As of late there has been a lot of news articles around gel polishes, allergic reaction and in particular HEMA. We would like to put your mind at rest and explain what we do at Nails By CeriAnn.

What is HEMA?

HEMA (hydroxyethyl methacrylate) is a chemical used in gel polishes as an adhesive and to create a shiny, hardened finish. It is also deemed to be one of the main allergens within gel polish. 

What do Nails By CeriAnn do?

A few of the causes of these allergic reactions are caused by under qualified/inexperienced nail technicians resulting in poor application and cheap gel polish brands. 

We all love a bargain. Buying cheap gel brands seems like a good idea at the time but cheap prices usually mean cheap quality. Not only does the gel tend not to last as long but they usually contain chemicals that increase the chance of allergies.

Nails By CeriAnn uses gels by Halo and Mylee. Both of these are designed for professional use only. We are in contact with both companies to address what they are doing to create gels without HEMA. The majority of Mylee are HEMA free and they have assured me that the remaining few products are currently moving to the new HEMA free formula. 

Halo have stated 'Halo Gel Polish is a professional gel polish manufactured to both EU and UK requirements. It is registered on both the European and UK Government Cosmetic Portals and has been comprehensively tested in the UK's Trading Standards Office laboratory, passing all their tests with 100% approval.'

We are passionate about not only fabulous looking nails, but we care about the brands we use to ensure nails of the highest quality. We strive to go above and beyond with our nails. CeriAnn is a fully qualified Nail Technician and is constantly seeking further training. 

Although currently there is little evidence to say that press on nails are just as likely to cause allergic reactions than having your nails done in a salon, we still want to make sure we are doing everything we can to put people's minds at ease. 

Also mentioned in the BBC News article was about the type of lamp used for curing. They have stated that the UV lights that are being used may not be sufficient enough to fully cure the gel. We only use LED lamps which have proven to cure faster and to a high standard. 

We have had no reports of any allergic reactions with any of our products but we do advise that if anything were to occur then we advise that you seek medical attention.

We hope that this has shed some light on current situations and what we are doing to help combat it. 

If you have any questions then do not hesitate to contact us.