03/09/2025
GEL POLISH IS NOT BANNED
(But thanks to the news outlets for scaremongering!) 🙄
For any of my clients who have seen silly news reporting on gel nail products recently, its just click bait...here's the actual facts 👇🏼
The EU has announced a complete ban on all products containing TPO. This has created considerable speculation within the industry, as previous regulations have typically allowed nail technicians to use up existing stock before transitioning to compliant alternatives. Importantly, such measures have never directly affected end users in the same way.
What is most surprising is that the findings behind this decision are based exclusively on oral toxicity studies carried out in laboratory animals. No human studies on the reproductive toxicity of TPO have been conducted.
TPO has been safely used in the manufacture of gel products for many years. The exposures identified in these animal studies do not reflect the reality of cosmetic use — for example, gel nail products applied in salons contain only ~1–3% TPO in cured UV gels, and oral ingestion is neither possible nor relevant in this context.
I am not a scientist, and the information I am sharing is drawn from credible, industry-recognised sources. Thankfully, the regulation will not come into effect in the UK until the final quarter of 2026. In the meantime, manufacturers are already working to reformulate their products with alternative photoinitiators, so we can continue to use safety-tested products with confidence in the salon. So clients - don’t worry!
It is also worth noting that any company or manufacturer placing cosmetic products on the EU market must appoint a Responsible Person, regardless of where in the world the business is based. The same applies to the UK. Products must also be fully registered on the appropriate cosmetic portals (the EU CPNP and the UK SCPN). This means that if a brand intends to sell into the EU or the UK, they will be required to remove TPO from their formulations and ensure compliance before their products can be placed on either market.
Hope this helps ❤️
