The European Union has recently enacted an official ban on the use of trimethylbenzoyl diphenylphosphine oxide, or TPO, in gel nail polishes. This new rule went into effect on September 1. TPO, in concert with other photoinitiators, is key to allowing gel and hybrid polishes to cure under ultraviolet (UV) light. This ingredient has become a mainstay of products used by salons and consumers alike. The ban will stop wholesalers around the 27-nation European Union from supplying foods with this politics-related element.
For salon owners operating within the EU, now is the time to act with their stock of TPO-containing products. After the effective date, we do not want to see any more polishes that contain TPO on store shelves. Look forward to a change in products offered! However, animal studies have raised serious safety concerns about TPO. In response, European regulators are erring on the side of caution towards substances that may possibly, even just theoretically, harm human health.
In the United States, TPO is still legal. Regulatory agencies such as the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have not announced a ban. Now thousands of pages against the U.S. agencies encourage consumers to scrutinize product labels voraciously. To further minimize any potential exposure risks, they suggest applying nail polish in well-ventilated areas. At this point, there is no definitive evidence demonstrating that gel nail polish containing TPO presents a serious risk to human health. Given current exposure levels, it does seem to be harmless.
The European Union has called for an immediate ban. The U.K. has passed a law that will implement a similar ban on TPO in 2026. The EU and the U.S. couldn’t be more different in approaches to regulation. This difference illustrates the extent to which each region evaluates and responds to safety issues regarding cosmetic ingredients. The EU’s precautionary regulatory system encourages ambitious steps to take effective action against materials identified as dangerous. This is often the case even when the evidence of their hazards is not fully developed.
Initially, TPO was designed for professional users only. Its rapid acceptance into consumer products has led to increased scrutiny from health advocates and regulators. Salon owners will need to reconfigure their services in accordance with the new ordinance. In doing so, they must make sure to keep their clients safe.
