Editor's Pick
Pros
- Ten Things Left Out, Named: Lacquers are formulated without formaldehyde, formaldehyde resin, DBP, toluene, camphor, ethyl tosylamide, xylene, parabens, gluten and TPHP — a published list rather than a vague clean claim.
- Treatments as Well as Colour: Nail Blush restorative treatment and Mellow The Yellow brightening treatment at $18 each, Melt Away cuticle exfoliator at $18, and P.D. Quick Dry conditioning drops at $18 — the maintenance half most polish brands skip.
- Cruelty-Free and Priced Like a Drugstore Brand: Listed on PETA's Beauty Without Bunnies programme and not sold in mainland China, with Pure Colour 21X lacquer at $14 and a three-piece pro manicure kit at $24.
Cons
- The range is vegan in parts rather than throughout — the Patent Shine 10X lacquers and several makeup items are vegan, while the regular lacquers contain hydrolysed silk.
- Shipping is United States only at present, so this is one for readers ordering domestically.
The Verdict
What sets butter LONDON apart is a formulation list you can actually read: The lacquers are 10-Free, and the brand names all ten — formaldehyde, formaldehyde resin, DBP, toluene, camphor, ethyl tosylamide, xylene, parabens, gluten and TPHP. The makeup is separately free from parabens, mineral oil, petrolatum, sodium lauryl sulfate, phthalates, BHA and triclosan. In a category where clean claims are usually left comfortably vague, a published exclusion list is worth something. The pricing keeps it accessible. Pure Colour 21X Nail Lacquer is $14, as is the Nail Blush restorative treatment. Melt Away Cuticle Exfoliator, P.D. Quick Dry Conditioning Drops and Mellow The Yellow brightening treatment are $18 each, with a Melt Away mini at $9. Tools run a Signature Glass Cuticle Pusher at $12, Nail Scrubbers 2-in-1 wipes at $10, and a three-piece Pro Manicure Kit at $24. The treatments are the part worth noticing — most polish brands sell colour and leave you to find the rest elsewhere. The brand is listed on PETA's Beauty Without Bunnies programme and is not sold in mainland China, though it is vegan in parts rather than throughout: the Patent Shine 10X lacquers and several makeup items are vegan, while the regular lacquers contain hydrolysed silk. Shipping is US-only, free over $40, five to seven business days, with 30-day returns. Buy the colour and the cuticle oil together — that is where the manicure actually comes from.
Salon Colour on a Published Formulation List
butter LONDON sells nail lacquer, nail treatments, base and top coats, cuticle care, makeup, body care, and tools and kits, from Seattle, Washington. Current pricing: Pure Colour 21X Nail Lacquer at $14; Nail Blush Restorative Treatment at $14; Melt Away Cuticle Exfoliator at $18 for 0.4 fl oz or $9 for the mini; P.D. Quick Dry Conditioning Drops at $18; Mellow The Yellow Nail Brightening Treatment at $18; the three-piece Pro Manicure Kit at $24; the Signature Glass Cuticle Pusher at $12; and Nail Scrubbers 2-in-1 Wipes at $10.
The brand's ingredients page states that nail lacquers are 10-Free — formulated without formaldehyde, formaldehyde resin, DBP, toluene, camphor, ethyl tosylamide, xylene, parabens, gluten and TPHP. Makeup is described separately as free from parabens, mineral oil, petrolatum, sodium lauryl sulfate, phthalates, BHA and triclosan, and the homepage combines the two lists under a 21-Free banner.
On animal testing and vegan status, the brand is listed on PETA's Beauty Without Bunnies programme as cruelty-free and is not sold in mainland China. It does not hold Leaping Bunny certification, and the range is vegan in parts rather than throughout: the Patent Shine 10X lacquers and selected lip, eye and face items are vegan, while the regular lacquers contain hydrolysed silk.
Shipping is free on US orders over $40 and $6.95 flat below that, with standard delivery in five to seven business days and two-day and overnight options rated at checkout; orders placed by 12:45pm Eastern ship the same day. The brand states that it does not currently offer shipping outside the United States. Returns can be requested within 30 days of delivery, with items unopened or no more than 30% used, a return authorisation number obtained in advance, and the customer covering return shipping unless the item arrived defective, damaged or incorrect; refunds are issued within ten business days of approval.
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About this review
How this was written, who paid for what, and how the verdict stays independent.
Is this butter LONDON review sponsored?
No. butter LONDON did not pay for this write-up, see it before publication, or have any say in the verdict. If we earn anything it is a commission after you buy, and it comes out of the merchant’s margin rather than your price.
How was the butter LONDON assessed?
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