Safe polish for moms and girls

Now that it's flip flop season, mommas tend to like a little colour on their toenails. But when you're pregnant, chances are the toxicity and smell of regular nail polishes may not be what you want to expose yourself or your unborn baby to. It's also something you may not want your little girls to use. Many common brands of nail polish and remover that you find in your local drugstore contain toxic ingredients like dibutyl phthalate, a reproductive and developmental toxin that has been linked to feminizing effects in baby boys; formaldehyde, a known human carcinogen; and toluene, a possible reproductive and developmental toxin.

Hopscotch Kids

Enter in American company Hopscotch Kids. Created by a mom of four, Hopscotch Kids is a line of safe, non-toxic water colour nail polish for children and adults too. The nail polish is free of the toxic trio (as listed above), heavy metals, acetone, and petrochemical solvents. The primary ingredients are water, water-miscible acrylic polymer emulsion and non-toxic colourants.

Why we like it for us and our girls

While the nail polish was made with children in mind, we like it and think it's a great alternative to toxic nail polish for pregnant moms. If this babyvibe mom was pregnant, I'd feel comfortable using it to freshen up my tired toes. Even though I'm not an advocate of children using makeup and nail polish, and do not wear makeup myself, my daughter is somehow obsessed with nail polish. Since the age of two, she's been drawn to wanting her nails painted. With Hopscotch Kids, I do feel it's OK for her to paint her nails for fun.

We recently tried out the bubble gum, bubble gum in a dish polish. I was pleased with the results and like my shiny pink toenails. Two days later, the paint on my tootsies is holding up. However, the paint on my daughter's fingernails did not last as long, which in my opinion, is a good thing.

But, if you would like the nail polish to last longer, it's recommended to buff and clean nails before painting, something we did not do. According to Hopscotch Kids, if you buff and clean your nails, any excess oils will be removed, which will provide for the best bond of the nail. Hopscotch Kids also makes a polish remover. Ingredients are all-natural, corn-based with aloe and vitamin E conditioners.

Where to find it

Hopscotch Kids nail polish is brand new to Canada and is available in a variety of child-friendly and mom-friendly colours, including the vibrant rover red, the bright fuchsia bubble gum bubble gum, the pastel pink teddy bear, teddy bear, and more, at www.lavishandlime.com. Nail polish is ages three and up.

Win it!

Lavish & Lime is giving away a Hopscotch Kids gift pack that includes the bubble gum, bubble gum in a dish, nail polish remover and a buffer in a cute feather-top bag. To enter, please visit Lavish & Lime and e-mail your favourite colour to us at prize@babyvibe.ca. For two extra entries, join the Lavish & Lime Facebook page.

For more information on ingredients in your favourite nail polish, visit the Environ metal Working Group's Skin Deep Cosmetic Safety Database.

Sponsor link:

Welcome new readers!

Now that CanadianBabies and babyvibe are one online publication and e-newsletter, we'd like to say a big hello to all our fantastic new readers. Stay tuned for some exciting changes and a more interactive website. If you have any questions or feedback, please feel free to e-mail us at info@babyvibe.ca.