You know you should use 5-free nail polish to avoid those toxic chemicals. But you really want a long-lasting gel manicure. What if you could have both?

The dilemma we green gals face with polish is, of course, the nasty chemicals used to make them. You use No-VOC paint on your walls, right? You surely want something safe for nails.

Nail polish may not be a beauty necessity, but what would life be if we couldn’t indulge in pretty things? And one favorite beauty rite amongst females, and even some males, is definitely a good mani/pedi.

Non-toxic polish has come a long way since its thin, watery beginnings. That’s great, but today we strive for long-wearing, glossy finish manicures. Regular polish, 5-free or not, may just not cut it these days.

The best way to go for manicures is choosing 5-free polish. These are exempt from the main toxic ingredients commonly used in nail polishes: DBP, toluene, camphor, formaldehyde, and formaldehyde resin. These toxins are linked to hormonal disruption, skin and respiratory irritation, organ toxicity, and cancer.

Thankfully, there are healthier options. Still, how often do you consider going in for a gel mani just so you don’t have to repaint so often?

Meet SpaRitual Gold line of polishes. This is a simple two step system of Flexible Color and Flexible Topcoat. Not only are these beauties vegan and 5-free, but give that gel-like mani you love. No drying light or icky toxins required.

Can non-toxic polish truly behave like gel? The short answer here is yes! I tried SpaRitual Gold personally and love them. Beautiful, glossy color that dries quickly and has staying power. The topcoat works like a charm, and the shades are rich and beautiful. Another thing I love about these polishes – the grippy handles make for quick application. Brilliant!

I recently spoke with Shel Pink, founder of SpaRitual, and here is what she has to say on the Gold line.

Liz Thompson: Your Gold nail lacquers are vegan and 5-free. How else are they different from conventional polishes? (I noticed they are not as obnoxiously scented as regular polish…they almost smell like salt?)

Shel Pink: Yes! Regarding the smell. That is a nice benefit of the Gold formulation. I would also say dry time is super fast. Traditional formulas will take up to 1 hour for a complete dry through the layers. Gold dries in 8 minutes. If you feel like painting your nails before you go to bed you will not wake up with sheet marks on your nails. A huge bonus!

LT: Gel manicures are the thing right now for durability and long lasting color. What all women want to know … how long does a manicure last with Gold?

SP: Gold doubles the wear of your manicure. For example, If you typically wear for 3 days Gold will take you to 5-6 days.

LT: Any special application tips?

SP: It is effortless to apply Gold, not only because of the ergonomic cap but also for the mindful brush. The brush contains over 600 bristles that fan out on the nail providing maximum control and precise application.

LT: Which lacquer colors are hottest for the season?

SP: Cool blues, icy greys and warm plums. Check out the SpaRitual holiday color collection – Awakening.

If you’ve been bored with the same old colors, chipping, and short-lived mani, this is what you’ll be putting on your digits in 2016.

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Image of pretty nail polish via Shutterstock

The post Non-Toxic ‘5-Free’ Nail Polish That Performs Like Gel? Meet SpaRitual Gold appeared first on EcoSalon.

SpaRitual founder Shel Pink dishes out her secrets on slow beauty and self care.

Self care…the process of how we nourish, soothe and pamper our bodies, inside and out, is a ritual that most of us partake in on a daily basis. For some, it’s an elaborate multi-step process repeated twice a day coupled with yoga, juice cleanses, fresh foods, and other healthy living practices; for others, it’s a brief splash with soap and water, a multivitamin and a salad at lunch.

Wherever you fall on the self-care spectrum, we can all work to make it a a more mindful, personal, fulfilling experience, whether your ritual is 5 or 95 minutes. To deepen our understanding of the self care rituals, we caught up with Shel Pink, founder of the healthy beauty skin care and cosmetic line SpaRitual, which offers a huge collection of “five-free” (no formaldehyde, dibutyl phthalate, toluene, formaldehyde resin and camphor) vegan nail lacquers and a drool worthy range of spa-inspired natural skin care.

Launched  in 2004, SpaRitual was created with an enlightened consumer in mind, providing a beauty brand to honor the collective mind, body and spirit and committed to creating multi-purpose eco-friendly products and packaging using vegan, certified organic and fair trade ingredients from around the world. SpaRitual encourages women to understand beauty as a holistic connection to oneself and to the environment, a philosophy that has evolved into what Shel calls  “Slow Beauty.”

