Ingredient Index
Is Octocrylene banned in Europe?
No: octocrylene is permitted at up to 10% in both the EU and the US; the live issue is benzophenone, a contaminant that forms as octocrylene products age, which EU scientists are watching.
What the EU does
Authorized at up to 10% under Annex VI of the Cosmetics Regulation. The SCCS reviewed octocrylene in 2021 amid endocrine-disruptor screening and found it safe at permitted concentrations, so unlike oxybenzone and homosalate it survived the 2022 amendment round uncut.
The open question is chemical aging: octocrylene can degrade into benzophenone (a suspected carcinogen) as products sit on shelves. A 2021 study finding benzophenone in aged sunscreens prompted continued EU monitoring and purity expectations, but no status change.
Citation Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009, Annex VI/10 (max 10%); SCCS opinion 2021
What the US does
Legal at up to 10% under the OTC sunscreen monograph, in the same "more data requested" category as the other chemical filters in the FDA's unfinished 2019 proceeding.
The benzophenone finding produced US class-action lawsuits against major sunscreen brands rather than regulatory action. Practical takeaway from the underlying chemistry: don't use expired sunscreen; degradation is a function of time and heat.
Citation FDA OTC sunscreen monograph (octocrylene up to 10%)
Products that commonly contain it
A stabilizing filter that often chaperones others:
- Chemical sunscreens (it stabilizes avobenzone, so they travel together)
- Sport and water-resistant sunscreens
- After-sun and daily SPF moisturizers
- Some hair UV-protection sprays
What to look for on a label
What to look for:
- "Octocrylene" in the Active Ingredients box or INCI list
- Usually paired with avobenzone, which it keeps photostable
- Replace sunscreen annually; the benzophenone question is mostly about old product
- People with ketoprofen allergy can cross-react to octocrylene (a documented dermatology finding)
Or skip the squinting: paste the whole ingredient list into our checker and it flags everything in our database. Nothing you paste leaves your browser.
Frequently asked questions
Is octocrylene banned in Europe?
No. It is authorized at up to 10% under Annex VI, and the SCCS's 2021 review found it safe at that level; it was not cut in the 2022 sunscreen amendments.
Is octocrylene legal in the United States?
Yes, at up to 10% under the FDA's sunscreen monograph.
What is the benzophenone issue?
Octocrylene can slowly degrade into benzophenone, a suspected carcinogen, especially in old or heat-stressed product. The finding triggered EU monitoring and US lawsuits but no ban. Fresh product contains little to none.
Should I avoid octocrylene?
Both regulators say current use is safe. Reasonable precautions: don't use expired sunscreen, and if you have a ketoprofen allergy, patch-test octocrylene products; cross-reaction is documented.
Related ingredients
Related reading
Primary sources
- Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 on cosmetic products (EUR-Lex)
- FDA: Sunscreen, how to help protect your skin from the sun
Last reviewed June 10, 2026 · How we assign statuses