clevermanka (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
clevermanka) wrote2010-07-16 02:16 pm
clevermanka) wrote2010-07-16 02:16 pm
Nail polish PSA
For those of you who don't read ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-community.gif)
ontd_science, may I direct you to this post here about nail polishes and nail salons. I'm archiving the text of it here.
The Toxicity of Nail Salons
You don't have to be a gal who gets her nails done to have experienced the fumes of a modern nail salon. Walk past any nail kiosk in a mall and you'll be smacked in the face by the toxic odors emanating from small shops, almost always staffed by young immigrant women of color.
A 2007 report (pdf) from Women's Voices of the Earth details what many of us may already know, to some extent: nail salons are oppressive, dangerous places for women to work. Staffed primarily by some of the most at-risk young immigrant women in the nation, workers are not only underpaid; their health is threatened by simply showing up for work every day.
Women who work in nail salons report myriad chronic health problems including work-related headaches, skin problems, and respiratory problems in addition to higher-than-average rates of asthma and higher rates of reproductive health issues. This is on top of working double-digit hours every day for meager wages while exposed to unregulated, cancer-causing toxic chemicals — everything from solvents to glues to chemical-intensive polishes. Many nail polishes still contain what is known as the "toxic trio": toluene, formaldehyde, and dibutyl phthalate, which have been linked to cancers as well as reproductive health issues and developmental disabilities.
Worse, few manicurists wear much in the way of protective gear, often because it interferes with their job performance. It's also pretty easy to leave workers in the dark about the toxic crap they're handling when little if any information is made available in a language other than English.
Organizations like the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics and the National Healthy Nail Salon Alliance are doing their part to ensure that the FDA monitors the cosmetics industry as a whole, but you can do something too. You can support organic cosmetics companies (especially the women-owned and operated ones!), make sure non-organic brands have removed the "toxic trio" (and carry a handy reference card [pdf] in your wallet to be sure), and only support salons that have fair labor standards. Don't know how to tell who's operating above the board? Ask. A nice mani-pedi isn't worth exposing yourself to toxic chemicals, and it definitely isn't worth the price your manicurist is paying.
source
ontd_science, may I direct you to this post here about nail polishes and nail salons. I'm archiving the text of it here.The Toxicity of Nail Salons
You don't have to be a gal who gets her nails done to have experienced the fumes of a modern nail salon. Walk past any nail kiosk in a mall and you'll be smacked in the face by the toxic odors emanating from small shops, almost always staffed by young immigrant women of color.
A 2007 report (pdf) from Women's Voices of the Earth details what many of us may already know, to some extent: nail salons are oppressive, dangerous places for women to work. Staffed primarily by some of the most at-risk young immigrant women in the nation, workers are not only underpaid; their health is threatened by simply showing up for work every day.
Women who work in nail salons report myriad chronic health problems including work-related headaches, skin problems, and respiratory problems in addition to higher-than-average rates of asthma and higher rates of reproductive health issues. This is on top of working double-digit hours every day for meager wages while exposed to unregulated, cancer-causing toxic chemicals — everything from solvents to glues to chemical-intensive polishes. Many nail polishes still contain what is known as the "toxic trio": toluene, formaldehyde, and dibutyl phthalate, which have been linked to cancers as well as reproductive health issues and developmental disabilities.
Worse, few manicurists wear much in the way of protective gear, often because it interferes with their job performance. It's also pretty easy to leave workers in the dark about the toxic crap they're handling when little if any information is made available in a language other than English.
Organizations like the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics and the National Healthy Nail Salon Alliance are doing their part to ensure that the FDA monitors the cosmetics industry as a whole, but you can do something too. You can support organic cosmetics companies (especially the women-owned and operated ones!), make sure non-organic brands have removed the "toxic trio" (and carry a handy reference card [pdf] in your wallet to be sure), and only support salons that have fair labor standards. Don't know how to tell who's operating above the board? Ask. A nice mani-pedi isn't worth exposing yourself to toxic chemicals, and it definitely isn't worth the price your manicurist is paying.
source
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I was happy to see the three polish brands I buy (OPI, Seche, and China Glaze) on the safe list, but I'm still researching the ingredients list for my base coat (Nailtiques).
