TPO: what is changing with gel polish, and what you need to do
The short version. A gel polish ingredient called TPO is being banned in the UK.
15 August 2026 suppliers can no longer sell it to you.
14 February 2027 you can no longer use it.
Northern Ireland already banned since September 2025.
You need to check your stock. But you do not need to worry, and neither do your clients.
What is TPO?
TPO is an ingredient in many gel polishes.
It is what makes gel go hard under the lamp. It has been used for many years.
You will find it in gel colours, base coats, top coats and builder gels.
What has actually happened
Many news stories about this are wrong or scary. Here is what really happened.
TPO was given a new safety rating
Safety ratings are given to chemicals. TPO used to have a lower rating. In 2020 it was given a higher one.
The new rating came from animal tests
In these tests, rats were fed TPO by mouth. They were given very large amounts. Much more than anyone would ever get from nail products.
These tests are the normal way chemicals are checked. But they are not tests on nail technicians. And they are not tests on gel polish on nails.
The ban happens automatically
Cosmetic rules say this: if a chemical gets that safety rating, it cannot be used in cosmetics. Full stop.
Nobody has to prove it is harmful in gel polish. The ban follows the rating on its own.
The UK is copying the EU
The EU banned TPO first. The UK is doing the same, a bit later. There was no separate UK study.
So is gel polish dangerous?
No study found that TPO in gel polish harmed technicians or clients. The ban is not based on that.
The rules simply say that chemicals with this rating cannot be used in cosmetics. It is a safety step, not a response to people being harmed.
But the law is the law. From August your supplier cannot sell it. From February you cannot use it. You have to plan for that.
What to tell clients
Some clients will have read scary headlines. Keep your answer simple:
One ingredient in gel has been given a new safety rating, so it is being replaced across the UK and Europe. Nobody was harmed. The companies have made new versions. Your treatment stays the same.
How to check your stock
This is the important part. Do it this week.
Step 1: read the label
Look at the ingredients list. It is on the bottle or the box. Look for these words:
- Trimethylbenzoyl diphenylphosphine oxide
- Diphenyl(2,4,6-trimethylbenzoyl)phosphine oxide
- TPO
- 75980-60-8
That last one is a number. Every chemical has one. It is the easiest thing to look for, because a number cannot be written in different ways.
If you see that number, the product has TPO.
Step 2: ask for the safety sheet
Every professional product has a safety data sheet. Your supplier must give it to you free if you ask.
Ask for it by product name and colour. Then look at Section 3. The number will be there.
Keep these sheets. You need them for your COSHH file anyway.
Step 3: email your supplier
Ask them three questions:
- Which products I buy have TPO in them?
- What is the new version, and when can I order it?
- Which batch number is the new version?
The third one is important. Many salons forget it. New and old bottles can look exactly the same.
Step 4: check the company website
Most big brands have put a notice on their website about TPO. Search the brand name and “TPO”.
Be careful with shop blogs. Some are adverts. Some are out of date. Trust the company that makes the product, or the safety sheet.
Important: do not just check the brand.
Do not ask “is my brand safe?” Ask “is this bottle safe?”
Big brands sell many different ranges. Some ranges have TPO. Some do not. Even in the same brand. Some products have been changed but keep the same name. Two bottles that look the same can be different inside.
So check each product. Not just the brand.
Check these carefully
- Builder gels and hard gels. These need a strong cure. Check builder in a bottle, hard gel and extension gels.
- Base coats. Easy to forget. But they cure too.
- Old bottles at the back. The oldest stock is least likely to have been changed.
- Anything bought online or cheap. Marketplace sellers, cash and carry, bulk deals. Hardest to check.
- No-name products. If you cannot find who made it, you cannot get a safety sheet. Do not use it.
What to do next
- Product has TPO, small amount: use it before 14 February 2027. Order the new version now.
- Product has TPO, large amount: ask your supplier if they will swap it. Ask early. They will be more helpful in August than in January.
- You cannot find out: treat it as having TPO. If you cannot get a safety sheet, do not use it.
- Product is fine: write down how you checked and when. Keep it.
Do not buy cheap TPO stock before August. You cannot use it after February. You would be wasting money.
Try the new versions early. New gels can cure differently. Test on yourself or a regular client first. Not on a paying client in the last week.
Two other dates for your diary
| Date | What happens |
|---|---|
| 15 August 2026 | Suppliers cannot sell TPO products |
| 1 January 2027 | Staff can claim unfair dismissal after 6 months, not 2 years |
| 14 February 2027 | You cannot use TPO products |
Nobody puts these in one place for salon owners. That is why TNBA exists.
Do this today
Go and look at your gel bottles. Read the labels.
Ten minutes will tell you if this is a big job or a small one.
TNBA gives practical help to the UK nail industry. This is general information, not legal advice. Rules can change. Check with your supplier and follow the instructions for every product you use. Last checked 1 August 2026. TNBA Limited, a not-for-profit company limited by guarantee, England and Wales no. 17120618.
Members get the paperwork that goes with this
A stock check sheet with a completed example. A letter to send your supplier, ready to use. A COSHH update for the new products. And the staff documents you will need before January.
99 pounds a year. 100 founding places. Price fixed for two years.