Ethical, toxin-free nail polish salons are here

Based in LA and NYC, Cote is the anti-salon, set with just a handful of small tables tucked away far away from the window, surrounded by browsable books and fair-trade items from independent designers, which are all for sale. The signature $20 "quick cote," a polish change that takes about 15 minutes or less, includes tip and the location only takes credit cards, no cash. What's just as important is what gets applied onto the nail: Cote's cruelty-free, vegan nail polish is not only made without formaldehyde, camphor, xylene and the rest—it also avoids the ridiculous fancy names that usually accompany nail polish shades and impossible to remember. Instead, in a no-nonsense manner, their colors are numbered No. 1 through (currently) 116.