So happy to start having some clarity to the chemistry we use daily. Such a refreshing feeling to know that a company is willing to share knowledge about chemistry to better the industry and also for the safety of the consumers. This will help techs feel knowledgeable and confident in the services they are providing. It also goes to show that your company is supportive and has nothing to hide. I will have to watch these a few more times to grasp the concepts. Thank you.
Thank you for providing us "first responders" with this technical information! Thank you for e!evating the industry! It is imperative that we understand our products while providing services that can affect our client's health! Of course, the art is important too - !ol!
This is such great information!! I developed an allergy to opi acrylic monomer, then all monomer. Next was gelish polish then all gel polish. Then ibd hard gel. I found your company and havent had any issues with the hard gel or gel polish .. or any of then top, base and adhesion products. This is such a great series. Im super thankful for it. Id like to learn all I can about the chemicals and what to avoid because my reactions are almost deadly and I never want to experience it again. I also love to educate my clients during their nail services too. Super helpful video. Thank you!
I also fell in love with LE and have very good results. One thing I wanted to suggest. Of course I’m not a doctor nor a chemist but from what I understand many gels share similar ingredients. Changing product helps sometimes initially if new product doesn’t contain the ingredient you developed allergy to. But if our working habits don’t change eventually we develop allergy (which is caused by overexposure to uncured or improperly cured product) to the new product. Eventually the “safe” list gets smaller and smaller and then everything enhancement related causes reaction. To develop allergy one has to be exposed to uncured or improperly cured product for prolonged period of time. That is the key. With “bad” ingredients that might happen faster but even the safer ingredients should never be treated lightly. Almost daily I see IG gurus and educators wiping uncured gel (or gel polish) with the bare fingernail. New (or not so new) nail techs watch it and repeat these unsafe practices without second thought. The bad habits spread. It’s really scary. So I highly suggest for all of us to review our techniques and be open minded and learn from amazing people like Jim here and Doug and Marian.
@@julidza087 red, inflamed, itchy cuticles. Soon to turn into welps, blisteres and what looked liked really bad bad burns! Then it would start to affect my insides! I had to be on steriods for a long time.
Thank You for this series. I am get migraines really bad and I can’t use acrylic anymore because of the Monomer. When I switched to hard gel I struggled at first I tried, IBD, LCN, just to mane a couple. Then I found your company. It has made my work so much easier. Thank You.
Again, I look forward to #3! I find the chemistry 🧪 behind the products very interesting. It’s important I know what the products I use actually are. 😁
Wow that’s such interesting video ! I developed allergy to gel polish but I don’t really know to which component ! How can i discover that? Thank you !
Just wanted to say I am a new Light Elegance fan and these videos are so helpful and as Andrea Haefele said below - it's great to see a brand being clear and sharing information with their users / consumers. Thankyou so much :) Greatly appreciate !
Hello from Norway ❤️❤️💅🏻 . I have been diagnosed with HEMA allergi, and I’m wondering if I can get the allergic reaction from the naildust, after filing or just before curing... I always use industrial gloves, and I also use Filtronic dust system, that takes away over 99 % of the dust, but there is still some dust remaining on my gloves. I try to change gloves if i get gel or polish gel on the gloves. Can you PLEASE make a video on this part? PLEASE 💞💞
thank you so much for your time Jim! I'm a chem eng major with the intention of becoming a formulator so it's so cool to apply what I'm learning to what you're breaking down!!!
Thank you for making these videos!! So educational and helpful. I was curious .. I recently became allergic to HEMA. Would I face similar adverse reactions to "di-hema trimethylhexyl dicarbamate" for example? Thanks again.
This is so helpful , altough my main language is not english and so it is very difficult to me with all those chemical words additional to another language. Would it be possible that you make a list where ingredients are listet which should be avoided , maybe red, then yellow ( ingredients which can cause allergies but are still okay) and ingredients which are good. In one sentence; can you please simplify this for dummys🤓that would be SOOOO helpful. I own about 300 polygels and i know i need to get rid of many but which one?
