FAQ

MY ORDER HAS BEEN DAMAGED IN TRANSIT, WILL YOU REPLACE IT?

FIRST OF ALL, WE ARE INCREDIBLY SORRY THAT THIS HAS HAPPENED. OUR NAIL POLISH BOTTLES ARE OF COURSE MADE OF GLASS SO ARE SUBJECT TO BREAKAGES, DESPITE PADDING AND PACKAGING, DURING TRANSIT FROM OUR DELIVERY PARTNERS.

1. TAKE A PICTURE OF THE DAMAGE AND PACKAGING AND THE REST OF THE ORDER
2. SEND AN EMAIL WITH THE IMAGES AND YOUR ORDER NUMBER TO
HELP@TELLEMOI.CO.UK

WE WILL NOT BE ABLE TO REFUND/REPLACE YOUR ORDER WITHOUT THIS INFORMATION.

WHERE DO YOU SHIP TO?

WE NOW OFFICIALLY SHIP WORLDWIDE! WE AIM TO DISPATCH ALL ORDERS WITHIN 1-3 BUSINESS DAYS* PLEASE NOTE THAT ORDERS PLACED ON A WEEKEND WILL COUNT FROM THE MONDAY. PLEASE INCORPORATE THIS TIMESCALE WHEN SELECTING 1ST CLASS/SPECIAL DELIVERY. HOWEVER PLEASE REFER TO OUR DELIVERY PAGE FOR FURTHER INFORMATION AND ANY EXCLUSIONS.

THE COLOUR I WANT IS SOLD OUT, WHEN WILL YOU RESTOCK?

YOU CAN SIGN UP TO A PRODUCT NOTIFICATION TO RECEIVE AN INSTANT NOTIFICATION WHEN YOUR PRODUCT IS BACK IN STOCK. WE AIM TO RESTOCK SOLD OUT COLOURS WITHIN 1-2 WEEKS* PLEASE NOTE EACH POLISH COLOUR HAS BEEN CREATED, PACKAGED AND POURED BY HAND. THEREFORE THIS TIME MAY BE EXTENDED DURING BUSY PERIODS.*THIS DOES NOT INCLUDE LIMITED EDITION POLISHES WHICH WILL NOT BE RESTOCKED.

WHAT'S IN YOUR PRODUCTS?

OUR PRODUCTS ARE VEGAN, CRUELTY- FREE , A MINIMUM OF 5-FREE (NOT CONTAINING DIBUTYL PHTHALATE, FORMALDEHYDE, FORMALDAHYDE RESIN, CAMPHOR OR TOULENE)AS WE MAKE OUR REGULAR POLISHES BY HAND, THIS ALLOWS US TO CREATE A VARIETY OF UNIQUE SHADES AND COMBINATIONS.DUE TO THE PROCESS, THERE MAY BE VARIATIONS FROM ONE PRODUCT TO THE NEXT. THIS IS INHERENT IN THE PROCESS OF MANUFACTURING HANDMADE GOODS.

WHAT DOES 5-FREE ACTUALLY MEAN? AND WHY DOES IT MATTER?

