Nail polish vs. gel nail polish?

With the popularity of nail art culture, more and more people are beginning to pay attention to how to make nails more beautiful and durable. Traditional nail polish and emerging gel nail polish, as two common nail art products, each has different characteristics and advantages and disadvantages. In this article, we will compare the two in detail, especially why gel nail polish has gradually become the first choice for modern manicure.

What is nail polish

As the name suggests, it is a liquid substance used to apply to the surface of the nail for decoration and protection. It is usually composed of pigments, solvents, resins, plasticizers, etc., and has liquid properties. After application, it dries and solidifies through evaporation in the air.

Nail polish is rich in color and widely used, but its biggest disadvantage is poor durability and easy peeling and fading, especially in daily activities in life. Traditional nail polish dries slowly and needs to be applied repeatedly and waited for to dry thoroughly. It is not as convenient and quick to operate as gel nail polish.

Hazards of nail polish

1. Toxic chemical ingredients

Many traditional nail polishes contain harmful chemicals such as formaldehyde, phthalates, and toluene, which may have long-term effects on human health, leading to allergies, respiratory problems, endocrine disorders, and even increased risk of cancer.

2. Fragile nails

The solvents in nail polish may cause water loss on the surface of the nails, making the nails brittle and easy to break, and prone to yellowing and stratification.

3. Use with caution in special groups

It may cause miscarriage, premature birth, or fetal development problems in pregnant women, and children are prone to allergies, immune problems, and even poisoning. To protect their health, pregnant women and children should avoid using nail polish containing toxic ingredients, choose non-toxic and environmentally friendly products, and ensure that the use environment is well ventilated.

What is nail polish gel

Nail polish gel (UV nail polish gel or phototherapy nail polish gel) is a modern nail product that combines traditional nail polish with phototherapy technology. Its main ingredients are special resins and photoinitiators. After application, it needs to be cured by UV light or LED light to form a strong and durable protective layer.

Gel nail polish is not easy to fall off and wear, and can maintain the gloss and color of nails for a long time. It has a very short drying time and can be cured after being irradiated by a phototherapy lamp, without waiting for natural drying.

Four core advantages of gel nail polish

If traditional nail polish is "fast-moving nail art", then gel nail polish is "high-end nail art". This new material is reshaping the three major standards of the nail art industry:

Durability revolution

The curing process of gel nail polish is like putting invisible armor on the nails.

Through the photopolymerization reaction of UV/LED lamps, the liquid resin forms a three-dimensional mesh structure within 60 seconds, and its wear resistance is more than 20 times that of ordinary nail polish.

Professional tests show that gel nail polish can last for 21-28 days without falling off, and can still maintain a mirror-like gloss even if you wash your hands frequently, type on the keyboard, or even lift heavy objects.

New safety standards

High-quality nail polish uses a "three-free formula": No formaldehyde: Use plant resin to replace traditional curing agents No plasticizer: Use natural flexible ingredients to maintain the elasticity of the nail surface No irritating solvents: Water-based formula reduces volatile irritation

According to the test data of the Japanese Nail Association in 2023, the VOC emissions of compliant nail polish are only 3% of traditional nail polish, and pregnant women and people with sensitive skin can also use it with confidence.

Breakthrough in manicure efficiency

Traditional nail polish needs to be repeatedly applied in 3 layers (base oil + color oil + topcoat). Wait 15 minutes to dry each time, and the whole process takes more than 1 hour.

The nail polish adopts the "apply and shine" three-step method: base glue (30 seconds under the light) color glue (60 seconds under the light for each layer) and sealing layer (120 seconds under the light). The whole process only takes 15-20 minutes, and the manicurist can accurately control the thickness of each layer to avoid uneven application.

Color Black Technology

The molecular structure of nail polish can carry higher concentrations of color-developing particles, achieving three effects that are difficult to achieve with traditional nail polish: 100% color reproduction: laboratory-level precise color adjustment Gradient Black Technology: multi-layer superposition without caking Special effect innovation: cat eye gel, aurora, crushed diamond glue and other advanced gameplay

List of truths that manicurists will not tell

Xiao K interviewed 50 senior manicurists and sorted out these industry "hidden knowledge":

Persistence paradox: nail polish fading in 2 days ≠ poor quality, nail polish does not fall off for 28 days ≠ damage to nails, the key lies in professional operation.

The truth about nail damage: 90% of nail damage comes from incorrect removal, not the product itself.

Cost code: single manicure seems to be more expensive than nail polish, but it is calculated based on the average daily cost (nail polish 0.9 yuan/day vs nail polish 2.3 yuan/day).

Health misunderstanding: The amount of glue used for wearable nail tips is 3 times that of direct manicure, and long-term wearing may affect the breathing of the nail bed.