All You Need To Know About Titanium Dioxide
Recently, we’ve been getting a lot of questions from customers about titanium dioxide. Why we use it? Is it safe? How does it benefit the skin?
Today, we’ll try to give you more information about the properties of this naturally occurring ingredient and to explain why we have chosen to use it in our formulas.
What is Titanium Dioxide?
TiO2 is a naturally occurring oxide of titanium, sourced from earth minerals. It is used primarily as thickener, whitening agent and sunscreen in different skincare
formulations. It’s preferred by manufacturers not only because of its remarkable whiteness but because it acts as physical sunblock – it reflects the light from the sun hence protects your skin from UV rays and prevents sun-induced damage (and it does all that naturally!). Besides that, unlike many made-in-the-lab compounds, the molecule of TiO2 is stable and less likely to break down when exposed to UV rays.
Is It Organic?
While mineral makeup can be formulated with the help of compounds that are certified organic (like our Minerals infused with Pure Organic Rosehip Oil and Vitamin C), it cannot be formulated without the use of titanium dioxide or zinc oxide (natural, but definitely not organic compounds). In other words – yes, mineral makeup can be 100% natural, but not 100% organic.
Is Titanium Dioxide Safe?
Many sources claim that TiO2 is a potential carcinogen, because (supposedly) it forms free radicals when in direct contact with UV rays. The truth is, there is not enough scientific evidence to support these claims.
Why Do We Use Titanium Dioxide?
The reason why we’ve chosen titanium dioxide among many other commercially available alternatives is that it’s safe, natural, doesn't penetrate the skin and its molecules are stable. Apart from that, Ti2O has a very high refractive index for UV rays, therefore provides excellent sun protection.
La Mav’s Anti-Aging Minerals are infused with Vitamin C and Pure Organic Rosehip Oil to now only give you a flawless finish but also to nourish your skin and prevent premature aging.
If we have to distinguish the different types of TiO2 I’d say that basically there are two kinds used in cosmetics – micronized (nano) and non-micronized (non-nano). Following extensive research in this area, we are extremely confident about the superior quality and safety of the non-nano sized ingredients used in our products.
To further set your mind at rest, our non-nano sized Titanium Dioxide is uncoated and free of silicones and dimethicone which coat the skin, trapping anything beneath it, while inhibiting the skin’s natural ability to breathe.
The Titanium Dioxide we use is considered fine with particles between 1 and 2 microns. As a nano or ultra-fine particle it measures less than 0.1 microns (100 nanometers), our ingredients are well above the nanoparticle threshold and cannot, under any circumstances, penetrate the skin.
With so many cosmetics available on the market and no mandatory requirement to include nanoparticles on the label, consumers are effectively denied the right to make informed choices. What's more - manufacturers are not obliged to provide current safety data, so it is very much left to the consumer and ethical cosmetic companies to ensure that we are not sacrificing our health for beauty.
