your guide to vegan & 8-free nail polish

essie is all about the highest quality salon formulas and transparent ingredients choices – that’s why essie’s original nail polish, expressie’s quick dry formula, gel couture’s longwear formula and our care products in Australia are 100% vegan and 8-free.

Did you know that nail polish formulas could contain animal byproducts? Search up the ingredients of a typical nail polish and you may find be surprised to find animal-derived substances on the list. If you’ve made the choice to eliminate animal byproducts from your beauty shelf or want to cut out the harsh chemicals in your life, vegan and 8-free nail polish could be right for you. Better yet, these days there’s no need to compromise on salon quality nail polish when finding products that help you make conscious beauty choices.

If you’re ready to learn the benefits of vegan nail polish and what exactly ‘8-free nail polish’ means, keep scrolling for essie’s ultimate guide.

what is vegan nail polish?

Why would nail polish not be vegan in the first place? It’s a question we found ourselves asking – and why essie’s original nail polish, expressie’s quick dry formula, gel couture’s longwear formula and our care products in Australia are vegan and 8-free.

But while you can rely on essie to deliver salon quality, vegan nail polish formulas, some nail polishes do contain animal derived ingredients. Here’s a handful of common offenders to watch out for:

So, is nail polish vegan? It can be, but it isn’t a given. Thankfully, it’s perfectly possible to formulate a 10/10 vegan nail polish formula without any of the above – complete with show-stopping shimmer à la Pure Pearlification and vibrant, red pigments like Fifth Avenue.

what is 8-free nail polish?

essie’s original nail polish, expressie’s quick dry formula, gel couture’s longwear formula and our care products in Australia are all 8-free – that’s free from 8 ingredients we deem to be unnecessary in our nail polishes. You can expect essie’s 8-free nail polish to be free from:

benefits of vegan and 8-free nail polish

For the discerning consumer (that’s you), knowing that the products you purchase align with your conscious beauty choices and values may be a priority. Having high standards is fair enough, and with essie nail polishes salon quality is super accessible. There are a few key benefits of vegan and 8-free nail polish formulas to consider next time you’re on the market for a manicure:

how to choose 8-free and vegan nail polish

It isn’t always a walk in the park to figure out which products are vegan and 8-free. We’re not all cosmetic chemists – reading the label is sometimes easier said than done! When you shop at essie you can be confident that our original nail polish, expressie’s quick dry formula, gel couture’s longwear formula and our care products in Australia are all 100% vegan and 8-free nail polish.

four steps to your at-home vegan manicure

with your favourite shade of vegan nail polish formulas on hand, a 100% vegan, 8-free manicure can be yours in minutes. here are four simple steps to get you there:

1. kick things off with our strong start nail strengthening base coat. the biotin-infused formula will create a smooth, chip-resistant base for your perfect manicure.

2. pick an essie shade to match your mood and apply 2-3 coats – allowing each coat to dry in between. may we recommend lovie dovie to inject some flamingo-pink fun into your day, or perhaps naughty nautical for a high-gloss slick of turquoise?

3. complete the trifecta with a top coat – we love gel setter for a clear, glossy finish or all in one for a multitasking base and top coat that cares for your nails.

4. care for those digits between manicures with a dab of apricot cuticle oil each night before bed. it’s the beauty step you never knew you needed - and it makes such a difference to the condition of your nails.

so, that’s everything you need to know about vegan and 8-free nail polish. what’s next? read up on our guide to long lasting nail polish for more.