Sally Hansen Review, Is Sally Hansen Non-Toxic?
PFAS Authority is a scoring system, not a laboratory. We do not test products ourselves. Grades are model-based, built from published ingredients, materials, certifications, brand disclosures and third-party lab results where they exist. See the rubric.
Across 12 graded products, Sally Hansen averages Good (68/100). On disclosure, the brand says nothing publicly about PFAS. 6 of its products grade Good or better. Grades are model-based estimates, not lab results.
Worth buying from Sally Hansen Good or better, safest first
Sally Hansen
Xtreme Wear Nail Color
Nitrocellulose, plasticizers, resins, pigments
Phthalate plasticizers
Sally Hansen has not publicly confirmed the type of plasticizer in Xtreme Wear (dibutyl…
Solvent inhalation (toluene, xylene, acetone)
Nitrocellulose lacquers release volatile organic compounds during application and drying.…
Skin sensitization from resins or fragrance
Nail polish resins (tosylamide, formaldehyde resin) and added fragrance compounds can…
Low-medium concern. No known PFAS-triggering ingredients present.
⚠Risky category by default
Sally Hansen
Xtreme Wear Nail
nail polish, film-forming resins and solvents
Volatile organic solvents (acetone, ethyl acetate, toluene)
These are standard in nail polish but generate fumes during application and drying.…
Formaldehyde / VOCs
Xtreme Wear does not explicitly exclude formaldehyde or formaldehyde releasers in public…
Phthalates
Phthalates are commonly used as plasticizers in nail polish resins to improve…
Skin sensitization from resin or solvent contact
Contact dermatitis is a known risk with nitrocellulose-based polishes, particularly in…
Low-medium concern. No known PFAS use in typical formula.
⚠Risky category by default
Sally Hansen
Miracle Gel Nail
gel nail polish, synthetic polymers and resins
Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from uncured gel monomers
Gel polishes emit monomer vapors (primarily acrylates) during application and initial…
UV exposure from curing lamps
Curing with UV or LED lamps exposes hands to radiation that carries melanoma and…
Fragrance allergens and sensitizers
Gel polishes typically contain fragrance or masking agents to offset monomer odor. Sally…
Heavy metals
Some nail polish pigments (particularly bright reds, yellows, and metallics) may contain…
Low-medium concern. No known PFAS use in gel polish.
⚠Risky category by default
Sally Hansen
Xtreme Wear Nail Color Polish
Nail lacquer, organic solvents and film-formers
Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) - toluene, xylene, acetone inhalation
Standard nail lacquers rely on these solvents for application and drying. Exposure risk…
Dibutyl phthalate (DBP) or phthalate plasticizers
DBP and related esters are common plasticizers in nail polish to improve flexibility.…
Formaldehyde / VOCs
Nail lacquers typically use formaldehyde resins to harden and bind pigment. Sally Hansen…
Fragrance allergens and irritation from additives
Sally Hansen Xtreme Wear contains fragrance (unlisted components per standard cosmetic…
Low-medium concern. Standard formula with no known PFAS risk.
⚠Risky category by default
Sally Hansen
New Lengths Nail Color Secrets
nitrocellulose, plasticizers, resins, pigments
Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) and inhalation risk
Solvent-based nail polish inherently releases toluene, xylene, and acetone vapors during…
Phthalates
Conventional nail polishes often contain phthalates (typically dibutyl phthalate, DBP) as…
Formaldehyde / VOCs
Some conventional nail polish resins contain formaldehyde or formaldehyde-releasing…
Contact sensitization from fragrance or colorants
Nail polish can trigger allergic contact dermatitis from azo dyes, fragrance compounds…
Low-medium concern. No known PFAS use in typical formulations.
⚠Risky category by default
Sally Hansen
Mega Strength Nail Sally Hansen
nail polish, organic solvents and resins
Volatile organic solvent inhalation (toluene, xylene, acetone)
Sally Hansen does not disclose solvent identity for Mega Strength. Inhalation of typical…
Formaldehyde / VOCs
Nitrocellulose-based polishes and some hardening resins can contain or release trace…
Dibutyl phthalate (DBP) or other phthalate plasticizers
Many conventional nail polishes contain DBP as a plasticizer to prevent cracking. Sally…
Sensitization or allergic contact dermatitis from resins or fragrance
Nail polish can trigger allergic reactions to tosylamide-formaldehyde resin, fragrance…
Low-medium concern. Nail polish typically PFAS-free but check ingredients.
