Ingredient glossary
Titanium Dioxide
On your shelf ✓What Titanium Dioxide does for your skin, who it suits, and what to watch for.
INCI: Titanium Dioxide · Also: TiO2
In short: Titanium Dioxide delivers uvb uva2 protection, suits most skin types, and the evidence behind it is strong.
- What it does
- Uvb uva2 protection
- Best for
- Most skin types
- Evidence
- Strong
- How long
- Straight away
The molecule
The Glow take
Only as good as the sunscreen it lives in.
As a single filter, Titanium Dioxide only matters as part of a finished sunscreen you actually reapply. The best SPF is the one that feels good enough to wear every morning.
— Maya
What it does
- uvb uva2 protection
strong evidenceEvidence shows titanium dioxide is an effective, photostable UVB/UVA2 filter with negligible absorption and a long history of safe topical use.
On a label: usually effective at 4-25%.
Who it's for, and who should skip it
Tends to suit
- all
- sensitive
Approach with care
No specific group flagged to avoid it.
- Clogs poresLow
- Irritation riskLow
How it fits each skin type
- DrySuits
- CombinationSuits
- OilySuits
- SensitiveSuits
Where it fits in your routine
This one works on contact — there is nothing to wait for.
What that covers, and what it does not
Measured on: UV attenuation by the applied film — in vivo SPF, with UVA protection limited to UVA2.
Same physics and same regulatory timing as any filter: the film scatters and absorbs from the moment it sets, which is why SPF methodology allows only 15-30 minutes of drying before irradiation and labels say apply 15 minutes before exposure. The caveat is spectral, not temporal — coverage falls away through UVA1, so a titanium-only product is immediately protective against exactly the wavelengths it absorbs and never becomes protective against the rest. Permitted to 25% (US monograph; EU Annex VI), with inhalable forms excluded in the EU.
ISO 24444:2019; US 21 CFR 201.327; EU Reg 1223/2009 Annex VI; ISO 24443 for in vitro UVA-PF.
Light, and how to keep it
Titanium Dioxide does not break down in light, which is worth saying because plenty of people assume it does.
A mineral filter that does not photodegrade; cosmetic grades are coated to suppress surface photocatalysis, which the SCCS evaluation covers.
SCCS/1516/13(summary)
Plays well with
- zinc oxide
- other uv filters
Titanium Dioxide, answered
Is Titanium Dioxide safe during pregnancy?
Yes. Titanium Dioxide is considered safe to use during pregnancy and breastfeeding. As with anything, if you are unsure it is worth a quick word with your doctor or midwife.
Who should avoid Titanium Dioxide?
No specific group is flagged to avoid Titanium Dioxide. It is well tolerated by most skin. Still, introduce anything new one product at a time.
What concentration of Titanium Dioxide actually works?
Titanium Dioxide tends to do its job in the 4 to 25% range. Much lower and it is likely underdosed.
Does Titanium Dioxide break down in the light?
No, and it is worth saying because plenty of people assume it does. A mineral filter that does not photodegrade; cosmetic grades are coated to suppress surface photocatalysis, which the SCCS evaluation covers.
Can you mix Titanium Dioxide with
This, for every label you own
One ingredient is easy. A full label is where it gets confusing. The Ingredient Decoder reads any product and tells you the honest truth, ingredient by ingredient.