Sante!

Okay this isn't the French word "sante" to toast for health but it's a German organic beauty brand that does really kick ass no-nasty products that absolutely deserves some bubbly toasting of its own.

I absolutely adore the Sante Nail Range (they do have make up and stuff too) and Sante is an Organic brand from Germany. Their nail polish and nail polish remover are totally non toxic and don't contain harmful substance like Toluene, Formaldehyde and Dibutyl Phthalate (for nail polish) and carcinogenic stuff like Acetone in nail polish remover. I've been on the lookout for non-toxic nail polish and I've tried brands like Mavala and Zoya but Sante is really the best! The downside is that it's also the most expensive at $26 a pop, but well, cheap thing not good and good thing not cheap right? 

Well, here's to why you should switch to non-toxic nail polish cos....

"Toluene is a clear, colorless liquid that is also found in paints, thinners, and inks. It makes nail polish smooth and makes it dry quicker. When toluene is released into the air it causes headaches, dizziness, fatigue, and irritates the eyes, nose, and throat. It has also been shown to be toxic to the liver and kidneys. It is especially dangerous to pregnant women because it is transferred from mother to fetus through the placenta and through breast milk.

Formaldehyde is a carcinogenic preservative and is used in nail polish as a nail hardener. It also keeps the polish from chipping. Breathing in formaldehyde fumes irritates the lungs, eyes, nose, and throat. It also causes headaches, fatigue, dizziness, and immune dysfunction.

Dibutyl phthalate (DBP) is found in plastics, personal care products, paints, and pesticides. It's used as a plasticizer that makes plastics soft and flexible. In nail polish it acts as a binder to make the nail polish last longer. Phthalates are also known carcinogens, are known to cause birth defects, and damage the reproductive organs. Particularly, it has shown to cause underdeveloped genitals in newborn boys and long-term fertility problems. It has also shown to be toxic to the liver, lungs, and kidneys. One can absorb phthalates through inhaling and touching it."

Enough to scare you off the usual nail polish? Especially the al cheapo ones from Korean brands (erm, it's a bit dodgy if they're selling at 3 bucks a pop no?) or those at the discount stash at Sasa or something....well usually the more funky it smells, the more harmful it is, though it's not always true cos all nail polishes contains chemicals....

But in the pursuit of well manicured fingers and toes, we're piling on all the toxic substance and you're also breathing them in too, especially if you're in a nail salon. And if the above didn't put you off toxic nail polish, then good luck to you. But being the vain pot who's also scared of health issues (seeing my grandpa battling cancer is enough to make me more conscious of my health), something's gotta give and I'm not about to give up looking polished with well manicured digits or the girlie joy of painting nails, so I've chucked all the toxic nail shit at home and switched to non-toxic ones...(oh no, I'd better check my new Chanel and Essie greige polishes...).

Sante is absolutely awesome! I bought the pale beige that gives  you a very polished natural look that you see often in fashion photo shoot and it's very versatile cos it goes with all sort of outfit colors. I'm loving my Sante one cos it's really easy and smooth to apply and it dries quite quickly and most importantly, it dries thoroughly so you won't get your nail polish smudged. The texture is light and it's non-streaky and it's very crucial for light colors cos light colors tend to streak and it makes them really hard to paint on evenly. But Sante is great! Smooth and even! Well it still has that nail polish smell cos all nail polishes (except the water base one which doesn't last and you can't quite find them in Singapore) contain chemicals, even if they're produced by organic brands.

Then the Sante Nail Polish Remover is really gentle. It doesn't even have that acetone smell and you can even sniff it directly without killing your lungs and you'll be pleased to be greeted by a pleasant citrus scent. It takes a bit longer than its toxic counterpart to remove the nail paint but it's worth the patience cos it leaves nails moisturized. In fact, once you're done with it, it's got a gloss layer of oil over your nails and your nails won't be dry at all. It's about 5 times the normal price at $18 but girls, trust me, it is really worth its salt!

If you're gonna try them, you can find them at Buds Cosmetics. One outlet in the 3rd floor of Mandarin Gallery and the other at Novena square 2. I'm definitely getting more shades from them. No doubt about it. Pricey but worth it!