I was lucky enough to be sent this gorgeous 5 free Hj manicure varnish in Lace. The pictures show three coats, and it is a gorgeous clean luxe nude. The ethos behind the 5 free varnish is firstly 100% vegan and cruelty free meaning all pigments and chemicals are not tested on animals or derived from them. Secondly, they are free from 5 chemicals that are listed carcinogens or skin irritants; Toloune, Formaldehyde, Formaldehyde resin, DBP and Camphor. 

The nail varnish takes a little longer to dry- but once done looks gorgeous! The collection by HJ has some really lovely colours- my favourites of course are the girly pastels-and I have noticed that a few expert celebrity technicians are big fans of HJ! To me this just says that although 5 free formulations they still deliver high quality photo ready finishes. This is a must for any vegan or green beauty enthusiast. The nail varnish seemed to be pretty chip resistant too, and a week later there were only minor chips. They are gorgeously packaged, and at £9.50 each they are fantastic value. 

The Science Behind the Beauty?

So what are the benefits of a 5 free nail varnish? Can certain chemicals be absorbed through the nail bed? The answer although clinical trials in this area are limited, seem to suggest our nails are permeable in varying degrees to different chemicals and drugs, as well as in combination with different compounds and is used as a therapeutic target for some treatments. 

 It is therefore fantastic knowing you are using a nail varnish free from some chemicals that have either been cited as carcinogen or linked to contact dermatitis. Although the nail varnish has a list of chemicals on the back, the main ingredient forming the lacquer- Butyl Acetate, is actually an ester found naturally in fruits that gives them their distinctive sweet smells and flavours. If it is naturally occuring in fruits- this makes me feel pretty good about putting this  product on my nails! 

 As a vegan, the fact that these are vegan products is incredibly important to me, and I love how they are such high quality vegan nail varnishes and a lovely selection of colours, I love how HJ manicure has shown that 5 free doesn't have to compromise on the finish or quality of the varnish- and to have over 20 colours in their initial collections gives fantastic variety and choice. 

5/5 test tubes 

High quality photo ready finish, chip resistant, ethical and vegan- My new go to nail brand.

Have you tried the HJ manicure collection?