This post contains affiliate links.
Having a good manicure with your little girl sounds like a fun idea. Whether you chose to have a DIY manicure at home or a thorough makeover at the salon, the idea is entirely harmless. Don’t make this about you though, being a copy-paste of their mamas’ delight little girls. With this knowledge in mind, what nail polish is safe for toddlers?
Piggy Paint nail polish is the absolute go-to for your little girl. Toddlers’ nails and the surrounding skin are fragile and volatile. A nail polish that is specially formulated for kids is the best product to use. These paints are normally non-toxic, odorless, water-based and 100% chemical-free.
Most of the nail polish specially formulated for toddlers are mostly endless rainbow colors. You can never run out of options. Unlike adults’ polish that mostly contains harsh ingredients such as formaldehyde and phthalates, these are vegan and cruelty-free. They are formulated to be gentle on fragile sensitive skin.
However, before you start giving your toddler a serious manicure, there is a lot to learn. Familiarize yourself with the products you will use. Don’t also forget to gather ideas on the necessary steps for toddler manicure and safety precautions. Keep scrolling down the page to learn a lot more.
Table of Contents
Can I Put Nail Polish on My 2-Year-Old?
You can only put nail polish on your two-year-old after you have familiarized yourself with safe nail polish. Most nail polishes are designed for adults and they contain excessively toxic chemicals. Pick a product that is specially formulated for baby skin.
However, most children love to suckle on their fingers. It is mostly a reflex action. If your child can’t just keep her fingers away from her mouth, it is better not to paint her nails at all. You do not want your child to ingest anything that is not food whatsoever because it might upset their stomachs.
Most major brands are now going chemical-free with their products. Consider choosing a water-based product if you must cover your 2-year-old nails with polish. The typical nail polish odor is conspicuously missing on these products. Besides that, they are entirely non-toxic, and it is safe for the kids to apply themselves.
12 Toddler Safe Nail Polishes
No parent would want anything harmful close to their children’s fragile skin and nails. If your little kiddo can’t just get over mommy’s fabulous manicure, perhaps they can also get the nail job. With the major brands now going chemical-free all the way, it shouldn’t be hard to find a product that is suitable for your toddler. Always test a product first on a small patch before proceeding.
1. Piggy Paint Nail Polish
This nail polish has every good reason you should trust it on your kid’s nails. Yes, it was founded by a mom with two little pretty girls. The girls were just so fixated on painted nails since they were young. Because the mom couldn’t find anything safe for her kids, she decided she would make it herself. Voila! Your all-time favorite Piggy Paint was conceived.
Since it was conceived as a safer alternative, it is 100% non-toxic. It does not contain any harsh chemicals that can interfere with the baby’s nails and it is water-free. How else can you not love this odorless special formula? It is extremely affordable, and it comes with fun accessories and removers.
2. Kid Licks Nail Polish
The story has it that this product was funded by a family with four little kids. It is said that painted nails captivated the kids and it was obvious that they wanted some on their nails too. However, their constant shoving of fingers in their mouth didn’t make it possible. Then a bright idea came upon them. They formulated a safe product for their children.
This is a perfect formulation for your two-year-old who still can’t get over sticking her fingers into her mouth. This Kid Lick option is non-toxic, and you don’t have to jump on your feet and shout every time your child does that finger shoving on their mouths.
It is a food-based product. It is manufactured from 100% edible ingredients that cannot cause any upset to your kids’ stomach. The product is also biodegradable and non-toxic. They are designed for durability and your little child can rock them for days. They are easy and safe to remove, and it does not require any harsh chemicals to wear off.
3. Keeki Pure and Simple Nail Polish
This is yet another fantastic story of a mom and her little girls. They lived on an organic farm and obviously, everything about them was organic. The mom would experiment with her organic plants because she needed a product she could trust.
When you are a mom, you just can’t trust anyone or anything when it is about your kids. This mom was unimpressed with the arrays of products in the store that claimed to be safe and wholesome.
That is how this 100% organic and non-toxic nail polish was birthed. It is everything harmful and allergy-causing-free. The product does not contain any trace of gluten, soya, and acetone. That is not where it ends. The vibrant colors are specially formulated for kids. They have also designed all the nail accessories and nail fun products. Talk of being a mom!
