon-osha-that-methylene-glycol-is-a-synonym-for-formaldehyde/
And acetone happens to be the safest and greenest polish remover available.