Recently, we’ve been asked why we use titanium dioxide in our black raspberry, clean cotton, and ocean goat milk soaps. We add a tiny amount because those three soaps tend to take on a grey hue. The titanium dioxide lightens the soap and makes them a lot prettier. We feel that adding small amounts of titanium dioxide to soap is not a safety issue.
Some people have concerns about its use because there has been a lot of buzz lately about possible carcinogenic effects of titanium dioxide. It seems much of this stems from folks reading headlines without following up to read the articles.
Yes, it’s true that in April of 2011 the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) issued an 86-page report http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/2011-160/pdfs/2011-160.pdf detailing these possible effects. As so often happens, headline writers took some liberty in summarizing the report leading many people to believe that the titanium dioxide that they see as an ingredient in their bath & body products, cosmetics, toiletries and even food could be putting them at risk for cancer. This is not at all what the report states, implies, or construes.
Titanium dioxide has been problematic for rats forced to inhale large quantities, or who have had it injected directly into their trachea (thus bypassing the nasal filtering mechanisms). The study that conducted this research http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/4002222 concluded that despite all of the rats’ troubles, the correlating risk to humans was negligible.
The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) used the data from the above study and decided that people who are working with titanium dioxide in a fine-particulate dust form could be at risk if they breathe too much of it. http://www.ccohs.ca/headlines/text186.html This, however, will not be a problem for anyone who has it in the soap they are using in the shower. So breathe easy; the few varieties of Goat Milk Stuff soap that contain tiny amounts of titanium dioxide (black raspberry, clean cotton, and ocean) will not cause cancer when used properly. More summary information on all of this can be found here. http://www.organicmakeup.ca/ca/titaniumdioxide.asp
On a more positive note, well-known Natural Health proponent, Dr. Mercola has frequently and consistently endorsed the use of titanium dioxide on the skin:
“I’m not a big fan of sunscreen use on a regular basis; even when it works, it blocks your body’s natural production of vitamin D. But in situations where you must be out in the sun long enough to burn, be sure to use a product that protects against both UVA and UVB, such as Natural Sunscreen, which uses a titanium dioxide/zinc combination that reflects both types of rays — while also giving you a beautiful, glowing and healthy tan.” (What’s the Most Dangerous Part of Sun Exposure?)
So go ahead and use good soap from Goat Milk Stuff, even if the variety you love does have a little titanium dioxide in it to make it prettier.
Great information! This might be a “beginners question”, but how/where do the colored swirls come from in the soap?
~Chris
http://www.GoatStop.com
“Worlds Largest Goat Breeders Directory”
Different things depending on the soap. We use food items for some of them (e.g. spirulina) and oxides and ultramarines for others. We don’t ever use dyes. PJ
Great post, I often wondered about this..
Glad to provide some information! 🙂 PJ
Interesting – I actually had no idea what Titanium Dioxide was and/or that it was such a concern. Thanks for sharing.
It really isn’t a concern, which is why we use it. 😉 PJ
Hmmm that’s good to know that Titanium Dioxide helps in reflecting the harmful rays of the sun.
I personally am unable to use anything with SPF in it (be is Sunblock, Sunscreen, or cosmetics) …. So please please please say you will never decide to make your lotions & lip balm to include SPF (or at least make non-SPF versions). Funny enough my lips get an automatic reaction where it burns & then little bumps appear in my lips rubbery feeling lips until my lips dry out & peel. If I put sunblock/sunscreen/anything containing SPF anywhere else (like my face) it makes me allergic to the sun.
We wouldn’t add it across the board. You would always have a choice. PJ
SPF is not an actual ingredient. It stands for Sun Protection Factor. It’s a measure of how long the Sun protection main ingredient (usually Titanium Dioxide or Zinc Oxide) will protect the skin before it experiences sunburn…
Yep. That is correct. PJ
Very informative, thanks for sharing this information with us. We love the Black Raspberry soap and it’s great to know what’s in it.
Glad to help! 🙂
PJ
thanks for all your information….however, I am one to believe that large amounts of anything is harmful to ones health…and that includes food. Obesity is a huge problem and do believe as you stated these reporters take the liberty to always put small bits of information out there yet never allowing one to see the entire picture. Research is what we all need to invest in even though it may require 5 more minutes of reading.
I talk a lot about balance here on my blog and on my podcast. With the exception perhaps of love. 😉 PJ
Titanium Dioxide and Zinc Oxide are the ingredients in the sun screen I use–nothing else. The problem with the media is that, as with scripture, people take a phrase or comment out of context without reading the entire study or article. That’s how we allow “fears” to rule our lives. Truth always set us free, but it requires reading, research and, as with scriptures, much prayer for wisdom and understanding.
What a great response, Connie! Very well said. PJ