Meet the New Nontoxic Nail Product You Didn’t Know You Needed

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In an age when the call for clean beauty is louder than ever, oftentimes finding the best—and safest—products can invoke a sense of anxiety rather than well-being. That’s why Tenoverten’s founders, Nadine Abramcyk and Adair Ilyinsky, and creative director, Jaclyn Ferber, who have created a lineup of thoughtful nail-care essentials including an all-natural rose-scented cuticle oil and sleek polish-removing wipes, are here to simplify the process: “We just try to take the [work out of it],” says Abramcyk of the eco-friendly, formaldehyde-free offerings they began introducing at their chic Manhattan salons in 2011. Now, the quest for a 100 percent worry-free manicure is one step closer to completion, thanks to their new spring launch: vegan drying drops.
“We were hung up on [the fact that] we were using these quick-dry drops that really worked and allowed us to stay away from the conventional dryers that have [harmful] UV light, but we weren’t so pleased with the ingredients in those,” she adds, citing silicone—a nonbiodegradable substance that can wreak havoc on the environment—as a main offender. A multiyear quest for a substitute that was “nontoxic but also functioned properly” ensued until they finally landed upon isododecane, a hydrocarbon that guarantees smudge-proof polish and boasts performance that rivals its synthetic counterparts.
The solution also comes packed with strengthening vitamin E (a common ingredient in the Tenoverten range—it can be found in the company’s fan-favorite base coat, too), as well as natural rosemary: In addition to cutting the oft overpowering smell of freshly lacquered nails, the mood-boosting essential oil is known to “perk up senses, create clarity, and relieve stress,” Abramcyk says with a smile. In other words, going green has never smelled so sweet.