Is Titanium Dioxide Safe for Skin?

Mars, Inc. made headlines for using Titanium Dioxide, a controversial ingredient in their U.S. version of their popular, colorful rounded candy, Skittles. It has faced scrutiny due to potential health risks. However, Titanium Dioxide has been celebrated for decades as an effective, mineral-based ingredient in cosmetics. So the question is... given more recent studies on the toxicity of ingesting Titanium Dioxide, is Titanium Dioxide safe for skin use?

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What Is Titanium Dioxide?

Titanium dioxide (TiO2) is a naturally occurring mineral that is widely used in various industries. It is a common food additive used to enhance brightness, texture, and color. While it may be getting attention now due to the lawsuit against Skittles, titanium dioxide has been around for a long time, in both your food and cosmetics. It was first approved by the FDA in 1966.

In the food industry, it serves as a whitening and brightening agent, providing a visually appealing appearance to products. It is particularly prevalent in candies, chewing gum, confectioneries, and other colorful treats. In cosmetics and personal care products, it is used as a pigment and sunscreen agent, often found in foundation, blush, sunscreen and even toothpaste.

What Are The Concerns With Titanium Dioxide?

One of the major concerns raised about titanium dioxide is its nanoparticle form, known as nano-TiO2. Studies conducted on animals have suggested that inhalation or ingestion of these nanoparticles may have adverse effects on health.

Some studies have shown that titanium dioxide has caused lung cancer in animals. Others argue that the studies conducted on animals cannot directly translate to human health. The highest ingested dose tested in the animal studies revealed no effects on reproductive or developmental toxicity, but it did identify potential immunotoxicity, inflammation and neurotoxicity adverse effects. 

In 2006, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) classified titanium dioxide as "possibly carcinogenic to humans" (Group 2B), based on sufficient evidence from animal studies indicating an increased risk of respiratory tract cancer through inhalation, though human data was deemed inadequate. (source)

Critics argue that the safety limits of titanium dioxide may not adequately account for potential long-term effects of consuming titanium dioxide, especially in the nanoparticle form or if a consumer might be ingesting titanium dioxide from multiple sources, and not just one product. Scientists worry that particles can accumulate in the body, and that it is not possible to rule out genotoxicity (the breakdown of DNA strands resulting in chromosomal damage).

Titanium Dioxide in Europe

In 2022, the European Union banned the use of titanium dioxide (E171) as a food additive due to concerns over its safety. The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) conducted a review and concluded that titanium dioxide could no longer be considered safe when used as a food additive, citing potential genotoxicity risks. This decision led to the removal of titanium dioxide from the list of authorized food additives in the EU (source).

Europe did not ban titanium dioxide in cosmetics, but does set usage restrictions (no more than 25% in loose powder formulas, 1.4% in aerosol sprays, and cannot be used in applications where it may lead to exposure to lungs by inhalation).

Titanium Dioxide in the U.S.

Titanium dioxide as a food additive has received regulatory approval from several food safety authorities, including the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). They set safety limits and guidelines for the use of titanium dioxide in food products, but still allow its use within acceptable levels.

It was the European regulation that forced Mars. Inc. to change its Skittles formula. Mars, Inc. committed to phasing titanium dioxide out of its products in 2016, but the company continued its use, which is part of what spurred the 2022 lawsuit - a slow response from Mars.

In the U.S. Mars continues to use titanium dioxide in its formulas. The most frustrating part of having to fight against the use of titanium dioxide in Skittles, is that the company, Mars Inc., already has a Skittles formulation that does not include titanium dioxide, so why not implement the new formula in all countries, especially if you committed over 7 years ago to phase this product out of your recipes? Today, if you were to purchase Skittles in the U.K., you'd get an entirely different ingredient list. See for yourself:

U.S. Skittles Sugar, Corn Syrup, Hydrogenated Palm Kernel Oil; Less than 2% of: Citric Acid, Tapioca Dextrin, Modified Corn Starch, Natural and Artificial Colors (Red 40 Lake, Yellow 5 Lake, Blue 2 Lake, Yellow 6 Lake, Titanium Dioxide, Blue 1, Yellow 6, Red 40, Yellow 5, Blue 1), Sodium Citrate, Carnauba Wax.

