Vegan Gel nail polishes to brighten up your summer

Did you know that animal testing is a common practice among beauty brands? Every time we shop cosmetics and don’t look for the cruelty-free bunny logo on the bottle, we inadvertently contribute to the unnecessary daily suffering of animals. Animals which most of us consider pets like bunnies, cats and dogs that are locked in a tiny cage in a lab somewhere. That is why it is always important to look for the cruelty-free bunny logo when shopping for cosmetics.

Here is a chart with all the certified leaping bunnies to look out for on packages when shopping for beauty products.

Another aspect of the beauty industry that most of us are unaware of is that most beauty products that we use every day to “become more beautiful” and “look better” are filled with terribly harmful chemicals that many health professionals warn are connected to a host of health problems and are not safe to use.

Why Vegan, Cruelty-Free and Natural is the only way

Most of you who have followed me for a while know that I always make it a goal to advocate for and promote beauty products that are cruelty-free and vegan but are good for our health and deliver what they promise. Have you ever wondered how a cream packed with chemicals and synthetic odors can be good for the skin? It just doesn’t make any sense.
The same goes for nail polishes and gels.

Have you ever visited a nail salon for a manicure, and once the gel is on and your hands are under the UV light, you feel some tingling or burn on the skin under your nails?
I usually do my manicures at home, late at night while watching a movie, after a long day at work, drinking a glass of wine and enjoying the peace of the night—sort of like a self-spa experience. But every time I take the gel out and apply it on my nails, a toxic smell fills the air regardless of all the windows and fans open – it’s no wonder my cats and my boyfriend run to the other rooms to escape the nauseating scent.

What to look out for when shopping for gel polish

I foolishly believed that gel polish probably had to have chemicals to be effective, sort of like laundry detergent. But thankfully, I have realized that plant-based is more effective in removing stains than petroleum, usually in most major brands.
That is why I have searched far and beyond New York, Europe, and the global online market for a gel polish brand that meets the following characteristics:

1. It has to be natural, with absolutely no chemicals, thank you very much!
2. Vegan: most nail polishes use animal by-products like fish scales, crushed beetles, pig fat, and a host of other undesirable ingredients that would make Freddy Krueger cringe.
3. Cruelty-free: Is there any point for the beauty industry to animal test nowadays? If we have the innovation to space travel, I think we have the innovation not to pierce a bunny in the eye with mascara to see the potential harm it poses to a human eye. There’s no reason whatsoever to be supporting the companies that participate in such old, outdated, and horrific practices.
4. Not exported to China: Companies that claim to be cruelty-free but still export to China are dishonest. Chinese law forces any product that markets in China must conduct animal experiments. Some companies will not sacrifice their morals and integrity and refuse to sell there. These are the companies we should be supporting.

How I found the perfect gel-polish

While I was looking for a gel polish company that is Vegan and cruelty-free, it was challenging to find one that also had a wide variety of colors, styles, and finishes of permanent and semi-permanent gel polishes. Most had only a couple of gel colors available to pick from.
When Nail Addict contacted me asking to collaborate on their new spring color campaign that they launched, I excitedly headed to their website and once the home page popped up I almost fell off my chair! Not only did this company specialize in gels that were Cruelty-free, vegan, and chemical-free, but they also had the hugest selection of gel colors ever!!!! And the prices were incredible!

If you use my discounted code AnnaMyrha, you are getting each Nail Addict, premium quality gel bottle for 55% off the original price, which is more affordable than any pharmacy brand out there!!!!

And then I read their “About us” statement:

“We always want the best for your nails, and building our brand around Vegan, 9-Free & Cruelty-Free products was not an option, just the healthy way to go.

“Therefore, we infused our gel polishes with the healthiest clinically proven formula.”

I was immediately sold and was incredibly excited to receive the products to try them out but, to be honest, I was a little skeptical about the “all-natural” aspect. I thought that it was too good to be true and that the gels will not be as effective as the bigger brands that use chemicals and that are used at the salons. I figured they would chip off more or not last as long, but even so, that is a tiny price to pay compared to what the poor bunnies go through in the labs, so I was excited to try them out and see if I could make it work. Fingers crossed!

Shockingly Amazing Quality

Once I received my package, there was an added surprise: The Remover! A professional formula specially designed to remove many gel polish saves you the time to go to a professional salon or spend hours at home filing down the old gel. One layer of The Remover quickly removes old gel layers without leaving residues; it is non-irritating because it is all-natural and it dissolves quickly with no nail damage. It is the next best thing to Vegan sliced bread!!!

I applied The Remover on my two-week-old gel polish and was super excited to see that in only 15min it was effective. No more spending hours scraping my nails with files and dipping them into nail polish remover for 30min every time I wanted a new gel manicure. YAY!

And then on to the gels. I picked my favorite color out of all the selections Nail Addict had sent: Pinky Pink. A beautiful shade of “watermelon” bright, crisp pink, perfect for spring and summer months that match almost every piece in any girl’s summer wardrobe!

I went through my regular manicure ritual: Base coat gel, 30sec UV lamp… One coat of gel polish, 30sec UV lap… another coat of gel polish, 30sec UV lamp… a layer of Topcoat, 60sec UV lamp.

DIY GEL-MANICURE: Click here to see how to do your own gel-manicure at home

I then wiped my nails with nail polish remover, and voila! They were ready! I was amazed at the shiny finish, the bright, crisp color, and the smooth finish! It was perfect.

My boyfriend walked in with a bewildered look on his face, as if trying to solve the mystery of The Ark of the Covenant. “Did you do your nails?” he asked. I said, yes, why? “Because it doesn’t smell like a chemical plant in here” he replied. And all of a sudden, it dawned on me. My cats were sitting next to me even though all the windows were closed and my nails hadn’t stung throughout the whole process… wow, these products are a godsend!!!! I was so excited.

Now, the last requirement was how well they lasted. I am not exaggerating if I say that; after ten years of using various gel polishes, this was the ONLY time it didn’t chip. At all! I don’t know how they do it, but these gels neither come off nor chip off before their time. And they keep their shine for weeks. It’s probably the long-lasting natural, healthy ingredients; after all, Mother Earth is resilient

I feel so blessed to have discovered Nail Addict which has made my life easier. With their variety of colors and strong ethics, I get to look beautiful inside and out.

I am now addicted to Nail Addict and I am confident that if you try them, you will be addicted too!

Click to automatically add code AnnaMyrha for 55% off all Nail Addict products