Friday, December 30, 2011

Scotch Naturals Review

Like many of you, I have recently discovered Katie at Harlow & Co. and her amazing online company. She stocks all types of brands that aren't readily available in the states and in Canada, like Glitter Gal, Models Own, and Ozotic. She also stocks Scotch Naturals polishes, which are really neat because they are water-based nail polishes. Katie was kind enough to send me a few Scotch Naturals polishes to review for you guys. 

Since Scotch Naturals are water-based polishes, instead of solvent-based, they naturally require a different approach for application. I'm not going to lie, they are difficult to get used to. For starters, if you have any type of oil on your nail, the polish will not adhere at all; think of what happens if you pour water on an oily surface. It is also very important to let each coat of polish dry completely before you paint the next coat, or else you will drag the polish with the brush. It is also very important to let the polish set for a while, like a few hours, before you do anything with water (shower, dishes, etc.) or you could ruin your mani. 

The first time I tried to apply Blood and Sand, I gave up. I wasn't entirely sure how to apply it properly and the formula was hard to work with. Eventually, I was able to get a full mani out of it and though it's not my best work, it's an improvement over what I originally had. I did three coats here with one coat of the Scotch Naturals combination base/top coat. The color is lovely; it's a nice shimmery light red shade.


Seaboard was a totally different story. This one applied so easily and I had no problems whatsoever with it. However, it looked perfectly opaque in person at two coats, but looking at it now, it appears that I should have done a third coat for photos. It's also a tad more blue-green than totally navy.


If you are looking for a healthy, eco-friendly alternative to regular nail polish and you have the patience to learn how to apply it properly, Scotch Naturals is for you. According to the information on Harlow & Co., they are 3-free and also free of ethyl acetate, butyl acetate, nitrocellulose, acetone, and heavy metals. The information card that came with the polishes also says that using this polish regularly will help your nails become healthier over time. Interestingly enough, I did notice that my nails seemed whiter (is that right? more white?) after I removed the Scotch Naturals polish. I can't explain that, but it was a pretty cool side effect. Scotch Naturals totally non-toxic polishes retail for $15 and are available for purchase on Harlow & Co


Katie also sent me an awesome lip balm that I have to mention. It's Vegan Lip Balm from Spa Therapy Works in the English Toffee scent and I am OBSESSED with it. It's amazing! It gives your lips a little bit of shine like a gloss would, it's so moisturizing, and it smells fantastic. Definitely consider adding one to your next polish order! You can see the different scents and complete ingredient list HERE


*The product(s) in this post were sent to me for review.*

5 comments:

  1. This is a really cool eco-friendly option! I also like the name for some reason. XD That lip balm sounds delicious! Thanks so much for sharing this with us. :D

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  2. Cheers Chelsea! Thank you for giving Scotch Naturals a try. Thought you would like to know we have added a base coat to our line up to help with the application process (making our products more user friendly). I am obsessed with creating the safest polish on the market but also one that can compete with the solvent based polishes. I love hearing how you are all experiencing our polishes - this helps me tweak our technology to create a great product. Suggestions are always welcome! Enjoy your New Year!

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  3. I really like the first polish, it's magical

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  4. I like the Seaboard blue color! Blood and Sand also looks pretty! I haven't tried a sparkly polish from Scotch Naturals yet.

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