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Active ingredient

Titanium Dioxide

INCITitanium Dioxide (micronized grades labeled Titanium Dioxide [nano] per EU 1223/2009 Art. 19)

Last reviewed by BIOSAR Scientific Team, PharmD, Cosmetic Chemistry, Pharmacy practice on .

What it is

Titanium dioxide is a mineral UV filter used in sunscreen and photoprotective skincare to reflect and scatter UVB and short UVA radiation. It sits on the surface of the skin and creates a physical barrier against harmful wavelengths. Both nano and non-nano grades are regulated under EU 1223/2009 and labelled accordingly. No conflicts.

Pregnancy and breastfeeding
Safe

Considered safe during pregnancy and breastfeeding.

Mineral UV filters titanium dioxide and zinc oxide remain on the skin surface and are not systemically absorbed. ACOG, Mother to Baby, and Trivedi et al. (2017) recommend mineral sunscreens as the preferred photoprotection during pregnancy.

Mechanism in detail

What Titanium Dioxide does

Mineral UV filter that sits on the skin's surface and physically reflects and scatters UVA and UVB light. Photostable and non-irritating, it delivers broad-spectrum protection gentle enough for sensitive and children's skin.

Evidence

What the research says

  • 4–5%Mineral filters work mainly by absorbing UVOptical measurements of titanium dioxide and zinc oxide found they reflect only 4 to 5% of UV; most of their protection comes from absorbing it. Reflection matters more for long UVA and visible light. A laboratory study.Read the study →Photodermatol Photoimmunol Photomed 2016 (Cole, Shyr, Ou-Yang)

Where it helps

Concerns Titanium Dioxide addresses

From the BIOSAR catalog

Products formulated with Titanium Dioxide