And Look at Her Now.
We just unpacked the latest science behind titanium dioxide in lip products here, but let’s take a lighter moment to ask: what would Joan Collins say?
Joan Collins is 90-something, fabulous, and possibly walking, talking proof that decades of titanium dioxide-laced lipstick haven’t killed anyone. Watching her in this interview, you can’t help but marvel at her wit, poise, and unmistakable beauty — even without a full Dynasty-era glam face. Which begs the question:
If Joan Collins is still thriving after a lifetime of color cosmetics, is the clean beauty panic over titanium dioxide a little… extra?
Maybe. But also maybe not.
Back in the ’80s, you didn’t dab on a hint of balm and call it a day. Makeup was ritual. Lipstick was armor. And yes, it likely included titanium dioxide, used to brighten pigments and give that full-coverage finish. Joan? Probably ingested a fair share.
Today, we know more. Titanium dioxide isn’t banned in U.S. cosmetics, but it is banned in EU food due to concerns over potential genotoxicity (aka DNA damage), especially from nano-sized particles. And while there’s no direct evidence of harm from licking your lipstick, clean beauty brands are starting to sidestep the ingredient.
So where does that leave us?
With skincare routines that feel like rituals, a preference for products that hydrate and glow, and a growing shift away from full-face paint. Maybe the future isn’t about clean makeup—it’s about less makeup altogether. The sensorial pleasure of skincare, the comfort of a tinted balm, and the freedom to be seen without contour.
Maybe the real twist isn’t that Joan wore titanium dioxide for decades — but that she looked better without it.
