Overview

• Effective this week, products containing trimethylbenzoyl diphenylphosphine oxide can no longer be sold, supplied or used in the EU, with existing stock ordered withdrawn and no new TPO items allowed on the market.
• TPO is a photoinitiator used to cure gel nail polish under UV light, but the ban targets the single ingredient rather than gel polish as a category, and approved alternatives remain available.
• Regulators classified TPO as a CMR 1B reproductive toxicant based largely on animal studies showing fertility effects, a basis some experts and industry figures argue may not reflect typical human exposure.
• Manufacturers and salons are switching to TPO-free formulas, while owners warn of disposal, reformulation and training costs that could lead to higher prices for customers.
• Industry observers expect the United Kingdom to consider similar restrictions next year, whereas the United States has no federal ban, though state-level action remains possible.