Brand Breakdown: Is Sundays a Clean Beauty Brand?
Background on Sundays
Sundays was founded by Amy with the design in mind for the studio to feel like home, so that clients can feel comfortable and be themselves, without the hustle and bustle of rushing. While in nail school, Amy felt strongly about creating a non-toxic, salon-quality product and service that was safe for both clients and employees. She spent a year after she graduated from Columbia University with an MBA, working with a chemist to study the nail care products on the market and to create her own non-toxic nail polish formula, which is sundays’ signature product.
Is Sundays as clean as they claim to be? We reviewed the brand to find out.
How we Rank the Brand
Green Heart – We approve of this brand’s products and they contain zero known toxins.
Yellow Heart – We approve of most ingredients in this brand’s products, they might contain some toxins or known allergies.
Red Heart – We suggest you proceed with caution and limit your exposure and use to this brand’s products as there are toxins present.
Ingredients of Sundays
Sundays states on their site, “We pay special attention to what goes into every bottle of sundays polish. It took a whole year to develop the perfect 10-free nontoxic, vegan, and cruelty-free formula that could still deliver high-shine, and long-lasting brilliant color, so you can look and feel fantastic. No compromises.
They state they do not include: TPHP, dibutyl phthalate, toluene, xylene, ethyl tosylamide, camphor, formaldehyde, formaldehyde resin, parabens, and tert-butyl hydroperoxide.
Below you will see a snapshot of their No 25 Nail Polish.
Breaking Down the Ingredients
Sunday overall does an excellent job at maintaining integrity and providing quality ingredients in their products.
Benzophenone-1
Benzophenone-1 is used to absorb and dissipate ultraviolet (UV) radiation that helps color last longer but is linked to endocrine disruption. The Endocrine Disruption Exchange Database shows references. As well as the CIR which can be linked to the following. There are some studies that show it is relatively harmless in small quantities, however it has also been linked to breast cancer, ovarian cancer, prostate cancer, and has been found in human placental tissue.
Artificial / Synthetic Dyes / Colorants
There are two types of colorants used as nail polish ingredients, both of which may contain traces of heavy metals. The two types are:
- organic pigments/dyes, derived from petrochemicals (Red 40, Yellow 5, etc)
- inorganic mineral pigments, such as iron oxides.
These synthetic dyes are very common in beauty products, even those labeled clean because the percentage is usually less than 1% but still may pose a threat to those with allergens.
Aluminum Powder
Aluminum is associated with oxidative damage to cell membranes and may cause changes to the mobility of cells. It is being investigated as a risk factor for breast cancer. It has been linked to Alzheimer’s, and studies have concluded it may contribute to the body’s depletion of phosphorus, calcium, magnesium, and iron. However, the CIR (Cosmetic Ingredient Review) expert panel claims systemic exposure to aluminum ingredients in cosmetics is negligible because it is absorbed poorly by the body.
Polyethylene glycols (PEGs)
PEG-30 and PEG-8 are found in their Soy Polish Remover. PEGs are manufactured with carcinogenic ethylene oxide whose traces may remain in the final product.
Diethylhexyl Adipate
Diethylhexyl Adipate which can be found in their soy polish remover which is a chemical that is toxic for organs, and is also a possible endocrine disruptor and carcinogen.
Heavy Metals /PFAS
Based on their website, they do not provide any information regarding the testing for heavy metals. however, we know that colorants could have the possibility of containing heavy metals.
Going Beyond Beauty
Sustainability
Sundays does not provide any details about sustainability or towards sustainable practices.
Giving Back
At this time it does not look like Sundays gives back through a non-profit or partner with any non-profit organizations.
Cruelty- Free/ Vegan
Sundays products and ingredients are not derived from animals, and they have not been tested on animals.
Certified Organic
Sundays is not certified organic.
Where is it Manufactured
Sundays nail polish is made in the US.
Parent Company
Sundays is not owned by a parent company.
Final Rating:
While it’s really hard to find a truly non-toxic nail polish there are some that meet the standards. Sundays does an okay job in our book based on the limited amount of potentially harmful ingredients.
We would recommend this Brand with precautions.
Want to Read Another Brand Breakdown? Try Reading This One On Osea!