I started a new dance class recently, it’s called Nia and it’s FANTASTIC. It’s a mix of aerobics, free dance, martial arts, yoga and a whole lot more. I’m usually horrible at choreographed activities but there is really no pressure to “get it” in Nia. It gives me a great work out for my body and a wonderful freedom from my mind.
So you have bare feet. I normally feel quite smug that I don’t paint my toe nails, feeling freed from the pressures of fancy pedicures and gel nail polish. But for some reason my bare toe nails started to look boring and I started to have pretty toe nail envy of my fellow dancers.
I also know how bad the chemicals are in nail polishes, like phthalates and triphenyl phosphate, both serious hormone disruptors. So I’m normally happy to stay away from them, but for some reason I just needed to jazz up my feet. Maybe it was too much time being a mum, and not enough time for me? Maybe because I’m in dire need of a haircut and just couldn’t wait for my appointment coming up? Sometimes we just need to do something…
So I tucked my knowledge of those nasty ingredients into the back of my mind and headed to the shops with my 4 year old son. I had a plum colour in mind. He wanted me to choose blue. We would decide together.
As you can see I ended up not with plum or blue, but the most playful, sparkly, glitter filled polish they sold (his idea), and I LOVE it!! That night I danced with an extra spring in my step and every time the sparkles caught my eye my smile got a little bit bigger. I’m even sitting here at the computer with a little bit more love for myself, thinking about my colourful toes.
But am I bad for exposing my body to these hideous chemicals? Am I bad for supporting the industry I hate so much? Well, no. I’m not bad.
The way I look at it is this. I haven’t washed my hair, or body, or dishes with sulphates in 10 years. I haven’t worn deodorant with aluminium in for over 15 years and I haven’t let synthetic fragrances in my life for even longer. So I can paint my toe nails, just this once. The feeling is definitely worth it!
So if you have the need to use a less natural product, whether just once or ongoing (I recently talked to a lady who used everything natural and organic, except her self-tanning lotion which without she felt as though she looked ill!) just remember how much worse you could be, and enjoy the feeling of your own “sparkly toes”!
