UK gel nail ban: What it means and what has changed

Manicure lovers may be panicking that their favourite treatment is set to disappear from UK salons under the new gel nail ban. A key ingredient used to make many brands of gel nail polish has been banned in England, Wales and Scotland. The ingredient which allows gel polish to cure under ultraviolet (UV) light has been banned—Trimethylbenzoyl diphenylphosphine oxide, commonly known as TPO. This ingredient is a 'photoinitiator,' used to make the varnish more durable and hold its colour for longer. Although called the 'gel nail ban,' the regulation only bans TPO. In the EU, TPO has been banned since September 1, 2025, but in the UK, the ban came into effect on Saturday, preventing manufacturers from selling new products containing TPO. However, the ban is gradual, with salons allowed to use existing stock until Valentine’s Day 2027. The product can still be used in the US, Australia, and Asia. Several animal studies have linked TPO to long-term fertility damage, but Caroline Rainsford, Director of Science at the CTPA, clarified that the amount used in nail products is over a thousand times less than harmful levels, and the risk of absorption is minimal. TPO is only used in some gel polishes, not traditional air-dried polishes. There are already TPO-free gels on the market, and many salons already use these alternatives.