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To address media coverage by the BBC released on April 13 2023 with the title “Is gel nail polish causing life changing allergies?” we would like to provide a bit more information on Gellifique practices and some important recommendations concerning nail allergies in the nail industry today.

With our extensive experience in the private label sector , the importance of high quality, professional product formulations has been Gellifique® Professional priority since our brand was established in 2015. 

Since then, we have dedicated a great amount of time and investment into developing our own testing framework for complete, finished product deconstruction and analysis with an ISO 17025 accredited test laboratory (No. 0402) & innovation centre.

Our findings were directly communicated to the UK Office for Product Safety and Standards and can be successfully applied to a wide range of cosmetic products.

As a result of our findings, marketplace research and our experience of retailing professional nail products since 2015 please follow our key recommendations:

  • ensure you are trained to use a specific product category. If a product can be soaked off it does not mean that it does not require advanced nail training. This training is not covered by a soak off, gel polish manicure course. 

  • Check T&Cs of your insurance provider. There have been changes to the cover provided by some insurance companies that will not cover use of products made “outside of Europe”.

  • If you or your customers have existing dermal allergies please always check the product label prior to use. All retailers retain the right to change their products without prior notice. Furthermore, ingredients do vary from product to product. Make sure you do this not just for UV/LED based products but also for Cleansers, Primers and any other solutions you use in your nail service treatments.

  • Always use the correct protective equipment in your work place. Gloves are a must; whilst your clothing ideally should cover your chest area and forearms. A good quality dust extractor is extremely important for respiratory health and allergy prevention.

  • Watch out for signs of onsetting allergic reaction in yourself or your customers. These signs are changes in the structure and look of the natural nail plate, redness around the cuticle, puffy looking cuticles and lateral side walls , small dots / blistering around the cuticle and itching.

  • Always purchase products from official retailers.

  • Don’t follow the media hype. Competition in the nail industry is fierce and it is important to keep in mind that all companies should at all times remain professional. Another brand in direct competition with the brand you are using should not and has no legal right or body of proof to suggest or recommend any course of action in relation to the brand you are already using. 

  • Do not obsess over product labels and ingredients. Product formulations are extremely complex and what you see on the product label is a tiny fragment of a much bigger picture. The actual formula is about 3 pages long. So when dealing with a brand of your choosing even in these stressful times please stay calm and keep in mind:
  • the time they have spent on the market 
  • the reputation they have built over these years 
  • the information they are sharing with their valued customers

On a final note, we would also like to mention that as highlighted in this recent media coverage and in many articles over the years; the key aspects contributing to the development of allergies in the nail industry are still : incorrect product application and home kits purchased from mass market places. 

We hope you have found this statement informative and as always we work hard to create professional products at fair prices to nail technicians worldwide.

Kind Regards,

Customer Service

Gellifique® Professional 

If you have any questions please don't hesitate to get in touch with us on contact@gellifique.co.uk

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