If you are a nail technician or even polish your own nails at home, then you’ve experienced the awful nail polish smell that invades the room as soon as the cap is twisted free from the bottle. Now, imagine giving manicures and pedicures for eight hours straight unable to leave the room! For many nail technicians, dizzy spells and significant health concerns result from the daily intake.

“About 50 percent of nail technicians are reporting that they’re experiencing headaches, skin irritations, all types of irritations after they’ve begun working in this workforce,” said researcher Thu Quach with the Cancer Prevention Institute of California.

For California nail technicians, these health concerns have been taken into consideration. A toxic-free nail polish was introduced to San Francisco nail technicians during a free manicure kickoff campaign to encourage others that safe nail products will be better for all. Nail polish typically contains three hazardous chemicals known as the Toxic Trio. These chemicals, dibutyl phthalate, formaldehyde and toluene, are absent from the polish. To go along with this, a new ordinance was also introduced in San Francisco.

“It will be the first in the nation and it will recognize nail salons that use toxic trio free products,” said Julia Liou with the California Healthy Nail Salon Collaborative and Asian Health Services.

If the ordinance goes through, San Francisco nail technicians and salons that use these safer non-toxic products will be publicly recognized through the use of signage in the salon’s window.

We shouldn’t have to risk our health or others health in order to feel pretty!

Myth 1: Rubbing lemon on your teeth makes them whiter without damaging them.
FALSE. The citric acid from lemons will make them whiter, but it also wears away the enamel. Don’t make this a habit!

Myth 2: Special shampoos can fix split ends.
FALSE. Special shampoos that rehydrate your hair will only work to prevent damage after you cut your split ends off.

Myth 3: Sunscreen is unnecessary on a cloudy day.
FALSE. Clouds are just made of water droplets. And just like you wouldn’t forget sunscreen coverage for playing in the pool, neither should you for an overcast day. UV rays are the problem-causing light frequency and can easily penetrate any amount of cloud cover. Cover up!

Myth 4: Eating chocolate causes breakouts.
FALSE. As long as you don’t overdo it, chocolate is part of a healthy diet. Diet plays a very distinct role in skin problems. The best way to promote a healthy complexion is to eat a diet rich with anti-oxidants, nutrients, Vitamin E and simple carbohydrates.

Myth 5: Wearing acrylic nails too often will destroy your real nails.
FALSE. They actually do a pretty good job of protecting your real nails. However, you can certainly do damage to your real nails if you try to get acrylic nails off improperly, like picking them off piece by piece. Treat your acrylic nails with the same respect you give your real nails, and everything will be fine.

Got any more beauty tips passed to you that turned out to be bunk? Let us know about them!

About a year ago, there was a new trend hitting the nail salon circuit – but now, it might be in hot water: fish pedicures.

A salon in Gilbert, Arizona, which is a suburb of Phoenix, is suing the Arizona State Board of Cosmetology for overstepping its legal authority to stop fish pedicures from being offered at area salons. The board has shut down a Fish Spa where small Garra Rufa fish, or small carp, eat away dead skin from the bottom of feet.

The board claims that when exfoliation is being administrated, it’s falls under the board’s rules and regulations, which essentially is what the fish do: exfoliate feet.

The lawsuit states that the salon acknowledges that the board is entitled to regulate pedicures. But it specifically argues that having fish eat away the dead skin on a patron’s feet is not a pedicure and, therefore, outside the board’s jurisdiction.

The board claims that since the fish cannot be properly stored and sanitized, they are a health code violation. Is this going to be the new trend following the fish pedicure around? There are several states and cities that allow fish pedicures but since this is a new area of beauty treatments, it’s difficult to tell whether other cosmetology boards will follow suit.

Tell us what you think! Are fish really performing pedicures or just exfoliation? Should the beauty service fall under the rules and regulations of the board?

Do your nails crack or break easily? Nail strength, like so many of our traits, is passed down from our parents. So, if your mother complained about broken, chipped nails, chances are, you will, too.

But, don’t despair! You are not completely doomed! There are some steps you can take to save your nails from nub status. Just check out these tips:

1. Wear short nails. The longer your nails are, the more likely they are to break. File your nails regularly to maintain short, pretty nails that are less likely to break, chip, crack or split.

2. Eat calcium-rich foods. Nail strength depends a great deal on calcium. By taking in calcium-rich foods like cheese, milk, salmon and broccoli can improve the strength of your nails and prevent breakages.

3. Use less polish. Unfortunately, nail polish can dry out weak nails, too. The next time you visit a nail technologist, request a buffer instead of polish. Buffing can still give you a shiny, classy look and it comes with an additional bonus – it stimulates nail growth.

4. Avoid nail polish remover. This will be easier to manage if you follow tip #3! Since nail polish remover lists alcohol as one of its main ingredients, it can cause your nails to become more brittle and more prone to breaking. Try to limit yourself to about once a week – so try to think ahead about upcoming events before you try out any funky neon colors.

5. Cut down on H2O exposure. Since water can make your nails dry out, prolonged exposure can cause your nails to split and break more easily. Make sure you dry your hands and nails thoroughly after washing and bust out the gloves for dish duty.

6. Slather on hand lotion. Hand lotions with a rich formula, not containing alcohol, can help seal in moisture and help make your nails more flexible. It’s better to bend than break, right? So, make sure to follow up apply a generous amount of lotion every time you wash your hands.