European Union's (EU) Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety (SCCS) publishes its Opinion on use of titanium dioxide (TiO₂) in cosmetic products. Earlier this year, European Union delegated a regulation classifying titanium dioxide (TiO₂) as a category 2 suspected carcinogen by inhalation.
Safety Assessment of Pigmentary TiO₂
On the basis of safety assessment, SCCS is of the Opinion that the use of
pigmentary (TiO₂) up to a maximum concentration of 25 percent in a typical hair styling aerosol spray product is not safe for either general consumers or hairdressers.
The safety assessment has shown that the use of pigmentary TiO₂ in loose powder up to a maximum concentration of 25 percent in a typical face make-up application is safe for the general consumer.
SCCS conclusions drawn in this Opinion are applicable to the use of pigmentary TiO₂ in a cosmetic product that may give rise to consumer exposure by the inhalation route (i.e aerosol, spray and powder form products). As such, the Opinion is not applicable to any pearlescent pigment because of the composite nature of such materials, of which TiO₂ is only a minor constituent.
Conclusions Drawn on Type of TiO₂ Material
It needs to be emphasized that the SCCS conclusions have been drawn from a selected group of cosmetic products based on only one type of TiO₂ material (pigmentary, anatase, surface-treated). In the absence of more information, it may not be clear whether these conclusions would be applicable to the use of pigmentary TiO₂ materials in other similar types of cosmetic applications that may be on the market.
In this regard, the SCCS is of the opinion that other applications of pigmentary TiO₂ materials can also be considered safe if the Margin of Safety (MoS) calculation is performed as detailed in the current Opinion, and if the resultant MoS for the combined use of different products is above 25 for general consumers and for hairdressers.
Source: European Commission