Practical buyer checklist
How to Check Korean Nail Products for EU Market Readiness
A professional checklist for nail technicians and buyers who want to make more informed purchasing decisions.
EU nail product check
Use this static checklist before buying or using Korean gel polish in a European professional context.
1. Check the label
- Is there an EU Responsible Person name and address?
- Are ingredients listed using INCI names?
- Is there a batch number?
- Are nominal contents shown?
- Are warnings and instructions present where needed?
- Is the country of origin shown if relevant?
- Is the label understandable for the market where it is sold?
2. Check the seller
- Is the seller established in the EU or working with an EU Responsible Person?
- Can the seller answer regulatory questions?
- Does the seller provide clear product information?
- Are claims realistic and cosmetic-appropriate?
3. Check the ingredients
- Be alert for substances restricted or prohibited in the EU.
- TPO is prohibited in EU cosmetic products from 1 September 2025.
- HEMA and Di-HEMA Trimethylhexyl Dicarbamate are restricted and require appropriate warnings and professional-use context where applicable.
- Pigments, photoinitiators, acrylates and methacrylates must be reviewed in the full formula.
4. Check product documentation
- The product should have a CPSR.
- The product should be included in a PIF.
- The product should be notified in CPNP before EU market placement.
- These documents are not normally public, but a serious importer or Responsible Person should understand them.
5. Red flags
- No EU Responsible Person.
- No ingredient list.
- No batch number.
- Products shipped directly from outside the EU without EU labelling.
- Medical or exaggerated claims.
- Products advertised with substances not allowed in EU cosmetic products.
- Seller cannot explain compliance status.