Got a bunch of toxic nail polish bottles laying around from your less-than-eco days? Recess nail salon wants to take them off your hands — and will give you free mani-pedis for your recycling efforts!
Until Jan. 20, take in 10 old bottles to the eco-chic L.A. salon for a free manicure (15 bottles for a free pedi). That’s a 30-minute manicure that usually costs $25, or a 45-minute pedicure that usually goes for $35.
As you may know, nail polish is technically considered hazardous waste, and should always be taken to your nearest hazardous waste center for safe disposal — a.k.a. leak-proof landfilling, bottle and all. But if you take your old bottles to Recess, the bottles, at least, will be recycled while the polish inside properly disposed of.
Unlike many nail salons that rush you in and out, Recess’ mani-pedis are sumptuous affairs, beginning with a scented soak and ending with an organic essential oil massage plus moisturizing treatment with paraben-free lotions. Plus, you get to take home the buffer, orangewood stick, nail file, and foot file used during your treatment when you go home, since Recess never re-uses these tools.
Recess uses nail polish from SpaRitual and Zoya that avoid toulene, formaldehyde and DBP, the three worst ingredients used in conventional nail polishes. So the products are less toxic — though you still won’t be able to avoid the chemical-y smell of nail polish.
Still, if you can’t forego your mani-pedis, Recess’ bamboo towels and organic massages give you a greener option. The salon building itself’s green, though you may not notice the eco-details like FSC-certified wood, low-VOC paints, LED lights and repurposed materials until they’re pointed out to you.
Recess. 8408-B Beverly Blvd. Los Angeles. 323.782.9919
Hi Siel, I actually didn’t know that you’re supposed to dispose old nail polish as a hazardous waste – thanks for the info! I only have 4 old polish bottles left…must find someone else to gather the old stuff together for a free pedi… :-)
Comment by shiho — January 8, 2009 @ 3:10 pm
hello, ditto the above comment. Feeling badly now I threw out an old bottle of nailpolish last month on my attempts to clean before the new year :P Won’t be throwing out the ones I have left!
Comment by jeannie — January 12, 2009 @ 3:14 pm
The trend of ‘3-Free’ nail polish (Zoya) as an alternative to conventional polish is a step foward for the industry, removing 3 of the “most” toxic ingredients. However, polishes that are simply ‘3-Free’ like the one’s used in Recess still contain dangerously toxic chemicals that pose a health risk to all, from expectant mothers to healthy adults. Only water-based formulas are truly non-toxic. Recess is “NOT” an Organic Nail Spa or even a Natural Nail Spa.
Comment by Christina Cantrill — November 11, 2009 @ 5:13 pm
Hey Christina — I’m totally with you. I do say in the post that it’s just the 3 baddies that’ve been removed, that the nail polishes used are only “less toxic” (vs. non-toxic, much less organic) and that the place still smells like chemicals. Did you feel like I should’ve emphasized those points more?
What’s interesting is that you CAN actually get an organic treatment at Recess — since the organic essential oil massages are there — but that means you’d have to skip the polish :)
Comment by Siel — November 24, 2009 @ 6:15 pm