Ingredient deep-dive

Titanium Dioxide: Is It a Microplastic?

Not a microplasticCleared / not a microplastic

Not a microplastic. A mineral used as a UV filter and white pigment. Worth one distinction: the EU banned it as a FOOD additive (E171) over genotoxicity uncertainty, while topical cosmetic and sunscreen use remains approved.

Where it appears

Mineral sunscreen
White pigment in makeup
Toothpaste

Regulatory status (2026)

European Union

Approved in cosmetics; banned as food additive E171 since 2022; nano forms require labelling.

United States

FDA-approved sunscreen active; permitted in food.

Cleaner alternatives

Zinc oxide for sunscreen if preferred

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Titanium Dioxide, common questions

Is Titanium Dioxide a microplastic?

Borderline. Not a microplastic. A mineral used as a UV filter and white pigment. Worth one distinction: the EU banned it as a FOOD additive (E171) over genotoxicity uncertainty, while topical cosmetic and sunscreen use remains approved.

Is Titanium Dioxide banned?

EU: Approved in cosmetics; banned as food additive E171 since 2022; nano forms require labelling. US: FDA-approved sunscreen active; permitted in food.

What can I use instead of Titanium Dioxide?

Cleaner alternatives include: Zinc oxide for sunscreen if preferred.

What products contain Titanium Dioxide?

Commonly found in: Mineral sunscreen; White pigment in makeup; Toothpaste.

Related ingredients

Silica

Cleared / not a microplastic · Not a microplastic

Not a microplastic. Silica is silicon dioxide, a mineral, chemically the same family as sand and glass. It is one of the main materials brands use to REPLACE plastic microbeads for oil absorption and soft focus.

Mica

Cleared / not a microplastic · Not a microplastic

Not a microplastic. Mica is a naturally occurring mineral and the standard non-plastic alternative to polyester glitter. Its genuine issue is ethical rather than chemical: mica mining has documented child-labour problems, so look for responsibly sourced or synthetic fluorphlogopite.

Cellulose

Cleared / not a microplastic · Not a microplastic

Not a microplastic. Cellulose is a plant polymer — the structural material of wood and cotton. It is a polymer, but not a synthetic one, and it biodegrades. Widely used as a plastic-bead replacement.

Jojoba Esters (Jojoba Beads)

Cleared / not a microplastic · Not a microplastic

Not a microplastic, and the single best-known replacement for polyethylene microbeads. Naturally derived wax esters formed into soft spheres that exfoliate and then melt on the skin rather than washing into waterways.