A Colorado research team has just nailed the art of a sustainable manicure. Not only are press-on Bio-e-Nails reusable and biodegradable — but you can also make and apply them in the comfort of your home. Manicure party, anyone?
Developed at the University of Colorado Boulder’s ATLAS Institute, the e-Nails can be created with just a few ingredients available for purchase online or in many grocery stores. They include two powder options — agar, which comes from algae, or chitosan, which is derived from crustacean shells — and either glycerin or vinegar. All DIYers have to do is follow the basic instructions that the researchers made available for free (you can find them here) and, voila! You’ve got nails.
Like at a nail salon, the press-ons can be customized to your heart’s content: Mixing in water-based food coloring creates vibrant hues, while metallic pigment, crystals, and sparkles add a touch of glam. And if you want your nails to have as much function as fashion, you can even embed miniscule computer chips that sync with your smartphone. So with just the tap of a nail, it’s possible to check the weather, pull up directions, or even call an emergency contact during a medical crisis.
Once you’re ready for a new look, simply melt down your manicure and refashion the nails into a different set — or something else entirely. According to Eldy Lázaro Vásquez, lead author of a paper detailing the research, the sky’s the limit when it comes to reshaping the biodegradable material. “With Bio-e-Nails, there can be a second life, a third life, a fourth life,” she said in a news release. “The material can be remelted and reshaped into new objects. You can make a new nail, for sure, but also a coaster for your coffee cup.”
A catalyst for designing the eco-friendly nails was the “unmanageable levels of e-waste” generated by wearable technology, the authors write. Beyond smartwatches, wearables are becoming increasingly popular in skin care and beauty technology, with trends like NFC-embedded acrylic nails taking off in recent years. But as these innovations are being explored, “sustainability remains underemphasized.”
And while press-on nails may look tiny in your trash bin, they can generate significant amounts of plastic waste over time. In one report, the global press-on nail market was estimated at $696.6 million in 2023, with social media and the changed cultural climate following the COVID-19 pandemic cited for driving consumers toward this at-home option. “We’re not used to thinking of nails as a waste material because they’re so small, but they add up,” senior study author Mirela Alistar said in the release.
Per the study, the researchers designed the e-Nails to have a “low-tech fabrication process,” thus increasing their accessibility. The process involves making a solution in either a pan on the stove (if you’re using agar) or in a water bath (for chitosan), then shaping and customizing the bioplastic.
As innovative as the nails are, they aren’t yet meant to last as long as regular press-ons, which can typically be worn for up to two weeks. Instead, wearers would ideally don them for single-use occasions, like a special event or night out. After removing the nails, you can break them down by either dissolving them in liquid or composting in soil — but the designers recommend having fun with repurposing for as long as possible first.
“Composting should be the last alternative. We want to keep the materials in use as long as we can,” Lázaro Vásquez said. “In biodesign, it’s not just about replacing traditional materials with biodegradable ones — it’s about rethinking the entire design process, considering the life cycle of the material and eventual products, and how they can stay in circulation and be transformed before they ever return to nature.”
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