What is Acrylic Monomer- Best Brands to Use & Side Effects

The liquid acrylic monomer is essential when making acrylic nails. Without it, the powder would never be able to form the extension or overlay.

That’s why in this article we are going to be discussing the liquid monomer and tell you:

What is Acrylic Monomer,
Best and Safest Brands to Get,
And any possible side effects.
Tips to prevent potential side effects

Table Of Content show

What is Acrylic Nail Monomer

Acrylic monomer is the liquid used when working with acrylic nails. It is the liquid that you soak your brush to dip into the powder to form the acrylic beads.

The liquid monomer works by turning the polymer in the acrylic powder into long fibers that interlock and form a strong solid structure. This process is called cross-linking and is how the powder and liquid create a solid nail structure.

The liquid acrylic monomer is made primarily of either MMA (Methyl methacrylate) or EMA (Ethyl methacrylate). Monomers also tend to contain some amount of alcohol and other chemicals as well.

Types of Acrylic Monomer

Monomers can be classified based on what they are made of and they are 2 main types:

EMA Monomers – which is the safest and currently the most popular type of monomer.
MMA Monomers – MMA monomers tend to be cheaper, have stronger odors, and have been linked with causing health issues.

I highly recommend sticking with monomers that are made of EMA and you need to avoid any that contain MMA.

Best & Safest Acrylic Nail Monomer

The 4 best and safest acrylic nail monomers are:

Young Nails Monomer – Effective formula with very a low odor.
Mia Secret Monomer – Most popular and very affordable
Kiara Sky Monomer
Karlash Monomer

All of these monomers are non-yellowing, MMA-Free meaning that they are made using EMA. And they are capable of working with any brand of acrylic powders.

1- Young Nails Monomer

Young Nails is a premium brand and I think they have one of the best acrylic monomers on the market. They are the brand that I use when I am doing acrylic nails at home.

Their monomer has a nice formula meaning it hardens and cures at a good pace – not too fast and not too slow.

But the main thing that I like about Young Nail’s Monomer is that it has a very low odor profile – so much so that it is considered an odorless monomer.

Another great thing about Young Nails Monomer is that it takes a little longer to harden compared to other monomers. This is perfect if you are a beginner to acrylic nails since it allows you more time to sculpt the nail out with no need to rush.

Where to Get Young Nails Monomer

Now the only issue with Young Nail’s Monomer is that it is pricey but I think it’s worth paying for.

You can click here to see the price for a bottle of Young Nails Monomer on Amazon.

2- Mia Secret Nail Monomer

Mia Secret has a very affordable and nice monomer. They are one of the largest players in the acrylic nail market and their products can be found in a lot of salons.

I tend to use Mia Secret when working with clients because it is affordable and it hardens and cures faster which is important when dealing with limited time.

The only issue with Mia Secret Monomers is that they are not an odorless monomer and will have a scent just like most other regular monomers.

You can click here to see the price for a bottle of Mia Secret Monomers on Amazon.

3- Kiara Sky Monomer

Kiara Sky is another great premium brand of monomer. Their formula is top-notch and works with any brand of acrylic powder.

Now what I really like about them is that their monomer is made right here in the USA.

They are a bit pricey though. You can click here to see the price for a bottle on Amazon.

4- Karlash Monomer

Karlash Monomer is similar to Mia Secret it is affordable with a fast drying time.

You can click here to see the price for a Bottle on Amazon

Is Acrylic Monomer Bad for your Nails

Acrylic Monomer won’t affect or damage your nails once you use it correctly and you use brands that are MMA-free.

Now if you use monomers that contain MMA it can affect your nails. You can click here to read my article on How Acrylic Ruin Your Nails & Tips to Prevent Damages

Side Effects of Acrylic Nail Monomers

There are 2 ways acrylic monomer can affect you either when it gets on your skin or when you inhale

Smelling or inhaling acrylic monomer can lead to:

Coughing
Shortness of breath
Nausea
Headaches
Dizziness

Whilst if a good amount of monomer gets on your skin it can cause;

Development of rashes
Swelling
Itching
Redness
Skin to become very dry and start to peel
A slight burning sensation on the skin

Now, the long-term side effects of monomers will be different. They can occur if you are constantly exposed to monomer either by inhaling monomer or getting it on your skin.

Long-term side effects of monomers are:

Asthma – due to constantly inhaling monomer. Citation.
Allergic Reaction – constantly being exposed to acrylic monomer can lead you to become sensitive to acrylic products. Click here to learn more about allergic reactions to acrylic nails.

I have an entire article where I go through all of the possible health risks and dangers of acrylic nails, you can click here to read it.

How to Prevent Acrylic Monomer From Affecting Your

To prevent these side effects I recommend:

Avoid monomer that contains MMA
Wearing a mask during acrylic application
Stick with salons that are well ventilated
Use the correct amount of monomer when applying acrylic nails- if you use too much it can run onto your skin
Wear gloves if you are applying acrylic nails onto someone else – this prevents the monomer from getting onto your skin.