Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate ●
TL;DR. This ingredient is an oil-soluble UVB filter used in sunscreens, moisturizers, lip products, and makeup with SPF claims. It helps reduce UVB-driven redness by absorbing radiation in the roughly 280 to 320 nm range.
What does Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate do in a cosmetic formula?
This ingredient is an oil-soluble UVB filter used in sunscreens, moisturizers, lip products, and makeup with SPF claims. It helps reduce UVB-driven redness by absorbing radiation in the roughly 280 to 320 nm range.
Is Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate clean?
From a clean beauty perspective, it has significant restricted-list friction because of endocrine activity questions, photostability limits, and aquatic-impact scrutiny. Skin irritation is usually low, but many clean frameworks do not include it in preferred sunscreen filter lists.
Is Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate sustainable?
This material is synthetic and typically petrochemical-derived rather than renewable. It is not readily biodegradable, can persist in aquatic environments, and has been restricted in some regional sunscreen rules because of marine ecosystem concerns.
Is Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate COSMOS-approved?
It is not permitted under COSMOS-natural or COSMOS-organic standards for sunscreen actives. Its synthetic origin, limited biodegradability, and persistence profile are a poor fit with Green Chemistry priorities.
How does Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate work chemically?
The molecule is a lipophilic aromatic ester with a conjugated system that absorbs UVB light and is commonly used around 2 to 10%, subject to regional regulatory limits such as 7.5% in the U.S. and 10% in the EU. It can photoisomerize under UV exposure, so formulators often pair it with stabilizing systems and broader-spectrum filters to improve overall SPF performance.
Last updated 2026-05-13