Octocrylene 5.0% ●
TL;DR. This ingredient is an oil-soluble UV filter used in sunscreens and SPF moisturizers, mainly covering UVB and short UVA wavelengths. It also helps stabilize other light-sensitive UV filters in the oil phase.
What does Octocrylene 5.0% do in a cosmetic formula?
This ingredient is an oil-soluble UV filter used in sunscreens and SPF moisturizers, mainly covering UVB and short UVA wavelengths. It also helps stabilize other light-sensitive UV filters in the oil phase.
Is Octocrylene 5.0% clean?
From a clean-beauty perspective, this ingredient has notable friction because it is synthetic, can be associated with sensitization in some users, and may contain or form benzophenone as an impurity or degradation product. It is commonly restricted or excluded by stricter clean-retail standards.
Is Octocrylene 5.0% sustainable?
This material is typically petrochemical-derived and is not considered readily biodegradable. Environmental concern centers on persistence in aquatic settings and ongoing scrutiny of sunscreen-filter impacts on marine ecosystems.
Is Octocrylene 5.0% COSMOS-approved?
This ingredient is not permitted under COSMOS-natural or COSMOS-organic standards. Its Green Chemistry fit is weak because it relies on synthetic petrochemical chemistry and has persistence concerns rather than a clear renewable, readily biodegradable profile.
How does Octocrylene 5.0% work chemically?
The molecule is a lipophilic aromatic ester with a conjugated cyanoacrylate chromophore, which absorbs primarily in the UVB and short-UVA range and is valued for photostability. It is commonly used around 2 to 10% depending on regional limits and formula design, and it is formulated in the oil phase with attention to impurity control and compatibility with other UV filters.
Last updated 2026-05-13