Why do you exclude titanium dioxide only from certain makeup products or application areas and not from all?Updated 2 months ago

Titanium dioxide is very difficult to replace as a pigment. It has an exceptionally high light-reflecting capacity, which intensifies colors and provides brightening effects. Additionally, it is extremely stable and hardly reacts with other ingredients or external factors such as heat, light, or oxygen. Currently, there is no alternative pigment with the same properties, which makes it essential in many makeup formulations — very few titanium dioxide-free options exist.

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has classified titanium dioxide (E171) as unsafe as a food additive, due to concerns that particles may accumulate in the body. Since lip products can be ingested through eating, drinking, or licking the lips, the risk of oral intake is higher in these cases. For products like highlighter, blush, mascara, or eyeshadow, which are not intended for the lips, oral exposure is excluded when used properly.

Another concern is the potential risk of inhalation. Titanium dioxide has been classified by the IARC as possibly carcinogenic when inhaled (Category 2B). For this reason, we avoid using it in powder-based products, where particles could become airborne and inhaled. In contrast, in creamy or liquid textures, the particles are tightly bound within the formula matrix, making inhalation impossible.