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TPO has been banned in the EU from 1 September 2025. The ban of TPO applies in GB from 15 August 2026 as 'placing on the market' deadline; and the off'shelf date is 14 February 2027. The ban on the ingredient is based on extreme caution and does not mean that current cosmetic products containing TPO are unsafe.
Caroline Rainsford, Director of Science at CTPA says: “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. All these factors are taken into account through the legally-required, robust safety assessment which all cosmetic products must undergo before being sold, by a duly qualified and experienced safety assessor.”
Why has TPO been banned in cosmetics?
From 1 September 2025, the EU has banned TPO because it has been classified as potentially harmful to reproduction under chemicals safety law.
While this may sound alarming, the key point is this ban is based on a “worst-case scenario” assessment, not on how TPO is actually used in cosmetic products. In reality, the amount of TPO used in nail products is extremely low and is applied to nails, so our exposure to this ingredient is very low . Cosmetic products containing TPO have passed rigorous checks to ensure their safety, by qualified scientific experts, before being sold.
This is further supported by the fact that an independent expert scientific panel, the Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety (SCCS) conducted a detailed safety review of TPO in 2014 and concluded that the way it is used in cosmetics is safe.
TPO has been reclassified under a separate piece of chemicals legislation, the CLP (Classification, Labelling and Packaging) Regulation, meaning that the cosmetics industry would need to submit additional information to the authorities to continue using it in cosmetic products. The additional information would need to show that not only is the ingredient safe to use, but also that there are no suitable alternative ingredients to TPO available and that TPO is used safely in food. While the safety of TPO could be proved, it was the difficulty with gathering the additional information which meant that the cosmetics industry did not seek an exemption from the authorities to continue using TPO in cosmetics.
If you see TPO (labelled as Trimethylbenzoyl diphenylphosphine oxide) on the ingredient list of your cosmetics and personal care products in GB, please be reassured that these products are still safe and legal to use.
Cosmetic Regulations and safety
Cosmetic products are applied directly to skin, hair and nails so it is crucial that they are safe to use. Years of scientific research and testing goes into making each and every item in our bathroom cabinets and make-up bags. It takes whole teams of scientists to develop just one new product.
All cosmetic products supplied throughout the UK must be safe. The safety laws controlling cosmetic products are extremely stringent. In the UK, the manufacture and supply of cosmetics is governed by the UK Cosmetics Regulation (UKCR), EU Regulation 1223/2009 assimilated through the EU exit process and REUL Act. This is part of UK consumer product safety legislation and compliance is mandatory.
The UK Cosmetics Regulation controls what may or may not be put in a cosmetic. The UKCR contains extensive Annexes of banned substances and ingredients which may only be used when they comply with specific restrictions. These restrictions have been set following a detailed scientific review by a panel of independent scientists, who confirm that the ingredient is safe under these particular conditions of use.
In addition, before it is made available for sale, each cosmetic product must undergo a safety assessment by a duly qualified and experienced safety assessor, who must have qualifications which are stated in the UKCR. The UKCR also provides guidance on how this safety assessment must be carried out. The safety assessment takes account of all the ingredients used in the cosmetic product, how the product will be used, by whom, where and how often – this includes the safety of home users and professionals using the products in salons. The product cannot be sold unless the professional safety assessor personally signs the report to say it is safe.
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How do I know my cosmetics are safe?
