As we approach Earth Day this year, we are reflecting on our core values of sustainability and eco-responsibility, taking into consideration our positioning in an industry that is known for having devastating effects on the environment. The beauty, cosmetic and care industries are estimated to produce around 120 billion tonnes of packaging waste annually, with the most obvious culprit being single-use plastics. Other concerns related to our industry and the environment include: promoting over consumption, utilization of non-renewable resources and the release of harmful chemicals into the environment, either during manufacturing or through disposal of unused products.
At Manucurist we are mindful of the impact of our products and are always looking to offer innovative and sustainable solutions so that there is no compromise! As a company founded in the professional space, we know the value of offering top quality products, and so our goal has always been to blend our passions for superior care, professional prestige, color, fashion and bounty pushing innovations, all while holding true to our environmental initiatives and brand values. You can have brilliantly vibrant, long-lasting manicures, healthy & hydrated hands AND do your part to support a cleaner future for our planet! Enough is enough!
🧪GREEN on the inside
Traditional nail varnish and gel polish formulas are often littered with chemicals that are not only harmful to the planet but also to human health. The most common include formaldehyde, toluene and phthalates which can pollute water systems, affect air & soil quality and harm wildlife & ecosystems. Additionally, these chemicals can cause respiratory and reproductive complications, or even cancer.
When taking our formulas into consideration, it was essential to exclude these and other toxic, sensitizing or otherwise harmful ingredients. Manucurist products are all formulated in-line with an intensive black list, and our Green Flash LED Gel-alternative is free from 12 of the most common toxic chemicals found in traditional gel nail polishes. We also look to replace ingredients wherever possible with natural alternatives as this can offer increased benefits in terms of sustainability. For example, plant based sources of ingredients can be upcycled from other industries, reverting resources that would have otherwise been wasted. In addition plant based sources have an increased renewable profile, especially when compared to petroleum based ingredients, such as toluene and phthalates which Manucurist excludes.
Manucurist’s Plant-Based Ingredient Sources:
- Potato
- Corn
- Yuca
- Sugar Cane
- Wheat
- Cotton
🌱Plant Power
In addition to an increased renewable profile, plant ingredient sources provide a plethora of benefits that we harness for our formulations to increase the efficacy of desired effects such as hydrating, protecting and repairing. This is especially prevalent in our care and base treatment offerings. Higher percentages of plant based ingredients and plant actives make our products powerful, especially as these types of actives oftentimes have more than one beneficial effect. It is because of this that we were able to create a remover for our LED gel alternative polish, that is made of 97% biosourced plant ingredients and quickly removes product in 1 minute without the use of harmful and drying acetone.
Powerful plant ingredients we formulate with for specific properties:
Hydrating:
- Sunflower Oil
- Coca Oil
- Colza Wax
- Kukui Nut Oil
Strengthening:
- Lemon Extract
- Baobab Oil
- Walnut Oil
- Chestnut Seed Extract
Nourishing/Soothing:
- Damask Rose Oil
- Alkanet Root Extract
- Colza Oil
- Aloe Vera
- Lily Flower Extract
- Sweet Almond Oil
- Raspberry Extract
Antioxidant:
- Coca Oil
- Seaweed Extract
- Ginseng Extract
- Pomegranate Extract
- Grape Extract
💚Responsibly GREEN
Vegan: All our products are certified vegan by The Vegan Society which assures the absence of animal products or ingredients in the formulation, production, or manufacturing of products. Our vegan certification is truly a testament to our commitment to providing innovative & clean options in the nail care space, as animal products are often found in hidden forms such as processing aids, solvents or even colorants.
Cruelty Free: All our products are cruelty-free according to REACH (Regulation No 1223/2009), which banned the use of animals for cosmetic testing in the EU in 2013. This applies to finished products, final formulations and all ingredients included in final formulations.
Organic: Products offered in our care line, including all hand creams, botanical lotions, botanical soaps and multi use balms, have been evaluated by Ecocert and certified Organic according to their COSMOS certification standards. This certification ensures:
- At least 95% of the plants contained in the formula are organic
- At least 20% of the organic ingredients are present in the total formula
- Production and manufacturing processes respect the environment and human health
- Natural resources are used responsibly and respect biodiversity
- Absence of petrochemical ingredients and GMOs
- Addition of recyclable packaging
Responsibly Sourced Mica: Mica is the ingredient that gives formulas that shiny, glittery finish. It’s used in everything from eyeshadow, to highlighters, bronzers, blush, and yes even nail polish. Mica, a naturally occurring mineral ingredient, has faced criticism over recent years as concerns have been raised regarding the sourcing and procurement practices related to this ingredient. Conversely, because there is no real natural alternative that gives the same lustrous effect, many companies and formulators are reluctant to replace it. At Manucurist, we practice extreme caution when using Mica and are sure to only use Mica that comes from sources certified by the Responsible Mica Initiative (RMI). This certification assures:
- No child labor can be observed throughout the entire supply chain
- Specific funds are given to particular geographic zones to improve child situations, for example by building schools and/or hospitals.
