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Butyloctyl Salicylate

What Butyloctyl Salicylate is & what it does

An emollient and SPF booster that helps dissolve and stabilize avobenzone while giving a light, smooth feel. It improves both protection and texture.

What is Butyloctyl Salicylate and what does it do in sunscreen?

Butyloctyl Salicylate is an emollient and SPF booster. It gives a light, smooth, non-greasy feel while helping dissolve and stabilize the UV filter avobenzone, which keeps a chemical sunscreen working reliably. So it improves both the texture and the protection of a formula.

Is Butyloctyl Salicylate safe?

Yes, for most people. It is a well-tolerated cosmetic emollient used widely in sunscreens and is not flagged as an allergen in our data. Despite the salicylate in its name it is not the same as salicylic acid and is not an exfoliating acid. It is considered safe as used in sun care.

Is Butyloctyl Salicylate the same as salicylic acid?

No. They share the salicylate root in their names, but Butyloctyl Salicylate is an oily emollient and SPF booster, not an acid. It does not exfoliate the skin or act like a BHA. Its job is to give a smooth feel and help stabilize UV filters.

Does Butyloctyl Salicylate clog pores?

Generally no. It is a lightweight, fast-feeling emollient rather than a heavy occlusive oil, so it is not flagged as comedogenic in our data. Most people use sunscreens containing it without pore issues, though very acne-prone skin may want to patch test any new emollient.

Is Butyloctyl Salicylate a UV filter?

No. It is not an approved UV filter and does not absorb meaningful UV on its own. Instead it acts as an SPF booster by dissolving and stabilizing filters like avobenzone, helping the actual UV filters perform better. The sun protection comes from the listed filters, not from this ingredient.

Sunscreens with Butyloctyl Salicylate

We rate 1264 sunscreens that contain it, showing the top 10 by overall score:

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