⚠Risky category by default
Graded and flagged Poor and Bad, we’d swap these
Sally Hansen
Miracle Gel Nail Polish Sally Hansen
nitrocellulose-based polish with proprietary gel resins
Volatile organic compounds (toluene, xylene)
Nitrocellulose-based gel polishes universally contain these solvents to achieve drying…
Dibutyl phthalate (DBP) or replacement plasticizers
Sally Hansen markets some lines as 'DBP-free,' but Miracle Gel's exact plasticizer is not…
Formaldehyde / VOCs
While Sally Hansen labels some products as formaldehyde-free, proprietary gel resins may…
UV/LED lamp exposure during curing
Miracle Gel curing requires UV or LED lamps. LED lamps carry lower skin damage risk than…
Skip until Sally Hansen discloses gel resin chemistry or testing.
⚠Risky category by default
Sally Hansen
Nail Polish Sally Hansen Miracle Gel
nitrocellulose, plasticizers, resins (typical nail polish formulation)
Phthalate plasticizers (likely dibutyl phthalate or regulated alternatives)
Older Sally Hansen formulations contained phthalates; current Miracle Gel may use safer…
Formaldehyde / VOCs
Nail polishes typically emit VOCs during application and curing; some Sally Hansen…
UV/LED curing photochemical exposure
Gel curing requires 10-90 seconds under UV or LED lamps, exposing skin and eyes to…
Acetone exposure during removal
Gel removal requires prolonged acetone contact (10-15 minutes), which can dry skin and…
Insufficient data; typical nail polish PFAS risk unclear without disclosure.
⚠Risky category by default
Sally Hansen
Salon Pro Gel Nail Polish
Gel polish (acrylate-based lacquer)
Methacrylate monomer sensitization (skin contact & inhalation)
Uncrosslinked acrylate monomers in gel polish are well-documented allergens and irritants…
UV exposure during curing
Repeated weekly UV-A exposure from gel curing lamps has been associated with photoaging…
Acetone toxicity during removal
Removal via acetone soaking (the standard method for gel polish) carries inhalation and…
Coating adhesion degradation & microabrasion
Gel polish chipping or peeling (common after 2-3 weeks) may generate micro-particles that…
Insufficient transparency; nail polish PFAS risk unclear.
⚠Risky category by default
Sally Hansen
Miracle Gel Nail Color Quartz & Kisses
nitrocellulose-based gel nail lacquer
Phthalates
DBP is a common plasticizer in nitrocellulose nail lacquers; it is banned in the EU but…
Solvent volatility and inhalation exposure
Gel-hybrid formulas contain acetone, toluene, and other organic solvents that off-gas…
LED/UV lamp exposure
The curing lamp emits UVA radiation. Exposure is brief (30-60 seconds per manicure) and…
Low public data; gel formulas occasionally contain fluorinated compounds.
⚠Risky category by default
Sally Hansen
Miracle Gel Pearl Nail Polish
Gel lacquer (acrylics, resins, film-formers)
Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and solvent exposure
Gel polish relies on volatile photoinitiators, monomers, and solvent carriers that…
UV/LED curing radiation exposure
Repeated curing under UV or LED lamps exposes skin on hands and fingers to cumulative…
Heavy metals
Pearl finishes rely on mica coated with iron oxides and synthetic colorants; occasional…
Microplastic shedding during wear and removal
Gel polish sheds microplastics as it flakes during wear and fragments during acetone…
Skip or check label; gel polish formulations opaque.
⚠Risky category by default
Sally Hansen
Miracle Gel Nail Polish
gel polish resin base (proprietary formula)
Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs)
Gel polish solvents (ethyl acetate, isopropyl alcohol) are established VOCs. Inhalation…
Skin sensitization from methacrylates
Methacrylate oligomers in gel formulations are known allergens and can cause contact…
Photoinitiator residues
LED-cured gel polishes contain photoinitiators (e.g., benzoyl peroxide derivatives) to…
Skip or contact Sally Hansen; nail polish PFAS remains unregulated.
⚠Undisclosed proprietary coating
Every grade uses the same public rubric. How grades work →