EU bans TPO in gel nail polishes, takes effect Sept 1, 2025

The European Union on Monday implemented a blocwide ban on a chemical widely used in gel nail polish, ordering salons and retailers across its 27 member states to stop selling and using products that contain trimethylbenzoyl diphenylphosphine oxide, known as TPO. The prohibition, announced in May 2024, took effect September 1, 2025 and applies to all cosmetic uses of the photoinitiator that helps gel polishes cure quickly under ultraviolet or LED light.

EU officials said the decision followed animal studies linking TPO to reproductive harm and classified the ingredient as a CMR 1B substance, a designation for chemicals considered potentially carcinogenic, mutagenic or toxic to reproduction. The move is intended as a precautionary public health step while human exposure research continues. Dr. Hannah Kopelman, a dermatologist, said the ban reflects caution rather than conclusive evidence of harm in people. From a medical perspective, I view this as more of a precautionary move rather than a response to strong human evidence, she told reporters.

TPO is prized in formulations for its ability to generate free radicals when exposed to UV light, initiating polymerization that produces...