Culminating a yearlong review process, the Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) panel has voted unanimously to uphold the approval of the use of ethyl methacrylate (EMA) in nail products. (EMA should not be confused with MMA – methyl methacrylate – which continues to be banned.) The decision followed several appearances before the panel by members of the Nail Manufacturers Council, including Eric Schwartz of OPI Products and Doug Schoon of Creative Nail Design. The CIR concluded that EMA is only a weak sensitizer (allergen) that can be sold safely in retail as well as professional nail care products as long as it’s accompanied by directions to avoid skin contact.

“This is certainly a victory of the entire professional nail industry,” noted ABA executive director Paul Dykstra.

For reprint and licensing requests for this article, Click here.