Also, Jim, can you tell us what to look for on MSDS sheets that will tell us if this bad product is in it? Like the CAS No. or INCI name? I have all msds forms at my salon and read them before purchasing anything new but would like to be able to spot the bad stuff easier without having to do hours of research which is my current process. the names of many chemicals are so similar and are hard to remember and keep track of, it’s frustrating!
Hi Drea - everyone has or can have a different response to the "bad products" - so a bad product to me might be just fine for you. If we want to help identify materials like HEMA as a monomer, then look for hydroxyethyl methacrylate, INCI name is HEMA, CAS is 868-77-9; HEA as a monomer, then look for Hydroxylethyl acrylate, INCI name is 2-hydroxyethyl acrylate, CAS is 818-61-1; THFA has no INCI name that I can find but it has a CAS of 2399-48-6. I can go on and one but this is a good start. Please keep in mind that everyone will react differently and it also has a lot to do with exposure to the living tissue and skin. Reduce skin exposure as much as possible and cure the gels VERY well with the proper light. Buying cheap lights can result in increased allergies.
It would be really helpful to list the actual name of the chemical in the description box. HEMA=..., HEA=... Thanks so much Jim I'm learning a lot. I just want to be accurate in the names of the chemicals.
The ingredients are listed on our SDSs that are available online at our website www.lightelegance.com/pages/msds. If you would like to discuss ingredients in more detail, this can be arranged as well.
We're so sorry to hear that you have experienced an allergy. We hope that LE products will work for you! Please feel free to take a look at our SDS sheets if you know what you are allergic to. You can also check out this blog with testimonials from other nail pros and clients who made the switch to LE www.lightelegance.com/blogs/what-nails-pros-are-saying-about-le/this-is-why-we-believe-whats-inside-matters
@Jim McConnell So what I'm understanding is when HEMA is bounded as an oligomer, it's less likely to cause an allergic reaction. I'm curious about the biochemistry that occurs during the process of application from start to finish. For ex. The tacky layer remaining after curing is uncured gel. At this point of the chemical rxn, does the bound HEMA become a free monomer? What about when it comes in contact with 99% isopropyl alcohol during cleansing off the tacky layer? Can the alcohol break the bounded HEMA free, thus giving the small window opportunity for it to get skin contact despite meticulous precautionary practices? Or does it remind a stable oligomer throughout the whole application process? Please do a chemist corner on this topic!
Hi Jim I just recently tried your acrylic system and I’m still getting an allergic reaction. Please help. I’m hoping you can answer even though this video is old
This is great and just started to watch all of your videos to educate myself. Since COVID I've been doing my own dip and gel nails, however, prior to the world stopping, I had my nails done religiously every 2-3 weeks for the past 25+ years. I've never had an issue and have run the gamut of acrylics, hard gel, soakable gel polish, to dip powder. Over the last few months, I started having a reaction so am being tested. I just had my patches removed yesterday and the preliminary results showed I had a reaction to a handful of things -- one of them being Ethyl Acrylate. I go back in a few days for another review to determine my final results as I could have a delayed reaction. I'm hoping HEMA and HPMA, or anything else nail enhancement related, don't show a delayed reaction. Could ethyl acrylate be a gateway allergen and are there other chemicals I should be looking at to try to avoid in products that have a different name or variations of ethyl acrylate?
Ethyl Acrylate could be a gateway allergen to Ethyl Methacrylate but I have not tested this hypothesis, so this is just a guess. I wish that I could be of more assistance. I hope that no manufacturer is using Ethyl Acrylate in anyone's gel or acrylic system and if they do, that it would be used at a very low concentration.
@@jimmcconnell6079 Thanks Jim, I appreciate the quick reply. I've gotten SDS sheets on almost all of the various dip powder brands I've been using and 2-Propenoic Acid is the first ingredient listed. From what I understand that's another name for ethyl acrylate. Is that correct? I have two more questions for you: 1.) do you know of a resource I go to see what all the various names could be for chemicals? For example that ethyl acrylate is also 2- propanoic acid, and 2.) in an effort of being proactive I'm trying to find products without anything that could be an allergen and just use those. It looks like the P+ system is only sold to licensed nail techs, which I"m not. Is there somewhere I can purchase your new gel system? Thanks!
