Nail growth… “How can I get my nails to grow faster?” This is the most asked question on my Facebook Page. And most people don’t like my answer.
It goes against every Corporate Giant spending fortunes to create and market the next miracle nail growth product that is sure to change your life forever!
In this post, I’ll cover:
- Zoya’s product description
- What I think is misleading
- What are true solutions
- Translating the ingredient list into real language
- How to be a better informed consumer
ASK ANA
Dear Ana,
I started using Qtica nail growth stimulator from Zoya a few months back. Before I started using Qtica my nails were fine, just a little dry around the cuticles. Ever since then they started peeling.One of the girls that has a nail page on Facebook also said she was having problems with Qtica. I guess I can’t be exactly sure but I really think it might be from the Qtica. What do you think? 🙁
Disclaimer: I am not a nail tech and I don’t have a science degree. What I do have is a great skill at doing thorough research and taking complex topics and simplifying them so the rest of us can understand … And I just happen to be very geeky about nails so Nail Structure and Product Chemistry by Doug Schoon is my Nail Bible … I credit all of the sciencey stuff to Mr. Schoon and the fun analogies are mine … yep, totally geeky … so, on with the show. ~Ana
ANSWER
My initial impression is that you are probably allergic to one or more of the ingredients.
I found a few girls on MakeUpAlley.com who hated the product because it peeled and wouldn’t stay on or it made their nails peel. The rest of the 30+ reviews were very positive.
Zoya’s Product Description:
What Qtica Natural Nail Growth Stimulator Does The Secret to strong, healthy looking natural nails. Make your natural nails, stronger and longer while preventing annoying chipping and peeling with QTICA Natural Nail Growth Stimulator. Sulfur amino acids and hydrolyzed proteins strengthen the nail by bonding and locking keratin together and creating an extra layer of nail to prevent peeling and protect new nail growth. Maintain moisture and flexibility of the natural nail with vitamins A, C and E to keep it flexible and prevent cracking. See up to ? in of nail growth in as little as 14 days.
My Take On Zoya’s Qtica
- It sounds like the holy grail of nail strengtheners—right?
- Who wouldn’t want stronger, longer natural nails without peeling and chipping?
- Unfortunately, this description is the result of an excellent marketing department! It doesn’t result in faster nail growth.
Let Me Show You Why
Growth Stimulator?
My biggest problem starts with the product name, “Nail Growth Stimulator.”
Your entire nail is 50 layers of dead keratin cells. Dead is dead.
There is absolutely no way to stimulate the growth of dead cells!
The Real Growth Stimulator
Your Fingers!
The only way to actually stimulate growth of nail cells is to rub the area behind your cuticle—the matrix—this is where your nail is created. This brings more blood cells to the matrix. More blood nourishes that area and stimulates nail growth.
Prevent Cracking?
Vitamins A, C and E DO NOT keep your nails “flexible and prevent cracking.”
Water is your nail’s greatest enemy! Too much water in your nails makes them soggy, weak and overly flexible. Too little water and your nails dry out causing them to curl and snap like autumn leaves.
The Real Crack Preventer
Only sebum (your body oil) or jojoba oil can trap the right amount of 18% moisture (water) in your nails to keep them flexible. Rubbing a high quality, jojoba based nail oil in your nails and skin will improve the strength of your nails.
You will experience what appears to be “faster nail growth.”
How is this possible?
Because you will experience A LOT LESS breaking. When your nails are hydrated with oil, they flex when you smash them against the counter, instead of breaking. This is true nail strength!
See Up To ? Growth in 14 Days
No product can make your nails grow faster. Period.
I wish I could deliver different news.
But a product CAN NOT speed up the growth of your nails. Nail growth is predetermined by your genetics and your body’s ability to create new cells. There are 3 natural ways to speed up nail growth though.
Three Natural Ways to Speed Up Nail Growth
Bite Or Damage Your Nails—Nail plates grow faster when damaged. This is your body’s survival mechanism. You need your nails. If you turn to biting though, you’re certainly not going to see the increased growth. Sorry.
Move Somewhere Warm—Nail plates grow 20% faster during the summer—due to increased blood flow to the matrix. This is why rubbing your nails and cuticle lines also stimulates nail growth.
Get Pregnant—Nail plate growth progressively increases 3.5% to 20% during pregnancy but then slows down dramatically when nursing the baby after it’s born.
Magical Ingredients? **
Next, let’s look at the ingredients and find out what all those big words really mean in Qtica.
I don’t see any ingredient listed that makes this product better than any typical polish formulation.
I also don’t see anything here that “strengthens the nail by bonding and locking keratin together” any better than any other bottle of polish in your drawer.
The red highlighted ingredients are in Zoya’s regular color polish formulation.
ETHYL ACETATE = a solvent, used to improve application and smooth product flow.
