A new rule is now in force across the UK, effectively banning some kinds of nail gel in all salons. The regulation, which came into force on Saturday, August 15, prohibits manufacturers and importers from introducing any new cosmetic products containing trimethylbenzoyl diphenylphosphine oxide, known in the industry as TPO.
The intervention by the Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) follows animal studies that linked high exposure to the substance to reproductive toxicity and impaired fertility. Under chemical safety frameworks, TPO has been reclassified as a Category 1B reproductive toxicant, triggering its automatic addition to the UK’s list of prohibited cosmetic ingredients.
For millions of British consumers accustomed to the near-instantaneous drying times of gel manicures and “builder gel” (BIAB) treatments, the change has sparked sudden concern. However, industry representatives and dermatologists were quick to reassure the public that gel manicures themselves have not been outlawed.
Instead, the regulation targets the chemical engine of the treatment. TPO is a “photoinitiator,” a specialised compound that absorbs ultraviolet or LED light from curing lamps, triggering a rapid chemical reaction that instantly hardens liquid gel into a durable, chip-resistant plastic shell while preventing the polish from yellowing.
Danielle Louise, Beauty Expert on Fresha said: “If you regularly get gel nails, there’s no reason to cancel your appointments or worry that something has suddenly become unsafe.
“The vast majority of professional salons use trusted brands that keep up to date with cosmetic regulations, and many manufacturers have already introduced reformulated products well ahead of the deadline.
“These kinds of updates happen more often than people realise. As new scientific evidence becomes available, regulations are reviewed and brands adapt their formulas. It’s one of the ways the beauty industry continues to raise standards.”
To prevent widespread disruption to high street businesses, Whitehall has structured the restriction as a phased withdrawal rather than an abrupt shutdown:
August 15, 2026: A hard stop on manufacturers and importers “placing on the market” any new batches of cosmetic products containing TPO.
February 14, 2027: The final deadline for distributors to sell off existing stock. From the following day, the sale or commercial distribution of TPO-containing polishes will be entirely illegal across England, Scotland, and Wales.
Crucially, nail technicians are legally permitted to continue using any TPO-containing products they already own until their salon bottles run out, meaning customers will not see their favourite shades vanish overnight.
The European Union enforced its own ban on TPO nearly a year ago, on September 1, 2025. Because Northern Ireland continues to follow EU cosmetic rules under the Windsor Framework, Ulster’s salons have already been operating under TPO-free mandates for twelve months, while Great Britain is only now catching up.
Juanita Huber-Millet, the founder and creative director of the luxury salon chain Townhouse, confirmed that premier salons have spent the past year transitioning to TPO-free formulations, meaning the weekend’s deadline passed with “business as normal” for her clients.
The Cosmetic, Toiletry and Perfumery Association (CTPA) emphasised that the ban is a precautionary measure based on hazard assessments rather than immediate clinical danger to salon customers. Caroline Rainsford, the CTPA’s director of science, noted that the ban represents “extreme caution” and does not imply that previous gel manicures were hazardous to human health. She pointed to a 2014 review by the Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety which concluded that typical exposure levels in cosmetics posed no threat to consumers.
August Ban on Nail Gel Chemical Now in Force Across UK