Is titanium dioxide natural?
Titanium dioxide is mined and purified before it can be used as a cosmetic pigment. In fact, all minerals are purified before they can be used medicinally (for example, in mineral tablets from the health food store) or as cosmetics. Indeed, virtually all cosmetic ‘chemicals’ are refined in some way – essential oils are extracted from plants, plant oils are pressed or extracted with solvents, and purified in various ways, soaps are catalyzed with lye, and almost everything is preserved one way or another.
Mineral pigments, including titanium dioxide, are very highly regulated by the FDA, and must adhere to strict standards for purity, particle size, etc. Frankly, we wouldn’t have it any other way. Read the rest of this entry »