Jordan and Joelle Hernandez 
Gel manicures have been a self-care staple in nail salons and spas for the past decade. However, this popular beauty treatment has recently come under scrutiny for a specific ingredient found in certain brands of polish. Trimethylbenzoyl Diphenylphosphine Oxide, often referred to by its acronym, TPO, is a photoinitiator that, when exposed to UV rays, hardens from a liquid to a solid. On September 1, 2025, the European Union added this ingredient to its list of banned ingredients for beauty products, prompting questions around the globe–how harmful is this product and are there gel polishes that do not use this ingredient? We did a deep dive on what this ingredient is, why it’s harmful and its fate here in the States along with where to get a ‘safe’ gel manicure in Hoboken. Read on to learn more about this beauty ban and how to work around it in the Mile Square.
A Quick History of the Gel Manicure
While the technology for gel manicures has been around since the 1980s, further development of the popular service started to really take shape by the late 1990s. Shellac, the gel polish brand, revolutionized gel polish, making it more durable, longer-lasting and more accessible to nail salons across the country when it came on the scene in 2010. The style of nail polish became so popular that even the Smithsonian Institute published research about Shellac polish in 2014. Pop culture and social media played a role in the popularity of gel manicures with celebrities from Kylie Jenner to Cardi B, Cynthia Erivo to Sha’Carri Richardson showcasing intricately designed nails on the runway, at the Olympic Games, and on red carpets.
Read More: Dazzle Dry Manicures Are All the Rage. Here’s Where to Find in Hoboken + Jersey City
What is TPO and why is it being banned?
TPO is the ingredient in gel polish that makes it do what traditional nail polish cannot. It’s a photoinitiator that, when exposed to UV rays, hardens from a liquid to a solid. This gives gel manicures their signature shine and patent-leather-like finish. But it’s not just the nail industry using this highly effective molecule. TPO is used in teeth whitening processes, car bumpers, and roofing, to name a few. It has water-resistant qualities and provides a highly durable exterior.
According to PBS, the European Union recently classified TPO as a Category 1B CMR substance, which means it has shown carcinogenic or mutagenic properties or it’s toxic to reproduction. The EU has very high standards for beauty ingredients. If an ingredient shows CMR properties during animal testing, that ingredient is banned from use in cosmetic products used on humans. Despite many experts sharing that TPO is only harmful if orally ingested by humans, as of September 1, 2025, the EU decided to ban gel polish using TPO based on its properties.
Not All Polish is Created the Same
While TPO is the most popular photoinitiator used in gel polish, there are a number of other ingredients that act the same without the harmful properties. Ingredients like TPO-L, ITX and more are strong alternatives to TPO that are used by many major brands. Here are the brands that are currently TPO-free in the United States:
- OPI
- Essie
- Sally Hensen
- Gelish
- CND Shellac
- Apres Nails
- Manacurist
- Zoya
- Kiss New York
- ProNails
- Tenoverten
There are currently no plans to ban TPO here in the United States. American cosmetic ingredient standards are much more relaxed than in other parts of the world, with very few national bans on ingredients passing since 1938.
See More: The Best Spots to Get Gel Manicures in Hoboken
So where can a ‘safe’ manicure be found in Hoboken?
Photo Credit: @nailsby_mariang
It’s important to note that TPO is, technically, only found to be harmful if orally ingested. During the gel manicure process, there is virtually a 0% chance of oral ingestion, making all polish technically safe to use. The great news is that every nail salon in Hoboken carries at least one TPO-free polish brand, so gel manicures can be enjoyed worry-free around town. Some of the brands listed above have limited TPO-free collections, with some of the brand’s other collections still using the ingredient in question. It’s important to take note of the ingredients in each bottle to ensure that the chosen color is actually free from the molecule.
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