Cosmetics (or cosmetics) is the set of techniques and activities related to the improvement of one’s face or body.
Titanium dioxide is used in many fields: from the food to the pharmaceutical sector; from the paint sector to cosmetics.
Since 2021 the European Union, on the advice of the EFSA (European Food Safety Authority) has blocked this mineral, but only as a food additive with the initials E171. But is it safe in the cosmetic industry?
Is it safe to use titanium dioxide in cosmetics? the answer is not simple
The use of titanium dioxide (INCI 77891) has been present in make-up ingredients for decades. It is used as a brightener for the refraction capacity of light. In fact, in the cosmetic field it serves to create a covering and mattifying effect. And it is an ingredient found above all in foundations.
In addition to cosmetics it is also used in toothpastes, soaps, and sun creams. In this case, it replaced much more dangerous substances.
Among other things, due to its resistance to water and the ability to absorb the oils present in the skin, titanium dioxide is included among the active ingredients of anti-aging creams.
However, when titanium dioxide is very small (nanoparticles) it could cross the skin barrier and spread throughout the body. For this reason it would be classified by the International Agency for Research on Cancer as “potentially carcinogenic”, but only if inhaled.
However, according to the Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety, very small particles are not dangerous when applied to the skin at a concentration of up to 25%.
Finally, it should be noted that there are many cosmetic companies that are looking for alternative products to the use of titanium dioxide.
For food use
From July 2022 titanium dioxide, present in food as a natural “whitener”, cannot be used as a food additive (E171). The reason is: accumulated in excess it could damage the DNA.
The decision comes from EFSA which signs its cessation of use after a careful evaluation of the results of more in-depth research started in 2016. EFSA’s choice to abolish titanium dioxide in the food sector is also given by the difficulty of establish an acceptable daily dose.
But the ban on such use, as the European Food Safety Authority itself explains, is only for titanium dioxide used for food purposes. And, therefore, not for other uses.
(The information in this article is for informational purposes only and concerns scientific studies published in medical journals. Therefore, it does not replace the consultation of a doctor or specialist, and should not be considered for formulating treatments or diagnoses)
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