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Applications · Personal Care

TiO2 for Cosmetics & Sunscreen

Nano TiO2 for transparent UV protection in sunscreen, BB cream, tinted moisturizer — reef-safe, hydrophobic-coated.

Personal care TiO2 applications are dominated by sunscreen — nano-sized rutile TiO2 with hydrophobic surface coating, used as a physical UV filter providing broad-spectrum UVA + UVB protection. Beyond sunscreen, smaller volumes of nano TiO2 go into BB creams, tinted moisturizers, daily-wear UV protection, and certain pigment applications.

SEMITI NANO-30 is engineered specifically for personal care — silica + organosilane surface coating to deactivate photocatalysis, primary particle size 15–30 nm for transparency on skin, hydrophobic for easy emulsion incorporation. The grade meets EU SCCS safety requirements, FDA Sunscreen Monograph, and ASEAN cosmetic regulatory standards.

Recommended SEMITI grades

SEMITI NANO-30
nano · sulfate
Nano TiO2 (UV Filter Grade)

Hydrophobic surface-coated nano TiO2 (15–30 nm) for transparent UV protection in sunscreens and BB creams.

Performance requirements

SPF efficiencySPF contribution 30–35 at 8% loading in standard emulsion
Transparency on skinVisual rating < 2 / 5 white cast (consumer panel test)
Photocatalytic activity< 5% of uncoated TiO2 (EFSA methylene blue method)
Microbial purityTPC < 100 CFU/g, no E.coli / Salmonella / S.aureus / P.aeruginosa
Heavy metalsPb < 2 ppm, As < 1 ppm, Cd < 0.5 ppm, Hg < 0.5 ppm

Dosage guidance

Sunscreen SPF 30 (W/O): 6–8% TiO2 finished. SPF 50: 10–12% TiO2 + 3–5% nano-ZnO. BB cream / CC cream: 3–5%. Tinted moisturizer SPF 15: 1–3%. Daily-wear (after-shave, day cream with SPF 8–15): 1–2%.

Dispersion / processing notes

Pre-disperse SEMITI NANO-30 at 30–40% loading in caprylic/capric triglyceride or cyclomethicone using a high-shear homogenizer (5000+ rpm for 15 min) or three-roll mill. The pre-dispersion can be stored for 6 months and added to final emulsions as a "TiO2 phase". Final emulsion incorporation is done at 60–70°C in the oil phase, before cold-phase blending.

Formulation tips

  • →Pre-disperse rather than adding powder to emulsion — much better transparency and SPF efficiency
  • →For SPF 50 reef-safe, stack 8% SEMITI NANO-30 + 4% nano-ZnO + 0% organic chemical filters
  • →Verify oil-phase compatibility — caprylic/capric triglyceride is the universal choice; some esters cause re-agglomeration
  • →EU labeling: TiO2 INCI must include [nano] suffix per EU Cosmetic Regulation Annex VI

Common pitfalls

Failure modes we've seen in customer trials — worth checking before scale-up.

  • ×Using SEMITI NANO-30 in spray sunscreens — inhalation toxicity risk, EU SCCS prohibits
  • ×Adding powder directly to final emulsion — agglomeration leads to visible white cast
  • ×Confusing nano TiO2 (cosmetic) with micronized TiO2 (plastics) — different particle size, different applications

Common questions

What's a realistic SPF I can claim with 6% SEMITI NANO-30?+
In vivo ISO 24444 testing typically gives SPF 28–35 at 6% loading in standard W/O emulsion. For label SPF 30 claim, conduct at least 10-subject in vivo testing for verification. Diffey in vitro is acceptable for development screening but not for label claims in most regulated markets.
Is nano TiO2 reef-safe?+
Yes — nano TiO2 with proper surface coating (like SEMITI NANO-30) is approved under Hawaii Act 104, Palau, and Mexican Quintana Roo reef-protection regulations. The banned ingredients in these laws are organic chemical filters (oxybenzone, octinoxate), not physical filters.

Need help picking a grade for cosmetics & sunscreen?

Send us your reference grade, formulation type, or competitor TDS. We'll respond with the SEMITI match + sample within 48 hours.

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