The Süddeutsche Zeitung SZ recently published an article pointing out that baby and child care products sometimes contain problematic and potentially harmful ingredients . An overview lists various substances that are repeatedly criticized based on scientific studies and official risk assessments - including phenoxyethanol and titanium dioxide . (8)
Although we do not use phenoxyethanol in our certified natural cosmetics anyway and also completely avoid titanium dioxide as a UV filter, we would like to offer you some background information on this topic: how harmful are the two ingredients really and what legal regulations are already in place?
What is phenoxyethanol?
Phenoxyethanol is a preservative that is often used in cosmetic products (for example, in diaper rash creams, wet wipes and baby and children's shampoos) to extend the shelf life and protect the products from bacterial contamination. The concentration in cosmetic products is limited to a maximum of 1% and is often used in even lower quantities. (5)
What is white titanium dioxide?
Titanium dioxide is a white pigment that is used in cosmetic products as a UV filter for sunscreens, to improve mixability or as a colorant. Titanium dioxide is also used in some baby products.
Why are phenoxyethanol and titanium dioxide a concern in baby care products?
Health concerns about phenoxyethanol: Phenoxyethanol has been repeatedly criticized for causing skin irritation or triggering allergic reactions. It is assumed that this irritation could be more pronounced in babies, whose skin barrier is not yet fully developed.
Fact check: After the assessment in 2016, phenoxyethanol is still considered safe in the prescribed concentration. Since the skin of babies and children is much more sensitive, the French Agency for the Safety of Medicines and Cosmetics (ASNM) introduced new restrictions in 2019. Since then, the use of phenoxyethanol in diaper products for children under three years of age has no longer been permitted. (6) (7)
Health concerns about titanium dioxide : Titanium dioxide has also been criticized for several years. There are repeated claims that titanium dioxide is carcinogenic, especially when inhaled. There are therefore suspicions that there is a risk that the fine dust in sunscreens or spray products in particular can enter the lungs.
Fact check: So far, no scientific evidence has been found to show that titanium dioxide has a general carcinogenic potential when applied to the skin. Since titanium dioxide in nanoparticle size is hardly absorbed by the skin, its use in cosmetic products on healthy and intact skin is considered harmless. (1) (2) (3) (4) However, the use of titanium dioxide as a colorant in the food industry has been banned since 2022, as a negative effect on the human genome cannot be ruled out. (9)
Baby care without phenoxyethanol and titanium dioxide – what you should pay attention to
- Buy natural cosmetics : Products with a certified natural cosmetics seal use alternative preservatives and do not contain ingredients such as phenoxyethanol and titanium dioxide, which are always being discussed. You can find out when a product can be called natural cosmetics and how certification works in this blog article .
- Read ingredients : Also make sure to check the ingredients carefully when buying. Avoid products containing phenoxyethanol (INCI: Phenoxyethanol) and titanium dioxide (INCI: Titanium Dioxide), especially in sprays or products for daily use on sensitive skin areas, if you want to be on the safe side.
- Pay attention to clean formulas : Choose products that have been specially developed for babies and/or for sensitive skin, that are dermatologically tested and have a particularly clean formula with few, but very high-quality ingredients to minimize the risk of skin irritation. You can also find particularly clean formulas without questionable preservatives or fragrances in our med series . This was specially developed for very sensitive skin and is therefore ideal for babies.
Alternatives to phenoxyethanol and titanium dioxide
Alternative preservatives to phenoxyethanol: As a certified natural cosmetics company, we use other preservatives instead of phenoxyethanol in our baby care products. We use natural salts in some products (e.g. sodium levulinate, sodium anisate). Alcohol can also be used as a preservative in small concentrations because it is natural and "evaporates" when applied to the skin.
Alternative UV filters to titanium dioxide : In our sun cream we only use zinc oxide as a sun protection filter and not titanium dioxide. Overall, however, titanium dioxide is approved as a UV filter. The advantage of physical UV filters such as zinc oxide and titanium dioxide is that they remain on the surface of the skin and do not penetrate into deeper layers of the skin like conventional, organic UV filters. These can also cause skin irritation or cause serious damage to the environment by destroying coral reefs. You can find more information and advantages of mineral UV filters here.
OUR EXPERT
Dr. med Michaela Hagemann I boep founder, doctor & mother of three
Sources
(1) Committee for Risk Assessment RAC: Opinion proposing harmonized classification and labeling at EU level of Titanium dioxide, 2017: https://echa.europa.eu/documents/10162/682fac9f-5b01-86d3-2f70-3d40277a53c2
(2) International Agency for Research on Cancer IARC: IARC Monographs on the Evaluation of Carcinogenic Risks to Humans Volume 93, 2010: https://ftp.cdc.gov/pub/Documents/OEL/02.%20Kuempel/References/IARC_2010-Vol%2093 .pdf
(3) Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety: Opinion on Titanium dioxide (TiO 2 ) used in cosmetic products that lead to exposure by inhalation , SCCS/1575/16, 2020: https://ec.europa.eu/health/system/ files/2021-11/sccs_o_238.pdf
(4) Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009; Annexes III, IV and VI, 2009: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/en/ALL/?uri=CELEX%3A32009R1223
(5) Cosmetic Ingredient Review: Final Report on the Safety Assessment of Phenoxyethanol 1990, re-evaluated in 2011 https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.3109/10915819009078737
(6) Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety: Opinion on phenoxyethanol, SCCS/1575/16, 2016: https://ec.europa.eu/health/scientific_committees/consumer_safety/docs/sccs_o_195.pdf
(7) ANSM: Concentration de phénoxyéthanol in les produits cosmétiques, 2019, updated version of 2021: https://ansm.sante.fr/actualites/concentration-de-phenoxyethanol-dans-les-produits-cosmetiques-information-actualisee
(8) Süddeutsche Zeitung, The myth of gentle baby cosmetics, 2024: https://www.sueddeutsche.de/projekte/artikel/wirtschaft/baby-kind-schadstoffe-kosmetik-pflege-eltern-tipps-e801214/?reduced= true
(9) European Commission: Titanium dioxide in food banned from summer 2022, 2022: https://germany.representation.ec.europa.eu/news/titandioxid-lebensmitteln-ab-sommer-2022-verboten-2022-01-14_de
