✕

Octinoxate: Is It Safe For Your Skin? Learn All About It

Get your facts right and learn the truth about this ingredient before buying sunscreen.

Medically reviewed by Dr. Sonam Jeswani RamrakhianiDr. Sonam Jeswani Ramrakhiani, MBBS, DDV
By Ramona SinhaRamona Sinha, Certified Skin Care Coach  • 
Octinoxate: Is It Safe For Your Skin? Learn All About It

Image: Shutterstock

Have you ever found octinoxate listed in your favorite day cream or sunscreen? It is a chemical UV filter and has been a cause for concern for a while. Octinoxate for skin is often considered unsafe (though scientific evidence is lacking), and many avoid it as chemical UV filters may harm the environment.

However, before you strike off octinoxate containing products from your skin care routine, learn the truth behind this ingredient. Read on.

What Is Octinoxate?

Octinoxate

Image: Shutterstock

Octinoxate or octyl methoxycinnamate (OMC) is a UV absorber. It appears like a clear, non-water-soluble liquid and is combined with other chemicals in sunscreen to prevent UV damage. It absorbs UV rays of a specific wavelength range, preventing them from penetrating the epidermis (1). Octinoxate combines methoxy cinnamic acid and 2-ethyl hexanol. These compounds are not harmful by themselves.

UV damage is usually caused by the free radicals produced by oxidative stress. Free radicals, also called reactive oxygen species (ROS), can affect the body’s tissues and cells and may cause photodamage, which includes dark spots, wrinkles, hyperpigmentation, and even skin cancer (2). Chemical UV filters like octinoxate in sunscreen help avert such damage.

Chemical filters are different from mineral UV filters (zinc oxide and titanium dioxide), which sit on the skin and block the UV rays.

To locate octinoxate in your sunscreen products, you can scan the ingredient list and check for:

  • OMC
  • Ethylhexyl methoxycinnamate
  • Parsol and Parsol MCX
  • Escalol
  • 2-Ethylhexyl p-methoxycinnamate
  • Octyl methoxycinnamate

protip_icon Did You Know?
Studies have found that under certain lab conditions, octinoxate may potentially damage human DNA, leading to genome mutationsi  XA change in the DNA sequence of an organism due to an error in the process of cell division or viral infection. and significant health risks (11).

There have been controversies regarding the chemical filters getting absorbed by the skin into the system. Some studies found traces of oxybenzone in human breast milk, amniotic fluidi  XA yellowish, clear fluid surrounding the unborn baby (fetus) in the womb that provides protection from injuries. , urine, and blood. It is also considered a potential endocrine disruptor (3). Hence, it is quite natural to be concerned about the safety and risks associated with octinoxate. Let’s read more about it in the next section.

Is Octinoxate Safe As A Sunscreen Ingredient?

Woma checks sunscreen label for octinoxate

Image: Shutterstock

There is not enough empirical evidence to mark octinoxate as a safe or unsafe ingredient.

The FDA restricts its strength to a maximum of 7.5 % in skin care products (4). Other countries like Canada, Japan, and the European Union also allow the usage of octinoxate in sunscreens but have capped the maximum concentration at which this chemical can be used in these products.

On a scale of 1-10 (10 being the most harmful), the Environmental Working Group gives octinoxate a 5 rating, as it may cause (5):

  • moderate endocrine disruption
  • non-reproductive organ system toxicity (low)
  • biochemical or cellular level changes (high)

Hawaii has banned the sales of any sunscreen and product containing octinoxate and oxybenzone, as these ingredients are not reef-safe and have other environmental repercussions (6).

Octinoxate may also affect neurological and reproductive development. A study on pregnant Wistar rats found that octyl methoxycinnamate affected reproductive and neurological systems in rat offspring (7).

While scientists are not sure if octinoxate will have the same effect on humans, it is definitely a cause for concern. A study detected trace amounts of octinoxate in urine and concluded that it penetrates the human skin (8). On the flip side, some studies have concluded that even if the chemicals pass through the skin, their levels are too low to cause toxicity (9).

While studies remain inconclusive on octinoxate’s impact on human skin and health, you will find it in various products. Despite some looming concerns over the safety of using octinoxate in skin care products, all the big cosmetic and beauty brands are using it. This is due to the skin benefits that octinoxate offers.

Benefits Of Octinoxate

Octinoxate protects the skin from UV rays.

Image: Shutterstock

1. Protects The Skin From Harmful UV Rays

The primary function of octinoxate is to filter out harmful UV rays and prevent photodamage and photoaging. It can:

Related: What Is Sun Damaged Skin? How To Deal With It?

2. Gives A Thin Consistency To Formulation

Most of us think of sunscreens as being thick, sticky, and not easy to spread (leaving the infamous white ghost-like cast). However, sunscreens with octinoxate usually have a light texture, consistency, and flow, making the product easy to apply.

Related: How To Choose Sunscreen

3. No White Cast

Octinoxate doesn't leave a white cast on the skin

Image: Shutterstock

Usually, mineral sunscreens and products with a mix of physical and chemical filters leave a white cast on the skin. However, using octinoxate in sunscreens has minimal chances of leaving a white cast on the skin.

Wondering whether you should use or avoid sunscreens and skin products containing octinoxate? Check out the next section.

Who Should Avoid Using Products With Octinoxate

People with melasma should avoid products with octinoxate

Image: Shutterstock

Anyone can use products with octinoxate. However, avoid them if you:

  • Have melasma (it needs the best UV protection, so chemical filters like OMC are preferable)
Related: How To Prevent Pigmentation (Melasma) During Pregnancy
  • Have sensitive skin
  • Have acne-prone skin (chemicals may aggravate the lesions)
  • Are pregnant or lactating (as its effects are still unclear)
  • Have skin conditions like psoriasisi  XA rash with itchy, scaly patches found on the back of the knees, elbows, and scalp that is triggered by an infection or stress. , eczemai  XA skin condition that causes dryness and itchiness at the back of the knees or arms due to a reaction to irritants or allergens. , and dermatitis
  • Are allergic to chemical filters
protip_icon Quick Tip
The FDA states more evidence is needed to scrap its use. However, if you are hesitant, opt for mineral sunscreens with zinc oxide or reef-safe or octinoxate-free sunscreens.

Octinoxate is a chemical commonly found in sunscreens and day creams. It acts as a chemical UV filter and protects the skin from photodamage, including sunburns, and reduces the risk of skin cancer. More studies are required to understand the effects of octinoxate on human skin and health. That is why regulatory bodies like FDA have limited octinoxate concentration to 7.5% in skincare products. Also, people with melasma, acne-prone skin, pregnant women, and lactating mothers should avoid using products with octinoxate on their skin.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does octinoxate cause aging?

Octinoxate may cause aging as it has been shown to generate free radicals in the skin when exposed to UV rays (10). However, regular re-application of sunscreen may reduce the number of free radicals formed by chemical sunscreens.

Key Takeaways

  • Octinoxate is a chemical UV filter that absorbs UV rays of a specific wavelength range.
  • It can help protect the skin from sunburns and reduce the risk of premature aging.
  • People with eczema, psoriasis, and dermatitis must avoid using skin care products with octinoxate.


Sources

Was this article helpful?
thumbsupthumbsdown
The following two tabs change content below.

LATEST ARTICLES