Titanium dioxide is one of the top 50 chemicals produced worldwide. It is a white, opaque and naturally-occuring mineral found in two main forms: rutile and anatase. Both forms contain pure titanium dioxide that is bound to impurities. Titanium dioxide is chemically processed to remove these impurities, leaving the pure, white pigment available for use. Titanium dioxide has a variety of uses, as it is odourless and absorbent.

With the pure white pigment, titanium dioxide imparts a whiteness to colour cosmetics and personal care products that are applied to the skin (including the eye area), nails, lips, and it helps to increase the opacity, and reduce the transparency of a product formula.

Titanium Dioxide also absorbs, reflects, or scatters light (including ultraviolet radiation in light), which helps protects skin from UVA and UVB radiation. This makes it one of the active ingredients in sunscreen.

It is also considered to have no risk of skin irritation.

For concerns on whether titanium is toxic or safe to be used, do check out the sources below (from which I’ve taken this short article from). If the articles are a tad dry for you, just know that titanium dioxide is listed as a safe pigment, with no known adverse effects.

Sources: The Organic Makeup Company, CosmeticsInfo.org and Beautypedia