Cosmetic Color Products, ranked by PFAS safety

23 products graded A to F, safest first. 22 earn a C or better and are worth buying.

Bad · Better · Best cosmetic color products

The quickest read: what to skip and the top-graded picks worth buying instead.

AvoidF
Butter London Hardwear Shine UV Topcoat

Butter London

Butter London Hardwear Shine UV Topcoat

40/100 safety

No PFAS data available. Limited transparency on formula.

BetterC
Sally Hansen Xtreme Wear Nail Color Polish

Sally Hansen

Sally Hansen Xtreme Wear Nail Color Polish

75/100 safety

Standard nail polish with no known PFAS risk signals.

Best pickA
MAC Studio Matte Overlacquer

MAC Fix+

MAC Studio Matte Overlacquer

90/100 safety

Lower concern cosmetic spray.

Worth buying graded C or better, safest first

MAC Studio Matte Overlacquer

MAC Fix+

MAC Studio Matte Overlacquer

liquid cosmetic spray, alcohol and resin based

A
C
PFASAll
A · Very low PFAS3 flags

Lower concern cosmetic spray.

Risky category by default

Mac Nail Lacquer

MAC Fix+

Mac Nail Lacquer

Organic pigments, resins, solvents in liquid lacquer

C
F
PFASAll
C · Moderate3 flags

Standard nail lacquer; no known PFAS risk identified.

Risky category by default

Mac Nail Polish, Quiet Time, Beige

MAC Fix+

Mac Nail Polish, Quiet Time, Beige

nail polish, organic pigments and resins

C
F
PFASAll
C · Moderate4 flags

Lower concern. Nail polish rarely contains PFAS intentionally.

Risky category by default

MAC Nail Lacquer 10 ml / 0.34 oz ( CHOOSE

MAC Fix+

MAC Nail Lacquer 10 ml / 0.34 oz ( CHOOSE

Nail lacquer, organic pigments and film-formers

C
F
PFASAll
C · Moderate4 flags

Lower concern. Nail lacquer formulations rarely contain intentional PFAS.

Risky category by default

Mac Cosmetics Makeup | Mac Nail Lacquer Polish Over-Accessorized (Pink Gold Glitter ) Boxed | Color: Gold/Pink | Size: 0

MAC Fix+

Mac Cosmetics Makeup | Mac Nail Lacquer Polish Over-Accessorized (Pink Gold Glitter ) Boxed | Color: Gold/Pink | Size: 0

nitrocellulose, plasticizers, pigments, resins

C
F
PFASAll
C · Moderate5 flags

Nail polish: lower PFAS concern.

Risky category by default

Mac Nail Polish

MAC Fix+

Mac Nail Polish

water-based nail polish, pigments, resins

C
F
PFASAll
C · Moderate4 flags

Lower concern; typical nail polish without known PFAS triggers.

Risky category by default

MAC Nail Lacquer Polish Coffee Break (BROWN) Size

MAC Fix+

MAC Nail Lacquer Polish Coffee Break (BROWN) Size

Nail lacquer polish, organic solvent base with pigments

C
F
PFASAll
C · Moderate5 flags

Lower concern. Nail polish unlikely PFAS source vs. cosmetic treatments.

Risky category by default

Mac Nail Lacquer Nail Polish Al Fredo

MAC Fix+

Mac Nail Lacquer Nail Polish Al Fredo

nail lacquer film-forming resins, pigments, solvents

C
F
PFASAll
C · Moderate3 flags

Lower concern. Standard nail polish unlikely to contain PFAS, but no brand disclosure.

Risky category by default

Sally Hansen Xtreme Wear Nail Color

Sally Hansen

Xtreme Wear Nail Color

Nitrocellulose, plasticizers, resins, pigments

C
F
PFASAll
C · Moderate3 flags

Lower concern cosmetic. No known PFAS-triggering ingredients in nail lacquer.

Risky category by default

Sally Hansen Xtreme Wear Nail

Sally Hansen

Xtreme Wear Nail

nail polish, film-forming resins and solvents

C
F
PFASAll
C · Moderate4 flags

No known PFAS use; typical cosmetic formula carries low concern.