ESSENTIALLY NAIL POLISHES ARE A CHEMICAL SUBSTANCE AND ARE MADE OF A RANGE OF DIFFERENT CHEMICALS. IN AMERICA, TESTING REVEALED THAT 3 OF THE MOST COMMONLY USED INGREDIENTS IN STANDARD NAIL POLISHES WERE CLASSED AS TOXIC. DIBUTYL PHTHALATE OR DBP,FORMALDEHYDE AND TOULENE. ANY POLISH THAT DOES PRODUCE NAIL POLISH WITHOUT THESE CHEMICALS CAN IN THEORY BE CLASSED AS NON-TOXIC ALTHOUGH THERE IS NO CLEAR CLASSIFICATION.HOWEVER COMPANIES AND BRANDS HAVE TAKEN THIS ONE STEP FURTHER AND SEEKED TO ELIMINATE FURTHER CHEMICALS WHICH HAVE BEEN PROVEN TO CAUSE DAMAGING EFFECTS WHEN USED IN A FREQUENTED STATE I.E. NAIL TECHNICIANS WHO ARE CONSTANTLY WORKING AND BREATHING IN THESE INGREDIENTS. TÉLLE MOI IS A MINIMUM OF 5-FREE AND 10-FREE IN SOME COLLECTIONS. 1. DBP (DIBUTYL PHTHALATE)DIBUTYL PHTHALATE (DBP), A MEMBER OF THE PHTHALATE FAMILY OF CHEMICALS, IS USED IN NAIL POLISH TO MINIMIZE CHIPPING. PHTHALATES ARE CLASSIFIED AS ENDOCRINE DISRUPTORS AND MIMIC THE HORMONE ESTROGEN IN YOUR BODY. THEY ARE PROVEN TO IMPAIR THE HORMONAL DEVELOPMENT OF MALE FETUSES, CAUSE ORGAN DAMAGE, AND MAY EVEN INSTIGATE EARLY-ONSET MENOPAUSE.THOUGH NO HUMAN STUDIES HAVE BEEN DONE ON DBP, ANIMAL STUDIES SHOW SIMILAR RESULTS TO HUMAN PHTHALATE STUDIES, INCLUDING DECREASED FERTILITY, HORMONAL DISRUPTION, BIOACCUMULATION, AND LIVER DAMAGE. THE EUROPEAN UNION BANNED DBP IN COSMETIC AND PERSONAL CARE PRODUCTS, AND THE AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT CURRENTLY CLASSIFIES DBP AS A RISK TO THE HUMAN REPRODUCTIVE SYSTEM. IN THE UNITED STATES, CALIFORNIA CLASSIFIES IT AS A REPRODUCTIVE AND HORMONAL TOXICANT, BUT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT DOES NOT.2. TOLUENETOLUENE IS THE NAIL POLISH INGREDIENT USED TO CREATE A SMOOTH APPLICATION AND FINISH. IT HAS A SWEET, PUNGENT SMELL AND IS ALSO FOUND IN MOST CONVENTIONAL NAIL POLISH REMOVERS. HOWEVER, ITS FUMES ARE HIGHLY TOXIC; STUDIES HAVE SHOWN THAT EXPOSURE TO TOLUENE CAN CAUSE NEUROLOGICAL DAMAGE, DECREASED BRAIN FUNCTION, IMPAIRED BREATHING, HEARING LOSS, AND NAUSEA. WHEN INHALED TOO FREQUENTLY BY PREGNANT WOMEN, IT MAY RESULT IN IMPAIRED FETAL DEVELOPMENT. ANIMAL STUDIES HAVE ALSO SHOWN THAT TOLUENE IS LINKED TO REPRODUCTIVE IMPAIRMENT, IMMUNE SYSTEM TOXICITY, AND BLOOD CANCERS LIKE MALIGNANT LYMPHOMA.THE EUROPEAN UNION HAS RESTRICTED THE USE OF TOLUENE IN PERSONAL CARE PRODUCTS, INCLUDING NAIL POLISH, AND ADVISES THAT PREGNANT WOMEN AND CHILDREN SHOULD NOT BE EXPOSED TO ITS FUMES. IN CALIFORNIA, TOLUENE IS ON THE STATE’S PROP 65 LIST OF CHEMICALS THAT ARE HARMFUL TO FETAL DEVELOPMENT.3. FORMALDEHYDEFORMALDEHYDE IS USED TO HARDEN AND STRENGTHEN NAIL POLISHES, ALSO SERVING AS A PRESERVATIVE THAT PROTECTS AGAINST BACTERIAL GROWTH. FORMALDEHYDE IS NATURALLY PRODUCED BY THE BODY IN INCREDIBLY SMALL AMOUNTS—SIMILAR TO THE CONCENTRATION FOUND IN SOME VACCINES. AT THIS LOW LEVEL, FORMALDEHYDE IS NOT DANGEROUS.HOWEVER, EXPOSURE TO LARGER DOSES OF FORMALDEHYDE IN THE AIR OR ON THE SKIN MAY CAUSE CANCER OF THE THROAT, NOSE, AND BLOOD. NAIL SALON WORKERS AND THEIR CHILDREN ARE ESPECIALLY AT RISK FOR CHRONIC HEALTH PROBLEMS CAUSED BY FORMALDEHYDE, INCLUDING ASTHMA, CONVULSIONS, NAUSEA, AND MISCARRIAGES. REPEATED EXPOSURE CAN CAUSE A BUILD-UP OF FLUID IN THE LUNGS AND CAUSE ABNORMAL FETAL DEVELOPMENT IN PREGNANT WOMEN. THE EUROPEAN UNION ALLOWS ONLY LIMITED USE OF FORMALDEHYDE IN PERSONAL CARE PRODUCTS, WHILE JAPAN AND SWEDEN HAVE BANNED IT COMPLETELY.4. FORMALDEHYDE RESINFORMALDEHYDE RESIN IS A BY-PRODUCT OF FORMALDEHYDE THAT MAKES ITS WAY INTO MANY NAIL POLISH FORMULAS THAT INCLUDE FORMALDEHYDE. IT HAS BEEN THE SUBJECT OF FEWER HUMAN TESTS THAN THE OTHER FOUR CHEMICALS. HOWEVER, PRELIMINARY STUDIES SHOW THAT CAN CAUSE SEVERE SKIN IRRITATION AND ALLERGIC REACTIONS, SKIN DEPIGMENTATION AND LOSS OF NERVE SENSATION.5. CAMPHORCAMPHOR IS THE INGREDIENT USED TO GIVE CONVENTIONAL NAIL POLISHES THEIR GLOSSY, SHINY APPEARANCE. IT IS LESS TOXIC THAN THE FIRST THREE INGREDIENTS LISTED ABOVE, AND IS SOMETIMES USED IN COLD REMEDIES SUCH AS VAPOR RUBS AND NASAL SPRAYS.HOWEVER, THE SAFETY OF CAMPHOR HAS RECENTLY BEEN CALLED INTO QUESTION. IT HAS BEEN SHOWN TO TRIGGER SEVERE SKIN IRRITATION AND ALLERGIC REACTIONS WHEN APPLIED TOPICALLY, AND INHALING ITS FUMES CAN CAUSE NAUSEA, DIZZINESS, AND HEADACHES. OBSERVATIONAL STUDIES HAVE ALSO LINKED CAMPHOR EXPOSURE TO ORGAN DAMAGE, SUCH AS LIVER DYSFUNCTION. CAMPHOR IN PERSONAL CARE PRODUCTS IS LIMITED TO A CONCENTRATION OF 11% IN THE US, AND IT IS BEING PHASED OUT IN MARKETS WITHIN THE EUROPEAN UNION.

