A plain English explanation of the rule change, the dates that actually apply in Great Britain, and how I am handling it here in Crowborough.
Correct as at 12 August 2026. Guidance may change and this page will be updated if the Great Britain position develops.
You may have seen posts online about an ingredient called TPO being banned in gel nail products. If you have gel or BIAB nails with me, or you are booked in soon, here is the straightforward version of what is actually happening.
The first thing worth saying is that not every gel product contains TPO. Plenty of professional products never used it, and several brands moved away from it some time ago. The only reliable way to know either way is to read the ingredients list on the individual bottle, so that is what I am doing with my own stock, bottle by bottle, rather than assuming that everything on my shelf matches a current formulation.
TPO is a photoinitiator. That is the ingredient that helps a UV or LED gel harden under the lamp. It has been used in some gel products for years. That is really all you need to know about the chemistry side of it.
From this date, new TPO containing cosmetic products can no longer be placed on the Great Britain market.
Cosmetic products containing TPO that were lawfully placed on the market before 15 August 2026 may continue to be made available during the transitional period ending 14 February 2027.
You may also see 1 September 2025 quoted online. That is the EU date, and Northern Ireland follows the EU rules. It is not the Great Britain date.
This is the part worth being precise about. The legislation itself does not state what a professional must do with stock they already own after the transitional period.
The current CTPA interpretation, which CTPA says has been discussed with and aligned with Trading Standards, is that professionals in Great Britain may continue using stock already held while no longer being able to obtain further TPO containing stock after the relevant supply period.
I want to be clear about where that comes from. It is industry and regulatory guidance. It is not wording contained in the legislation itself, guidance in this area may evolve, and I will follow the current Great Britain position as it develops.
No. Products containing TPO could be legally supplied and used under the rules that applied at the time. The regulations are now changing, and professional brands and salons are adapting to the new requirements.
I am checking my own products bottle by bottle and following the latest Great Britain guidance as it develops.
I use OPI. Based on OPI's current professional portfolio and current formulations:
That describes OPI's current portfolio rather than every bottle in my kit. Formulations have changed over the years, so I am still checking my own bottles individually rather than assuming they all match the current formula.
Please just ask. If you would like to know exactly what is going on your nails at your next appointment, I am very happy to show you the bottle and the ingredients list. No question is a daft one, and I would much rather you asked me than worried about something you read online.
LouiseISET Nails & Beauty, Crowborough
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This page is information for my clients rather than legal advice.