At Manucurist, we are aware of the need to minimize our impact and seek innovative and sustainable solutions every day to develop professional-quality products without compromising health or the planet. Enough is enough! Our ultimate goal is to offer you radiant and long-lasting manicures, healthy and hydrated nails without guilt. Let us explain…
Every year since 1970, April 22 celebrates Earth Day 🌏 A symbolic day that has gradually become the largest participatory environmental movement on the planet. In the current context, every day and every action counts to reduce our environmental impact on an individual, collective, and industrial level.
It is estimated that the beauty, cosmetics, and care industries produce about 120 billion tons of packaging waste per year, with single-use plastics at the forefront. This type of packaging, ideal for containing liquid or creamy textured products, remains very common and is often difficult to avoid or replace. Other environmental concerns in this field include overconsumption and overproduction of ingredients derived from non-renewable resources and petrochemicals, and their release into the environment, whether during the manufacturing process or when disposing of unused products…
Manucurist has always been committed to a more transparent and eco-responsible cosmetic world, continuously improving its environmental impact in an industrial sector that everyone wrongly thinks is impossible to “greenify.”
GREEN from the inside 🧪
Traditional formulas of nail polish and semi-permanent gel often contain chemicals that are harmful not only to the planet but also to human health. The most common are formaldehyde, toluene, and phthalates, which can pollute water, affect air and soil quality, and harm wildlife and ecosystems. These substances, mainly derived from petrochemicals, can also pose risks to consumers (endocrine disruptors, potential irritants, sensitizers, or even carcinogens…).
At Manucurist, we have chosen to exclude these often controversial - even proven harmful - ingredients by establishing a blacklist of 12 molecules that you will not find in our products. We have replaced them with biosourced alternatives. That means our products are mostly formulated from plants and free from controversial petrochemical molecules. Although we are not yet at 100% for all our products, replacing these ingredients with natural plant-based alternatives offers several advantages: first because it avoids drawing from the planet’s non-renewable resources, then for their recyclable nature, making them less polluting, and finally for their greater tolerance, without compromising the quality of the finished products. Of course, this requires time and a significant investment in research & development, but today we are proud of our polish recipes made from Sugar Cane, Wheat, Corn, Potato, Cotton, Cassava, and Sunflower…
Wheat, Corn, Sugar Cane, Cassava, Sunflower… this is not a banana bread recipe, but the composition of one of our polishes!
The power of plants 🌱
Beyond their renewable potential, natural resources are also valuable for the essential actives they contain, whose hydrating, protective, repairing, and regenerating effects are now recognized. An additional advantage we use to enrich our formulations. This is the case for our ranges of nail care (serums, treatment bases, oils), hand care (creams, balms, soaps) enriched with essential actives, but also our removing waters, acetone-free, therefore gentle on the nail plate and enriched with natural castor seed oil that leaves the nail hydrated and cared for.
Here is an overview of the specific properties of some plant-based ingredients used in our formulations for:
Hydrate : Sunflower Oil, Cocoa Oil, Rapeseed Wax, Kukui Nut Oil…)
Strengthen : Lemon Extract, Baobab Oil, Walnut Oil, Chestnut Seed Extract)
Feed / soothe : Damask Rose Oil, Alkanet Root Extract, Rapeseed Oil, Aloe Vera, Lily Flower Extract, Sweet Amande Oil, Raspberry Extract)
Fight against oxidation (Antioxidant): Coca Oil, Algae Extract, Ginseng Extract, Pomegranate Extract, Grape Extract)
Besides their renewable potential, natural resources contain precious essential active ingredients that we use to improve the quality of our products.
Green glossary 💚
Organic - Certified Cosmos organic
The products offered in our care range such as hand creams, botanical creams, soaps and multi-use balms, are organic and certified COSMOS organic by the Ecocert Green Life label. This certification imposes strict standards in terms of eco-responsibility and container recycling, and guarantees the absence of GMOs and petrochemical ingredients. Furthermore, to be labeled, the product must include:
- at least 95% of ingredients of natural origin,
- at least 20% of ingredients from organic farming
Biodegradable
Thinking about the product life cycle means considering their fate after use. If they are not recycled, what happens to them? Do they end up in landfills with a risk of toxic soil infiltration? Will they be incinerated? Will they biodegrade? For a product to be considered biodegradable, it must be able to be broken down into natural elements by organisms such as bacteria and fungi within the year following disposal, and not pollute the environment once degraded.
In terms of Nail art, Manucurist has found a solution to microplastics by focusing on fully biodegradable glitters, made from regenerated plant cellulose and water-soluble. Tested according to ISO 14851 and OECD 301F standards over 28 days, they are certified compliant with environmental safety criteria and the OK biodegradable WATER standard. Gold, silver, quartz Rose, and many more colors to come... you will be able to enjoy yourself without guilt.
Regarding packaging, our packaging chips made from 100% corn starch are water-soluble, and our Kraft and cardboard can be used as dry materials in your compost.
All Manucurist glitters are biodegradable and water-soluble.
