Octisalate (Octyl Salicylate)
The question

Is Octisalate (Octyl Salicylate) safe in chemical sunscreen?

CautionChemical sunscreen

An oil-soluble UVB filter approved up to 5% in US sunscreens. Systemic absorption exceeds FDA safety thresholds and the EU has flagged reproductive and developmental concerns in regulatory assessments. Does not protect against UVA radiation.

What the research flags

  • Systemic absorption exceeds FDA threshold (0.5 ng/mL) after application [Inference]
  • EU assessment flagged potential reproductive and developmental toxicity [Inference]
  • No UVA protection — must be paired with UVA filter
  • Not reef-safe — contributes to coral bleaching

Regulatory
FDA proposed non-GRASE status (2019 — further safety testing required)

Other chemical sunscreen ingredients on file

Sources & references

  1. [1]
    Peer-reviewedPubMed / NCBI — pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov · ref 16956469
  2. [2]
    DatabaseIngredient database — 704204-OCTISALATE
  3. [3]
    Peer-reviewedPubMed / NCBI — pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov · ref 31961417

Research disclaimer: Ratings reflect peer-reviewed research and regulatory assessments available at the time of publication, not the dose or formulation of any specific chemical sunscreen product. This is not medical advice.