Risky category by default

Sally Hansen Miracle Gel Nail

Sally Hansen

Miracle Gel Nail

gel nail polish, synthetic polymers and resins

C
F
PFASAll
C · Moderate4 flags

No known PFAS use; cosmetic polish is lower concern product.

Risky category by default

Sally Hansen Xtreme Wear Nail Color Polish

Sally Hansen

Xtreme Wear Nail Color Polish

Nail lacquer, organic solvents and film-formers

C
F
PFASAll
C · Moderate4 flags

Standard nail polish with no known PFAS risk signals.

Risky category by default

Sally Hansen New Lengths Nail Color Secrets

Sally Hansen

New Lengths Nail Color Secrets

nitrocellulose, plasticizers, resins, pigments

C
F
PFASAll
C · Moderate4 flags

Nail polish, lower concern.

Risky category by default

Mega Strength Nail Sally Hansen

Sally Hansen

Mega Strength Nail Sally Hansen

nail polish, organic solvents and resins

C
F
PFASAll
C · Moderate4 flags

Lower concern. Nail polish is typically PFAS-free but verify ingredient list.

Risky category by default

Butter London Mini Nail Lacquer Set

Butter London

Mini Nail Lacquer Set

nail lacquer, organic pigments and resins

C
F
PFASAll
C · Moderate3 flags

Lower concern. Standard nail polish has minimal PFAS risk.

Risky category by default

Butter London Royal Quartet 4-Pc. Limited Edition Nail Lacquer Set

Butter London

Royal Quartet 4-Pc. Limited Edition Nail Lacquer Set

nail lacquer, organic solvents and resins

C
F
PFASAll
C · Moderate4 flags

Nail polish has low PFAS risk; no known connection to PFAS chemicals.

Risky category by default

Dior Vernis Nail Lacquer

Dior

Vernis Nail Lacquer

Nitrocellulose, plasticizers, resins, solvents

C
F
PFASAll
C · Moderate4 flags

Lower concern. Standard nail lacquer formulation carries minimal PFAS risk.

Risky category by default

Christian Dior Dior Vernis Couture Colour Gel Shine Long Wear Nail Lacquer

Dior

Christian Dior Dior Vernis Couture Colour Gel Shine Long Wear Nail Lacquer

Organic solvents, resins, pigments in nail lacquer

C
F
PFASAll
C · Moderate4 flags

Lower PFAS concern for nail lacquer.

Risky category by default

Dior Vernis Top Coat

Dior

Vernis Top Coat

nail polish film, resin and pigment base

C
F
PFASAll
C · Moderate4 flags

No PFAS risk indicators known; standard cosmetic formula.

Risky category by default

Dior Nail Lacquer Vernis

Dior

Nail Lacquer Vernis

nitrocellulose, plasticizers, resins, pigments

C
F
PFASAll
C · Moderate4 flags

Typical nail polish with no known PFAS use or disclosures.

Risky category by default

Dior Vernis Limited Edition Nail Lacquer

Dior

Vernis Limited Edition Nail Lacquer

Nitrocellulose lacquer base with pigments and resins

C
F
PFASAll
C · Moderate4 flags

Lower concern nail lacquer.

Risky category by default

Dior Diorific Vernis Nail Polish The Atelier of Dreams Limited Edition

Dior

Diorific Vernis Nail Polish The Atelier of Dreams Limited Edition

Nail polish base resins and pigments

C
F
PFASAll
C · Moderate4 flags

Nail polish PFAS risk unclear; Dior discloses nothing publicly.

Risky category by default

Graded and flagged D and F, we’d swap these

Butter London Hardwear Shine UV Topcoat

Butter London

Hardwear Shine UV Topcoat

UV-curable gel topcoat, formula not publicly disclosed

F
F
PFASAll
F · High PFAS4 flags

No PFAS data available. Limited transparency on formula.

Undisclosed proprietary coating

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