It has been many years since the ancient Egyptians used lead-based cosmetics. Painting your face is a lot these days. safer Well, the products that are used for this go through a lot of testing. They vary by region and are not equally comprehensive everywhere; but in general we can say that it is something harmless. However, there are still those who continue to talk about danger of makeup.
For example, there are people who are afraid of powder makeup because Security Warning that have arisen in recent years due to titanium dioxide. It is an ingredient widely used in cosmetics, especially in the production Sunscreens. The reason is that it is a white powder derived from minerals which, due to its color, reflects sunlight very effectively.
But precisely because of its white tone it was also used as a dye and to impart opacity in food and cosmetics. As for food, it was additive E-171which was mainly used in candies, chewing gum, baked goods and sauces. The fact that he is spoken of in the past tense is due to the fact that, at least in European Union, its use in food is already banned, although it is true that it continues to be used in other parts of the world. And if it was banned from being added to food, how could it be that it was not banned from cosmetics? Can we really talk about the danger in the composition that contains it? Let’s look at this step by step.
Why is titanium dioxide dangerous?
In January 2022, the European Union banned titanium dioxide as a food additive. This decision was made after one of the periodic reviews European Food Safety Authoritywe can conclude that the problems genotoxicity.
These reviews are regularly conducted by scientists analyzing the latest research in the field. substances considered legal within the European Union. If there is even the slightest hint of doubt, they are banned. This is exactly what was done with titanium dioxide. It has not been completely proven that it can damage DNA, but it cannot be completely ruled out. For this reason, it was decided to ban it.
But it should also be clear that these possible effects were only observed in titanium dioxide. swallowed. When we talk about the dangers of makeup, we assume that it penetrates the skin barrier. However, studies done with titanium dioxide indicate that it does not penetrate beyond the outer layers of the stratum corneum to viable cells and does not reach the general circulation. This is true for both healthy skin and skin that is damaged for any reason.
Can we talk about the dangers of powder makeup?
They don’t eat cosmetics. It is true that titanium dioxide can be used in lip balms, but the amount that could be accidentally ingested is minimal. Therefore, since there is no evidence that it reaches the deep layers of the skin, we can only talk about possible danger powder makeup.
Titanium dioxide is used, among other things, in products such as liquid or powder makeup foundations, blush, bronzers, eye shadow, mascara or lipstick. Its whitish tint helps to choose the tone of cosmetic products for all skin types. In addition, it provides opacity, water resistance and texture. Therefore, it is much healthier than in food, where it served only to add color and texture.
If its use has not been stopped, it is for this reason, and also because there is no evidence that makeup that contains it is dangerous. At best, these can be powder products such as bronzers or loose powders. they will be inhaled and titanium dioxide will cause lung damage.
But it is important to emphasize two things. First, the doses allowed by law are very conservative. That is, they are well below the level that, if a hazard actually existed, would pose some risk. And, in addition, when inhaled Not all dust gets into the lungs not to mention all the titanium dioxide.
So while it is true that powder cosmetics contain an ingredient that is considered potentially harmful in some formats, the doses we use are safe. Of course, it is important to make sure that we buy from places that have passed all the controls required by the European Union. Some illegal copies and sales may constitute Danger. This is what we need to focus on. Otherwise, don’t be so afraid. Although it may not seem like it at times, we have learned a lot since the time of the ancient Egyptians.
Source: Hiper Textual
