Wow, this lamp issue has a life of its own! I, too, feel strongly about this, so maybe we should talk about it more, and more dispassionately.
I think it might be useful to review the science of gel polishes. First, both CFL-UV (compact fluorescent lamp) and LED-UV lamps generate the same light – UVA. They use different technologies to create it.
The Science of Gels - Technique - NAILS Magazine The wavelength on the LED is narrower and the light more intense, but there is no evidence that LED-UV is “safer” than CFL-UV, which are already safe
http://www.schoonscientific.com/downloads/UV-Nail-Lamp-Facts.pdf.
Secondly, the ingredient in gel polishes that cures it is the photoinitiators which respond to different wavelengths in the light, usually 300-400 nm
http://www.nailsmag.com/article/93494/uv-or-not-uv. So if the photoinitiator is one wavelength and the light is another, you can get a bad cure, not always visible to the naked eye. In addition, CND Shellac® says that because photoinitiators can cause sensitivity, they use fewer photo initiators in Shellac. That would explain why Shellac
tends to be problematic curing in LED-UV lamps.
http://www.cnd.com/Products/PDF/4965_Shellac_Q&A_Consumer.pdf
Finally, wattage is not what matters in curing, output is. 36 watts indicates how much power the lamp uses, not what it puts out. You’d need a spectrophotometer for that. So all 36 watt lamps are not the same. In addition to wattage and output, design elements like bulb placement, reflectors, fans, ergonomic hand placement all make a big difference in the cure. We all know that the “clench” can totally screw up a cure!
The bottom line as I see it? It is always best to use the manufacturer-specified lamp, because that is what they have determined through testing gives the best cure. For some brands, like CND Shellac® it is
required to use their lamp in order to be certified and use their trademarked name. Others, like HNH, ACG, etc., aren’t so specific. You’d go broke having a lamp for every brand. You have to assess whether you can provide a proper, safe service using a different lamp – but you must do that as a fully informed professional, and not dismiss things as pseudo-science or profiteering just because it is inconvenient or disagreeable to you. A professional is expected to apply her education, training and experience to provide the most appropriate and customized service to each client. Our cost, convenience and profit must never interfere with doing what’s right for the client.