If you are a devotee of the glossy gel manicure, there is news worth understanding. The EU has banned TPO, trimethylbenzoyl diphenylphosphine oxide, an ingredient found in many gel products, which has left a lot of people wondering what it means for their nails going forward.
Here is the short version. TPO absorbs energy from UV or LED lamps and helps gel polish cure to that hard, long-lasting finish. It has now been banned in the EU on safety grounds. The move was announced last year and came into effect on Saturday, August 15, 2026, after which manufacturers can no longer sell new products containing the ingredient.
The reasoning is about hazard rather than everyday panic. “The reason why TPO has been banned in cosmetic products in the EU is based on its hazardous properties, meaning how a substance might behave under a ‘worst case’ situation when our bodies are exposed to a very large amount,” explained Caroline Rainsford, Director of Science at the CTPA. In other words, the concern relates to potential risk at high exposure, and the ban is a precautionary line drawn by regulators.
For anyone who loves the look, the practical question is what now. The ban applies to new products containing TPO, so the industry is shifting toward reformulated gels and alternative manicures that deliver a similar glossy, hard-wearing finish without the banned ingredient. Salons and brands are adapting, and there is no shortage of shiny options still on the table.
The takeaway is not that gel manicures are over, but that they are changing. If your usual set relied on a TPO-based product, expect your salon to move you onto a reformulated version or a glossy alternative, the finish you like, arrived at a slightly different way.
