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Octocrylene

What Octocrylene is & what it does

A UVB and short-UVA absorber that pulls double duty as a photostabilizer, keeping avobenzone from breaking down in sunlight. It is oil-soluble and can feel heavy or slightly greasy at high concentrations, which is why it is often balanced with lighter solvents.

What does Octocrylene do in sunscreen?

Octocrylene is a chemical UVB (and some short-UVA) filter, but it is used just as often as a stabiliser: it protects avobenzone from breaking down in sunlight and helps make formulas water-resistant.

Is Octocrylene a UVA or UVB filter?

Mainly UVB, with some short-wave UVA coverage. Its bigger role is often photostabilising other filters rather than UVA protection on its own.

Is Octocrylene safe?

It is an approved, widely used filter considered safe as directed. There has been research into benzophenone forming as it ages and into skin absorption, but regulators still permit it at current levels. If you would rather avoid it, mineral or newer-filter sunscreens are alternatives.

Is Octocrylene natural?

No, octocrylene is a synthetic chemical UV filter, made in a lab and not found in nature. The concerns sometimes raised about it are about by-products and absorption, covered in its safety question, not about it being synthetic.

Is Octocrylene safe to use during pregnancy?

Octocrylene is an approved filter with no proven pregnancy harm, though like other chemical filters it is absorbed to a small degree. Many people prefer a mineral sunscreen during pregnancy simply for extra peace of mind. It is a precaution rather than a known risk; your doctor can advise on your situation.

Sunscreens with Octocrylene

We rate 2851 sunscreens that contain it, showing the top 10 by overall score:

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