Aysia Wright: How did you get started in healthy beauty?

Shel Pink: I developed SpaRitual when I was pregnant with my son.  It was when thinking about how I wanted to best care for my child, I decided that I wanted to use and offer a healthier, holistic more authentic alternative to mainstream beauty products. Choosing vegan beauty care products is one important aspect of living a healthy, holistic lifestyle which also includes diet, meditation and other slow beauty practices.

AW: What is Slow Beauty?

SP: Slow beauty is an alternative approach to beauty in the fast world. Today, beauty is all about quick fixes like fillers, Botox and plastic surgery. Instead, slow beauty makes us beautiful from the inside out with relaxing rituals and products that are good for you and free of harsh chemicals. It is beauty rituals that are pleasurable, rather than painful and punitive.  Slow beauty helps people slow down and nurture the mind, body and spirit, therefore producing visible results. When we shift our mindset from the façade of quick fixes, invasive surgeries, and the illusion of perfectionism we have the freedom to discover joy, spontaneity, depth and vitality.  Slow Beauty includes seven outposts: spa tradition, rituals, nourished mind, self-expression, meditation, and mindful consumption. Each one offers opportunities to make lifestyle choices that help us to be in our hours, instead of being an age.

AW: How does Slow Beauty apply to the average women?

SP: First of all, there is no such thing as an average woman. We are dynamic beings. Slow Beauty applies to all women.  Internalizing a tyrannical approach to our beauty, and to aging compromises our power, and our right to live a truly creative life in process. Developing and sustaining a Slow Beauty practice empowers women. The seven outposts are opportunities to connect with joy, vitality and freedom. You don’t have to experience all seven outposts to live a life of slow beauty. This practice is completely personal. Once you open the door and add one experience that becomes a rewarding part of your natural routine, then you most likely will want to create space for more. Don’t force it. If you go to a meditation class that doesn’t resonate, next time try something else. Slow Beauty is about surrendering to the places, spaces and experiences that resonate with you and bring you wellness of your own creation.

AW: Beyond Spa Ritual, what are your go to brands & products that fit in with your Slow Beauty philosophy?

SP:  MSCHIC blush in “kissed.” This mineral makeup series is talcum-free and contains no allergenic fragrances. This blush is also paraben free. According to the company philosophy statement they dance at the office when they are excited about new products. I discovered this make-up line at an adorable boutique store called The Detox Market, they specialize in curating green brands in beauty and lifestyle.  The co-founder, Valerie Grandury, walked me around the shop and shared each brand’s endearing story with me. That leads me to introduce you to the skin care brand I love and use; Odacité. The products contain certified organic ingredients, and are free of petrochemicals, fragrance, glycols and parabens. The founder of this brand is also Valerie Grandury. She’s lovely and incredibly passionate about holistic living.

Jane Iredale MakeUp.  I’m a huge fan. I like her Mystikol powdered eyeliner in Onyx and PurePressed Eye Shadow Triple Azure.  All vegan.

Teas are part of my beauty ritual too. Yogi Teas– Green Tea Muscle Recovery supports an active body.  It is 100 percent natural and made with organic turmeric.  This is a good tea to relieve sore muscles after exercise. I love the fortunes that surprise me on each tea bag. I’ve also recently discovered Pukkha Teas, try their triple fennel organic tea. It’s absolutely delicious.

AW: What’s the best way to experience Spa Ritual products?

SP: SpaRitual products are best experienced when turning your beauty routine into a ritual. Being mindful about beauty, health and wellness and expanding your routine into a ritual is one way to embark on a slower path to beauty. You can experience SpaRitual in the comfort of your own home, or with a trusted professional who uses SpaRitual for manicure, pedicure and body care treatments.

Are you ready to embrace Slow Beauty?  There’s a good chance you already incorporate one or more aspects of Slow Beauty into your daily routine.  If so, tell us about it, or where you plan to start.  Seeing what others are doing can help provide a starting place for those not there yet, sparking ideas when starting something new feels daunting. So go ahead, share your rituals. We’d love to hear about them.

Image courtesy of SpaRitual

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