Hi,
I went through a similar investigation with my favourite cosmetics. I found that many companies are owned by bigger companies, who approve the sale of their goods in countries that insist on animal testing (China is one of them) before selling their goods. An example is Nars, who I thought were cruelty-free. Turns out they are owned by Estee Lauder, who sell their products in China, and state "If a regulatory body demands it for its safety or regulatory assessment, an exception can be made". Cleverly worded get-out by them!
I have a few O.P.I gels, and some other spa collection items, but I won't be buying more because I learned that the company do test. How sad, when you think of the sheer size of the company and how wealthy they must be.
Light Elegance are really good, my only issue is, I can't get hold of their soak-off gels here in the UK, and as much as I love hard gels (and the glitters are to die for) would still like to offer a quick removal soak-off gel system that is HEMA free, 100% gel and can last 3 weeks plus. I'm getting frustrated right now, trying to find a company that fits all my criteria. I'd like to stick to one brand for ease and convenience but realistically that isn't going to be possible.
There are a couple of UK cruelty free brands I'm interested in; Lecente, who have recently launched their own range of gel polishes, and INK London. With INK, they are offering a low-price HEMA free hybrid (similar in consistency to CND Shellac and Artistic Colour Gloss) that gives shellac a run for it's money. Trouble is, it's still a hybrid, most likely meaning it has a shorter shelf life because it must contain solvents, right? I like thick gels, especially potted gels, so I can apply with a brush of my choosing. L.E wins hands down.
Lecente are a great company and seem to be affiliated with lots of other brands, for example, Ikon-Iq sells their glitters and other art items to accompany their own line. Their range of gels at the moment is small, but seems unique, and it's being sold by Sweetsquared, who are excellent, so that increases my confidence in it as a product. They state their line of gels is HEMA free, apart from their new glitter gels. They are offering a free lamp when you buy 10 gels at the moment, I'm sorely tempted to try, just nervous because there isn't much information out there yet, as it's so new.
Another brand that has my attention is Ikon-Iq, a Swedish company who, to me, have a big focus on health and particularly safe ingredients. I think they have drawn a crowd from lots of nail techs who can't use products containing HEMA any more. They have an extensive range that includes potted gels, bottled gels, builders, art gels etc. I was impressed by their really professional website, and to me, the brand range of products has similarities with the Canadian company, Akzentz. I really enjoy Akzentz but I am finding them too expensive. I'm currently waiting to be approved by Ikon-Iq, and have no idea how much their products cost, but I do know that they are shipped from Germany so will cost a bit more to get them.
So I am still on the hunt for the holy grail! I'm thinking it might be better to stick to a UK company long term though, because of all the BREXIT uncertainty and the cost of shipping, or perhaps it might become impossible to get the products? When I decided to become a nail tech I really was clueless to all of this!!
