Europe just BANNED certain gel nail polishes! Here’s what it means for the UK girlies

Lots of popular gel nail polishes have been banned in Europe this week because they contain an ingredient that has been shown to cause fertility issues, and this is what it means for your monthly gel or BIAB appointment in the UK.

This toxic ingredient in gel nail polish is now banned in Europe

European officials banned Trimethylbenzoyl diphenylphosphine oxide, commonly known as TPO, which isn’t allowed to be used in any cosmetic products after 1st September 2025.

Following new trials on animals, the ingredient has been classified as a CMR 1B chemical, which means it is toxic for reproduction and deemed unsafe to be used in gel nail polish.

“From 1st September 2025, both placing and making available on the market of cosmetic products containing TPO are prohibited,” they said.

TPO is commonly added to many gel nail polishes because it helps the polish harden and dry quickly when it’s put under a UV or LED light.

So, many gel polishes that use this ingredient will no longer be able to be sold, supplied, transferred or used by any professional nail artists after 1st September.

Credit: Canva

Wait, does that mean gel nail polish is banned in the UK?

Right now, TPO hasn’t been banned in the UK. It’s an EU law, so it’s only the 27 member states in the European Union that are affected by the ban at the moment – but it will be in the future.

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The UK left the EU in 2020, so this doesn’t affect England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland for the time being. However, the UK is expected to put its own ban on TPO in cosmetic products by the end of 2026.

An exact date hasn’t been revealed, but British companies and salons are being urged to prepare for the ban by reformulating products and using TPO-free alternatives instead.

The US currently has no plans to ban TPO in cosmetic products.

Don’t worry, you’ll still be able to get your gel nails

You don’t need to panic though, because even when the ban comes into force in the UK by the end of 2026, you’ll still be able to get your gel nails.

Most popular brands used in salons like Glossify and The GelBottle have already been phasing out TPO in their products for years in preparation for the ban.

Credit: Canva

“We are actively working to make our products TPO-free ahead of the regulatory deadlines to ensure a smooth transition. Once the new rules take effect, none of our products sold will contain TPO,” Glossify says.

There will be some salons across the UK that are still using TPO gel nail polishes right now, but they will presumably be changing all their products by the time the UK ban comes into force.

Erm… what about the BIAB girlies?

So, the gel nail polish ban sounds pretty scary but in reality, nothing’s actually going to change.

And for all the BIAB girlies, lots of BIAB polishes are now TPO-free too, and any that do contain the toxic ingredient will be reformulated by 2026, so you can still get your French tips. Phew!

“We are pleased to confirm that 100% of The GelBottle products sold in the EU are now fully TPO-free and compliant with the September 2025 regulation,” The GelBottle says.

“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.”

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Featured image by: Canva