The Conversations Doug Schoon Is Bringing To Our Industry Matter

Over the last several days, Doug Schoon has been publicly sharing incredibly important evidence-based information from his recent lamp testing and educational series on his Facebook page.

The conversations he is bringing forward around proper gel curing, LED/UV nail lamps, wavelength output, irradiance, formula compatibility, and what actually happens when gel products cure are conversations our industry has needed for a long time.

If you have not already, we highly recommend taking the time to read through the information he has shared publicly. You can find it directly on his Facebook page by searching Doug Schoon. We also highly recommend his book, which is one of the most valuable resources a nail professional can have in their education.

While much of this information may feel new to many professionals, for us, it has reinforced something we have believed throughout product development from the very beginning.

At CNS, we have never believed product development stops at creating beautiful colors or putting products into packaging.

From early development stages, we have consistently prioritized understanding the relationship between formula chemistry, lamp compatibility, and proper curing performance. We know we do not know everything, and we believe there is always room to keep learning, improving, and growing. As our industry evolves, we will continue doing everything we can to make thoughtful decisions, keep asking better questions, and do our part to help better the industry as a whole.

What has been incredibly refreshing these last few days is seeing more fact-based conversations happening publicly that continue challenging long-standing assumptions many professionals have simply accepted for years.

Because one thing has become increasingly clear.

Not all lamps perform the same.

Lamp Wattage Does Not Tell The Full Story

For years, the professional nail industry has been conditioned to compare lamps based on wattage.

36 watts.
48 watts.
86 watts.

The assumption has often been simple: higher wattage means better curing.

The problem?

Wattage alone tells us almost nothing about how well a lamp actually cures product.

Wattage tells you how much electrical power a lamp uses. It does not tell you how much usable UV energy is reaching the nail. It does not tell you what wavelengths the lamp is emitting. It does not tell you whether the lamp is compatible with the gel formula being cured.

Two lamps with similar wattage can perform very differently depending on several factors:

• Wavelength output
• Irradiance levels
• LED chip quality
• Heat management
• Internal lamp design
• Chamber consistency
• Exposure time
• Overall compatibility with the formula being cured

In other words, higher wattage does not automatically mean better curing.

This is why we believe professionals deserve better information than wattage alone.

Want to go deeper on the science behind this? Doug Schoon's book breaks down chemistry and curing in a way that is genuinely valuable for working nail professionals. He has also been sharing recent lamp research publicly on his Facebook page, and we highly recommend taking the time to learn from it.

How CNS Approaches Product Development

At CNS, we have always believed curing should be evaluated as part of the complete product system.

This means understanding that proper curing depends on both formula chemistry and lamp compatibility working together.

As part of our development process, CNS gel systems have undergone compatibility testing with the CNS Pro Cure Lamp to help verify cure performance when used according to recommended cure guidelines.

We are also continuing to build out our internal testing, documentation, and quality control processes so we can strengthen our own in-house verification and continue learning more about the science behind proper curing and formula compatibility.

Because responsible product development is not a one-time decision.

It is something that should continue to evolve as more information becomes available.

What Our Current Lamp Data Shows

Current compatibility and performance data for the CNS Pro Cure Lamp indicates:

• Listed dual-wavelength UV-A LED design using 365nm and 405nm LED technology
• 42 professionally selected UV-A LEDs
• Approximate average chamber irradiance of 14 mW/cm²
• Approximate peak chamber irradiance of 17 mW/cm²
• Quartz-backed LED construction designed to help manage heat buildup during repeated use
• 60 second cure compatibility verified for CNS gel polish when used according to recommended cure guidelines

These values describe the CNS Pro Cure Lamp as a curing system developed for compatibility with CNS gel systems.

They are not intended to suggest that one lamp will properly cure every gel formula on the market.

Lamp compatibility should never be assumed across brands.

Because wattage alone does not tell the full story. Actual curing performance depends on what the lamp is truly delivering inside the chamber and whether that output matches the chemistry of the product being cured.

Formula Chemistry Matters Too

Curing is not simply about the lamp.

The chemistry inside the product itself determines what wavelengths and energy levels are required for proper polymerization.

Our current gel polish formulas were developed around photoinitiator chemistry intended to respond within the UV-A range used by the CNS Pro Cure Lamp.

Current compatibility testing indicates a target curing window within the 365nm to 405nm range and a minimum energy requirement of approximately 600 mJ/cm² when used according to our recommended cure parameters.

Using the approximate average chamber irradiance currently measured for the CNS Pro Cure Lamp, a 60 second exposure corresponds to an average delivered dose of approximately 840 mJ/cm² under comparable measurement conditions.

