will help companies to ensure a more efficient management of chemicals and to substitute hazardous substances

Kinetics Nail Systems creates sustainable and environmentally friendly production

22.07.2026

Kinetics Nail Systems is a Latvian partner company in the project LIFE FitforREACH-2. They specialize in the production of nail coatings, offering a wide range of nail polishes, UV-curing nail coatings also known as gel polishes, gels and skin care cosmetics.

The purpose of the company's participation in the LIFE FFR2 is to create even safer nail coatings with improved product properties (adhesion, fluidity, mechanical properties, surface properties). Two main tasks of the company have been set: 1) replace two specific raw materials in UV-curing coatings with alternatives that are less harmful to human health, and 2) improve chemical risk management system.

What the company has already done:

Kinetics Nail Systems has made significant progress in replacing hazardous monomers and photoinitiators.

Monomer substitution:

  • TMPTA (Trimethylolpropane triacrylate): has been fully replaced with IBOMA (Isobornyl methacrylate) and BZMA (Benzyl methacrylate) in all formulations.
  • HPMA (Hydroxypropyl methacrylate): has been completely replaced in retail products, e.g. one base, one color base and all coatings with IBOMA and BZMA. In topcoats, the concentration of HPMA was reduced from 20% to 1%.
  • HEMA (Hydroxyethyl methacrylate): has been found in formulations despite not being listed by suppliers and has been replaced in all products but a few customer-specific formulations. Some customers, especially in Dubai, prefer the standard base over HEMA-free alternatives.

Photoinitiator replacement:

  • TPO (Diphenyl(2,4,6-trimethylbenzoyl)phosphine oxide) has been replaced with TPO_L (Ethyl (2,4,6-trimethylbenzoyl) phenylphosphinate) and TPO_R. 90% of formulations are now free of TPO; a few formulations still contain TPO but are being phased out. TPO was also tested in competitor products that claim to be TPO-free, confirming the presence of undeclared TPO. 

Next steps:  

The company will continue phasing out the remaining TPO-containing formulations, ensuring HEMA-free alternatives are available while meeting customer preferences. Additionally, quality control and supplier transparency will be strengthened regarding undeclared monomers.  

Within the framework of the project, in the workshop with Kinetics, partners share their knowledge in Chemical risk management - engaging in discussions on regulatory changes, practical reporting aspects as well as chemical hazard classifications.

The company plans to establish sustainable and environmentally friendly production by actively seeking solutions to replace potentially irritating substances in product formulations and manufacturing processes. The company's goal is to find safer alternatives, rather than simply replacing substances with others that have similar properties.