What is breathable nail polish?

Conventional nail polish, (aka regular/typical nail polish we all know and love). When applied, essentially seals off our nails from oxygen and hydration, which results in brittle and unhealthy nails. It’s often overlooked but our nails need hydration and oxygen too. This occurrence is due to the impermeable layer of nail polish covering your nails. The unhealthy characteristics of conventional nail polish created a need for a healthier alternative.

Enter, Breathable nail polish. This specific type of nail polish is made with a unique formula that allows water and oxygen to permeate through it. Yes, through the layer of nail polish! This polish creates a permeable layer when applied. Allowing our nails to breathe and stay hydrated.

How is this possible?

It all comes down to the molecular structure of the formula.

Here’s a simple but well-put explanation of the science, by Allure former research editor Lauren Hubbard

“See, traditional nail polish is made up of very neat, tight molecular bonds, like straight lines stacked directly on top of each other. But the molecules that make up water- and air-permeable formulas feature a more staggered structure—like a bricklaying pattern—that allows teeny water and air molecules to slip through the spaces. “Traditional polish has fewer interstitial spaces for water to pass through,” explains cosmetic chemist Randy Schueller. So how do these breathable polishes pull off a trick like that? “The breathability is not a function of a single ingredient; rather, it depends on how the entire formula is put together,” Schueller says, though he notes that ingredients like bis (glycidoxyphenyl) propane/bisaminomethylnorbornane, which appear in some breathable formulas, are not typically used in nail polish and may play a role in this unique molecular structure.”

Now, let’s get into the Myths vs Facts