Octocrylene
The question

Is Octocrylene safe in chemical sunscreen?

CautionChemical sunscreen

A chemical UV-B and short UV-A filter widely used in sunscreens. Systemic absorption occurs at levels roughly 14× the FDA safety threshold, and octocrylene degrades over time into benzophenone — a suspected endocrine disruptor found in human blood samples.

What the research flags

  • Systemic absorption ~14× FDA safety threshold (0.5 ng/mL) [Inference]
  • Degrades into benzophenone, a suspected endocrine disruptor
  • Detected as an aquatic pollutant in water systems globally
  • Rare cases of allergic contact and photoallergic dermatitis

Regulatory
Detected in breast milk and blood

Other chemical sunscreen ingredients on file

Sources & references

  1. [1]
    Peer-reviewedPubMed / NCBI — pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov · ref 31588614
  2. [2]
    DatabaseIngredient database — the-trouble-with-sunscreen-chemicals
  3. [3]
    Peer-reviewedPubMed / NCBI — pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov · ref 25555641

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.