U.K. Skittles Sugar, Glucose Syrup, Palm Fat, Acids Citric Acid, Malic Acid, Dextrin, Maltodextrin, Flavourings, Modified Starch, Colours E162, E163, E170, E160a, E100, E100, E132, E133, Acidity Regulator Trisodium Citrate, Glazing Agent Carnauba Wax.

Risks of Titanium Dioxide, by usage

Naturally, as concerns about titanium dioxide in food have come to light, it has left many wondering if they should toss out cosmetic products that contain titanium dioxide such as mineral sunscreens and makeup foundations.

Let's look at the risks by application.

Industrial applications

Most of the science agrees that the biggest concerns with Titanium Dioxide are ingestion and inhalation. OSHA has placed titanium dioxide on the "Right to Know Hazardous Substance List" and warns that Titanium Dioxide should be handled as a carcinogen with extreme caution (source). Whether the titanium dioxide in your end product is liquid or power, titanium dioxide is still handled as a powder by workers, which puts workers at risk. Side effects and risks for workers handling this ingredient can include:

• Eye, nose, throat irritation
• Lung irritation
• Bronchitis
• Shortness of breath
• Risk of cancer

Ingestion (Food)

As previously discussed, recent evaluations by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) have raised concerns about its potential to damage DNA, leading to a reclassification of Titanium Dioxide as unsafe for consumption. 

Cosmetic Use (Topical)

While some studies suggest Titanium Dioxide is still perfectly fine to apply to the skin despite concerns of ingestion and inhalation, some critics argue that the skin barrier is just another way for these products to enter your body.

However, this statement lacks context. Few, if any, titanium particles actually penetrate the skin to reach living tissues (it usually sits on top of the skin). That is assuming it is non-nano titanium dioxide.

In it's nano-form (nano technology is emerging), it is quite easy for Titanium Dioxide to penetrate the deeper layers of the skin and enter your bloodstream. Nano particles in general have also been shown to cross the blood brain barrier, and its effects on the brain is not well known. Some studies suggest nano-Titanium Dioxide can induce DNA damage and genetic instability in mice.

Should I Stop Using Titanium Dioxide?

For food and lip products, Titanium Dioxide is on our no-no list. For skin, our answer is: it depends on your risk tolerance...

Certainly Titanium Dioxide should be avoided in powders or pressed powders due to well studied inhalation concerns. For lip products, it should also be avoided since most lip products are eventually ingested and serious concerns about ingestion is what led to the banning of this ingredient in European food.

Some choose to avoid all Titanium Dioxide for ethical reasons (knowing that it is handled as a powder during manufacturing and puts workers at risk of cancer).

For skin, it should at least be avoided in its nano-form (as we recommend avoiding all nano ingredients). But some in the clean living space have made exceptions for non-nano Titanium Dioxide in liquid form.

The biggest challenge for consumers is that Titanium Dioxide is rampant in product formulation. It is the most popular colorant in cosmetics and is found in nearly every single cosmetic brand.

It is quite easy to avoid titanium dioxide in sunscreen since there are better options available (see our article on safe sunscreen). It is much harder to avoid Titanium Dioxide in liquid foundation and makeup.

When might someone make an exception for Titanium Dioxide?

If Titanium Dioxide is present in a liquid (non-powder) formula and is non-nano, then one might conclude, on current evidence, that there are minimal risks. This is because regular Titanium Dioxide particles do not easily penetrate the skin.

If you are a more cautious consumer, then you may decide to avoid Titanium Dioxide entirely. 

Is there a Titanium-Dioxide free Makeup Brand?

For those looking to avoid Titanium Dioxide in all its forms and applications, allow us to introduce you to MG Naturals, a completely TD-free makeup line. MG Naturals is the first 100% titanium-dioxide free makeup brand in the world. Even our other favorite makeup brands like 100% Pure and Beauty from Bees still use some titanium dioxide in some of their products. But MG Naturals? ZERO. That's impressive.

We are tracking all titanium-dioxide free makeup products in our Cosmetics Shopping Guide.