What Is Titanium Dioxide?
Titanium dioxide, also called titania, is an odorless white powder and naturally occurring mineral that is widely used as a pigment for its brightness and whitening effects on a variety of materials, such as paint, plastic, paper, cosmetics, sunscreens, toothpastes and foods.
It’s produced through the sulfate or chloride process, which both involve treating titanium ore with sulfuric or hydrochloric acid to produce titanium sulfate or titanium chloride. These materials are then further processed to remove impurities and produce titanium dioxide in its final form.
Food-grade titanium dioxide differs from what’s added to plastics and paints to enhance whiteness. However, there have been concerns about the environmental impact of titanium dioxide production and the potential health risks from exposure to its particles.
Although food-grade titanium dioxide must be 99 percent pure, there’s still a risk of it containing potential contaminants, such as mercury, lead and arsenic. Additionally, inhaling the mineral over time can possibly cause it to build up in your body, leading to adverse effects.
Uses

In a study published in the journal Environmental Toxicology and Pharmacology in 2020, researchers examined the effects of food additives titanium dioxide and silica on the intestinal tract by grouping and feeding mice three different food-grade particles — micro-TiO2, nano-TiO2, and nano-SiO2.  With all three groups, researchers observed changes in the gut microbiota, particularly mucus-associated bacteria. Furthermore, all three groups experienced inflammatory damage to the intestine, but the nano-TiO2 displayed the most pronounced changes. The researchers wrote: “Our results suggest that the toxic effects on the intestine were due to reduced intestinal mucus barrier function and an increase in metabolite lipopolysaccharides which activated the expression of inflammatory factors downstream. In mice exposed to nano-TiO2, the intestinal PKC/TLR4/NF-κB signaling pathway was activated. These findings will raise awareness of toxicities associated with the use of food-grade TiO2 and SiO2.”

That being said, titanium dioxide is particularly popular in concealers. ​​As one of the most naturally opaque and pearly-white materials on earth, titanium dioxide has the ability to provide excellent coverage while brightening the skin, whether you’re dealing with blemishes, dark spots, acne, or dark circles under the eye.

≥30.0

Tinting(contrast to the sample)

In summary, although more human evidence is needed to determine the risks of the mineral, potential titanium dioxide side effects from excessive exposure (especially when inhaled) may include:

Then, there’s ultrafine-grade, also known as nanoscale titanium dioxide. This is used for its ability to scatter lightly as an ultra-fine powder. This gives it the ability to lightly absorb into the skin while providing a bit of transparency. Below, we’ll go more into the cosmetic uses of these two forms of titanium dioxide.

Most notably, a European Food Safety Authority safety assessment published in May 2021 pointed to genotoxicity concerns, as suggested by previous research. Genotoxicity is the ability of chemicals to damage genetic information such as DNA, which may lead to cancer.