Can the pH level of gels, such as base gels, be measured using pH test strips?

Many nail professionals are told that gels have a pH level or that it can be measured, but that’s a misunderstanding. This is one of the most common myths in nail chemistry, and it’s important to get the science right before passing that information on to others.

Here’s the fact-based explanation:

1. Do gels (including base gels) have a pH?

No, UV/LED-curable gels (base gels, builders, top gels, etc.) do not have a measurable pH in their normal state.

• pH only applies to aqueous (water-based) solutions — that is, substances dissolved in water where hydrogen ions (H⁺) can move freely.
• Gels used in nail products are anhydrous (contain no water) and are made up of monomers, oligomers, and photoinitiators. These ingredients are not ionized in water, so pH cannot be determined.

In short: No water = no pH.

2. Can pH strips measure a gel’s pH?

No, pH strips only work in water-based environments.

When someone dips a pH strip into gel or wipes a cured nail surface with a strip, the result is meaningless because:

• The strip needs free-moving hydrogen ions in a water solution to react and change color.
• Gels are non-conductive and non-aqueous, so no such reaction can occur.
• Any reading you see would come from moisture, residue, or solvents, not the gel itself.

So the popular “testing with pH strips” trend is scientifically invalid and provides false readings.

3. Why the confusion?

It often stems from mixing up acid-free vs. acidic primers or acid-balanced vs. neutral pH marketing terms.

Manufacturers sometimes say “acid-balanced” to mean gentle on the nail, not that the product has an actual measurable pH.