If you perform a search, there will be a few websites that will give you the information you require. It is beat to do your search using CAS numbers so that all chemical names will come up that are associated with that CAS number.
I would like to start by sharing that Light Elegance saved my nail career before it officially started! I found out early in school that I had a severe allergy to HEMA, blistering and all. I did research and thanks to Liz and Talia, I started using LE! Now it’s the collection I use at the salon I opened! My QUESTION- Di-Hema vs. Hema. (If there is nothing following Di-Hema on the ingredient list), is it just as much of an allergen as HEMA? The reason I ask is there is a popular Gel line on the market promoting the healthiest gel polish and their first ingredient is Di-Hema and their third, maybe 4th is HEMA. I found this odd and was hoping you could help me understand. Their top coat is Hema free along with a specific gel line they have. Do they really have a healthy gel polish or will cause an issue for anyone who already has a HEMA allergy. What’s the difference between plain old Di-Hema and Hema? - as listed on the ingredients?
Hi Angie's Nail Swag - This is a good question. Di-HEMA (or Bis-HEMA) must exist in conjunction with a larger molecule. Alone, they cannot exist with that chemical name. Di-HEMA / IPDI copolymer will exist and can be found in some ingredients. Other chemicals using Bis-HEMA or Di-HEMA followed by a long series of chemical names will also exist. HEMA can exist as its own chemical entity as well. The HEMA molecule and any Di-HEMA or Bis-HEMA chemical molecule are not the same and as a result, will have differing allergic potentials and response rates. I understand what you are stating but I feel the first ingredient is a typo or they are not making the products themselves and are making ingredient claims based on information that they receive from their manufacturer. I cannot comment beyond those two suppositions. We do know that products that contain HEMA may show a greater allergenic response rate with people who have allergies to HEMA, so their statement of being the "healthiest gel polish" isn't accurate if you are a person who has allergies to HEMA. If you would like more information, please email me at jim@mclabs.us.com with more details that shouldn't be shared in a public forum and we can get into the issue more in depth. Jim
I have a severe allergy to nail products. It started with acrylics, then gels and gel polishes. I am a licensed cosmetologist and now do nails wearing gloves. I would love to be able to wear my nail designs but am not sure what product is in all of them that I could be allergic to. Any advice would be wonderful. Thanks.
Hi Melanie - I suggest that you see a dermatologist who can perform some testing with you. The testing will determine to which raw materials (ingredients) you are allergic. If your dermatologist needs some of the ingredients commonly used in our industry, I can arrange to send samples to the doctor. This is the safest method to determine what you can use. Another option in the short term is to send you samples of our system and you can try them. The down-side is that if you are allergic to something we make, this could be detrimental for you in that you could have an allergic reaction. I know of very few people who are allergic to LE, so the possibility exists but is extremely low.
The response Jim left for Melanie is a prime example of a company that cares for not only it's customers, but the recipients of our work as well. Thank you for being a top notch company!!!
@@Tandyhn - thank you for this post. Our goal is to increase knowledge of the nail professionals as well as other manufacturers so that only proper formulations are available to the nail professionals in our wonderful industry :)
It is difficult to say what will exactly be a gateway allergen without research but it is my estimation that this is certainly a good possibility. I have met and interacted with a few people who are allergic to IBOA and also allergic to IBOMA - so all indications are that it is a gateway allergen but a larger test group would need to be assessed.
I am allergic to Ethel acrylates and methyl methacrylates. Would any of your products be appropriate to try? I loved having nails that are nice - my natural nails are flat and thin and break easily.
HEMA Maleate is an oligomer. The HEMA Maleate oligomer does not contain HEMA monomer but ... it is usually reduced with the addition of HEMA monomer to get to a lower viscosity.