Cruelty Free
In accordance with European regulations, which have banned animal testing since 2013, Manucurist products are Cruelty Free. This restriction applies to the cosmetic field and concerns finished products, final formulations, and all ingredients included in the formulations.
Responsibly sourced Mica
Mica is a natural mineral used in pigmented products like makeup powders, eyeshadows, eyeliners… but also some polishes, to add opacity and give pigments a shiny, pearly appearance.
It has faced some criticism in recent years regarding extraction practices and its supply chain. Having not yet found a natural alternative that provides the same glossy effect, many companies are still reluctant to replace it. At Manucurist, only a few shades such as Moon, Red Hibiscus, and Cosmic Rose contain Mica, and we exercise extreme caution by ensuring we only use supply sources certified by the Responsible Mica Initiative (RMI).
This Coalition brings together multiple organizations committed to eradicating child labor and unacceptable working conditions along the mica value chain in various countries worldwide and guarantees the implementation of concrete actions towards establishing responsible, fair, and sustainable mica supply chains.
Vegan
All our ranges are certified vegan by The Vegan Society, which ensures the absence of animal-derived products or ingredients in the formulation, production, or manufacturing of our products. This certification reflects our commitment to providing clean and innovative options to meet the legitimate demands of consumers. We don’t always realize it, but in the cosmetic world, animal-derived products can hide in unsuspected ingredients such as certain dyes or plasticizers. This is the case with shellac from cochineal insects, widely used in the cosmetics industry and in many semi-permanent gels to enhance their tenue. Rest assured, Manucurist has replaced it with a natural-origin alternative so you can enjoy your vibrant, long-lasting colors without guilt!
Eco-friendly Packaging 📦
Reducing waste impact is also a major issue at Manucurist. We have always been committed to offering packaging solutions that are partly recycled, recyclable, and sustainable.
Fully recyclable bottles
The glass and caps of our polishes, removers, and treatments can now be fully disposed of without prior rinsing in the white sorting bins designated for glass. Their recycling is automatically handled by the sorting operators.
No secondary packaging
All our Green & Green Flash™ polishes, as well as our removers, creams, soaps, and multi-use balms are sold without secondary packaging. No extras!
Recycled aluminum
Did you know that aluminum is one of the most recycled and recyclable materials? That’s why we chose it to package our creams, soaps, glitters, and effect powders. The aluminum we use is already recycled, making it much more attractive than a plastic bottle!
The packaging for our creams, soaps, balms, glitters, and effect powders is made from infinitely recyclable recycled aluminum!
FSC-certified Kraft paper
All packaging for our products is made from kraft paper sourced from FSC-certified forests. The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certifies that "forests are managed sustainably to preserve biodiversity and improve the living conditions of local populations and workers, while ensuring their economic viability."
Certified organic cotton
The organic cotton in our kits and accessories is certified by the Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS). From the harvesting of raw materials to labeling, including environmentally and worker-friendly manufacturing, this certification requires the final product to contain at least 70% certified organic cotton (we use 100%!). It also guarantees that the cotton is grown without synthetic pesticides, insecticides, herbicides, or GMOs, in accordance with organic farming principles. The production process thus preserves the health of ecosystems, soils, and people.
Our commitments recognized 🏆
While there is still some way to go to reach 100% Green, we are already very proud to see our commitments recognized by the beauty world, which also reflects our desire to offer and develop cleaner, greener quality products, with the aim of driving sustainable change in the cosmetics industry.
Cosmopolitan Clean Beauty Award 2023
Our entire GREEN polish range was chosen as the 2023 Cosmopolitan Clean Beauty Award winner in the nails category! Selected from over 600 brands and evaluated by certified dermatologists, cosmetic chemists, and licensed estheticians, all aspects of our products were considered: formulation, ingredient choices, manufacturing, production, and packaging materials/formats. To win this award, products had to be not only effective but also science-based and contribute to the well-being of people and the planet.
And it’s still the experts who speak best about it:
"There are many non-toxic nail polishes nowadays, but not all are as effective as Manucurist's Green collection. The formula applies without streaks or clumps and lasts incredibly long (I enjoyed a manicure for six days). Oh, and the range of shades is also 10/10 - you’ll find everything from opaque pastels to sheer metallics".
To discover the shades mentioned in this collection, explore our natural nail polish, formulated to combine color, tenue, and a cleaner commitment.
Marie Claire Beauty Excellence Award 2020
In 2020, the Green Flash™ innovation, the first LED polish, a Clean alternative to semi-permanents, was already chosen among 11 products to win the Marie Claire beauty excellence award. Rewarding innovation and our sustainable commitment, a panel of 23 beauty experts then evaluated our formula to praise it:
"Green, vegan, ethical, the brand has everything to please! Finally a clean alternative to semi-permanent polish for polish addicts! With far fewer harmful ingredients inside. The result is beautiful and the shine exceptional".
A greener future 🌳
Even if everything is not perfect, we are happy to contribute by offering alternatives and making the manicure industry more sustainable every day. We remain committed and constantly seeking improvements to build the future of a more sustainable cosmetic world for our planet, while staying true to the foundations of our brand: offering professional quality products that boost energy and bring smiles without compromising health or the planet!
Go Green ⚡️
