Review of the safety of octocrylene used as an ultraviolet filter in cosmetics

Abstract

Octocrylene or octocrilene is an organic ultraviolet (UV) filter which absorbs mainly UVB radiation and short UVA wavelengths. It is used in various cosmetic products to either provide an appropriate sun protection factor in sunscreen products or to protect cosmetic formulations from UV radiation. There is no discussion that UV filters are beneficial ingredients in cosmetics since they protect from skin cancer, but octocrylene has been recently incriminated to potentially induce adverse effects on the endocrine system in addition to having allergic and/or photoallergic potential. However, the substance has the advantage to work synergistically with other filters allowing a beneficial broad photoprotection, e.g. it stabilizes the UVA filter avobenzone (i.e. butylmethoxydibenzoylmethane). Like all chemicals used in cosmetics, the safety profile of octocrylene is constantly under assessment by the European Chemical Agency (ECHA) since it has been registered according to the European regulation Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals. Summaries of safety data of octocrylene are publicly available on the ECHA website. This review aims to present the main safety data from the ECHA website, as well as those reported in scientific articles from peer‐reviewed journals. The available data show that octocrylene does not have any endocrine disruption potential. It is a rare sensitizer, photocontact allergy is more frequent and it is considered consecutive to photosensitization to ketoprofen. Based on these results, octocrylene can be considered as safe when used as a UV filter in cosmetic products at a concentration up to 10%.

The Role of Photoprotection in Optimizing the Treatment of Atopic Dermatitis

“…Although avobenzone and octocrylene are involved in allergic and photoallergic contact dermatitis (PACD) reactions [50], the available data show that they are rare sensitizers and may be considered safe [51]. Octocrylene is a photostable UVB and UVAII absorber that photostabilizes avobenzone and works with other UV filters to deliver broad photoprotection.…”

The Use of Calcium Phosphates in Cosmetics, State of the Art and Future Perspectives

“…Indeed, filters might cause photo-allergies, phototoxic reactions, and skin irritations. Moreover, the high refractive index of inorganic filters decreases the aesthetic value of sunscreens due to the unnatural white color acquired by the skin after application [179,180]. To solve these drawbacks, inorganic filters are frequently used in a micro-or even nano-sized form, but this latter form might cause the penetration of the UV filter into the skin, causing skin allergies or irritation [181,182].…”

(+)-Usnic Acid as a Promising Candidate for a Safe and Stable Topical Photoprotective Agent

“…One such well-known UV filter is octocrylene (2-ethylhexyl 2-cyano-3,3-diphenylacrylate), which mainly absorbs UVB radiation. It has been successfully used in cosmetic products as a sunscreen agent or to protect cosmetic formulations from UV radiation [ 15 ]. According to recent studies, some of the commercial UV filters may show adverse effects, e.g., an impact on the endocrine system, inducement of skin allergy, or toxicity to some marine organisms [ 16 , 17 ].…”