Frequently Asked Questions

Do nail products need to allow water and Oxygen (air) to flow to the natural nail?

No. The natural nail is made up of dead material called Keratin and requires no nutrients or oxygen. Water and Natural oils are supplied naturally from the nail bed to maintain the nail’s mechanical properties

What is Natural-Armour Gel’s purpose?

Natural-Armour Gel is a single coat application that leaves the nail looking as if it has just been manicured and buffed. It is ideally suited to men and women who require strengthening, protection and stain resistance without any obvious cosmetic effects, beyond the well-groomed look. The gel has a low friction feel just like the natural nail and is extremely scratch and stain resistance. Outgrowth is also hardly visible which is ideal for situations where clients cannot get to a salon .

Are Nuvico products tested on Animals

No. We only test on keratin samples and humans.

Our focus is also to ensure that our raw materials are not tested on animals either

Where does Bio Renewable Carbon come from

Essentially any plant source that can be grown sustainably without competing with traditional food-sources. Bio-mass from regular food production such as cellulose and sucrose as well as myriad oils from seeds are where we strive to find the future generation of ingredients.

Do Nuvico Gels penetrate the nail to gain adhesion

No. The reason fo this is that light cannot penetrate the nail and therefore the gel inside the nail will remain uncured and pose a potential health risk. Our gels are formulated to adhere to the surface and micro imperfections of the nail. This also ensures that the nail is not damaged during removal.

I often see products with “3-Free”, or any number , even “8-Free”. Does this mean the products are safe to use.

Yes and no. It’s nice to know when manufacturers leave out ingredients that are known to carry unacceptably high health risks and these numbers inform the consumer how many of these have been left out. Typically they refer to ingredients like, Formaldehyde or it’s resins, solvents like Toluene, Benzene or Xylene, estrogen mimickers like Parabens, Heavy Metals, Camphor, Cruelty free, Vegan (no shellac for example)…etc ….It’s easy to see where this well meaning system falls-desperately short. There are of course, tens of thousands of ingredients that could be irritants, be harmful or even deadly. In a nutshell then, a product is not safe because of what’s not in it but because of what is in ! it. Rather make sure that the product is derived from products that are ethically obtained (either from a tree or a laboratory) , in a sustainable manner and are safe for technicians and clients to use when applied as per guidelines and instructions.

What is the difference between traditional Acrylic-Nails and Gel-Nails?

Acrylic Nails are thermosetting products that cannot soak off the nail and therefore require aggressive filing which damages the nail, sometimes irreversibly. Besides the damage caused during removal, the monomer liquid mixed with the powder is volatile and often highly corrosive making the Salon environment unsafe. Gels , on the other hand contain no solvents or volatile monomers and can be formulated to soak off without any abrasion required on the nail

Why do Acrylic-Nails remain so widely used despite being outdated and unsafe?

The extremely rigid nature of these products makes them very tough and durable although Sculpting Gel has long since surpassed these attributes without any of the hazards associated with Acrylic powders and monomers. The low cost of Acrylics may appeal to some users too.

A word of caution : Some brands have attempted to put some shine onto the tarnished image of this dated technology by calling it “Next Generation “ and acid free. Unfortunately a small reduction in odour does not change or negate the shortfalls of this technology. Having claimed their products to be acid free they then ask you to use an acidic primer.

The simple truth behind “Acrylics”is that they cannot be applied or removed without risking damage to the nail and the salon environment.

What is the difference between a Gel and a Gel-Polish

Often, only the packaging. Gel-Polishes are usually associated with the brush-in-the-bottle packaging used in traditional solvent-based nail varnish .

A word of caution : It seems as if more and more brands are using the word “Gel” to label products that are merely traditional solvent-based nail varnishes. Some have even gone as far as to call their “gels” a miracle.

The nail industry has adopted the word “Gel” internationally , to refer to a product that does not contain any solvents and cures only under exposure to light. Therefore…If it contains solvents or powders and hardens without light then it’s not a Gel .

Why do gels become warm when curing under Light

This is known as an exothermic reaction and is a sign of the gel cross-linking onto a solid. Gels should be formulated to minimise this heat. In a nutshell, if it burns too much then the gel is either poorly formulated or being applied too thick.

Are “Natural “ ingredients preferable to Synthetic ones.

No. Each ingredient must be assessed in terms of it’s safety, sustainability and it’s journey “from Seed to Salon “. Quite often synthetic ingredients prevent the destruction of natural eco systems by well meaning people who harvest these components without permission and/or in a non-sustainable and destructive manner. On the other hand , all too often, so called “Natural” ingredients leave a harmful footprint in their wake. In addition, many “Natural”products are far more toxic than synthetic ones. Each ingredient and product must therefore be assessed on merit and not influenced by idealised notions that create incorrect impressions of safety and ethical integrity.