Nail Chemistry Essentials

One hour. The chemistry that matters at your nail table.

Every gel and acrylic you use is built from small reactive molecules. How many of them join the chain - and how many are left free to reach skin - decides how well your work wears, and whether you or your client ends up allergic.

This is the short version. Written for working nail techs, not chemists.

Inside

• What is really happening when a gel cures
• What is inside acrylic, hard gel, soak-off builder gel and gel polish
• Why so many techs and clients are getting allergies
• How to lower the risk for yourself and your clients
• How to spot a problem and what to do next

You will also find a plain-English guide to reading an ingredient list and a Safety Data Sheet in two minutes, what the EU has restricted and banned and when, how your UV lamp's wavelength and irradiance decide whether a layer actually cures, and a lexicon of the terms the industry uses loosely.

A closing appendix reviews eight real Safety Data Sheets line by line, from products sold to nail technicians in the UK and Ireland. Fifty-four sheets from twelve brands were read for the underlying review. Forty-seven carried at least one error.

Thirteen short chapters, a quick-reference table of the main allergens, and ten rules to keep. Written by Robert Giblett, the founder of IKON.IQ.

For the long version, with the studies, sources and worked examples, read The Chemistry of Nail Enhancements, also from IKON.IQ.