London, Ont. nail salon goes viral for non-toxic services

CTV's Lauren Stallone, Julie Atchison and Carlyle Fiset discuss a local nail salon that is going viral because they offer chemical and fragrance free services.

A London, Ont., nail salon is gaining attention on social media for offering non‑toxic, fume‑free beauty services.

Mehnoosh Dadstehgoli, owner of Mon Papillon Nails and Spa, said the salon focuses on products that are gentler on nails.

“Other nail polishes we found make your nail plate super dry and cause it to break easily,” Dadstehgoli said. “The way removal is done here, for example, we take our time. It takes about 40 minutes to remove gel polish.”

Dadstehgoli said she has enjoyed seeing the positive feedback from clients online.

“Clients love it. They look at their nails and say they’ve never had healthy nails like this because we pick the products based on your nail plate,” she said. “We really care. We care about you.”

Health professionals say chemical‑ and fragrance‑free nail polish offers several benefits, including reduced toxin absorption, stronger nails and gentler removal. They also say it is a safer option during pregnancy.

“The lack of fumes would be safer for everybody and for all of our organs,” said Shelley Vadlja, a retired registered nurse in London. “It is especially better for people who are pregnant or diabetic or have a lot of health ailments.”

Concerns about chemical safety have increased in recent years, prompting governments to ban certain ingredients commonly found in nail products.

Under the European Union’s cosmetics regulation, ingredients such as dibutyl phthalate and methyl methacrylate are banned due to safety concerns.

Dadstehgoli said she deliberately avoids products containing harmful ingredients.

“They are full of chemicals,” she said. “You are putting something on your nail plate that is not healthy at all.”