Gel nail ban: What it means and what has changed

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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.

But these new regulations do not mean Britons will be unable to get a manicure.

Here, The Independent takes a look at what will change under the new regulation.

The ingredient which allows gel polish to cure under ultraviolet (UV) light has been banned (Getty/iStock)

What ingredient has been banned?

Although called the “gel nail ban” the regulation actually only bans the use of one ingredient- Trimethylbenzoyl diphenylphosphine oxide, commonly known as TPO.

This ingredient is a “photoinitiator”, which allows gel polish to cure under ultraviolet (UV) light to make the varnish more durable and hold its colour for longer.

When does the gel nail ban start?

TPO has already been banned in the European Union since September 1, 2025, stopping nail technicians using this product.

But in the UK the ingredient ban only came into effect on Saturday, preventing manufacturers from selling any new products containing TPO.

However, the ban is coming in gradually and the deadline for salons to stop using the product is Valentine’s Day 2027.

That means salons will be able to offer gel manicures using TPO before February next year until stocks run out – nail technicians just won’t be able to buy new stock from now on containing TPO.

The product can still be used in the US, Australia and Asia.

The deadline for salons to stop using the product is Valentine’s Day 2027 (AFP/Getty)

Why has TPO been banned?

Several animal studies have linked the chemical TPO to long-term fertility damage and reproductive issues.

Caroline Rainsford, Director of Science at The Cosmetic, Toiletry and Perfumery Association (CTPA), said: “The reason why TPO has been banned in cosmetic products in the EU is based on its hazardous properties, meaning how a substance might behave under a ‘worst case’ situation when our bodies are exposed to a very large amount.

“This is not how TPO is used in cosmetics. The amount of this ingredient used in nail products is over a thousand times less than the amount which could have any negative effect on fertility and these products are applied to the nail, so the potential for the ingredient to be absorbed into our bodies is even smaller.”

What will salons use instead?

TPO is only used in some gel polishes and not in traditional air-dried polishes.

There are also already TPO-free gels on the market and many salons use these products. While some alternatives may belong to the same chemical family, different compounds have different safety ratings.

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