A very similar reactions right now are happening with certain gel base coats and gel polishes in general.
Strange onycholysis and subungual hyperkeratosis due to repeat contact with improperly cured gel products especially ones that contain questionable ingredients (usually imported from China and private tabled in USA/EU/UK).
I get daily emails with pictures of severe reactions to these products (I have YouTube channel dedicated to nail care)
I haven’t heard many reactions to LCN products but there are always people who can react to even best formulated products made by the most reputable companies.
Interestingly, if you once reacted to something in the future you might read to a similar (even normally, a safer, less allergenic) product which is simply close to the once you once reacted.

I wanted to share that I am currently studying to be a nail tech and never had gel nails in my life (lacquer only). One of the things we did in class was receive gel nail manicures (lcn bondique for reference).

After a few days with them on, my nails under the plate felt similar to the day 5 years ago when the nails separated due to the base coat. I have since removed them and it left my nails thin and brittle and starting to separate. As of now there is still product on my nails however I cannot remove anymore due to the thinness my nails have become.

Based on the fact I never had gel nails before, my nails are looking and reacting the same as they did 5 years ago and also seeing before nubar closed they were starting to sell a gel line, I believe the final culprit is methacrylate contamination.

I know this is 5 years later but again thought I would share.

Hey there, I’ve been reading about this story all morning and have been very disappointed at the outcomes and the damage caused to innocent people, with no accountability 🙁 I did some deep digging, I found a post/blog from Danny/Mentality, he talks about how he made it, the “EPA being a real bummer” (haha) and other stuff that might help with getting a better picture and finding details to create a better picture (the two posts are at the bottom) http://www.familycraftsandgames.com/mentality

I can’t find any reference to Arminex or Mentality on the FDA site, can you please send me the link please?

Hi Danny,

I’d be more than happy to amend this post if you’d kindly point out the false statements of fact? As I’m sure you’re aware, you can’t defame someone with true statements or clear opinion/speculation. And as you can see, the situation you’re claiming was in my opinion “Unlikely, but possible”.

Thanks,

Michelle

This letter is a cease and desist request. This request is in regard to your article, https://labmuffin.com/whats-to-blame-for-the-mentality-nail-polish-problems/. I respectfully ask you to please remove this article and stop disparaging our company with your posts.

Our position is that your post is engaging in dissemination of false statements and conjecture, and that the post is viewed as meaning to bully and intimidate us and is defaming our brand. We refuse to allow the defamation in your article to continue, as what you are doing is the same as shaming a rape victim.

To clarify your records, our manufacturer poisoned our base to take us out of the industry in 2015. We chased them down through the FDA and won. This is a matter of public record and we were cleared by the FDA of wrongdoing, because we completed a voluntary recall worth almost $100,000, privately collected vital information from our clients, and then filed a MedWatch report to the FDA to request a federal investigation into the poisoning. Arminex had to dissolve in complete bankruptcy over their actions, and I believe the owners have fled the country as I understand they were Iraqi immigrants of Armenian descent. This is all public information and available through US FOIA requests. I encourage you to seek the truth in this matter, as truthful opinions such as “Danny is an asshole” is different from telling your readers and the public at large that we engaged in speculative wrongdoing.

We remain in business because we did nothing wrong and cleared our name, and thus we cannot allow you to continue to defame our brand in this matter as we have now personally financially rebounded from the massive voluntary recall/remake that we did, and are now fully engaged with this business. We are resolute in this regard and will not accept any less than you cease and desist the article referenced. A copy of this defamation cease and desist has been forwarded to your domain registrar, GoDaddy.com, a U.S.-based company, regarding this complaint.

If this matter is not resolved before Jan 1, 2019, we will file suit in the U.S. regarding this matter to reclaim damages from your defamation over the last three years from your website. We await your response.

Best regards,
Danny Dannels
CEO Mentality Cosmetics, Inc.

I think they went bankrupt with legal fees…

Hi,

I have been trying to figure out why Nubar went out of business. Is it due to dangerous chemicals in their product? Pleas let me know. i am a cosmetologist

Thanks so much for this! I’ll have to do a follow up post…

Also similar issues have been cropping up with Bootie Babe, and possibly another commercial/lab made brand, and Nubar base was the connection there too. It really is looking like the issues came from Nubar (who does repackage, not manufacturer themselves, and uses another company to resell as well, so middle man entirely).