The Truth About Titanium Dioxide: Friend or Foe in PMU? | TAF #101

Welcome to another powerful episode of the Tatter-a-Fact PMU Podcast with Teryn Darling, founder of Girlz Ink and industry-renowned pigment expert.

In this episode, we dive deep into one of the most talked-about—and misunderstood—ingredients in permanent makeup pigments: titanium dioxide. Is it safe? Does it really cause chalky results? How does it behave in the skin over time? Teryn breaks it all down with honesty, clarity, and 20+ years of PMU expertise.

👉 Whether you're a beginner or advanced PMU artist, this episode is a must-watch if you’re using brow, lip, or scar camouflage pigments.

📌 Topics covered:

- What is titanium dioxide and why is it used in PMU pigments
- Pros and cons: coverage, opacity, longevity & fading
- How titanium behaves differently in light vs. dark skin tones
- Aging effects, chalky lips, and ashy brows—what causes them?
- Removal challenges with saline vs. laser
- The critical role of pigment quality and particle size
- Tips for tattooing with titanium-based pigments on different skin types

💡 BONUS: Teryn shares how advanced pigment manufacturers like LI Pigments customize titanium particle shapes for optimal performance in brows, lips, and paramedical tattooing!

🎸 Composition and guitars - Russ Letizia
🥁 Drums and studio engineering - Mike Zerbe
🎼 Recorded at The Compound in Las Vegas, NV