Frequently asked questions
What is EMA liquid monomer?
Ethyl methacrylate monomer, the professional standard liquid for acrylic nails. Pressed into acrylic powder with a brush, it forms the bead that is sculpted into a set, and EMA formulas are non-yellowing and lower odor than older monomers. ND stocks LAVIS Purple UV Liquid EMA (8 oz and gallon), Mia Secret (8, 16, 32 oz), CND Retention Sculpting Liquid (4, 8, 16 oz), Young Nails (32 oz), and Kiara Sky (16 oz).
Which monomer should I use with my powder?
The brand's own liquid where possible, since monomer and powder are formulated as pairs and the set time and bead behavior are tuned to each other. Mixing across brands works but changes both. LAVIS Purple UV Liquid EMA is ND's house monomer: non-yellowing, low odor, self-leveling, with exceptional adhesion, positioned for sensitive users, and the gallon for the busy station.
What prep goes on before acrylic, and in what order?
Push back cuticles and remove the shine, then a dehydrator (LAVIS Nail Prep Dehydrator or Mia Secret Nail Prep) to strip oil and moisture, a pH bonder (LAVIS PH Bond or Young Nails Protein Bond) to balance the plate, and a primer (Mia Secret Xtrabond or a brand primer) on the natural nail only. Skipped dehydrator is the first cause of lifting; primer on skin is the usual cause of sensitization.
How do I get a smooth bead?
Submerge the brush in monomer, wipe the belly on the dish edge, and press the tip into the powder to pick up a medium-wet bead. Place it, let it settle for a second, then guide it toward the free edge and sidewalls. Dry beads leave a bumpy surface; wet beads run into the cuticle. Keep the dappen dish covered between beads, because open monomer evaporates and the ratio drifts through the day.
Are monomer and preps sold at wholesale?
Yes. Every monomer, dehydrator, bonder, primer, and station liquid at ND Nails Supply is wholesale-priced for everyone, with no business license, no minimum order, and no membership fee. The gallon and 32 oz sizes are the working size for a busy salon. Orders $100+ ship free by ground in the contiguous US, and in-stock liquids ordered before 2pm PT on weekdays leave the same day.
Acrylic liquid monomer and the preps that make it stick
An acrylic set is only as good as its liquid and its prep. This page holds both: the EMA liquid monomers that ND Nails Supply stocks from LAVIS, Mia Secret, CND, Young Nails, Kiara Sky, and V Beauty Pure, and the dehydrators, pH bonders, primers, and protein bonds that go on the natural nail before the first bead. EMA (ethyl methacrylate) is the professional monomer standard: non-yellowing, lower odor than older monomers, and formulated for a firm, self-leveling bead with strong adhesion. Around 40 items are listed at wholesale, from 0.5 oz prep bottles to gallon jugs of monomer.
What is on this page
| Group | Items | Sizes |
|---|---|---|
| EMA liquid monomer | LAVIS Purple UV Liquid E.M.A, Mia Secret Liquid Monomer, CND Retention Sculpting Liquid, Young Nails Nail Liquid Monomer, Kiara Sky EMA Liquid Monomer | 4 oz to 32 oz, and LAVIS by the gallon |
| Dehydrators and pH bonders | LAVIS Nail Prep Dehydrator, LAVIS Nail Prep PH Bond, Mia Secret Nail Prep | 0.5 oz |
| Primers and bonders | Mia Secret Xtrabond, Young Nails Protein Bond, and the Gelish, OPI, and No Lift Nails primers | 0.5 oz and 1 oz |
| Station liquids | BeBeauty Nail Polish Thinner, LAVIS Brush Cleaner Gel, LAVIS Acrylic Odor Out | 100 ml to 16 oz |
Which monomer?
- LAVIS Purple UV Liquid EMA: ND's house monomer. A purple-tinted, non-yellowing, low-odor formula for a firm, self-leveling application with exceptional adhesion, positioned as the choice over traditional monomers for sensitive users. Sold in 8 oz and by the gallon, the working size for a busy salon on the page.
- Mia Secret Liquid Monomer: a widely used salon standard, in 8, 16, and 32 oz.
- CND Retention Sculpting Liquid: the premium option from the CND sculpting system, in 4, 8, and 16 oz.
- Young Nails Nail Liquid Monomer: the 32 oz salon jug for a Young Nails powder station.
- Kiara Sky EMA Liquid Monomer: 16 oz, for salons on the Kiara Sky acrylic system.
Monomer and powder are formulated as pairs. A brand's liquid with its own powder gives the set time and bead behavior the brand intended; mixing across brands works but changes both.
The prep sequence, in order
- Dehydrator. After pushing back cuticles and removing the shine, wipe the plate with a nail prep dehydrator (LAVIS Nail Prep Dehydrator, Mia Secret Nail Prep) to strip oil and moisture. Skipping this is the first cause of lifting.
- pH bonder. LAVIS PH Bond or Young Nails Protein Bond balances the plate so the primer and product grip. Non-acid, safe on every client.
- Primer. Mia Secret Xtrabond or a brand primer on the natural nail only, never on skin. Acid-free primers suit most clients; a stronger primer is reserved for chronic lifters.
- Sculpt. Submerge the brush in monomer, press it into the powder to pick up a bead, place the bead, and sculpt. Medium-wet beads self-level; dry beads leave a bumpy surface.
Pro tip: keep the dappen dish covered between beads and pour only what the set needs. Monomer left open evaporates, thickens the ratio, and the last nails of the day set faster than the first.
Which size of monomer should a salon buy?
The 4 oz and 8 oz bottles are the trial sizes, and the bottle a mobile tech carries. The 16 oz and 32 oz sizes suit a station that runs acrylic a few times a day. The LAVIS gallon is the reorder unit for a salon that sculpts all day, and it is the working size for a busy salon. Whatever the size, decant into a small pump or dappen bottle at the station and keep the jug sealed, since monomer evaporates and thickens once it is open.
Why EMA and not MMA?
MMA (methyl methacrylate) is the older, cheaper monomer that sets rock-hard, bonds so aggressively it takes natural nail with it on removal, and is banned or restricted for nail use in many US states. EMA is the professional standard that replaced it: flexible enough to move with the nail, removable with acetone, and lower in odor. Every liquid on this page is EMA. If a monomer is sold without a brand name at a price far below the ones here, or has a sharp, fruity smell that lingers for hours, it is worth asking what it is before it goes on a client.
Safety, odor, and storage
- EMA is lower odor than the monomers of twenty years ago, not odorless. Ventilate the acrylic station and use LAVIS Acrylic Odor Out for the room.
- Monomer is flammable and evaporates: keep jugs capped, away from lamps and heat, and out of sunlight.
- Never let monomer touch the client's skin; primer and monomer on the cuticle are the usual causes of sensitization.
- Clean brushes in LAVIS Brush Cleaner, not acetone, so the bristles stay soft.
- Use a glass dappen dish with a lid; plastic clouds and pits under monomer and the residue changes the ratio of the next bead.
- Pour leftover monomer from the dish into a waste jar, never back into the bottle, so the jug stays clean for the next set.
Wholesale pricing at ND Nails Supply
Every monomer, prep, primer, and station liquid ships at wholesale pricing for everyone, with no business license, no minimum order, and no membership fee. The gallon and 32 oz sizes are the working size for a busy salon. Free shipping on orders $100+ (ground, contiguous US), and in-stock liquids ordered before 2pm PT on weekdays leave the same day.