![\"Manicured](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/0_JS361032052.jpg\")
Gel polishes normally list ingredients on the back of the bottle <\/p>\nAn ingredient in many gel nail polishes has been banned by the EU this month over fears it may be harmful to humansGel polishes normally list ingredients on the back of the bottle <\/p>\n
If you\u2019ve ever had a gel manicure<\/a> you might have wondered just what it is that makes them so long lasting. The answer is that it varies and not all gel nail polishes are made with the same ingredients.<\/p>\n While gel manicures are favoured for their durability, one ingredient present in some gel nails might not be around much longer following an EU ban this month. Under new rules, the chemical Trimethylbenzoyl Diphenylphosphine Oxide, often shortened to TPO, has been banned in cosmetic products in the EU<\/a> including gel nail polishes effective from September 1.<\/p>\n The ban isn\u2019t yet in place in Great Britain but is expected to follow in 2027, according to the Cosmetic, Toiletry and Perfumery Association.<\/p>\n The chemical TPO is a photo initiator meaning it makes it possible for nail polishes <\/a>to harden under UV\/LED light.<\/p>\n However, under EU regulation the chemical has now been classified as \u201ccarcinogenic, mutagenic, or toxic to reproduction\u201d after it was found to have reproductive toxicity effects in animal studies.<\/p>\n This means that professionals operating under EU law must stop selling and using any TPO containing products.<\/p>\n This includes products that were already in circulation prior to the ban coming into place.<\/a><\/p>\n For UK salons stocking products containing TPO, a potential future ban could mean similar action being taken with salons required to replace TPO-containing products with compliant ones.<\/p>\n