Sex and Candy Nail Polish Set vs Basecoat & Sealer Nail Polish: which is safer?

Piggy Paint Basecoat & Sealer Nail Polish is our pick: better on PFAS and on the overall hazard picture.

Deborah Lippmann Sex and Candy Nail Polish Set

Deborah Lippmann

Sex and Candy Nail Polish Set

PFAS grade

Excellent 75/100

Overall grade

Good 63/100

Verdict

Buy

Hazard flags

⚑ 3

Material

Nail lacquer (organic solvents, resins, pigments)

Confidence

72%

PossibleOrganic solvent inhalation (toluene, xylene, potentially dibutyl phthalate)

PossibleFormaldehyde or formaldehyde releasers

PossibleFragrance allergens (undisclosed fragrance compounds)

Our pick

Piggy Paint Basecoat & Sealer Nail Polish

Piggy Paint

Basecoat & Sealer Nail Polish

PFAS grade

Excellent 100/100

Overall grade

Excellent 82/100

Verdict

Buy

Hazard flags

⚑ 3

Material

Water-based organic pigments and plant-derived resins

Confidence

82%

PossibleHeavy metals in organic pigments

ReportedVolatile organic compounds (VOCs) from solvents

PossibleBacterial or fungal growth in water-based formula

Where these two actually differ

  • We flag Organic solvent inhalation (toluene, xylene, potentially dibutyl phthalate), Formaldehyde or formaldehyde releasers and Fragrance allergens (undisclosed fragrance compounds) on the Deborah Lippmann and not on the Piggy Paint.
  • We flag Heavy metals in organic pigments, Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from solvents and Bacterial or fungal growth in water-based formula on the Piggy Paint and not on the Deborah Lippmann.
  • The Deborah Lippmann is Nail lacquer (organic solvents, resins, pigments) where the Piggy Paint is Water-based organic pigments and plant-derived resins, which is most of the difference in these two grades.
  • The gap is 25 points, wide enough that this is not a close call, and the Piggy Paint is the one to buy.

Both products run through the same public rubric: materials, coatings, brand disclosure, lab findings, and recalls, plus a beyond-PFAS hazard analysis. Grades are model-based estimates, not lab tests. How grades work →

More nail polish & top coat: see the full ranking