That is one reason our 60 second cure time matters.

But this should not be interpreted as a universal claim that the CNS Pro Cure Lamp will properly cure every gel formula from every brand. Different gel systems may require different curing parameters, which is why lamp compatibility should never be assumed.

This means our formulas and curing system were developed with compatibility in mind rather than relying on generic assumptions.

What Irradiance Actually Means

Irradiance is the amount of UV energy reaching a surface over time, usually measured in milliwatts per square centimeter, or mW/cm².

In simpler terms, irradiance helps describe how much curing energy is actually reaching the nail area inside the lamp.

This matters because two lamps can have the same wattage and still deliver very different irradiance levels. Two lamps can also list similar wavelengths and still perform differently depending on LED quality, chamber design, heat management, and how evenly the energy is distributed inside the curing zone.

Irradiance also has to be understood together with exposure time.

A lamp does not cure by intensity alone. The product receives energy over time.

That is why the recommended cure time on a product label matters. A balanced irradiance level with the correct exposure time can allow a compatible formula to reach its intended cure when used properly.

The goal is not simply the strongest lamp possible.

The goal is compatibility between formula chemistry, wavelength output, irradiance, exposure time, and application thickness.

Why Dual Wavelength Technology Matters

One of the biggest misconceptions in our industry is assuming that all UV lamps cure products the same way simply because they turn on and harden the surface of the product.

The reality is more complex.

A dual-wavelength lamp does not mean two magic numbers that cure everything.

It means the lamp is designed to emit energy in more than one part of the UV-A range. This matters because photoinitiators respond to wavelength ranges, not just one single number printed on a lamp listing.

Different portions of the UV-A range can contribute differently depending on the formula being cured.

This becomes especially important when working with heavily pigmented formulas such as black gels, deep reds, darker shades, glitter formulas, or formulas with higher pigment loads.

Pigments, glitters, and opacity can affect how UV energy moves through the product layer. A surface may appear hard while deeper layers may not have received enough usable energy to fully polymerize if the lamp, formula, layer thickness, and cure time are not properly matched.

At the same time, insufficient UV exposure can also lead to incomplete curing.

This is why proper curing is not about using the strongest lamp possible.

It is about creating compatibility between formula chemistry, wavelength output, irradiance, exposure time, and layer thickness so the system works together as intended.

This is also why thin, even application matters.

A product should be applied according to the brand's instructions, cured for the recommended amount of time, and used with a lamp that has been evaluated for compatibility with that system.

Why This Conversation Matters

One thing we deeply appreciate is seeing more evidence-based conversations happening publicly in our industry.

For too long, many professionals have been forced to rely on marketing claims rather than understanding the actual science behind the products and equipment they use every day.

The more our industry asks deeper questions, the better decisions professionals can make behind the table.

At CNS, this kind of information matters because we believe responsible product development means never stopping at surface-level assumptions.

It means asking better questions.

It means testing deeper.

It means continuing to learn.

And it means being willing to grow as better information becomes available.

Learn More From Doug Schoon

If you want to take your education further, we are hosting Doug Schoon's 2-Day Advanced Chemistry of Nails Seminar on August 31 to September 1, 2026 in Albany, Oregon.

This is a rare opportunity to learn directly from Doug and dive deeper into the science, chemistry, and evidence-based information that impacts our industry as a whole.

Doug Schoon is not affiliated with CNS in any way. We simply have a deep respect for the evidence-based research, testing, and education he continues to bring to the professional nail industry, and we genuinely value the important conversations his work is helping move forward.

Moving The Industry Forward

A huge amount of respect goes to individuals like Doug Schoon who continue pushing evidence-based conversations, independent testing, and deeper scientific understanding forward within our industry.

His work, including his book, is something every serious nail professional should have on their shelf.

The more our industry learns about chemistry, proper curing, lamp compatibility, and how these systems truly work, the better standards we create for professionals as a whole.

At CNS, we will continue doing what we have always believed in.

Developing products thoughtfully.
Continuing to learn.
Testing deeper.
And never assuming that good enough is enough when professionals trust us with the products they use every single day.

Because behind every bottle, every formula, and every system we create…

Is a commitment to never stop asking better questions, challenging assumptions, and continuing to raise the standard for the industry we care so deeply about.

Ready to go deeper? Grab Doug Schoon's book. It is one of the best investments you can make in your education.

And join us in person at Doug Schoon's 2-Day Advanced Chemistry of Nails Seminar on August 31 to September 1, 2026 in Albany, Oregon.

Seats are limited. Secure yours here.