When it comes to beauty products—soaps, lotions, deodorants, perfume, makeup and nail polish —you cannot be too careful what you use. Just think about it. These products are used on some of the most sensitive and vulnerable areas of your body, so you should always check to find out what’s in them. Well, another popular beauty item is raising concern over its possible connection to weight gain! That’s right, a chemical found in nail polish may be making you gain weight or is at least preventing you from losing weight!

Nail Polish: Does it really boost your mood?

Giving your mood a boost with a fresh manicure is something many women enjoy. But while your nails may look pretty, a particular chemical found in nail polish called triphenyl phosphate, or TPHP, is easily inhaled from the nail polish bottle and it is believed to be absorbed into the blood vessels that surround the nails. After a group of researchers tested the urine of 26 women who recently painted their nails, traces of TPHP were found in every participant. TPHP not only gives nail polish its flexibility, but also is used to make plastics and fire retardants in foam furniture! Once in the body, TPHP can produce hormonal imbalance and fertility issues among some other unwanted effects.

Time to let your nails go naked!

While it is not clear if nail polish causes weight gain or more so prevents weight loss, TPHP has been shown to interact with a protein that is heavily involved with regulating metabolism and fat cell production. For this reason, your overall health may benefit from skipping the nail polish all together. Fortunately, Mr Vitamins stocks a large variety of alternative natural and/or no-toxin nail polishes and beauty products you can use. Just ‘Ask a Naturopath’ for some good recommendations and check out this app.