In case you didn’t see my teaser on Instagram last week, (if you’re not following me on IG, I’m not mad, just disappointed) RMS Beauty has launched an AMAZING 5-Free nail polish collection.  Think of all your favorite RMS colors.  Now, think of them on your nails (!!)

First, the colors.  They are gorgeous, and even more so in person, and even more so on the nail.  While I don’t normally wear brights or metallics, this collection has persuaded me to do otherwise.  Every shade in the collection looks classic and very chîc.

I absolutely love Luminizer, which is a sheer pearl.  Modeled after Living Luminizer, RMS Beauty’s best-selling illuminating product for the skin, one coat of this shade gives the nail a natural, pretty sheen.  Wearing two coats creates pearlized finger tips, or wearing it over any other nail color gives it a frosty finish.  You can’t go wrong.

Diabolique is another favorite.  This deep, dark aubergine was originally conceived as a Lip 2 Cheek for Miranda Kerr’s 2013 Met Gala look (the theme that year was Punk: Chaos to Couture).  Conveniently, matching one’s nails to one’s lips is in vogue again, so I tried it out last night, and I must say that it felt very ladylike.

So, the colors are gorgeous, but this polish also wears extremely well.  Mine has lasted almost a week, and I don’t have any chips yet (!)  I definitely recommend using a nontoxic base and top coat, and two coats of the RMS polish is essential unless you are using Luminizer on its own for a quick, natural sheen.  **Tip: If you haven’t purchased directly through RMS before, you get 15% off just by entering your email address 🙂

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What does 5-Free mean, and why should I care?

5-Free is an indicator that a nail polish is free from the five most dangerous ingredients that are found in conventional nail polishes (don’t worry, Clean nail polishes still work.  In fact, I sometimes have trouble removing them).

• Formaldehyde: it’s what is used to embalm the dead and it’s highly carcinogenic.
• Dibutyl Phthalate: A chemical compound that happens to be a hormone disruptor; it poses a particularly dangerous risk to male fetuses.
• Toluene: A solvent associated with spontaneous abortion.
• Formaldehyde Resin: See: Formaldehyde.
• Camphor: Toxic when ingested or inhaled (or in your bloodstream), especially to children.

If you want to learn more about the toxic chemicals found in conventional nail products, I HIGHLY recommend reading this exposé published by the New York Times.

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