Does Breathable Nail Polish Work? 

Breathable brands of nail polish claim that they allow water vapor and water to be able to pass through them. However, the science behind the breathable formulation is more of a marketing gimmick, and has fooled many people into believing these false claims.

What is K-Polymer? Does Breathable Nail Polish Work

Breathable nail polish includes something called K-Polymer, also known as HEMA or hydroxyethyl methacrylate. It's a type of polymer that is widely used in the production of contact lenses. 

K-Polymer is a hydrophilic material that is derived from acrylic acid. The manufacturing process involves the polymerization of hydroxyethyl methacrylate monomers, which creates a chain of repeating units. The resulting polymer has a high degree of water absorption, which makes it suitable for use in contact lenses.

K-Polymer is highly biocompatible, meaning that it is not likely to cause any adverse reactions or infections when it comes into contact with the eye. This is a crucial characteristic for contact lenses, as they need to be comfortable and safe to wear for extended periods of time. Additionally, K-Polymer is also highly oxygen-permeable, which allows for adequate oxygenation of the cornea and reduces the risk of hypoxia-related complications.

Does K-Polymer Work in Nail Polish?

Contact lenses are made with a silicone base and therefore can bind with K-Polymer to allow moisture to go through. However, nail polish is made with a base called Nitrocellulose. Although K-Polymer can bind with silicone (because it's a flexible compound), it CAN NOT bind with nitrocellulose in nail polish the same way. And for this reason breathable nail polish does not allow any kind of moisture or water vapor to go through it.

Think of it this way. It’s the equivalent of saying “If you want to run at 100 miles an hour, you should drink jet fuel.” It’s ridiculous. Your body doesn’t process jet fuel the same way an airplane does and therefore drinking it will most likely cause you to end up in the hospital rather than give you the ability to run faster.

Tuesday in Love uses TIL Permeability Complex

Unlike breathable brands of nail polish, the Tuesday in Love formula doesn’t use K-Polymer. Our nail polish is made with our patented TIL Permeability Complex. This unique substance binds to the nitrocellulose base and alters it to make it water permeable. 

The adhesives in the compound are also water permeable which means that the glue that holds it to your nails also allows water to go through while still maintaining its adhesive properties.

For this reason, whenever you perform any type of permeability test, you will always see the water pass through the Tuesday in Love nail polish, and not the breathable brands.