Nails Inc · Nail Polish & Top Coat
Nails Inc It's Topless 1 Step Gel Manicure Nail Polish
Avoid until brand discloses PFAS status or testing confirms safety.
Nails Inc provides no public PFAS statement for this one-step gel polish. While gel products rank lower for PFAS than water-resistant cosmetics, the brand's silence on ingredients remains concerning.
The better-graded swap
Piggy Paint
Nail Polish Piggy Paint
100/100 safety
Same rubric that flunked this product. The swap earned Excellent.
Still want this one anyway? Check the price on Amazon. We’d swap it.
Material
gel nail polish (acrylate resin base)
Brand disclosure
Brand is silent on PFAS
Lab data
No public lab test
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Is Nails Inc It's Topless 1 Step Gel non-toxic? What it is made of
Nails Inc It's Topless is a one-step gel manicure polish, meaning it combines base, color, and top coat in a single formulation based on acrylate resins cured under UV light. The acrylate backbone is standard in gel polishes and becomes inert once polymerized, but the uncured liquid contains oligomeric and monomeric acrylates that can cause skin sensitization during application or if the polish contacts skin before curing. The product's opaque formulation likely contains pigments and opacifiers whose heavy metal content (cadmium, lead) is not publicly disclosed by the brand.
What’s concerning
Category baseline
The starting point for this type of product, before anything specific to this product is counted.
No PFAS disclosure
No public statement from the brand about PFAS in this product.
Unreacted acrylate monomers and oligomers (sensitizer)
Gel polish liquids inherently contain uncured acrylates that can cause allergic contact dermatitis, especially with repeated exposure during application or if polish contacts skin before UV curing is complete. Nails Inc does not disclose monomer type or concentration.
Lead
Opaque gel polishes require pigments and white opacifiers whose composition is not publicly disclosed by Nails Inc. Nail dust and worn polish particles ingested or inhaled pose low but documented risk, particularly with frequent application.
Source, ATSDR ↗Fragrance and volatile organic compounds (VOC allergens, inhalation)
Gel polish formulations often include fragrance compounds and residual solvents to maintain workability; Nails Inc does not list fragrance allergen disclosure. Inhalation during application in poorly ventilated spaces may cause respiratory irritation or sensitization.
PFAS
Gel polishes have been found to contain PFAS in pigments, resins, and water-repellency additives in independent testing. Nails Inc's PFAS score of 65/100 and silent brand stance suggest likely PFAS presence, though specific testing on this product line is not public.
Source, ATSDR ↗UV light exposure during curing (carcinogenic, aging)
Gel manicures require UV-A exposure; cumulative risk is low for occasional use but increases with frequency. Nails Inc provides no guidance on UV protection or curing time minimization.
What’s reassuring
Base material not linked to PFAS
The main material recorded for this product is not one associated with PFAS.
The full breakdown
The brand's record and disclosure
Nails Inc has not published independent safety testing results, ingredient disclosure statements, or PFAS testing for this product line. The brand does not list certifications such as 13-free or 7-free nail polish standards. No significant recalls or safety incidents specific to this product are on record, but the lack of proactive transparency on chemical composition and PFAS status is atypical of safer-positioned competitors and limits independent verification of safety claims.
How it compares in its category
One-step gel polishes are inherently riskier than traditional lacquers because uncured acrylates remain in contact with skin during application. Nails Inc does not meet the disclosure standards of brands like Ella+Mila or Zoya, which publish ingredient lists and PFAS commitments. Compared to builder gels or separate base-color-top systems, single-step formulas concentrate multiple chemical classes in one product and may be less stable over the polish lifecycle, increasing leaching risk if the coating degrades.
If you buy it
Ensure hands are fully dry and skin is not abraded before application to minimize acrylate contact. Cure under UV light for the full recommended time (typically 30-60 seconds per layer) to maximize polymerization and reduce unreacted monomers. Avoid contact with skin, lips, or eyes during and immediately after application. Replace the manicure every 3-4 weeks or when visible chipping occurs, as degraded coating may leach residual monomers or pigments into skin contact zones. Use gloves during removal or soak removal rather than picking to prevent skin trauma.
What we don’t know
- Basis
- Model estimate, 45% confidence, not a lab result
- Lab test
- None on record for this exact product
- Brand statement
- Nails Inc has made none
Formulations change between production runs, so check the current label. How we grade.
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More nail polish & top coat grades
How we score, every product runs through the same public 0-100 rubric based on materials, coatings, brand disclosure, lab findings, and recalls. See the full methodology → Spotted a mistake? Report an error.