Hema
Explained
HEMA isn't really a skincare ingredient; it's a small, watery, liquid monomer used in things like nail polish and builder gels that helps the product grip the nail plate.
When it hits UV or LED light, these little molecules link up into a big, hard, cross-linked polymer (this is the "cure").
Cured polymer is essentially inert and doesn't cause allergies but uncured liquid monomer can; it's actually the single most frequent positive result when derms patch-test people for acrylate allergy.
The EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety concluded HEMA is unlikely to cause sensitization up to 35% in an artificial nail modeling system (as long as it doesn't touch the skin).
In 2021, the EU restricted HEMA to professional-use-only nail products with mandatory "For professional use only" and "Can cause an allergic reaction" labels.
See all 10 products with Hema
