Photo courtesy of Refinery 29/She Finds
When we recommended our top picks for the hotter than hot neon polish trend, we didn’t realize that we could have potentially been encouraging you to break the law! But recent developments have uncovered that crafting neon nail polish in the United States is indeed banned — though it might not be why you’d expect.
Last week, CND co-founder and creative director Jan Arnold dropped a bomb on the beauty world when she told MORE magazine, “Neon nail polish is actually illegal to produce in the U.S. So if you see a neon shade in store, it’s imported.”
This comment sent the beautysphere in a tizzy to uncover what all the fluorescent fuss was about. Were there harmful chemicals in the formulas? Did the shocking shades cause permanent eye damage? Was it unlawful to so directly emulate the dastardly 80’s? Rumors swirled, and Daily Mail seemed to uncover the surprising mystery first.
CND’s chief scientific advisor Doug Schoon explained in an online interview that neons are prohibited simply because the colorants have never been officially registered with the FDA. “What determines whether a color is neon is the chemical composition, just as it is with blues and greens,” Schoon told Daily Mail. He continued to explain that anyone could submit
neon shades to the government, but it’s a costly and time-consuming process.
To be sure, since the FDA likely has bigger fish to fry, some smaller American companies have tested their luck by arranging neon production regardless. Still, larger companies have been playing it safe by creating uber-bright shades that might not be technically neon, but still measure up.
Deflated that your Orly day-glo hue isn’t scientifically sound?? Don’t fret. Below is a selection of internationally manufactured options that are sure to be TRUE neons:
Butter London 3 Free Nail Lacquer in Disco Biscuit ($14.00)
Illamasqua Nail Varnish in Gamma ($14.00)
Barry M Nail Paint in Neon Yellow (£2.99)
Nails Inc. Nail Polish in Ladbroke ($9.50)
Tell us — are you more encouraged or discouraged to don neon nails after hearing this news??
– Christiana Molina
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