4. Ella + Mila Me
This one is a story of awesome twins Ella and Mila. Now that you know where in the world it came from, you can rest assured that the brand was birthed because of kids. The two girls are the daughters of the founder and they were the inspiration behind this trustworthy brand.
This product is much more than your regular nail polish. It is all about trends and class and trusts me when I tell you, it will blow your little girl away. This non-toxic nail polish is eco-friendly, and it is cruelty-free. It is safe for your kids.
Its creative formulation is seven-free, and it contains no chemical undertones. These days, girls and their moms love twinning. This product has Mommy and Me designs and you are just going to love looking fabulous together. That is not all about the product. They have all the beauty accessories a young girl can ever need including make-up.
5. Suncoat Girl Water-based Nail Polish
This is one product that has aced the accolades reserved only for the best. It has bagged the Green Parent Natural Beauty Awards for its outstanding performance and excellence. This product has been certified by a board of toxicologists. It has been branded as safe for use.
It is yet another story of a mom looking for safe nail polish for her fashionable daughter. It is non-toxic and has been specially formulated to suit the fragile and sensitive nails of your baby. Every time you hear a brand formulated by a mom; you have every reason to trust it.
The product has a wide range of delightful colors to choose from. Your toddler can now pick all the favorite colors she ever imagined on her nails because the list of colors is long and impressive. This brand also has a make-up line specially formulated for your baby girls. There is no end to this creativity.
6. Cote Nail Polish
This premium nail polish is perfectly safe and ideal for use on your toddler’s fragile nail beds. It is cruelty-free and 100% vegan. This product does not contain any harmful chemicals that can interfere and cause damage to your child’s nails. The use of chemicals on those nails can severely affect the progress of the nails’ growth.
You will love the creamy feel of this fabulous consistency. It does not require several layers for opacity but just two thin layers. It has excellent coverage and its application brush is all you will ever want to use.
This product comes in a ton of delightful colors to choose from. We all know girls and colors. They are best friends. Your little twin will not run out of options especially with the glittery and neon colors. Girls and glitters!
7. Honeybee Gardens
This is yet another breath-taker. Not only with its watercolors but you will love the smooth consistency that gives nothing but excellent coverage. They are very easy to apply and thanks to the excellent application brush that gives the best strokes for perfect coats.
This organic non-toxic product is completely safe for sensitive and fragile nails. It does not contain any chemicals that can make your kid’s nails weak and brittle. Besides that, it comes with a long stretch of fabulous bright colors to choose from. Bright colors delight young girls.
This nail polish is easy to remove without necessarily using tough chemicals like acetone. All you need is a little rubbing with alcohol to wear off the colors. You can proceed to wash your hands with warm soapy water and voila! there goes your bare nails all strong and natural.
8. Priti Nail Polish
Priti nail polish is a special design to keep your nails pretty. But what is the purpose of wearing your nails pretty if they are going to be damaged? This product is designed to safeguard the perfect health of your kid’s nails while looking pretty.
Toxins in nail polish will damage your nail by making them brittle and excessively weak. This product is toxic-free, and it is kind even to the most fragile nails. The product is also biodegradable and eco-friendly.
Just as it is easy to apply and fabulous to rock, this nail polish is very easy to remove. Unlike many stubborn nail polishes, this product uses gentle removers. It has a special, ‘Soy Nail Remover’ which is perfect for all the nails in this kid-friendly category. The best part of their production journey is their collaboration with the New York Fashion Week.
9. Nubar Nail Lacquer
This nail lacquer has been formulated to maintain strong and healthy nails. Its organic components are good for the fragile and highly sensitive nails of your toddler. We all know that your toddler is still developing, and any organ damage might become a lifetime scar.
This glamorous paint is odorless and non-toxic. No one ever loved the wreaking smell of nail polish. Not even the kids whose nostrils and forming organs are super sensitive. This product will offer all the needed beauty while safeguarding the health of your young ones.
There is nothing that this polish can’t give you. The shimmery range of colors your kid has ever imagined in her little head is available. These royalty lacquers are designed to give that classy look without compromising any quality surrounding it. They come with extra Nail Art Strips. Doing nails with your little girls won’t be more fun!
