TPO FAQS

Understanding the regulation 

From time to time the cosmetics industry updates its regulations to keep standards current. These changes are about future compliance, not product recalls. 

One such update concerns TPO (Trimethylbenzoyl diphenylphosphine oxide), which has not been permitted in cosmetic products in the EU and Northern Ireland since 1 September 2025. 

In Great Britain — England, Scotland and Wales — the timeline is different: 

Using stock you already own remains permitted in Great Britain after 14 February 2027. 

What is TPO? 

TPO is a photoinitiator, the ingredient in some gel products that reacts to UV or LED light to cure the product. It has been widely used for its fast cure and low yellowing. Not all gel products contain it. 

Are TGB products safe to use? 

Yes. Every product we sell has passed the legally required safety assessment by a qualified safety assessor before going to market. 

TPO was reclassified on the basis of its hazardous properties — how a substance might behave in a worst-case exposure to a very large quantity — rather than on evidence of harm from the way it is used in nail products. The industry body, the CTPA, has been clear that the prohibition is precautionary and does not mean products containing TPO are unsafe. Their full explanation is worth reading if you would like the detail. https://www.ctpa.org.uk/news/ban-of-tpo-gel-nail-ingredient-in-the-eu-and-gb-8562  

What is changing? 

The industry is moving away from TPO. We have been reformulating ahead of the deadlines to make sure we remain compliant in every market we sell in. 

We are working with our UK manufacturer on a reformulated Original BIAB™ for Great Britain, arriving in the coming months, well ahead of the February 2027 deadline. We will tell you exactly what is changing, and when, before it changes. 

Do I need to replace my products? 

Which TGB products conatin TPO? 

Full ingredient details are on each product’s INCI list, shown on the product page. Our Customer Service team is also happy to check anything for you. 
 
Great Britain only – BIAB™ Four formulas are currently in circulation and they are not the same as one another. Check the bottle in front of you rather than assuming: 

EU and Northern Ireland: every product in our EU and Northern Ireland range is TPO-free and has been since the prohibition took effect on 1 September 2025. 

Full ingredient details are on each product’s INCI list on the product page, and our Customer Service team is always happy to check something for you. 

What is happening to Original BIAB™? 

Original BIAB™ contains TPO. From 15 August 2026 we can no longer place new Original BIAB™ stock on the Great Britain market, so what is already in the supply chain is what will be available until a reformulated version arrives. You can buy it until 14 February 2027 while stock lasts, and you can carry on using anything you have already bought after that date. 

We know how much Original BIAB™ matters to you, and we are working with our UK manufacturer on a reformulated version. We will tell you exactly what is changing, and when, before it changes. 

Do I need to replace my products? 

Can I return products that contain TPO? 

Everything we are selling now is legal, safety-assessed and fine to keep using, so we are not running a returns programme on TPO content alone. 

If TPO has created a specific problem for you, though, come and talk to us. That might be a client conversation you cannot resolve, a stock position that has become awkward, or working across both Great Britain and the EU where the rules differ. Our Customer Service team would far rather hear from you and work something out than have you sitting on product you feel you cannot use. 

Should I stock up before February 2027? 

There is no need to rush. You will have a long transition period, and our reformulated products will be with you well before the deadline. 

If you do want to hold extra stock, keep shelf life and period-after-opening in mind, so you are not left with more product than you can comfortably use while it is at its best. 

What should I tell my GB clients? 

Clients may have seen headlines suggesting gel nails are being banned. They are not. Here are the three questions you are most likely to get, and answers you can use word for word. 

If they ask whether gel nails are being banned: 

“No. One ingredient used in some gels is being phased out in Great Britain as a precaution, and brands have until February 2027 to make the change. Gel nails aren’t going anywhere, and nothing about your appointments changes.” 

If they ask whether the product on their nails contains TPO: 

“Some products contain it and some don’t. Either way, everything I use is fully legal and has passed the safety assessment every cosmetic product has to pass. My brand is bringing reformulated versions through ahead of the deadline, and I’ll move over as they arrive.” 

If they ask whether it is safe: 

“Yes. The industry body, the CTPA, has been clear that this change is precautionary rather than a response to any evidence of harm. The amount used in nail products is a fraction of the level that could have any effect, and it goes on the nail rather than the skin.” 

One thing worth getting right. In Great Britain we have not reformulated everything yet — some products still contain TPO, and they are completely legal to use. So the strongest thing you can tell a client is the true thing: that everything you use is legal and safety-assessed, and that your brand is bringing reformulated versions through ahead of the deadline. That answer is better than saying it is already done, and it holds up if your client goes and reads about it afterwards. 

What about the rest of the world? 

Why did the Great Britain dates change? 

In January 2026 the Office for Product Safety and Standards published the Statutory Instrument amending the annexes to the UK Cosmetics Regulations, which confirmed the Great Britain timeline. Great Britain and the EU now run parallel but separate regulatory systems for chemicals and cosmetics, so the dates differ. The confirmed timeline gives businesses and professionals in Great Britain a longer transition period.