An SDS is something we hear talked about in the nail industry, but what is it?
SDS stands for Safety Data Sheet, historically it was known as a MSDS (material safety data sheet), although this term is now considered outdated.
An SDS is a mandatory document that provides detailed information on a chemical substance or mixture. The purpose is to make sure workers, transporters, and emergency responders know how to handle the product safely, what risks are involved, and what to do in case of accidents.
What’s in an SDS?
It’s usually split into 16 sections (under EU/UK CLP & GHS rules):
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Identification – Product name, supplier, emergency contacts.
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Hazard Identification – What the risks are (flammable, sensitiser, toxic, etc.).
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Composition/Information on Ingredients – Hazardous ingredients + % ranges, CAS numbers.
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First Aid Measures – What to do if it gets in eyes, on skin, inhaled, etc.
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Firefighting Measures – How to fight a fire involving the product.
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Accidental Release Measures – Spill clean-up instructions.
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Handling and Storage – Safe storage, temperature limits, etc.
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Exposure Controls / PPE – Ventilation, gloves, eye protection recommendations.
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Physical & Chemical Properties – Colour, odour, flash point, boiling point, etc.
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Stability and Reactivity – Conditions/materials to avoid.
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Toxicological Information – Effects on health.
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Ecological Information – Environmental risks.
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Disposal Considerations – How to dispose safely.
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Transport Information – UN number, transport class, packaging rules.
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Regulatory Information – Legal references.
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Other Information – Revision date, training advice, etc.
Will an SDS show every ingredient in a product?
Simply put, no, an SDS does not need to show every ingredient in a product, only the ones that may be hazardous...
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Only hazardous substances (classified under CLP) above certain thresholds must be listed in Section 3.
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Thresholds vary depending on the hazard classification, but typical ones are:
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≥1% for most hazardous ingredients (irritants, sensitizers, etc.)
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≥0.1% for very serious hazards (carcinogens, mutagens, reproductive toxins, respiratory sensitisers, etc.)
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Non-hazardous ingredients (e.g. castor oil, treated silica) don’t legally have to appear, though some companies list them voluntarily for transparency.
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Polymers don’t require a CAS listing (because polymers are exempt from CLP classification), but any residual hazardous monomers in them do.
What are a brand obligations?
Brands are legally required to:
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Provide SDS for any product containing hazardous ingredients (like acrylates, solvents, photoinitiators).
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Supply it in the local language of any country you sell to.
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Keep it updated if formulations change or new hazards are identified.
What are your obligations?
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Nail technicians must have access to the SDS for every hazardous product they use in the workplace.
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You must store them safely (paper or digital is fine) so staff can consult them.
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You must use the SDS as part of their COSHH assessment (Control of Substances Hazardous to Health).
Insurance providers, local authorities, and health & safety inspectors will expect to see SDSs and COSHH risk assessments if they visit.
With all the being said what parts do nail techs need to pay close attention to?
Looking at an SDS can seem daunting, trying to work out what information you really need to pay attention to, lets break down the most important parts...
Section 1
As highlighted in purple, this section must have the details of the manufacturer of the product and the responsible person. This must include the address of the manufacturer and a phone number that you can contact should you or a regulatory body or poison centre have a query.
The responsible person is accountable for:
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Making sure the SDS is accurate, up to date, and compliant.
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Keeping hazard information current.
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Ensuring distribution to all professional users.
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Acting as the technical contact point for safety information.
Section 3
Arguably the most important section, this is where you are going to find out what is in the product, the percentage of it and the classification of the hazard each chemical poses.
If we look at the parts highlighted in purple, these are the percentages of each chemical in the product. This is important as certain chemicals have restrictions on their legally allowed percentages. As an example, in the UK HEMA is restricted to a maximum of 35%, TPO is restricted to 5% and di-HEMA 99%. You should check these percentages to ensure you are compliant in your regulatory area.
If we now take the parts in orange these are the names of the chemicals that are hazardous within the mixture. Its important to note that one chemical may go by several different names, as an example HEMA is more often denoted as hydroxyethyl methacrylate.
The parts highlighted in green are the CAS numbers. A CAS number is a unique number that is given to every chemical substance described in scientific literature. As we have previously discussed chemicals can appear by many different names, however each chemical only has one CAS number, searching for a CAS number when the names are a bit confusing can be a an easy was of identifying a substance.
The parts highlighted in blue are the classification of the hazard for each chemical listed. Some chemicals may be , for instance, skin sensitisers, where others may be an eye irritant or skin irritant etc, this section will tell you what specific hazards these chemicals pose.
Section 4/5 and 6
These sections lay out first aid, firefighting and accidental release measures. In other words they lay out what you should do if there is accidental skin exposure or a fire as example and what to do if there is a spillage of the product.
Section 7
This section lays out the safest was to store and handle the mixture as it pertains to the SDS. This is important to know to ensure you are protecting yourself and or your staff.
Whilst an SDS can seem like a daunting file to be able to understand, hopefully the break down above will make you feel more confident in being able to interpret the information that you need to be able to perform treatments as a nail technician, even for those who may have pre existing allergies.