Ok, so when HEMA Maleate is reduced with the addition of HEMA monomer... then the HEMA monomer should be on the ingredients list? Or is its amount too low and it can be ommited?
If you have a mild allergy to HEMA that clears up pretty quickly, can you still continue to use products that contain it if you take more caution or do you need to stop use entirely? And if you have an allergy on your fingers is it localized or should use be stopped on all areas i.e the toe nails that have shown no sign of allergy. ?? Thanks
Hi Jimmy I have a question. One of my clients is allergic to: Toluene, Formaldehyde, Dibutyl phthalate and shellac! Do you think I can try light elegance on her? Thank you xx
Educational however very confused now. I thought HEMA and HPMA is what nail techs are to completely stay away from. I found a brand that is free of these but they do have THFA. I only have the base, colour and top coat with this THFA in it.
Hi Glenda - we do not use free HEMA in our products but we do use a very small amount of HPMA in a few of our products. One resin that we utilize does contain a minuscule amount of HEMA in it, so you would find these items on our SDSs. It is not necessarily the ingredient to stay away from but skin contact and the concentration of that ingredient. Some materials utilize HEMA in large quantities or use it in conjunction with HEA. THFA is very fast reacting and is allergenic - more allergenic than HEMA. You can see by the above information that the issue of ingredients, allergies and how a person's body will react to the ingredients is complex. The most important thing to keep in mind is to avoid skin contact. The skin is permeable and as such, the nail technician needs to avoid having the uncured material contact the skin. The more allergenic the ingredient, the more critical avoidance of skin contact becomes. This being said, not all products that contain HEMA, HPMA or other ingredients cause allergies - it is also how these products are used during the service.
Hi Delia - we use other oligomers that enhance the adhesion to the fingernail and these are found in our Tack, PowerBond and AirBond. This is an expensive chemical way to get great adhesion but it is my opinion that it assists us in creating a product that could or is less allergenic when compared to products that contain higher concentrations of HEMA or HEA. I hope that I answered your question.
I had an allergic reaction but not sure what for. In the product is give me a name of Methacrylate thats all. I am from South Africa and not cure how to test what caused the allergic reaction. I huse a few products at onse. I love doing my nail and am so sad at what happened. the ingredients is. Ingredients: Acrylates Copolymer, Hema, Ethyl Trimethylbenzoyl Phenylphosphinate, Hydroxycyclohexyl Phenyl Keytone, Silica, Trimethylolpropane Triacrylate, Ethyl Methacrylate, Dimethicone, Micro Crystalline Wax Aluminum Powder, Mica, Iron Oxide, Ferric Ferrocyanide, Bismuth Oxychloride, Titanium Dioxide, Isopropyl Titanium Triisostearate, Ultramarines Why is the HEMA component to this gell so many times repeated.
Are these ingredients completely lab-created or are some derived from nature? Just curious. If a person becomes allergic, does it present as a skin allergy or a breathing allergy, and/or something else? Wondering what to watch for. Again, just another curiosity. Great series!
Most of the ingredients are derived from petroleum. Petroleum is derived from nature though some don't think oil as a natural material. So, the resins used in gels and acrylics originate from nature and then are treated in a laboratory to form the raw materials we use. It is possible to make some of the raw materials from vegetable sources rather than refined crude oil but this process is more complicated and still requires extensive laboratory synthesis to get to the final materials. Some of the materials like THFMA can originate from corn or even coffee beans. Most allergies present themselves as skin allergies but it is possible yet rare that they would present as a respiratory allergy. Typically look for redness, irritation, swelling. On rare occasions, blisters can be presented in the allergic response. The allergy response can be observed in the finger tip areas but can also be seen in the forearm, fingers, palms and the back of the hand. The allergic response can present itself in other areas but these occurrences are very rare.
Outstanding! Thank you for taking the time to reply to me! You really gave me the answers I was looking for. You really have a great series started! Thanks again!
