Peep this list of the best nail colors for fall 2020 from the cleanest brands we could find. Both luxe and budget picks plus codes to save.
If you’re anything like us, you started lining up your cozy sweaters and scarves, and dreamed of snuggling up next to the fire with a good book by the time mid-August hit.
Jewel-toned colors and demure nude hues were next in line, especially when it came to prepping for that fall mani.
We started wearing fall nail colors when summer was on its last legs, but now that you can peep Autumn colors no matter where you go, we’re breaking out the big guns (and by that we mean our favorite nail colors for fall 2020).
The Best Fall Nail Colors for 2020
Keeping “clean” when it comes to nail polish is a bit of a beast, as even the more natural brands need solvents and structure-inducing polymers to create a semblance of staying power. We’ve been working on an in-depth natural nail polish guide (which is coming so soon, we promise!), but rest assured that these fall nail polish colors are TOG approved.
Côte Nail Care | $18
Known for their Gwenyth-approved light pink and deep berry, Côte Nail Care was founded with the intention of offering a safer, elegant alternative to traditional nail polish and accessories. The line is made in the USA, and is free from nine of the toxins we’d recommend avoiding (it’s also vegan and cruelty-free, and gluten-free).
Some of their colors do contain benzophenone, the most concerning ingredient we found in cleaner polishes. Benzophenone-1 is used as a UV absorber in cosmetic products and it’s been found to have estrogenic activity (1,2,3,4). And the same goes for Benzophenone-3 (5), so keep an eye out for that if you’re hoping to avoid as many potential irritants as possible.
Our Côte fall nail color recommendations:
SAVE: Use code TOG2020 to get 20% off your first order (sets not included).
KURE BAZAAR | $18
Made of 85% natural ingredients, including wood pulp, cotton, potatoes and corn, KURE BAZAAR is one of the cleanest nail polish options available (and has our favorite nail polish remover, more on that here).
The line provides lots of on-trend (aka fall) colors like conventional polish. We specifically love their top coat, which is hella high gloss. Plus, the line is French, which only makes us feel more chic while swiping on these fall favorites. This one does contain wheat, so be mindful if you need to avoid gluten.
Our KURE BAZAAR fall nail color recommendations:
- KURE BAZAAR Nomade, a soft nude, $18
- KURE BAZAAR Tea Rose, a red brown, $18
- KURE BAZAAR Smokey, a creamy, dim gray, $18
- KURE BAZAAR Boyfriend, a creamy, laurel green, $18
- KURE BAZAAR Bohemian, a blood red orange, $18
SAVE: Code THISORGANICGIRL10 will save you 10% at The Detox Market!
Olive & June | $8
Olive & June has been getting all the attention and it’s not just because it’s pioneered the #nailfie movement. The trendy colors, all named after friends of O+J’s founder, are seven-free, vegan and cruelty-free.
The line was started in conjunction with an LA-based nail salon chain, but now is elevating the at-home mani experience, with affordable nail care and Olive University, easy-to-follow mani how-tos for everyone from beginners to experts.
Our Olive & June fall nail color recommendations:
- THE NAILFIE READY SET, six fall-forward nail colors and a topcoat, $56
- WKF, a cool, mossy green, $8
- HGC, a creamy toasted neutral, $8
- LD, a rosey-hued pink, $8
SAVE: Use code THISORGANICGIRL to get a free polish color with any box (the renowned O&J mani system).
Sally Hansen Good.Kind.Pure. | $6.79+
We were as surprised as you to see this classic 80s and 90s brand make this list. Sally Hansen’s new Good.Kind.Pure. nail polish line is clean enough, holding free from all the big-name ingredients to avoid as well as some of the sneaky ones too.
This line advertises as 16-free, meaning none of our no-nos show up, from formaldehyde and acetone to camphor and phthalates (though it does contain wheat, if you’re avoiding gluten). It’s also 100% vegan and doesn’t use any animal-derived ingredients in its brushes. At 30 color options, it’s easy to find your new favorite fall nail polish color.
Our Sally Hansen fall nail color recommendations:
- Go Pure Pink Cardamom, a rosey cream pink, $7
- Go Pure Raw Cocoa, a cool, neutral brown, $7
- Go Pure Grape Vine, a dark purple-gray, $7
Dazzle Dry | $60 (for the system)
The four-step Dazzle Dry system is not a gel, not a hybrid and not a traditional nail polish… which sounds a lot more complicated than it actually is. It’s a made-in-the-USA performance line meant to provide long-lasting color without most of the toxic chemicals found in traditional polish.
The hypoallergenic line is vegan, cruelty and animal-byproduct free, as well as being 10-free. You do need the whole system to reap the benefits of the chip-resistant, long-wear promise, but for anyone looking for an extended-wear polish, it’s worth the investment.
Our Dazzle Dry fall nail color recommendations:
- Dazzle Dry Radiant, a brick-red cream, $18
- Dazzle Dry Starstruck, a rose gold metallic, $18
Check out my best nontoxic nail polish brand recommendations here.
What colors are you loving this fall season?
References:
1. Gwenneg Kerdivel, Remy Le Guevel, Denis Habauzit et al (2013). Estrogenic Potency of Benzophenone UV Filters in Breast Cancer Cells: Proliferative and Transcriptional Activity Substantiated by Docking Analysis. PLoS ONE https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0060567
2. BP-1 was found to be mutagenic in the Ames test (Wang et al. 2018) and caused epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) of BG-1 ovarian cancer cells (Shin et al. 2016).
3. Wang WQ, Duan HX, Pei ZT, Xu RR, Qin ZT, Zhu GC, Sun LW. Evaluation by the ames assay of the mutagenicity of UV filters using benzophenone and benzophenone-1. International journal of environmental research and public health. 2018 Sep;15(9):1907.
4. Shin S, Go RE, Kim CW, Hwang KA, Nam KH, Choi KC. Effect of benzophenone-1 and octylphenol on the regulation of epithelial-mesenchymal transition via an estrogen receptor-dependent pathway in estrogen receptor expressing ovarian cancer cells. Food and Chemical Toxicology. 2016 Jul 1;93:58-65.5. Gwenneg Kerdivel, Remy Le Guevel, Denis Habauzit et al (2013). Estrogenic Potency of Benzophenone UV Filters in Breast Cancer Cells: Proliferative and Transcriptional Activity Substantiated by Docking Analysis. PLoS ONE https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0060567
Maris
October 30, 2020Hi! How clean is Londontown, both nail polish and the “Kur” serie (bascoat ect)???
Lisa
November 16, 2020Hi Maris! I personally love how Londontown preforms..it’s so good. There are cleaner but it’s still pretty clean compared to nail polish gen pop ; )
NG
November 3, 2020Check out Sienna Byron Bay polishes. Love.
Lisa
November 16, 2020Thanks girl! I have them! xo, Lisa
DeAnna
December 18, 2020Suggestions on what to do with old lesser clean polishes?
Lisa
December 20, 2020Hi DeAnna! I would recommend checking out your city or town’s paint pickup schedule. Most towns host that a couple of times a year and I believe they will take nail polishes too!