There's a lot of nail-polish jargon out there: 3-free, 5-free, 9-free, free-free... (What does it all mean?!) But even companies making such claims can sell products that aren’t completely safe. Most recently, indie brand Mentality came under fire after customers claimed its polishes were causing serious damage (like, nail-separating-from-nail-bed serious). With such news circulating, when Audrey Amara and Josh Kroot’s four-year-old daughter started getting into nail polish, it’s no wonder they wanted her to use one that was kid-friendly, 100% safe, and...edible.
“We have four kids, and around the time when our oldest daughter started getting interested in doing things herself, she wanted to start painting her nails by herself," Amara explains. "I started looking into what’s actually in nail polish and, since she puts everything in her mouth, I really didn’t trust her using regular nail polish or even nail polish for kids. So I thought, Wouldn’t that be great if there was an edible nail polish? A couple of kitchen experiments later, the parents welcomed their fifth baby: Kid Licks, an organic and edible nail polish.
The product goes on like regular nail polish, and dries like regular nail polish, but you can remove it with just soap, water, and a little scrubbing. You can choose from three colors, err, flavors: Barley Grass Green, Beet Red, and Sour Carrot Orange, all of which are made from organic fruits, veggies, and plants. “What I did was look at different food items that you could use to paint with, and we used fruits and vegetables for the color... It's basically 100% organic and 100% edible," says Kroot. "We're kind of like our own scientists here."
The polishes are suitable for kids "zero and up," and last the better part of the day or until that babe hits the bath. Of course, adults who are allergic to chemicals — or just looking for something a little more natural — can get in on the fun, too.
We wondered, though, if edible polish would encourage kids to put their hands in their mouths more. But Kroot and Amara assured us this hasn't been a problem — we have a feeling the beet, carrot, and barley-grass flavors might help with that. (Doesn't exactly scream yummy, no?) Even though you can eat it, it's more of a safe and fun alternative for parents and their children to play with than a tasty treat.
As for what's next for Kid Licks, the couple says making edible face paint may be in the cards. "There are so many products that you love but can’t use, because there are irritants in [them]," says Amara. "I like to promote this kind of lifestyle; having our kids use more natural products all around...this is just the beginning."
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