Octocrylene: Comedogenic Rating & Ingredient Analysis
Octocrylene is one of the most common chemical sunscreen filters, but its real value is often as a supporting player rather than the star. It absorbs UVB and some short-wavelength UVA light, adding to a product's SPF, but formulators reach for it mainly because it stabilizes avobenzone, the fragile UVA filter that most broad-spectrum sunscreens depend on. Octocrylene is oil-soluble and slightly water-resistant, so it also helps sunscreens cling to skin during sweat and swimming. It is approved in both the United States and the European Union and appears in a huge range of lotions, sprays and sticks.
Quick facts
- Comedogenic rating
- our estimate — not measured
- Irritation risk
- Low
- Effective pH
- —
- Typical strength
- ≤10%
- Pregnancy
- Considered safe
- Suits skin types
- oilydrycombinationnormalmature
Where this number comes from
No one has published a comedogenic rating for this ingredient. Fulton's 1989 table tested about 250 raw materials and this was not among them, and we found no later study measuring it. The figure shown is our own reasoning from the ingredient's chemistry and how it is used — treat it as an estimate, not a measurement.
Fulton read his own scale as 0-1 not significant, 2-3 borderline, 4-5 positive. The assay is the rabbit ear at 10% dilution, which the paper itself calls extremely sensitive and not fully predictive of human skin. Ratings describe the raw ingredient; concentration and formulation change real-world behaviour.
Caution profile
The four published fields on this page, on one 0–5 scale. Further from the centre means more care is needed — never that the ingredient is worse.
Derived, not measured: pore-clogging is the published comedogenic rating; irritation maps low/moderate/high to 1/3/5; pregnancy maps safe/caution/avoid to 0/3/5; skin-type limits is how many of the seven skin types this entry does NOT list. Every input is printed in words in the quick-facts card above.
Show the numbers
| Metric | 0–5 | Published field |
|---|---|---|
| Pore-clogging | 2 | 2/5 |
| Irritation | 1 | Low |
| Skin-type limits | 1.4 | 5/7 |
| Pregnancy | 0 | Considered safe |
Working pH and typical strength
Where this ingredient is formulated to sit, and at what concentration.
Both bars come from the fields above: the pH window and the typical strength range published for this ingredient. The tinted column is healthy skin's surface pH (about 4.7–5.75).
Show the numbers
| Metric | 0–5 |
|---|---|
| Typical strength | ≤10% |
What is it?
Octocrylene is an ester that absorbs ultraviolet light in the UVB and short UVA-II range, with peak absorption around 303 nanometres. Beyond its own filtering, it has a stabilizing effect: when placed alongside avobenzone, it accepts the extra energy that would otherwise cause avobenzone to fall apart in sunlight, dramatically extending how long the combination protects. This is why the two are almost always formulated together. Octocrylene is also a good solvent for other filters and a film-former that improves water resistance. One quirk of the molecule is that over time and heat it can slowly degrade into trace benzophenone, a topic of ongoing research and formulation control.
Benefits
Stabilizes avobenzone
Its main role is protecting avobenzone from breaking down in sunlight, keeping UVA coverage intact through a day of exposure and making broad-spectrum claims reliable.
Adds UVB protection
It absorbs UVB and short UVA, contributing directly to SPF so brands can reach high protection levels with a balanced blend of filters.
Improves water resistance
As an oily film-former it helps sunscreen stay on through sweat and swimming, which is why it is common in sport and beach formulas.
Boosts other filters
It dissolves and carries other UV filters and pairs with mineral options like titanium-dioxide, giving formulators flexibility to build elegant textures.
How to use
You do not use octocrylene on its own — it comes blended into finished sunscreens. Apply the product generously each morning and reapply every two hours in strong sun or after swimming and towelling. Because octocrylene is oil-soluble and film-forming, sunscreens built around it tend to feel richer and more water-resistant, which suits normal to dry skin and outdoor activity. If you find such formulas heavy, look for lighter fluids or mineral options with zinc-oxide instead. It layers under makeup without issue.
Side effects
Octocrylene has a low overall irritation rate, but it is one of the more frequent causes of photoallergic contact dermatitis among sunscreen filters, particularly in people already sensitized to the painkiller ketoprofen. Reactions are still uncommon. The slow formation of trace benzophenone during storage has raised questions, but regulators in the EU and US continue to permit octocrylene at current levels while monitoring the data.
Who should avoid it
People with a history of photoallergic reactions to sunscreens, or known ketoprofen sensitivity, should patch test or choose a mineral sunscreen. Anyone who prefers to avoid benzophenone-related compounds may also opt for zinc-oxide or titanium-dioxide formulas. For most users octocrylene is safe and well tolerated.
Pairs well with
Frequently asked questions
What does octocrylene actually do in sunscreen?
It absorbs UVB and short UVA light and, crucially, stabilizes avobenzone so the UVA protection lasts. It also improves water resistance and helps dissolve other filters.
Is octocrylene safe?
It is approved in the US and EU and considered safe at permitted levels. A minority of people develop photoallergic reactions, and trace benzophenone formation is being monitored by regulators.
Does octocrylene make sunscreen greasy?
It is oil-soluble and film-forming, so formulas high in octocrylene can feel richer. If you have oily skin, lighter fluid or mineral sunscreens may feel better.
Can octocrylene replace mineral sunscreen?
It provides UVB and some UVA coverage but is usually combined with avobenzone and other filters. Mineral sunscreens using zinc-oxide are a filter-free alternative for sensitive skin.
Sources & further reading
Medical disclaimer
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