SD ALCOHOL = a solvent, used to improve application and smooth product flow.
BUTYL ACETATE = a solvent, used to improve application and smooth product flow.
HEPTANE = a solvent, used to improve application and smooth product flow.
PROPYL ACETATE = a solvent, used to improve application and smooth product flow.
NITROCELLULOSE = a film former to make the product hard and shiny when it dries
“Nitrocellulose produces a very hard, shiny surface but does not stick to the nail plate and is too brittle. The combination of Nitrocellulose and Tosylamide Resin make a great pair.
Tosylamide Resin increases flexibility and toughens the nitrocellulose while improving adhesion…Nitrocellulose is called the film former because it is responsible for creating the continuous coating on the nail plate… It’s main drawback is its tendency to yellow when exposed to sunlight or UV light.” ~Nail Structure and Product Chemistry by Douglas Schoon
ISOPROPYL ALCOHOL a solvent, used to improve application and smooth product flow.
BUTYL ALCOHOL = a solvent, used to improve application and smooth product flow.
TOSYLAMIDE/EPOXY RESIN = a resin, to make the polish tough and resilient
POLYVINYL BUTYRAL = a resin, to make the polish tough and resilient
TOSYLAMIDE/FORMALDEHYDE RESIN = a resin, to make the polish tough and resilient
CAMPHOR = a plasticizer to prevent chips and cracks and increase the flexibility of the polish
TRIPHENYL PHOSPHATE = a plasticizer to prevent chips and cracks and increase the flexibility of the polish
TRIPHENYL PENTANYL DIISOBUTYRATE = a plasticizer to prevent chips and cracks and increase the flexibility of the polish
BENZOPHENONE – 1 = a UV stabilizer, used to prevent color fading
ACRYLATES COPOLYMER = a film former which helps with adhesion to the nail plate
DIMETHINCONOL = a silicone, to make polish spread smoothly
MERCAPTROPROPIONIC ACID = a product stabilizer
CARTHAMUS TINCTORIUS (SAFFLOWER) SEED OIL = Vitamins E and K
ALLIUM SATIVUM (GARLIC) BULB EXTRACT = Vitamins A, C, B6, and K
DIMETHICONE = a silicone, to make polish spread smoothly
VIOLET 2 = Color
* The highlighted ingredients are in Zoya’s color polish formulation with the addition of
- Polyester Resin
- Acetyl Tibutyl Citrate (biodegradable plasticizer)
- Sterikonium Hectorite (suspension agent)
- Styrene/Acrylates Copolymer (film former)
- And different dyes or titanium dioxide (for color)
* * Zoya doesn’t provide the above ingredient list on their website. This list was found online from an Amazon reseller of the Qtica Formula.
Do Additives Really Add Something?
“There are a variety of highly specialized additives that are available to the skilled polish formulator. Even very tiny amounts of these special additives can give dramatic differences in performance. Some examples are ingredients used to improve wetting and adhesion or to stabilize colorants.
Of course, there are also some additives that serve absolutely no function other than to increase consumer appeal like proteins, calcium, vitamins, minerals, and fibers. These ingredients do nothing for the nail plate or the polish but they sound great on the label!” ~Nail Structure and Product Chemistry by Douglas Schoon
Are there ingredients in Zoya’s formula that make it better than your regular polish?
Maybe … maybe not.
Perhaps this product does give you enhanced, temporary strength while you are wearing Qtica. But once you remove it, you’re back to the same nails. There just isn’t anything in this product that will stimulate nail growth.
In Conclusion
Nail Polish companies don’t make money if they tell you that all your nails need is 18% water and 5% sebum or jojoba oil to stay strong and flexible.
So they rely on the fact that you don’t know what all those big words mean in their ingredient lists.
Heck…I didn’t either before I started doing research for this post! Companies rely on the fact that you will assume they know better because they have a lot of money to put into research and development.
Please know that I have nothing negative to say about Zoya. Zoya makes great polishes that are adored by nail technicians and the nail community. In fact, I own several of their polishes as well.
I just want you to be able to separate the marketing hype from the truth.
My hope is that you will read nail polish product descriptions with a clearer eye and if you’re still not sure… Ask Ana!
Have a Question You’d Like Ana to Answer?
If Ana features your question in an “Ask Ana” article, you’ll get an email from us within a week asking you for your shipping address. Woohoo! This is our way of thanking you for asking a great question and helping deliver more value to our NailCareHQ readers, Blissettes and the Bliss Kiss™ community. Info@MyBlissKiss.com
Super super super reply! We must be informed consumers when it comes to these products that promise the world!
Best line ever – ‘no way to stimulate the growth of dead cells.’
Thanks for all your hard work and answering a great question!
Elizabeth 🙂
Thank you, very helpful. 🙂