News
Why Gel Shrinks When Curing (and How to Stop It)
By Stellar Gel The Intersection of Cosmetic Chemistry and Professional Nail Technology You paint a perfect line of colour right up to the cuticle. You cap the free edge beautifully....
Onycholysis vs. Allergy: How to Spot the Difference
By Stellar Gel The Intersection of Cosmetic Chemistry and Professional Nail Technology You’re performing a routine rebalance. You file off the color, and as the natural nail is revealed, something...
The "Itch" Factor: Early Signs of Acrylate Sensitization You Can't Ignore
By Sarah Thompson — Licensed nail technician and founder of Stellar Gel It starts innocently. About 12 hours after your manicure, you feel a little tickle around your cuticles. You...
Understanding Rheology: Viscosity, Thixotropy, and Self-Leveling
By Stellar Gel The Intersection of Cosmetic Chemistry and Professional Nail Technology You pick up a bead of gel. You place it on the nail. It sits there for a...
Is Di-HEMA Safe? The Difference Between HEMA and Its Big Cousin
By Stellar Gel The Intersection of Cosmetic Chemistry and Professional Nail Technology You are a savvy client (or tech). You know you want to avoid HEMA because of the allergy...
Stellar Structure Gel vs. The Competition: A Viscosity Comparison
By Stellar Gel The Intersection of Cosmetic Chemistry and Professional Nail Technology Every nail technician knows the feeling. You buy a hyped-up structure gel or BIAB, open the bottle, and…...
The Danger of Picking: Educating Clients on Mechanical Damage
By Stellar Gel The Intersection of Cosmetic Chemistry and Professional Nail Technology We see it every week. A client comes in for a fill, sits down, and sheepishly puts her...
Is TPO-L Safer than TPO? The Future of Photoinitiators
By Stellar Gel The Intersection of Cosmetic Chemistry and Professional Nail Technology If you follow international cosmetic news, you might have heard the rumblings: TPO is on its way out....
Lifting at the Free Edge? Here’s the Fix
By Sarah Thompson — Licensed nail technician and founder of Stellar Gel You mastered your cuticle prep. There is not a speck of dead skin in the nail fold. The...
Why Are My Gel Nails Lifting at the Cuticle? (5 Common Causes)
By Sarah Thompson — Licensed nail technician and founder of Stellar Gel It is the most frustrating feeling in the nail world. You spend two hours sculpting a beautiful set...
Redness Around the Cuticle? It Might Be Your Cleanser, Not the Gel.
By Stellar Gel The Intersection of Cosmetic Chemistry and Professional Nail Technology The scenario is all too familiar. You finish a flawless set of nails. The structure is perfect, the...
Cat Eye Gel Polish: The Magnet Science Behind the Magic
By Stellar Gel The Intersection of Cosmetic Chemistry and Professional Nail Technology (Banner image credit: @sculptedbymaira ~ Product featured Stellar Gel Pumpkin Inferno Cat Eye) You’ve seen the videos. A...