The Ultimate Guide To Cruelty-Free and Vegan Nail Polish

This is a paid advert with very but all thoughts are my own.

We’ve all been there, wanted to buy that new sparkly nail polish you have seen advertised, but then go to read the ingredients list and it contains Shellac…. So what exactly is Shellac and why is it not vegan? Nail polish is always a tricky one to get vegan, as so many brands use this ingredient.

Read on to learn more about Shellac and discover some incredible cruelty free and vegan alternatives.

What is Shellac?

Shellac is a glazing agent and is secreted from female lac bugs, she uses this Shellac to cocoon and protect herself whilst she lays her eggs, this hard Shellac is then harvested and used in products.

Nowadays most Shellac comes from dedicated plantations, where it is mass produced. It is estimated that a whopping 50,000 to 300,000 lac bugs are needed to produce 1 kilogram of Shellac, I mean wow! Who wants to wear crushed beetles in their nails anyway, not me for sure.

Did you know?

There are a fair few products that often contain Shellac, some I was surprised about, so it’s always good to check your ingredients.

• Citrus fruit (almost always made shiny with a layer of shellac)
• Apples (sometimes)
• Chocolate
• Marzipan
• Candy
• Nail polish
• Cosmetics
• Medicine (often to make them resistant against stomach acid)
• Silicones
• Furniture wax
• Wood finish
• Watches
• Some musical instruments
• Paint
• Waterproof ink
• Fireworks

Source: Shellac Export Promotion Council

Cruelty Free and Vegan Nail Polish Brands

Here are some amazing cruelty free and 100% vegan alternatives, let me know in the comments if you have tried any of these brands?

• Nailberry
• All Tigers
• Emolyne
• True Nail Polish
• Pastel Cosmetics
• Revolution Beauty
• Earthy Nail Polish
• Hanami
• Manucurist UK
• JINsoon
• Cienna Rose
• Smith & Cult
• Glossworks
• LivOliv
• Seren London
• MO Nails
• Neonail
• Peacci
• TOMATO
• Wrenn
• London Town
• Dear Sundays
• Ella Mila
• Color Club
• Nails Inc (they have a vegan range)
• Zoya
• Shoreditch Nail Polish
• Maggie Anne
• Remedy Nails
• Benecos
• Jade UK
• Pacifica
• Dimension Nails
• Beauty Without Cruelty
• The Gel Bottle
• Jolie Vegan
• Habit Cosmetics
• My Beauty Brand
• Barry M
• ORLY
• Telle Moi
• Gellifique
• Inaya Beauty
• Hay London
• SOPHi
• Zao
• M&S Autograph
• Beau Polish
• Dr Lamia
• Cally Cosmetics
• Butter London (they have a vegan range)
• Soigné Botanique
• Madam Glam
• Kester Black
• NCLA
• Fairypants
• Kia-Charlotta
• Kure Bazaar
• Trust Fund Beauty
• 516 Polish
• Prism Polish
• Maniko Nails (nail strips, base, top coat and remover)

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**FRIENDLY REMINDER: THIS POST MAY CONTAIN AFFILIATE LINKS THAT HELP OUT A LOT IF YOU CHOOSE TO PURCHASE FROM THEM (IT DOESN’T COST YOU ANYTHING EXTRA). I WILL ALWAYS TELL THE 100% TRUTH.