Phenylbenzimidazole Sulfonic Acid ●
TL;DR. This ingredient is a UVB sunscreen active used to absorb short-wave UV radiation and help build SPF in water-based formulas. It offers little UVA coverage, so it is usually paired with broader-spectrum filters.
What does Phenylbenzimidazole Sulfonic Acid do in a cosmetic formula?
This ingredient is a UVB sunscreen active used to absorb short-wave UV radiation and help build SPF in water-based formulas. It offers little UVA coverage, so it is usually paired with broader-spectrum filters.
Is Phenylbenzimidazole Sulfonic Acid clean?
From a clean-beauty perspective, this ingredient has friction because it is a synthetic sunscreen active and appears on some restricted or exclusion lists for chemical UV filters. It is generally considered lower-sensitizing than some older sunscreen actives, but eye sting and skin irritation can occur, especially at higher use levels.
Is Phenylbenzimidazole Sulfonic Acid sustainable?
This material is synthetically produced, typically from petrochemical-derived aromatic feedstocks. It is water soluble and not known as a high-bioaccumulation material, but aquatic fate data and wastewater exposure keep it from being a strong sustainability match.
Is Phenylbenzimidazole Sulfonic Acid COSMOS-approved?
It is not permitted in COSMOS-organic or COSMOS-natural certified products as a synthetic organic UV filter. Its fit with Green Chemistry is limited because it relies on synthetic aromatic chemistry and does not offer a clear renewable-feedstock or low-impact end-of-life profile.
How does Phenylbenzimidazole Sulfonic Acid work chemically?
The molecule is an aromatic heterocyclic it acid UV absorber with peak absorption mainly in the UVB range, around 300 nm. Typical regulatory use is up to 4% in U.S. OTC sunscreen products and up to 8% in the EU, and it usually needs neutralization to improve water solubility and formula compatibility.
Last updated 2026-05-13