While nails seem hard and impermeable, they are actually porous and absorbent. Be aware that even water-based polishes and plant-based removers may contain potentially irritating ingredients that could be absorbed either by your nails or by the skin surrounding your nails. Use products with the following ingredients with care:
Acrylic, Styrene/acrylate polymer and acrylate copolymers: These polymers could cause dermatitis and nasal irritation, and repeated exposure to nail salon workers may lead to asthma. There’s also the potential for them to be contaminated with more problematic methacrylic resins.
Benzophenone-1: This compound is a suspected hormone disruptor.
Ethyl lactate: Ethyl lactate is a volatile solvent that is flammable and can irritate the skin and respiratory tract. The EPA has noted some possibility that prolonged, repeated exposure to ethyl lactate may cause neurological damage.
Polyurethane formers and binders: Toluene diisocyanate (TDI), a component of polyurethane, can cause airway sensitivity and chemically induced asthma.