The GelBottle Inc - TPO Statement

STATEMENT 

The cosmetics industry frequently undergoes regulatory updates to protect consumer safety and well-being. A regulatory change is a proactive update to industry standards for future compliance — this is not a product recall, and the product is safe. These updates are determined by regulatory bodies, such as ECHA, and occur either annually or as needed, based on emerging scientific research and reviews. These regulations apply industry-wide to all cosmetic products. As part of these ongoing changes, a new regulation has been published that prohibits the use of the ingredient Trimethylbenzoyl Diphenylphosphine Oxide (TPO) in cosmetic products rom 1st September 2025. This is an EU directive, and it is expected that the UK will adopt similar regulations in the coming years. This regulation affects all companies using TPO, not just those in the nail product segment, and does not take immediate effect; to give companies time to comply with the new standards. 

TPO is a photoinitiator used in gel polish formulations, responsible for initiating the polymerization process when exposed to UV or LED light, which allows the gel polish to harden and cure. It is commonly used across the nail industry due to its low yellowing properties and broad absorption spectrum in ultraviolet (UV) light. 

Currently, 88% of current TGB products are already TPO-free. These include all gel colours, Rubber Basecoat, Rubber Top 2.0, as well as our entire HEMA-Free range (Bond Base, Glow Top, gel colours, and BIABTM). All existing products comply with EU safety guidelines ensuring TPO levels remain within the allowable limits. Please note you and your customers are not at risk using any current products containing TPO. You do not need to throw these away and can carry on using them as usual. 

The GelBottle is committed to the safety and well-being of our customers, as well as the continual improvement and innovation of our formulas. We have been working for the past 6 months on exciting new and improved formulas without TPO, which are already showing extremely positive test results. Watch this space over the coming months for further updates on these new formulations.