Octocrylene
2-Ethylhexyl 2-Cyano-3,3-Diphenylacrylate
What it is
A UVB + short-UVA organic UV filter (CAS 6197-30-4) also used to stabilize avobenzone. Degrades over time inside the bottle into benzophenone.
In this product: UVB/short-UVA filter and avobenzone stabilizer.
Dose & route, what actually matters
Dermal absorption confirmed systemic (7.8 ng/mL plasma in JAMA RCT, 2020). The benzophenone degradation product may be absorbed through skin at up to 70% of the concentration present in the product.
EUROPEAN UNION
Permitted UV filter in EU Cosmetics Regulation. No formal SCCS endocrine-based concentration restriction confirmed as of 2026; ongoing monitoring. The benzophenone degradation finding was published in 2021 after the most recent SCCS review.
UNITED STATES
Permitted at up to 10% in OTC sunscreens. FDA has established zero tolerance for benzophenone as a food additive; no equivalent prohibition for benzophenone as a sunscreen contaminant. No Prop 65 safe harbor for benzophenone.
The evidence
Downs et al. (2021): freshly purchased octocrylene products averaged 39 mg/kg benzophenone; after FDA-accelerated stability testing, average rose to 75 mg/kg (up to 435 mg/kg). 'Benzophenone is a mutagen, carcinogen, and endocrine disruptor. Its presence in food products or food packaging is banned in the United States.' In vivo, up to 70% of benzophenone may be absorbed through skin.
in-vitro · 2021 · source
2020 FDA-sponsored JAMA RCT: octocrylene plasma concentrations 6.6–7.8 ng/mL on day 1, exceeding FDA's 0.5 ng/mL threshold.
human · 2020 · source
California Prop 65: Benzophenone (the degradation product of octocrylene) has no safe harbor under California Proposition 65.
How to avoid it
Choose mineral-only sunscreens (zinc oxide, titanium dioxide). If using a chemical sunscreen, look for octocrylene-free formulas. Use sunscreen before it degrades, don't use products that are past their expiry or have been stored in heat.
Where it hides
Editorial analysis of publicly available regulatory and peer-reviewed sources. Not medical advice. We name our evidence and link it, including when an ingredient is fine.