Magazine for the professional nail industry.
Issue link: http://nailsmag.epubxp.com/i/597363
DECEMBER 2015 | NAILS MAGAZINE | 129 PHOTO COURTESY OF LIGHT ELEGANCE J enna Lombardi-Brown, owner of Just Gel'n Nails & Skincare in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., describes her frst- hand experience during a gel nail heat spike as "excru- ciating." "It's like a sunburn that's focused intensely on your fngertips," she says. Typically, gel nails release heat during the curing process that tops out at about 105°F — roughly the temperature of a hot tub. But when the speed of the chemical reaction goes awry, temperatures can climb to 115°F (when clients start to notice a sensation) and upwards to 120°F (the beginning of heat spike territory) to as high as about 150°F — a painful level similar to what Lombardi-Brown experienced, according to Doug Schoon, founder of Schoon Scientifc + Regulatory Consulting, LLC and co-chair of the Nail Manufacturer Council on Safety. Gel nail heat spikes are pervasive, according to two long- time gel educators who were interviewed for this story. Denae Sambrano, store manager and director of education for Gemini Cosmetics, a supply store that carries multiple gel brands in Sparks, Nev., says: "Heat spikes are a frequent and common issue our customers come in with." Risé Carter, brand manager of industry association Associated Nail Professionals, concurs, stating that it's most likely if the tech is rushed. An equally pervasive and troubling issue is that clients may buy into the idea that beauty is pain, meaning they mistakenly think it is "normal" to feel as though their fngers are on fre in order to achieve chip-free nail color. Perhaps for this reason, we didn't hear from any nail techs who had personally lost clients or had anyone downgrade >>>