Why the EU has banned some gel nail polishes – and when the UK is expected to do the same

The European Union has banned a cardinal constituent successful gel nail polish, raising concerns that products utilized successful salons successful the UK and elsewhere whitethorn not beryllium safe.

From 1 September 2025, Norway, Switzerland, and each 27 EU subordinate states person prohibited the usage and merchantability of the chemic trimethylbenzoyl diphenylphosphine oxide, oregon TPO.

This means that immoderate leftover nail products containing TPO tin nary longer beryllium utilized successful salons successful those countries.

Under a post-Brexit framework, the UK is considering imposing a akin prohibition successful late-2026 - but until then, TPO products are inactive allowed.

What is TPO and wherefore are scientists acrophobic astir it?

Trimethylbenzoyl diphenylphosphine oxide is simply a substance utilized successful gel nail polishes arsenic a photoinitiator - a molecule that sparks a absorption erstwhile exposed to light.

This means that erstwhile a lawsuit successful a nail salon places their gel nails nether a lamp, the polish hardens and becomes much resistant to chipping.

Following a tiny fig of studies linking TPO vulnerability to semipermanent fertility issues successful animals, EU officials decided to classify it arsenic a CMR (carcinogen, mutagen, reprotoxic) nether its classification, labelling, and packaging regulations.

The EU TPO prohibition is seen arsenic a precautionary measure, arsenic scientists person not yet evidenced immoderate hazard to humans.

The US is besides yet to legislate connected it, with TPO products inactive allowed successful salons crossed each 50 states.

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The Gel Bottle, which produces the thickening merchandise BIAB, oregon Builder In A Bottle, cautioned successful a statement: "The cosmetics manufacture often undergoes regulatory updates to support user information and wellbeing.

"These updates are proactive measures, ensuring products stay compliant with the latest technological probe and information standards. This is not a merchandise recall, existent products stay harmless to use."

Will it interaction nail salons successful the UK?

Since Brexit, abstracted authorities governs the usage of chemicals successful Great Britain, with Northern Ireland taxable to somewhat modified rules nether the Windsor Framework owed to its determination connected the land of Ireland.

The Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) Regulations person been successful spot since 1 January 2021.

REACH consulted with businesses, scientists, and different stakeholders implicit the usage of TPO successful 2022, with astir respondents supporting a prohibition by October 2026.

This was intended to springiness businesses clip to modulation to alternate products.

The UK authorities has said "subject to consent of the Scottish and Welsh governments... [it] intends to introduce" the prohibition connected the projected timescale, though this is yet to beryllium confirmed.

How wide is TPO utilized successful salons?

TPO has proved a fashionable prime for gel nail products due to the fact that it works with some UV and LED light, allowing salon owners much prime successful the benignant of drying instrumentality they use.

However, arsenic soon arsenic the EU began the process of banning it, manufacturers started to swap their products for TPO-free alternatives.

Popular brands specified arsenic OPI, Apres Nail, and Aimelli present person a wide scope of non-TPO products.

The Gel Bottle says each of its EU products are present TPO-free.

"We are pleased to corroborate that 100% of The Gel Bottle products sold successful the EU are present afloat TPO-free and compliant with the September 2025 regulation," it said successful a statement.

"We are actively transitioning each products to caller TPO-free formulations, with reformulated versions already rolling out. We expect the full scope to beryllium afloat TPO-free up of the UK regulatory deadline (Sep 2026)."