Gel nail polish vs Regular

Hello everyone! I’m Star, an employee of CHROMÉCLAIR, a brand of hama-free gel nail polish.

With the growing popularity of nail art, more and more people are interested in ways to enhance the beauty and durability of their nails. Traditional nail polish and the emerging gel nail polish are two common nail art products, each with distinct characteristics, advantages, and disadvantages.

In this article, we’ll compare the two in detail, focusing on why gel nail polish is becoming the preferred choice for modern manicures.

PART 1:

What is nail polish?

As the name suggests, nail polish is a liquid substance applied to the nail surface for both decoration and protection. It is typically composed of pigments, solvents, resins, and plasticizers. It has liquid properties and dries and solidifies through evaporation in the air after application.

Nail polish is a versatile and colorful tool, but its biggest drawback is its poor durability and tendency to peel and fade, especially during everyday activities. Traditional nail polish dries slowly and requires repeated application and drying, making it less convenient and quicker to apply than gel nail polish.

PART 2:

The Dangers of Nail Polish

Toxic Chemical Ingredients

Many traditional nail polishes contain harmful chemicals such as formaldehyde, phthalates, and toluene. These ingredients can have long-term effects on human health, causing allergies, respiratory problems, endocrine disorders, and even increasing the risk of cancer.

Brittle nails

The solvents in nail polish can cause moisture loss from the nail surface, making them brittle and prone to breakage, yellowing, and delamination.

Use with caution in special groups

Pregnant women may experience miscarriage, premature birth, or fetal developmental problems, while children may be susceptible 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, environmentally friendly products, and ensure that the environment is well ventilated.

PART 3:

What is gel nail polish?

Gel nail polish (UV gel nail polish or phototherapy gel nail polish)

It is a modern nail polish product that combines traditional nail polish with phototherapy technology. Its main ingredients are a special resin and a photoinitiator. After application, it is cured under UV light or LED light to form a strong, long-lasting protective layer.

Gel nail polish is not easy to fall off or wear off, and can maintain the gloss and color of nails for a long time. It has a very fast drying time and can be cured by exposure to a phototherapy lamp, without waiting for it to dry naturally.

PART 4:

Four Core Advantages of Gel Nail Polish

If traditional nail polish is a “quick-consumer manicure,” then gel nail polish is a “high-end manicure.”

This new material is reshaping three key standards in the nail art industry:

A Revolution in Durability

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

Through photopolymerization under UV/LED light, the liquid resin forms a three-dimensional network structure within 60 seconds, resulting in a wear resistance over 20 times that of ordinary nail polish.

Professional testing shows that gel nail polish can last for 21-28 days without fading, maintaining its mirror-like gloss even with frequent hand washing, keyboard tapping, and even heavy lifting.

New Safety Standards

High-quality gel polish that meets EU standards:

TPO-Free: TPO (trimethylbenzoyldiphenylphosphine oxide) is a photoinitiator used in UV-curable nail products. Its primary function is to accelerate the UV curing process, causing the nail polish to harden quickly. It is classified as a CMR 1B carcinogen by the EU, exhibiting reproductive toxicity and carcinogenicity, and may cause cell mutations and genetic damage.

Hema-Free: Hema (hydroxyethyl methacrylate) is a commonly used monomer primarily used to enhance the adhesion and durability of nail polish, but may cause health risks such as skin allergies.

(HEMA-free & TPO-free gel polish recommended: CHROMÉCLAIR)

According to the Japan Nail Association’s 2023 testing data, compliant nail polish emits only 3% of the VOC emissions of traditional nail polish, making it safe for pregnant women and those with sensitive skin.

A Breakthrough in Manicure Efficiency

Traditional nail polish requires three layers of application (base coat + color coat + top coat).

The drying time is 15 minutes per layer, and the entire process can take over an hour.

Gel nail polish, on the other hand, uses a three-step “apply, wipe, and shine” process:

Base coat (30 seconds under the lamp)

Color coat (60 seconds per layer)

Top coat (120 seconds under the lamp)

The entire process takes only 15-20 minutes, allowing the manicurist to precisely control the thickness of each layer to avoid uneven application.

Color Technology

The molecular structure of gel nail polish allows for a higher concentration of color-developing particles, achieving three effects not possible with traditional nail polish:

100% color reproduction: Laboratory-grade precision color matching

Gradient Technology: Layer multiple layers without clumping

Innovative special effects: Advanced effects like cat’s eye, aurora, and crushed diamonds

PART 5:

A List of Truths Manicurists Won’t Tell

Star interviewed 50 experienced manicurists and compiled these industry “hidden truths”:

The Durability Paradox: Nail polish fading in two days doesn’t mean poor quality, and gel polish lasting 20-30 days doesn’t mean nail damage. The key lies in professional application.

The Truth About Nail Damage:90% of nail damage comes from improper removal, not the product itself.

The Cost Code: While gel polish may seem more expensive for a single manicure, this is calculated based on the average daily cost (gel polish 0.9 yuan/day vs. nail polish 2.3 yuan/day).

Health Myth: Wearable nail tips use three times as much glue as direct manicures, and long-term wear may affect the breathing of the nail bed.

Nail Polish vs. Gel Polish