10. Hopscotch Kids Nail Polish
This nail polish is designed not only to make your nails beautiful but to improve their health too. It is designed to condition your nails into strong and healthy organs. They are mostly organic and non-toxic. There is barely any trace of chemicals in them that is harmful to kids’ nails.
The main turn-off in most nail polishes is the bad smell that emanates from the little pretty bottle as soon as it is opened. Hopscotch is odorless and is safe to use even in a closed environment. Some of them have a hint of added scents to improve the quality and to make it pleasant to apply and wear all day long.
This brand comes in a variety of pleasant and fun colors to work with. No girl loves dull colors. This nail polish is bright in colors and projects happiness and joy. It has a smooth consistency that is easy to apply and remove without using harsh chemicals like acetone.
11. Acquarella Nail Polish
This is yet another water-based nail polish that is designed for nothing else but perfection. It is free of any harmful radicals and toxins that can harm the health of your toddlers’ nails. It is also made from organic ingredients and is biodegradable.
This nail polish is odorless, and it has no traces of that annoying smell that is usual to most nail polish. It is safe for both kids and even elderly individuals battling cancer. It is also good for adults with allergies and asthma. This product has everybody in mind, and it has no hidden chemical influence.
You will love their bright watercolors that have a smooth consistency and excellent coverage. You will simply love the viscosity of this nail polish and the opacity is easy to achieve with many overlapping layers.
12. Karma Organic Natural Nail Polish
If you want durability and uncompromised quality from a brand true to its words, then this is your polish. You will love every bit and turn of this formulation. Nothing about it is compromised. Nothing about it is hidden. It is all out in the open and all yours for the choosing!
Its formulation contains no traces of toxins and chemical radicals. They are built from scratch with organic ingredients and that is all it has to it. This product is also cruelty-free and 100% biodegradable and eco-friendly. Safe the environment while looking beautiful.
You will love the endless delightful colors from this brand. Your little girl will be blown away by them. The colors are deeply pigmented with a smooth consistency that gives those little nails a fabulous touch. On the flip side, they are very easy to remove without using any aggressive removers.
Dos and Don’ts When Applying Nail Polish to Your Toddler
When it comes to your toddlers, you want to be extra careful especially with anything that comes close to them. Introducing beauty products such as make-up and nail polish to them is a tough decision. You love them and we all know that you will eventually give in to their pleas. Once you have made up your mind, consider these do’s and don’ts when making their manicure.
Dos
· Try as much as possible to minimize skin contact with the nail polish. Even if it is kind to the nails, it might not be a good idea for the skin. Besides that, most if not all nail polishes are hard to clean especially from the skin and clothes.
· Try as much as possible to keep your baby still to avoid dripping and smudging the polish. Constant movement while applying nail polish can destroy perfect consistency and create unpleasant lumps and unevenness.
· Always do your baby’s nails outside on the patio or in a well-ventilated room. Even if a brand claims to be odorless, even when you cannot perceive any smell emanating from the polish, always be in a well-ventilated place before opening that bottle.
· If your baby still pops and suckles her fingers with her mouth, avoid using bright and attractive colors. Babies are curious individuals who don’t hesitate to taste anything new and popping with their mouths. Perhaps you should consider light, dull or transparent colors until the baby outgrows sucking her fingers.
· Allow your toddlers to rock their natural nails. Their organs are still forming and trying to grow. They are still fragile and extremely sensitive. They are prone to damage and weakening. Limit the polish only to special occasions and don’t let her wear it for longer than a week.
· Only use nail polish specially formulated for toddlers. Your nails are fully developed and tough. Hers is not. Intentionally pick non-toxic products specially formulated for toddlers. If you can find organic nail polish, it is better to invest in them.
· Always store the nail polish out of reach of children. Whether it is yours or hers, store them out of their reach as soon as you are done. Always ensure that all bottles are perfectly sealed and stored in a cool dry place away from direct sunlight.
Don’ts
· Do not use regular nail polish on your baby’s nail polish. Her fragile developing nails do not match your tough nails that you have rocked for years and years. There are many brands of baby nail polish. Invest in them for the benefit of your toddler’s nails.
· Don’t polish your baby’s nails frequently. Limit the application to only special occasions and let them wear their natural nails to allow healthy growth and development.
· Do not let the nail polish touch your baby’s skin. Not even the area around the nails. If it does by accident, stop everything and thoroughly clean the affected area. The skin is way more sensitive compared to nails.
