INCI name
Titanium Dioxide
Also listed as: CI 77891 (as a pigment)
Titanium dioxide is a mineral pigment and a UV filter. As CI 77891 it is the common white and opacifying pigment in creams, toothpaste and makeup. In sunscreens it works in a similar way to zinc oxide, though the two minerals do not cover the UV spectrum in exactly the same way and are often combined.
In the EU, titanium dioxide (nano) must be labelled when the official nano definition applies. In 2022 the EU also classified some powdered titanium dioxide as a category 2 carcinogen by inhalation. That classification concerns breathing dust, not typical leave-on cream use. Aerosol sprays and loose powders are the products where inhalation is a practical question.