{"title":"Titanium Dioxide","entity_type":"Ingredient","slug":"titanium-dioxide","canonical_url":"https://skinknowledgebase.com/ingredients/titanium-dioxide","dates":{"date_modified":"2026-05-09","date_reviewed":"2026-05-09"},"mcp_eligible":true,"evidence_sources":[{"title":"FDA — Sunscreen: How to Help Protect Your Skin from the Sun","canonical_citation_url":"https://skinknowledgebase.com/sources/fda-sunscreen-how-to-protect-skin","original_source_url":"https://www.fda.gov/drugs/understanding-over-counter-medicines/sunscreen-how-help-protect-your-skin-sun","source_type":"regulatory"},{"title":"FDA — Sun Protection Factor (SPF)","canonical_citation_url":"https://skinknowledgebase.com/sources/fda-sun-protection-factor","original_source_url":"https://www.fda.gov/about-fda/center-drug-evaluation-and-research-cder/sun-protection-factor-spf","source_type":"regulatory"},{"title":"FDA — Q&A: New Requirements for OTC Sunscreen Products Marketed in the U.S.","canonical_citation_url":"https://skinknowledgebase.com/sources/fda-otc-sunscreen-qa","original_source_url":"https://www.fda.gov/drugs/understanding-over-counter-medicines/questions-and-answers-fda-announces-new-requirements-over-counter-otc-sunscreen-products-marketed-us","source_type":"regulatory"},{"title":"American Academy of Dermatology — Sunscreen FAQs","canonical_citation_url":"https://skinknowledgebase.com/sources/aad-sunscreen-faqs","original_source_url":"https://www.aad.org/public/everyday-care/sun-protection/sunscreen-patients/sunscreen-faqs","source_type":"medical_reference"},{"title":"Skin Cancer Foundation — Sunscreen","canonical_citation_url":"https://skinknowledgebase.com/sources/skin-cancer-foundation-sunscreen","original_source_url":"https://www.skincancer.org/skin-cancer-prevention/sun-protection/sunscreen/","source_type":"medical_reference"},{"title":"Skin Cancer Foundation — Sun Protection","canonical_citation_url":"https://skinknowledgebase.com/sources/skin-cancer-foundation-sun-protection","original_source_url":"https://www.skincancer.org/skin-cancer-prevention/sun-protection/","source_type":"medical_reference"},{"title":"CDC — Sun Safety Facts","canonical_citation_url":"https://skinknowledgebase.com/sources/cdc-sun-safety-facts","original_source_url":"https://www.cdc.gov/skin-cancer/sun-safety/index.html","source_type":"regulatory"}],"product_fact_sources":[],"related_entities":[{"title":"FDA — Sunscreen: How to Help Protect Your Skin from the Sun","url":"https://skinknowledgebase.com/sources/fda-sunscreen-how-to-protect-skin"},{"title":"FDA — Sun Protection Factor (SPF)","url":"https://skinknowledgebase.com/sources/fda-sun-protection-factor"},{"title":"FDA — Q&A: New Requirements for OTC Sunscreen Products Marketed in the U.S.","url":"https://skinknowledgebase.com/sources/fda-otc-sunscreen-qa"},{"title":"American Academy of Dermatology — Sunscreen FAQs","url":"https://skinknowledgebase.com/sources/aad-sunscreen-faqs"},{"title":"Skin Cancer Foundation — Sunscreen","url":"https://skinknowledgebase.com/sources/skin-cancer-foundation-sunscreen"},{"title":"Skin Cancer Foundation — Sun Protection","url":"https://skinknowledgebase.com/sources/skin-cancer-foundation-sun-protection"},{"title":"CDC — Sun Safety Facts","url":"https://skinknowledgebase.com/sources/cdc-sun-safety-facts"},{"title":"Sun Damage","url":"https://skinknowledgebase.com/concerns/sun-damage"},{"title":"Blue Lizard Sensitive Mineral SPF 50 Sunscreen Lotion","url":"https://skinknowledgebase.com/products/blue-lizard-sensitive-mineral-sunscreen-lotion-spf-50"},{"title":"Mineral Filter White Cast","url":"https://skinknowledgebase.com/side-effects/mineral-filter-white-cast"}],"body_sections":[{"heading":"Quick Summary","paragraphs":["Titanium Dioxide is a mineral (also called physical) sunscreen filter and is one of only two filters US-marketed mineral sunscreens use (the other is Zinc Oxide). It is most strongly described in patient-facing dermatology references as a UVB-focused mineral filter with partial UVA-II coverage; for broad-spectrum mineral protection it is most often paired with Zinc Oxide. Titanium Dioxide is widely used in tinted mineral facial sunscreens and in mineral-based makeup with SPF, and is often described as a gentler-feeling option for sensitive skin."]},{"heading":"What It Is","paragraphs":["Titanium Dioxide is an inorganic compound (titanium plus oxygen) formulated as a fine powder dispersed in the cream, lotion, or fluid base of a sunscreen. In US-marketed sunscreens it appears in the \"Drug Facts\" Active Ingredients block as Titanium Dioxide along with the percentage by weight; daily-wear facial mineral and tinted mineral formulas commonly use it in the mid-single digits.","In leave-on cosmetic skincare, Titanium Dioxide is most often combined with Zinc Oxide so that the mineral-only sunscreen reaches a broad-spectrum label, and with iron oxides in tinted facial formulations so the cosmetic finish suits a wider range of skin tones."]},{"heading":"Mechanism","paragraphs":["In FDA sunscreen documentation and patient-facing dermatology references, Titanium Dioxide is described as a mineral filter that sits on the skin surface and primarily scatters and absorbs UVB and UVA-II energy. Compared with Zinc Oxide, its UVA coverage is narrower; for that reason, broad-spectrum mineral facial sunscreens most often combine Titanium Dioxide with Zinc Oxide rather than relying on Titanium Dioxide alone.","The cosmetic-appearance practical implication: Titanium Dioxide is widely used in tinted mineral facial sunscreens and in mineral-based color cosmetics with SPF where the cosmetic finish — including coverage and an even-tone appearance — is part of the daily-wear value proposition."]}],"side_effects":[{"title":"Mineral Filter White Cast","url":"https://skinknowledgebase.com/side-effects/mineral-filter-white-cast"}]}