Titanium dioxide levels in eyeshadows and face powders
What it found
In 88 eyeshadow and face powder samples, titanium dioxide levels ranged from 0.04% to 36%, with the highest amounts in eyeshadows.
The authors say most samples exceeded the 1% limit set by recent rules.
What they found
Eyeshadow levels
Titanium dioxide in eyeshadows ranged from 0.04% to 36%, with the highest level in a blue eyeshadow. Most samples exceeded the 1% to 5% range that major manufacturers consider optimal.
Face powder levels
In face powders, titanium dioxide ranged from less than 0.04% to 20%, with the highest level in one sample. The authors expected lighter shades to have more titanium dioxide, but found that darker shades often contained more.
Price and concentration
More expensive face powders had on average 7% titanium dioxide, while cheaper ones had around 4%. For eyeshadows, cheaper products averaged around 12% and more expensive ones around 35%.
Regulatory limit
The authors say that under recent rules, almost all samples they tested would be considered unmarketable because they exceed the 1% concentration limit.
What the authors conclude
“From the results obtained, we can state that the highest concentrations of TiO2 are found in the eyeshadows with a maximum value of 36% in a blue eyeshadow.”
Also in their conclusions
- They say that almost all the samples they analyzed would be considered unmarketable because they exceed the concentration of 1%.
- They advise that manufacturing companies should label cosmetics containing titanium dioxide with the specific attention code EUH212.
- They highlight the danger of many cosmetic products, even those of high cost.
How it was done
The authors wanted to check titanium dioxide levels in cosmetics because most products are bought online or from small companies where rules may be less strict, and there is little data on these products.
They measured titanium dioxide in 44 eyeshadows and 44 face powders of different brands and prices. They developed a method using acid and microwaves to dissolve the samples, then used UV-Vis spectrophotometry to measure the titanium dioxide content.
What it can’t tell you
- This study only measured titanium dioxide levels in cosmetics. It did not test whether these products cause any health effects in people.
- The results cannot show what happens when the products are used, because the study did not follow users over time.
Who paid
- Funding
- Funded by conferenza dei rettori delle università italiane (from the PubMed record).
- Authors work at
- University of Palermo, Italy
The paper
- Title
- Titanium dioxide in face powders and eyeshadows: Developing an analytical methodology for accessing customer safety
- Type
- Study
- Summarised from
- Full text
- Cite
- Amorello D, Ferrara M, Orecchio S (2024). Titanium dioxide in face powders and eyeshadows: Developing an analytical methodology for accessing customer safety. Journal of cosmetic dermatology. doi:10.1111/jocd.16422Free full textPubMed 38898670DOI
Summary written 26 Sep 2026. Check it against the paper before it changes what you eat. How we summarise papers · Report an error