ARE YOU LOOKING FOR BRAND AMBASSADORS/ NAIL SWATCHERS?

AT PRESENT WE ONLY WORK WITH A LIMITED NUMBER OF AMBASSADORS/SWATCHERS THAT WE HAVE REACHED OUT TO DIRECTLY AS WE FIND THIS FAR EASIER TO MANAGE. HOWEVER AS WE EXPAND WE WILL OF COURSE BE LOOKING FOR NEW PEOPLE AND WE WILL MAKE AN ANNOUNCEMENT TO GET IN TOUCH SHOULD WE BE LOOKING TO EXPAND OUR TEAM.

WE WANT TO SELL YOUR PRODUCTS THROUGH OUR WEBSITE

WE ARE ALWAYS OPEN TO COLLABORATING AND WORKING WITH NEW INDIVIDUALS AND BUSINESSES. HOWEVER IN ORDER TO PROVIDE THE BEST SERVICE, WE AIM TO KEEP THIS AT A SMALL NUMBER SO WE CAN CONTROL STOCK ACCURATELY.PLEASE EMAIL INFO@TELLEMOI.CO.UK FOR MORE INFORMATIO

CHOOSING A SAFE NAIL POLISH

If you do want to use nail polish, choose a brand that is at least free of the “Big Three” (DBP, formaldehyde, and toluene), but aim for one free of all five hazardous chemicals. If you have your nails done at a salon, look for one that uses 3-free or 5-free polishes in order to protect both yourself and the salon’s workers.

Via: www.lovelivehealth.com

Sources:

https://www.ewg.org/skindeep/ingredient/701929/DIBUTYL_PHTHALATE/#
https://www.nicnas.gov.au/communications/publications/information-sheets/existing-chemical-info-sheets/dibutyl-phthalate
https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0116057
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12948864
https://www.epa.gov/ttnatw01/hlthef/di-n-but.html
https://www.epa.gov/ttnatw01/hlthef/toluene.html
https://www.ewg.org/skindeep/ingredient/706577/TOLUENE/
httpss://chemicalwatch.com/1745/eu-commission-bans-deg-phytonadione-restricts-toluene-degbe-and-egbe-in-cosmetics
https://oehha.ca.gov/air/chronic_rels/pdf/108883.pdf
https://www.cdph.ca.gov/programs/hesis/Documents/toluene.pdf
https://www.nytimes.com/2015/05/11/nyregion/nail-salon-workers-in-nyc-face-hazardous-chemicals.html?_r=0
https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/causes-prevention/risk/substances/formaldehyde/formaldehyde-fact-sheet
https://toxtown.nlm.nih.gov/text_version/chemicals.php?id=14
https://www.fda.gov/BiologicsBloodVaccines/ScienceResearch/ucm349473.htm
https://www.saferstates.com/toxic-chemicals/formaldehyde/
https://www.ewg.org/skindeep/ingredient/706587/TOSYLAMIDE%3B%3B_FORMALDEHYDE_RESIN/
https://dermnetnz.org/dermatitis/paratertiarybutylphenolformaldehyde-allergy.html
https://www.ewg.org/skindeep/ingredient/702501/FORMALDEHYDE_RESIN/
https://www.webmd.com/vitamins-supplements/ingredientmono-709-camphor.aspx?activeingredientid=709&activeingredientname=camphor
https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/410566
https://toxnet.nlm.nih.gov/cgi-bin/sis/search/a?dbs+hsdb:@term+@DOCNO+37
https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/camphor#section=Therapeutic-Uses