WTF is titanium dioxide and do organic tampons contain titanium dioxide ? Here’s what you need to know 👇
There’s growing interest in titanium dioxide as it’s used in everyday products but there are concerns over safety. You may not have heard of this before and never thought to check if organic tampons contain titanium dioxide. A viral TikTok video which has gained over 4.5 million views to date brought this topic into the spotlight. In this video, the US TikTok user voices her concern after seeing the ingredient listed on the box of her go-to period products.
First things first, what is titanium dioxide?
Titanium dioxide is a compound which you can find in many cosmetic products, toothpastes, and sunscreens. It is a bleaching agent which is used to make products whiter. You can also find titanium dioxide being used as a colouring additive in some food products such as sweets, chewing gums and chocolate bars.
What are the concerns?
The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) classifies titanium dioxide as “possibly carcinogenic to humans”. The research from the IARC did however acknowledge that it’s lacking the connection to a human study that would confirm long-term effects. But this is not the only report that is sparking concerns. A study by the EU’s top food safety agency cited titanium dioxide’s ability to damage DNA. From this, the use of titanium dioxide is banned from food products in the EU as of August 7th 2022.
More recently, a famous brand of sweets is being sued in the US for using titanium dioxide in their products. This is being challenged however as the FDA deems titanium dioxide as safe in food under some restrictions. The FDA also lists titanium dioxide as a safe ingredient for use in cosmetics.
So, do organic tampons contain titanium dioxide?
Not all eco products are equal and use the same ingredients. This is the case for period care products, even those made with organic cotton. As shown in the viral TikTok video, some organic tampons contain titanium dioxide as a bleaching agent. There are however many brands who do not use this in their period products. At TOTM, we can confirm that we do not use titanium dioxide at any stage of our manufacturing process for our organic cotton range.
Whilst there’s a lack of research around the safety of titanium dioxide, if you deem it a chemical of concern then as a consumer you have a choice. You can look for products that do not contain the ingredient should you wish. Either way, when it comes to shopping for period care, we always recommend checking the ingredients. If this information is tricky to find, you can message the brand directly. It’s your body and you deserve to know what you’re using so you can decide if it’s the right product for you.
Join the discussion, what are your thoughts on the recent posts around how some organic tampons contain titanium dioxide? Chat to us on socials. You can see a list of our product ingredients, on our product pages.