I have a allergic reaction to something but don’t know what , it consists of redness itching,swollen fingers , bumps in my fingers . I went to the doctor and diagnosed me with dermatitis gave me some pills and made me feel better , went back to work and the reaction got worse , decided to go to a dermatologist, she did not made any testing on me just diagnosed me with a chemical reaction and gave me a “cream to put on as a treatment with cotton gloves I stayed home for 3 weeks and went back to work , on that day I went back I did 2clients with Gloves on at all Times , came back home by midnight my fingers stared itching and here I’m now dying of pain ..... don’t want to stop doing what I love , but since I’m a self pay when it comes to doctor visits it’s hard for me and expensive to jump form one doctor to another HELP PLEASEEEE!!
So I’m a little confused I checked y’all msds and saw that you use bis hea and bis hema so are these as allergens forming as non bonded hea and hema? I really an interested in using y’all’s products but that is kinda stirring me not to I notice that other hema free gel polish brands don’t have any bonded from of hea or hema thanks so much not trying to be rude just looking for the best options for my clients. In cleared out all of your nail products contained with hema and hea so I need to restock
Hi Gabrielle - the "bis" in front of the "HEA" or "HEMA" indicates that the HEA and HEMA are bonded to the resin and are not free monomers in the compounded product. All systems should be handled with safety and to reduce an incidence of skin contact but these are generally regarded as safe. The HEA and HEMA chemicals that are free monomers are listed with a comma after the term "HEA" or "HEMA". The farther up the HEA or HEMA is on the ingredient list, the greater the concentration.
Well I'm lost lol anyway I know I'm allergic to something but I just don't know what it is. How can we even find out which one is the one we're allergic too? How to spot the one?
Hi Lady Sparkle - the best method to determine what you are allergic to is to see a dermatologist or other physician who can perform a test on you with various materials to determine to what what you are actually allergic. I would suggest that you bring the products you use in the salon to the doctor's office so they can be used in the testing. Once you know which product you use and are allergic to, we can determine the raw material in that product that is causing the issue. Please email me if you need more help - jim@mclabs.us.com.
@Carol-catzmom61 It depends upon the degree of the allergy that you have. Skin glue (2-Octyl cuanoacrylate) is a slow glue and the least allergenic that I have found. This may. be something that you can use but only proper testing will be able to evaluate this.
please could you clarify a point for me? i am allergic to HEMA but want to use your acrylic liquid. I notice from the SDS it has 70-80% ethyl methacrylate though. Is this still classed as HEMA free? Please excuse my ignorance, I am still learning.
Hi Lisa, we are all still learning. There is so much to know and so little time to study. One of my favorite quotes by a professor of mine was, "the more I learn, the more I realize I know so little." HEMA is Hydroxyethyl Methacrylate. EMA is Ethyl Methacrylate. EMA shows a lower incidence of allergic response than HEMA in most studies that I have read. When I refer to HEMA, I am only referring to the HEMA monomer, not HEMA that is reacted and bonded to a larger molecule. If you have a HEMA allergy and only a HEMA allergy, you should be fine using our acrylic liquid.
Hi Sophie - Until recently, I would have thought that nearly all nail polishes contain similar ingredients but with our recent testing, we have found that it NOT the case. Based on our testing, we have found that some nail polishes may contain ingredients that can cause allergies. They are rare but they do exist.
Bis-HEA or Bis-HEMA are not the same as HEMA or HEA monomers. Both HEMA and HEA can be used as components to build the reactive resins that we need to make gels. I think I will do a Chemist Corner on this ... I hope this will make things clearer :)
It depends upon if we are talking gels or acrylics. If it is an acrylic, you can soak and dry the natural hair bristles a few times and this will remove nearly all of the HEMA. If we are talking gels, getting HEMA out will be more difficult and you might be best off buying a new brush.
@@jimmcconnell6079 thank you. I bought an expensive synthetic acrylic brush because I don’t like the idea of using the animal hair. Then I developed a pretty bad allergy to HEMA.
