Formaldehyde vs. Formaldhehyde Resin

This is a pretty popular match up on the MUA nail boards, so I thought I would clear things up in a very scientific and boring way.  Get your pillows folks.  I promise to show you something pretty in the beginning and the end though! :)

First a little eye candy:

Color Club - Pucci-licious
2 coats.  I swear I couldn't see that bald spot on my middle finger in person.


Hubba Hubba!  I love this purple. Uh yea, so my camera likes to make it blue.  Rebecca, however, has some nice pictures of it here.  It dries really fast to a semi-matte finish.  I always like to shine it up with topcoat!












Now lets talk about Formaldehyde vs Formaldehyde Resin


Formaldehyde:
The name itself gets used incorrectly constantly.  I myself do it all the time because it is still incorrectly written on many ingredient lists.  So let's clear things up.  Formaldehyde is actually a gas.  It can not exist in your hardener/treatment in this form. Unless you're gassing your nails, wtf does that mean I don't know, it usually exists as a liquid.  Formaldehyde mixed with water makes a totally new compound (with its own physical and chemical properties) called Formalin, or even more accurate Methylene Glycol.  This is the chemical that is put in hardeners and the correct name that companies should be using.  The naming misnomer is a relic of the past, which you can read about further here.     

Formaldehyde gas is the real "poison" that can cause cancer.  However, even then you would have to inhale formaldehyde gas in large doses and for long periods of time.  I am talking about the type of exposure one would get in a formaldehyde manufacturing plant and not from nail treatments/hardeners evaporating.

So unless you have sensitivity to formaldehyde gas don't allow the fear mongering to rule your life.  Do your own research and always use common sense.

Need a nail hardener? This series may be of use.

Formaldehyde Resin:
Formaldehyde Resin (or you may see it on ingredient lists as Tosylamide/Formaldehyde Resin or TSFR) is an ingredient in nail polish used to add flexibility and improves adhesion to the nail plate.

Formaldehyde gas is used in the production of Formaldehyde Resin, however when all is said and done it's a completely different chemical.  There may be traces of formaldehyde gas left in the formaldehyde resin, but they are in the same concentration levels found in some foods, even organic foods.  Uh, yea, so unless you have an allergy to organic grown apples, there is very little health risk (both of the allergy or cancer type). 

Again, do your own research and use common sense. 


The shortest conclusion ever:

Formaldehyde (gas) =/= Formalin =/= Formaldehyde Resin

There is very little in common with these chemicals.  OH if you're confused, =/= means 'does NOT equal', mmm kay?

Eye Candy Time!

That's my cat eating his own foot.

LOL