Ban on gel nail polish starts today
The UK's beauty sector is experiencing a huge change today as a certain type of gel nail polish is being banned all over the nation.
If you like to switch up your nails every few weeks with a trending style or different colour, then this impacts you directly.
Particularly if you visit a nail technician or nail salon to have your nails done and dried via UV light.
This is because the UK is restricting specific gel polishes that contain a toxic substance from now on.
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The name of this ingredient is supposed to help gel nail polish to harden when it's under the UV light, but it can also apparently impact your fertility (women).
Trimethylbenzoyl Diphenylphosphine Oxide, also known as TPO, has been under investigation for some time, and it was even banned in the EU last September after being listed as a 'reproductive toxin'.
When it comes to the UK, nail technician's won't be able to buy TPO-containing products from February 14, 2027, but can use their current stock until it runs out.
The same goes for retailers selling at-home gel manicure kits that have TPO listed in its ingredients.
Studies have listed TPO as an endocrine-disrupting chemical, which impacts hormones in the body, blocking receptors and altering hormone production.
According to a 2023 study published in Nature, 'endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) are substances generated by human industrial activities that are detrimental to human health.'
They can lead to things like cancer, as the World Health Organization categorises EDCs as causing 'alteration to an organism’s morphology, physiology, and/or behaviour that impairs its ability to grow, develop, and/or reproduce'.
A 2022 study revealed just how it impacts reproduction, after noting EDC oestrogenic pharmaceutical diethylstilbestrol have been shown to be 'linked to adverse pregnancy outcomes, infertility, and cancers in mothers, as well as their offspring'.
The ban mainly consider animal studies, which saw tested rats given high doses of TPO and suffer from fertility problems afterwards.
In regard to the news, Caroline Rainsford, the director of science at the Cosmetic Toiletry & Perfumery Association, said, per the Daily Mail: "TPO has been banned in cosmetic products 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."
Michael Henson from the nail care brand HONA has also come out to talk about TPO, namely, to clear his company of being affiliated with it as he said per the British Beauty Council: “Our gel system was already formulated without TPO ahead of the Great Britain deadline, so our customers and distribution partners face no last-minute reformulation, stock-clearance exercise or disruption to supply.”
Similarly, UK luxury nail salon brand, Townhouse, also confirmed to the body that they too have taken steps to remove TPO ahead of time.
Founder and Creative Director, Juanita Huber-Millet said: “We’ve invested heavily in developing TPO-free systems that meet our standards without compromise so that clients never have to choose between exceptional results and peace of mind."
While a lot of the news focusses on clients, when it comes to the nail technicians, Henson suggests remaining diligent in light of the ban.
He said to 'check their ingredient lists and seek written confirmation from suppliers' when seeking gel polishes in the future.
That way you know that you're purchasing TPO-free products from now on, even before the deadline.
Britt Jones