· Don’t leave your baby immediately after application. Watch them until the nail polish is completely dry and safe to use their fingers. Otherwise, you will end up with a mess on the skin, clothes, and everything around them.
· Do not let the nail polish sit on your baby’s nails longer than necessary. If possible, remove them after two to three days. Overstaying with nail polish will not only dry out the nails but will also weaken and make them brittle and vulnerable.
Tips on How to Apply Nail Polish on Your Toddler
Children can be so annoying. They just can’t stay put and calm especially when you want them to. It is not their fault because they are wired to be hyperactive and to just not be still. Some people avoid applying nail polish and making their baby’s hair altogether because it is a field day. Try to apply these ideas and see how it works for you.
1. Assemble All the Materials
Before you bring in your toddler for the manicure, assemble everything you will require in your workstation. Leaving your toddler unattended with the nail polish is asking for a disaster to happen. Don’t rush to the closet to bring a base coat, you will regret it.
2. Place Your Baby on a Chair
Ask your baby to sit on a higher chair to allow easy and comfortable access to their nails and toes. Put something engaging in front of them to occupy them as you get to work. Especially if your baby doesn’t understand yet the importance of sitting still and keeping calm.
3. One Hand at a Time
Don’t apply nail polish to the fours all at once. Finish with one part at a time. For instance, if you are starting with hands, do one finger and ensure that they are completely dry and well-manicured before proceeding to the other. This will help you to avoid any unnecessary mess.
4. Teach Your Baby
If your baby is old enough to understand, teach her to remain still while you are working on their nails. Ask them not to ingest or breathe in the toxic smell that will escape your polish bottle as soon as you open it.
5. Polish When Asleep
If your Baby is hyperactive and can’t just keep calm, wait until she falls asleep before doing her nails. It is also a good idea if your baby pops her fingers on her mouth. This will keep her from popping and ingesting the wet nail polish.
5 Nail Polish Chemicals that Are Toxic for Your Toddler
Don’t be too trusting as to pick anything that has ‘baby’ in it. As a parent, you must be critical and extra careful especially when buying anything that goes into your baby. Read the labels carefully. Here is a list of very toxic chemicals found in most Nail Polish.
1. Toluene
Most brands use this chemical as a stabilizer. It is also used as a solvent to keep your nail viscous. Too much exposure to it mostly causes headaches and dizziness. It can also result in severe conditions such as respiratory diseases.
2. Dibutyl Phthalate
This emulsifying agent is considered carcinogenic. Most nail polish brands use it to create a flowing consistency. However, it has been considered harmful in most countries and therefore burned. Continuous exposure to this chemical can cause both kidney and liver problems.
3. Formaldehyde
This is another carcinogenic culprit responsible for irritation, allergies, and long-term illnesses. It can affect your lungs and nasal cavity. It can also affect your eyes and respiratory tract. Most brands use it as a hardener and to prevent the flaking of nails.
4. Camphor
We all love that fabulous gloss at the end of our manicure. It tells a story of class and glamour. Camphor is responsible for all these good things. However, ingesting even the smallest amount can cause serious problems. It is known to cause seizures in babies. It also causes disorientation even in elderly persons.
5. Triphenyl Phosphate
We all enjoy that thick and flowing consistency when polishing our nails. It leaves our nails glossy and beautiful all thanks to this chemical. On the flip side, this chemical is the number one enemy for your toddler’s tender skin. Constant contact can spark unwanted allergies. It can also cause severe problems to the respiratory system.
Conclusion
You all love to pamper and doll up your little girls. That is relatable and even for the ones who are not yet blessed with babies, they live for that day they will do their girls’ nails and hair. Before you introduce anything to your baby, always consult with a health physician and a nail expert if possible.
Here you can read more about Are Nail Polish Fumes Harmful To Babies? (Find Out Here)
Sources
- BiggerBetterDays: 5 Kid-Friendly Non Toxic Nail Polish Brands
- MomJunction: Nail Polish for Babies: Is it Safe or Unsafe?
- MomLovesBest: Is It Safe to Paint Your Baby or Toddler’s Nails?
MakeupRestart.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. We also participate in other affiliate programs which compensate us for referring traffic.
Leave a Reply