Nitrocellulose in nail polish – how does it fit with conscious beauty

For us conscious beauty means considering both ourselves and our environment. That's why we have been working on 100% natural nail colors since day one. Even though we strive for it every day, such a formula isn't yet possible. Just like almost all other solvent-based nail polishes, our plant-based nail colors also contain nitrocellulose. We explain below how this ingredient fits into our philosophy.

Nitrocellulose is often criticised and is considered to be a potentially harmful substance. And it's important to us not only to be transparent about the ingredients we use but also to make them easier to understand. That's why we're explaining here what nitrocellulose is, what it's all about and why nitrocellulose isn't really a deal breaker for gitti or for your health.

What is nitrocellulose?

Nitrocellulose is the film-forming polymer responsible for binding all the components of a nail color together. When applied, nitrocellulose thus significantly increases the durability of nail colors. Our nitrocellulose is obtained from cellulose or plant fibres.

gitti's solution:

We want to replace as many artificial ingredients with plant-based alternatives as possible. That's why, when it comes to nitrocellulose, we use the plant-based option. Our nitrocellulose is obtained from cellulose, or plant fibres, more specifically, nitrated cotton fibres that create compounds of chemical bonds (esters). Nitrocellulose that has been obtained from cotton fibres has a great advantage over the artificial alternative – its environmental footprint. Much fewer CO2 emissions are produced in the sustainable manufacture of this natural alternative than in the production of synthetic nitrocellulose, and in doing so we are able to make a positive contribution to both the planet and our environment.