Nail expert reveals the gel polish ‘red flags’ to look out for during your next manicure

A nail technician has published a list of her ‘red flags’ to look out for when it comes to gel nail polish, some of which could lead to you completely changing your manicure.

The information was shared in a new video posted to TikTok this week by Kara Crevier of Portland, Oregon, who goes by the username @karanailedit on social media.

She has over 86,700 followers on the platform, where she shares her knowledge about nail and nail polish safety and their proper use.

This time it was no different, as she emphasized what to look out for When choosing gel polish for your nails, it’s best to avoid ‘shoddy’ brands that can cause sensitivities and allergies.

Gel polish, which hardens under a UV lamp and lasts much longer on nails than regular nail polish, has come under fire in recent years for its potentially dangerous side effects. A recent study found that gel manicures may contain cancer-causing mutations.

But according to the Association of the American Academy of DermatologyGel manicures are fine, as long as they are used in moderation. Kara’s tips can be helpful in achieving a healthy and safe manicure.

The first tip Kara gave was to stay away from gel polishes that are meant for DIY or home use.

“Many of these brands are not produced with high quality ingredients and do not consider the safety and health of the end user,” Kara said.

And if the kit is sold with a flash, or if the kit is sold in general, that is something she would avoid.

The expert then said she would no longer buy gel polish made in China by a “generic beauty company that only produces white-label products.”

Kara explains that when you buy gel polish from a website, you can usually see where the polish was made.

‘Gel polishes produced in China only have some bad reviews and a bad reputation for falsifying their safety data sheets. [safety data] “The formulas and ingredients they use in their bottles,” the nail technician claimed.

And if you can’t find the brand’s safety data sheet at all, or if you’re having a hard time finding out exactly what ingredients are in the nail polish, you might want to skip this page altogether.

The first tip Kara gave was to stay away from gel polishes that claim to be made for DIY or home use

The expert then said she wouldn’t buy gel polish made in China by a “white label generic beauty manufacturer.”

The safety data sheet lists all the ingredients found in the brand’s gel nail polish.

‘[It’s] “If they don’t tell you what’s in their products, that’s a red flag to me,” Kara says.

She then warned viewers to be aware of reviews from people who have experienced allergies or irritations after using the nail polish.

“I recommend doing even more research than just looking at the reviews on the company’s website,” the nail expert admitted.

She suggested typing the brand name into Google, along with the word “allergies,” and see what came up.

“The next question is whether the information on the website doesn’t make a lot of sense,” Kara continued.

“I think it just comes down to being an informed consumer and understanding the process of using gel,” she said.

The nail influencer further explained that she has seen numerous FAQ sections on the websites of different nail polish brands and that the information is not always written by an expert.

‘[It’s] “An immediate red flag for me is when they don’t tell you what’s in their products,” Kara said

She also warned viewers to be aware of reviews from people who have experienced allergies or irritations after using the nail polish.

Finally, she warned viewers to stay away from gel nail polish brands that use the so-called free HEMA products.

HEMA, also known as hydroxyethyl methacrylate, can be harmful to nails if a nail polish brand uses too much of it in their formula, potentially causing allergies. Glamour magazine.

“HEMA itself is a very small molecule and it is important that the brand uses it safely, because this is the most allergenic ingredient,” says Kara.

“And again, that’s why it’s so important to be able to get the safety data sheet and to be able to find out the ingredients, so you understand how they’re dealing with HEMA and the monomers in their products,” the expert concluded.

So the next time you get a manicure, if you notice any of these signs going off on your gel nails, don’t be shy about letting us know.