MYTH: “You can measure the pH of a nail gel with litmus paper.”


In the nail industry, a lot of information circulates. Some things are repeated so often that they are accepted as truth — even when chemistry says otherwise.
One of those persistent misconceptions? That you can measure the pH of a UV/LED nail gel with litmus paper.

Let’s look at this clearly and based on science.

Do UV/LED nail gels have a measurable pH?
Short answer: no.
Classic UV/LED nail gels (such as base gels, builder gels, top gels, BIAB, …) do not have a directly measurable pH.

Why?

- pH only exists in aqueous (water-based) solutions
- Nail gels are water-free (anhydrous)
- There are no freely moving H⁺ ions present

And without water?
No pH!

What happens if you add water anyway?

Sometimes you see someone adding water to a gel and then using a pH strip. What does that strip actually measure?

- The added water
- Substances that may dissolve into that water
- Or CO₂ from the air, which can make the water slightly acidic

But most importantly:
You are not measuring the pH of the gel itself.

What can you measure instead?

Although you cannot measure the pH of an anhydrous gel, you can analyze other parameters — such as free methacrylic acid (or other free acids).

1. This is done through professional laboratory tests such as:


- Acid-base titration
- HPLC (High Performance Liquid Chromatography)
- GC-MS (Gas Chromatography–Mass Spectrometry)

These tests provide a concentration (%) — not a pH value.

2. Extraction test


In this method, the gel is extracted into a controlled solvent.

What is measured afterward?
The pH of the extract — not the gel itself.

These are professional, controlled laboratory procedures — not DIY strip tests.

When can pH be measured?

For water-containing products, such as certain primers or liquid prep products, pH can indeed be measured.
But that is a completely different product category from classic UV/LED gels.

Why this matters

Our goal is not to contradict trends.
Our goal is to share accurate, scientifically supported information.

In our industry — where safety, health, and professionalism are essential — knowledge deserves more weight than popularity.

Because the stronger our knowledge, the stronger our industry.