Focus on the specific terms we use to talk about our products
At Manucurist, we sometimes use professional terms whose meanings aren't always clear (INCI lists, bio-sourced, etc.). What is the difference between a vegan product and a cruelty-free product? And what does 12-free mean? If you sometimes feel a bit lost, this article will tell you everything you need to know!
What is an INCI list?
Since it was established Manicurist has been all for transparency, which is why we want to help you decipher the INCI lists for our products (see our Philosophy page for more information). When we talk about an INCI list, we are actually referring to an internationally recognised list of names used to identify cosmetic ingredients.
The term "INCI" is the acronym for "International Nomenclature of Cosmetic Ingredients". There are several cosmetic nomenclatures but in Europe we use INCI. It has been mandatory for cosmetic products since 1998. It means that all the cosmetic products sold on the European marked must display the full list of ingredients on their packaging, in decreasing order of quantity.
Manucurist is 12-free and contains no endocrine disruptors
We often say that our Green formula is 9-free and that Green Flash is 12-free. This means they don’t contain any controversial molecules, i.e. acrylate monomers, toluene, camphor, DB, xylene, formaldehyde, hydroquinone, ethyl tosylamide, triphenyl phosphate, benzophenone, styrene or phenoxyethanol..
Our formulas are also free of endocrine disruptors. ANSES defines these as substances that interfere with the hormonal function of living organisms and can lead to harmful effects on health (growth, reproduction and nervous system) and the environment. One example is bisphenol A or BPA, which is an endocrine disruptor that has been banned in baby bottles and other food containers since 2015.
Green Flash: gel nail polish reinvented
Now you know why we’re so proud of our Green Flash formula containing no sensitising monomers or hydroquinone! To find out more about these molecules, check out our detailed blog post on the subject: Green Flash: why is it the real deal? You'll find out how they are used in traditional gel polish, how they can damage your health and what we have replaced them with in our Green Flash products.
Green nail polish that's kind to the planet
It can be difficult to understand the distinction between vegan and cruelty-free, but the terms are not synonymous. In Europe, a law was introduced in 2013 prohibiting cosmetic companies from testing their products on animals. This means all cosmetics "made in Europe" are cruelty-free.
Manucurist has been certified by the Vegan Society, which guarantees that neither our products nor our packaging contain ingredients of animal origin.
To reduce our environmental impact, we opt to use bio-sourced ingredients wherever possible. This means a significant proportion of our ingredients are sourced from plant materials, unlike many conventional polishes which contain ingredients from petrochemicals.
If you want to find out more about bio-sourced ingredients and the difference between "of natural origin" and "organic", check out our article: What does bio-sourced mean?
We hope that's made things clearer for you! Do you have any questions or need any clarifications? Share your requests with us by PMing us on Instagram @manucurist.
