Not necessarily a lie.  The IARC listing TiO2 as a carcinogen as not come to the attention of more than just you.  Sometimes repackagers and even manufacturers don’t know (or believe that their application makes it biologically unavailable), and sometimes you will find outdated documents on the internet, even after the manufacturer has replaced them.

Peter Zavon, CIH
Penfield, NY

PZAVON**At_Symbol_Here**Rochester.rr.com

Thanks Monona,

This is an issue that bears greater exposure.  I suppose I never thought about the particle size of the “make-up” powders that now are in the nano size.  I also was not aware that TiO2 was listed as a lung carcinogen.  That gives lie to the manufacturer who labels as safe.

Keep up the good work,

Ken (retired ex CIH)

Ah, but they have replaced "chemical-free" makeup with "natural mineral" makeup. 

Now minerals have been the base of most cosmetics since way before Cleopatra powdered her nose.  And some of those nice natural minerals contained lead, antimony and mercury.   Today, those toxic minerals usually are only found in ethnic makeups imported here, and periodically the CDC will do articles poisoning cases from some of these.

So today, we have no toxic minerals in our makeup, right?  WRONG.  Today the major mineral base for almost all our cosmetics, titanium dioxide.  It is listed by IARC as a lung carcinogen in about 2008.  NIOSH listed it as a carcinogen a couple decades ago and was ignored as usual.  Now NIOSH has set special air quality standards (RELs) for the nanoparticle sized TiO2--which is the usual particle size used in cosmetics.

And NOW class, your assignment is too look at the advertising for "airbrush" makeups in which nanoparticles of TiO2 get airborne.  A chorus makeup room where this stuff is used develops a strange slightly foggy look.

Then go to the FDA regulations and you will find that FDA NEVER approves of any cosmetic ingredient for inhalation.  These are misbranded products in my estimation and no one is lifting a finger to stop them.  I trying, and you can guess which finger I'm lifting.

Monona


In a message dated 12/7/2012 10:58:40 AM Eastern Standard Time, sigmannsb**At_Symbol_Here**APPSTATE.EDU writes:

Great Post Monona -

Here are some fun facts from a presentation ( "Chemicals: The Good, The Bad and The Ugly") that I did a few years back on misconceptions about chemicals and perceived risk - mostly propagated by advertising.  My favorite commercial (have not seen it in a long time) was "chemical free" make-up.