Sienna FAQs – Part I

Sienna is different to your typical nail polish, so we thought it might be a good idea to get into the nitty-gritty of how we do things. Whether you are new to Sienna or have been with us since the early days, allow us to present ‘Sienna FAQs – Part 1’.

Why doesn’t Sienna use the X-free labelling system?

Nail polish has something of a dubious reputation when it comes to the ingredients list. A lot of conventional nail polish still contains some pretty dodgy stuff. Formaldehyde, anyone? Us neither.

When non-toxic nail polish arrived to support our health, planet and our manis, the X-free branding of nail polish was developed to show people the number of chemicals a polish is free from. But over time, this has turned into something of a marketing arms race. With no cosmetic governing body, the X-free labelling got out of hand very quickly, with some companies even including gluten in their ‘free from’ list. Please trust us when we say gluten has never been found in nail polish.

We decided to step back from the brouhaha and let our formula do all the talking. We are confident our polish is the cleanest AND will give you a durable manicure. But don’t just take our word for it. We are certified by Made Safe who have analysed every single ingredient and deemed us the best. Please check our website for a full list of ingredients.

It is worth mentioning that Sienna polish has never contained Benzophenone-1, a known endocrine disrupter. Some of the polishes labelled X-free still include it in their formulas, so when in doubt, check the ingredients list.

Why doesn’t Sienna use glitter?

When washed down the drain, glitter breaks into smaller pieces and becomes a subset of marine plastic litter. This plastic litter is found throughout the world’s oceans, ‘coating’ the water and has been documented that when collected in their stomachs, glitter can cause seabirds to die of starvation. No thank you.

We still love a high impact shine though, (who doesn’t?) so we use a shimmer pigment made from crushed crystal. It’s a natural material which we source only from reputable manufacturers. The beauty of substituting crushed crystal for glitter is that we remove that plastic element. As an added bonus, it adds durability to your manicure.

How long will a bottle of Sienna last?

Sienna will last as long as a conventional bottle of nail polish, which is around three years. As a point of difference, Sienna is bottled as it is produced to keep the polish fresh and the shelf life long. Pro tip: Instead of shaking a bottle of polish before you paint your nails, try rolling it between the palm of your hands. Nail techs assure us this will prevent air bubbles.

How do I choose a colour to suit me?

How do you choose a colour when there are over 80 gorgeous shades of Sienna to choose from. Sigh. This is something of a champagne problem but we are here to help. Most people find they are attracted to a particular colour that sparks joy for them (Oh hi, Marie Kondo!) or that they continue to buy the same kind of colour again and again. If this is you, follow that instinct. And while there are so many trends when it comes to choosing a colour, here is some of the best-accepted wisdom if you need guidance.

• Olive skin: Think tropical; orange, hot pink, coral and melon will look amazing. But so will browns, taupes and terracotta.
• Fair skin: Your friends here are soft pinks and blue-toned berry colours.
• Medium skin: Choose burgundies, plums and wine tones for the win. Orange and fuchsia will make your hands seem more tanned.
• Dark skin: Reds, deep purple, blacks, bronze, green, almond and caramel based neutrals are all going to look terrific.

If all else fails, choose a nail polish in a similar shade to your best lipstick.

Is nail polish safe for chemo patients?

Wearing nail polish through chemotherapy has a similar answer to wearing nail polish while pregnant. You need to be careful with everything you put in and on your body. Over the past five years, we have had different requests and heard different stories from people going through chemo. As (Sienna Founder), Danielle says:

“In all instances, you need to speak with your doctor first. There are many different therapies and everyone’s bodies and health are at such different stages that you need to get tailored information from your doctor. There are good news stories and it can make you feel good during these times so it’s worth asking the question. To anyone going through this, we hear you, we see you, we feel you.”

If you do have a question, please, by all means, send us an email and it will be our pleasure to answer it!