You can rest assured, that our shades like Moon, Red Hibiscus, and Cosmic Rose, only showcase a responsible glittering effect.
Biodegradable: The cosmetic and beauty industry has a big problem when it comes to product life cycle. More often than not, the end of life location for products will sadly be the landfill. This includes single use plastics that never degrade or toxic chemicals that seep into water and soil systems over time. Especially when considering the nail art category, it can be extremely difficult to find sustainable alternatives to microplastic filled gems or harmful glitters. This is why we are proud to offer nail art glitters that are completely biodegradable! For a product to be considered biodegradable, it must be able to break down into its natural elements by organisms like bacteria and fungi (by most definitions, this must happen within a year of disposal), as well as not pollute the surrounding environment once it has degraded. All our glitters are tested for biodegradability by ISO 14851 and OECD 301F over the course of 28 days, as well as certified to comply with environmental safety criteria and the OK biodegradable WATER standard.
Glitters in gold, silver, rose quartz and many more colors to come…all without the fear of environmental impact often found with micro plastic based glitters.
📦Planet Happy Packaging
Manucurist is motivated to offer innovative and sustainable packaging solutions, so that our company can help to change the nail care status quo and in an effort to be more transparent, and help make recycling information more accessible to our customers, we have also added recycling directions below every product under the “Sustainable Packaging” tab.
Here are some of the ways we offer increased exo-profiles for our products and their packaging:
No Secondary Packaging: Secondary packaging is the packaging used outside the primary product. All our individual Green & Green Flash polishes, as well as our polish removers, botanical creams & soaps, and multi-use balm are sold completely without secondary packaging. No unnecessary plastic box to throw away!
Recycled Aluminum: Did you know aluminum is one of the most recycled and recyclable materials? This is the main reason we chose aluminum to package all our hand creams, botanical creams, botanical soaps, glitters, effect powders and multi-use balms. In addition, the aluminum used for our botanical soaps and creams come from post consumer recycled sources! This option was a no-brainer for us, as we knew we could not stand to offer large plastic bottles that would only contribute to the problem, and offering an upcycled material for an increased sustainable profile made us even happier.
FSC Certified Kraft Paper: When products do offer secondary packaging, for example our Green Base Treatments, Color Collections (Rainbow Kits in France), and hand creams, they are packaged in Kraft cardboard paper that comes from FSC certified forests. The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certifies that “forests are managed in a way that preserves biological diversity and benefits the lives of local people and workers, while ensuring it sustains economic viability.”. In addition, kraft packaging is used for all our shipments, which was very important for us as Kraft paper is completely biodegradable. Kraft will break down into cellulose fibers, exactly like leaves from a tree would.
Certified Organic Cotton: All the cotton used for our bags are made with cotton certified organic by The Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS), which was developed to “define world-wide recognized requirements for organic textiles. From the harvesting of raw materials, environmentally and socially responsible manufacturing to labeling”. This certification requires that the final product must contain a minimum of 70% certified organic cotton (we use 100%!), it also assures the cotton is grown without the use of synthetic pesticides, insecticides, herbicides or GMOs according to the principles of organic agriculture. In this way the production process sustains the health of ecosystems, soils and people.
🏆Awarded and Validated
We are beyond proud of the awards we have received in the beauty space and see it as a testament to our passion to provide clean, effective and high quality polishes that push for sustainable change in the industry.
Cosmopolitan Clean Beauty Award Winner 2023
Our entire GREEN polish line was chosen as a 2023 winner of the Cosmopolitan Clean Beauty Award in the nail category! Our Green line was entered alongside products from over 600+ brands, and evaluated by board certified dermatologists, cosmetic chemists and licensed estheticians. All aspects of the products were considered: formulation, ingredient choices, manufacturing, production, and packaging materials / formats, and to win, products needed to not only be effective but also rooted in science and benefit the wellbeing of people and the planet.
Here is what they said about us:
“There are plenty of nontoxic nail polishes these days, but not all perform the way Manucurist’s Green collection does. The formula goes on without streaks or clumps and is incredibly long-lasting (I got a solid six days out of a mani). Oh, and the shade range is 10/10 too—you’ll find everything from opaque pastels to sheer metallics.”
Marie Claire Beauty Excellence Award 2020
In 2020 our Green Flash line of gel-alternative LED polishes and acetone-free remover was chosen as one of 11 products to win a Marie Claire Beauty Excellence Award with a special recognition for our sustainable engagement! Marie Claire seeks to find and award new beauty innovations and products that push the boundaries. Evaluated by a panel of 23 beauty experts, they raved about the formula saying:
The Future is GREEN
The future is green and we are happy to do our part in offering alternatives to make the nail industry more sustainable everyday. We are constantly looking for ways to improve, innovate, and create products that support a brighter future for our planet, while staying true to our brand’s foundation in providing professional quality products that improve and nourish overall hand and nail health. No compromises! Let’s Flash together ⚡️
