Why Acrylic Smells Strong (And Why We Don't Use It)

We all know the smell—that overwhelming, headache-inducing chemical odor that hits you the moment you walk into a traditional nail salon.

At Gossip Nails, you will never smell that odor. We are a completely fume-free environment.

The strong smell in traditional salons comes from the liquid monomer used to create acrylic nails. Specifically, it is Ethyl Methacrylate (EMA) or, in some unsafe salons, Methyl Methacrylate (MMA).

As the acrylic cures, these chemicals evaporate into the air, creating toxic fumes that linger in the salon.

Prolonged exposure to these fumes can cause headaches, dizziness, nausea, and respiratory irritation for both clients and technicians.

By choosing to be an acrylic-free salon, we prioritize the lung health and overall comfort of everyone who walks through our doors. We use advanced Gel systems (like Builder Gel and Gel-X) that emit zero fumes.

Does Builder Gel smell?

No. Builder Gel is an oligomer that only cures under LED light. It does not evaporate into the air, meaning it has zero chemical odor.

Is MMA illegal?

MMA is banned by the FDA for use in nail salons due to severe health risks, but unfortunately, some discount salons still use it because it is cheap. We use absolutely zero MMA or EMA.