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I've been to a couple of the cheapy salons with lots of chemicals and marginally legal workers, and they just left me feeling kind of guilty every time I looked at my feet. Pure Austin's only ten or fifteen dollars more and I feel like I'm supporting something I actually want in my community.
Thanks for posting this. I think a lot of women really don't know what's involved in the beauty industry, and if they realised how dangerous some of the chemicals and practices are, they'd probably change their routines pretty quickly. I like pretty toes as much as the next girl, maybe more, but not enough to put others at risk.
Much love,
Rowan
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Most of the strong fumes hitting your face when you walk by is simply acetone. Yes, it smells bad, but it's not one of the three chemicals the article is trying to scare you about. Just because you are "smacked in the face" by a smell in the mall does not mean OMG CANCER SCARY TOXIC DEATH BAD. But I bet most women who read this article would have trouble distinguishing acetone from formaldehyde, and have no idea what toluene and dibutyl phthalate might smell like.
Also, the implication of ignorant immigrant slave labor is a bit misleading. The manicurist I go to is, in fact, a young-looking Vietnamese woman who works very long hours and wishes she made more money. And she's also the business OWNER. There's not some well-manicured pimp hanging out in the back room forcing her to work against her will. The long hours and "wish I had more customers" is a common refrain of most every small-business owner -- regardless of their race. She wears a face mask and takes other sensible precautions to protect her health. The nail polish brands she uses are all on the "three free" list.
So, this IS an ethical and safe woman-owned and -operated small business using safe polish. But it's in a mall, smells of fumes, and is staffed by a couple of petite Vietnamese ladies who are in there long hours... after reading this article, would the average person take the time to find out the truth, or would she simply clutch her purse, shake her head sadly, and go to a "less scary" salon with a nice white manicurist and feel very righteous...
But to me, it seems like it's coddling racist bias and fearmongering about chemicals that have been phased out of 90% of the market already.
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Although the working conditions may be less than ideal for *some* nail salons, I'm glad to report that my experience with two places here in Lawrence is different from the tone of this article.
Those "scary salons" I go to without guilt here in town also use O.P.I. polishes, the techs use gloves and masks as they wish or not, and a good many of the technicians are students at KU. The Vietnamese woman who owns the two (Nail Citi on 6th st, and Nail Arts on Iowa) that I frequent is personable, does nails herself and jokes around with her workers as she pitches in when business is booming and there aren't enough of them on duty to take care of all the clients. Her husband also works from time to time, and I've never seen him be harsh with anyone at the salons.
Even the men (men!) who work there are proud of their work and their jobs. You'll often see them sitting aside on their off-time with their studies, or enjoying a game of cards to pass the time.
I find it hard to believe that these women and men are ignorant of the materials they handle (because English isn't their native language?)
These are college-educated people, many coming from other trades and work fields in their homeland that might surprise the author of this article.
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The author of the original article doesn't say never go to a salon owned and operated by non-whites. She says double-check the business practices of your salon. I think that's a good thing.
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and I can't vouch for any of the other salons here in town, which is why I mentioned the two I do know by name.
Today I'm going to try out a paraffin manicure by the gal who works at Ames' Blue Dot, when I get my hair done. She only charges $15 for it, and you bring your own polish!
I'll let you know if the paraffin soak is worthy :)
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I didn't get that at all. I understood it to say "Don't use these products or support salons that allow overexposure of their workers to these products. And if you don't know, ask."
Which, IMO, is a good policy in general. If you don't approve of how a business treats employees, don't patronize them. This is why I don't eat at several restaurants in town anymore, and why I don't shop at certain stores.
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