Overview

• From September 1, EU rules prohibit both placing and supplying cosmetic products containing TPO, with no sell‑through of existing salon stock allowed.
• TPO, a photoinitiator used to cure gel polish under UV or LED light, was classified as a CMR 1B substance considered potentially harmful to reproduction.
• U.S. regulators have not restricted TPO, so TPO-containing gels remain available there even as European businesses switch to compliant alternatives.
• Manufacturers are expected to reformulate to TPO‑free formulas, a shift that could affect U.S. supply chains as companies avoid maintaining separate product lines.
• Industry figures, including consultant Doug Schoon and retailers such as ASAP Nails, criticized the ban as lacking strong human evidence and warned of economic harm, while the UK is expected to act on a later timeline toward late 2026.