The European Union has banned a key ingredient in gel nail polish, elevating issues that merchandise utilized in salons within the UK and elsewhere is probably not protected.
From 1 September 2025, Norway, Switzerland, and all 27 EU member states have prohibited the use and sale of the chemical trimethylbenzoyl diphenylphosphine oxide, or TPO.
Which means any leftover nail merchandise containing TPO can now not be utilized in salons in these nations.
Beneath a post-Brexit framework, the UK is contemplating imposing an identical ban in late-2026 – however till then, TPO merchandise are nonetheless allowed.
What’s TPO and why are scientists involved about it?
Trimethylbenzoyl diphenylphosphine oxide is a substance utilized in gel nail polishes as a photoinitiator – a molecule that sparks a response when uncovered to mild.
Which means when a buyer in a nail salon locations their gel nails beneath a lamp, the polish hardens and turns into extra immune to chipping.
The EU TPO ban is seen as a precautionary measure, as scientists haven’t but evidenced any threat to people.
The US can also be but to legislate on it, with TPO merchandise nonetheless allowed in salons throughout all 50 states.
The Gel Bottle, which produces the thickening product BIAB, or Builder In A Bottle, cautioned in a press release: “The cosmetics industry frequently undergoes regulatory updates to protect consumer safety and wellbeing.
“These updates are proactive measures, guaranteeing merchandise stay compliant with the newest scientific analysis and security requirements. This isn’t a product recall, present merchandise stay protected to make use of.”
Will it impact nail salons in the UK?
Since Brexit, separate legislation governs the use of chemicals in Great Britain, with Northern Ireland subject to slightly modified rules under the Windsor Framework due to its location on the island of Ireland.
The Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) Regulations have been in place since 1 January 2021.
REACH consulted with businesses, scientists, and other stakeholders over the use of TPO in 2022, with most respondents supporting a ban by October 2026.
This was intended to give businesses time to transition to alternative products.
The UK government has said “topic to consent of the Scottish and Welsh governments… [it] intends to introduce” the ban on the proposed timescale, though that is but to be confirmed.
How extensively is TPO utilized in salons?
TPO has proved a preferred selection for gel nail merchandise as a result of it really works with each UV and LED mild, permitting salon house owners extra selection in the kind of drying gear they use.
Nonetheless, as quickly because the EU started the method of banning it, producers began to swap their merchandise for TPO-free options.
Well-liked manufacturers reminiscent of OPI, Apres Nail, and Aimelli now have a variety of non-TPO merchandise.
The Gel Bottle says all of its EU merchandise are actually TPO-free.
“We are pleased to confirm that 100% of The Gel Bottle products sold in the EU are now fully TPO-free and compliant with the September 2025 regulation,” it stated in a press release.
“We are actively transitioning all products to new TPO-free formulations, with reformulated versions already rolling out. We expect the entire range to be fully TPO-free ahead of the UK regulatory deadline (Sep 2026).”
