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HOW WE DETERMINE SCORES Learn more About EWG VERIFIED®

Data: Good

Oxybenzone

IMAGE SOURCE: PubChem

SEARCH PRODUCTS

Other Concerns

Use restrictions (moderate), Endocrine disruption (moderate), Persistence and bioaccumulation (low), Non-reproductive organ system toxicity (low), and Biochemical or cellular level changes (high)

SYNONYMS

● (2-HYDROXY-4-METHOXYPHENYL)PHENYL- METHANONE
● (2-HYDROXY-4-METHOXYPHENYL)PHENYLMETHANONE
● 2-BENZOYL-5-METHOXYPHENOL
● 2-HYDROXY-4-METHOXYBENZOPHENONE
● 4-08-00-02442 (BEILSTEIN HANDBOOK REFERENCE)
● 4-METHOXY-2-HYDROXYBENZOPHENONE
● ADVASTAB 45
● AI3-23644
● ANUVEX
● B3
● BENZOPHENONE, 2-HYDROXY-4-METHOXY-
● BENZOPHENONE-3
● BRN 1913145
● CCRIS 1078
● CHIMASSORB 90
● CYASORB UV 9
● CYASORB UV 9 LIGHT ABSORBER
● DURASCREEN
● EINECS 205-031-5
● ESCALOL 567
● HMBP
● HSDB 4503
● METHANONE, (2-HYDROXY-4-METHOXYPHENYL)PHENYL-
● METHANONE, (2HYDROXY4METHOXYPHENYL)PHENYL
● MOB
● MOD
● NCI-C60957
● NSC 7778
● NSC-7778
● ONGROSTAB HMB
● OXIBENZONA
● OXIBENZONUM
● OXYBENZON
● OXYBENZONE
● OXYBENZONE (BENZOPHENONE-3)
● OXYBENZONE 6
● OXYBENZONUM
● SOLAQUIN
● SPECTRA-SORB UV 9
● SUNSCREEN UV-15
● SYNTASE 62
● UF 3
● USAF CY-9
● UV 9
● UVINUL 9
● UVINUL M40
● UVISTAT 24

Unacceptable

Unacceptable: EWG VERIFIED products cannot contain this ingredient

Oxybenzone is a sunscreen ingredient associated with photoallergic reactions. This chemical absorbs through the skin in significant amounts. It contaminates the bodies of 97% of Americans according to research by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Common concerns

See how this product scores for common concerns.

  • LOW
    Cancer
  • MODERATE
    Allergies & Immunotoxicity
  • LOW
    Developmental and Reproductive Toxicity
  • MODERATE
    Use Restrictions

Ingredient concerns

  • CONCERNS
  • DATA SOURCES

Products with this Ingredient

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recreational sunscreen58 products
daily use with SPF38 products
nail polish26 products
fragrance for women24 products
lip balm with SPF19 products
fragrance for men19 products
foundation13 products
hair spray11 products
facial moisturizer/treatment10 products
hair treatment/serum9 products
concealer8 products
exfoliant/scrub6 products
baby sunscreen6 products
hair styling aide5 products
lip balm5 products
body wash/cleanser5 products
conditioner4 products
styling gel/lotion4 products
shampoo4 products
after shave3 products
mask3 products
bronzer/highlighter3 products
lip gloss2 products
serums & essences2 products
2 products
anti-aging2 products
BB cream2 products
eye liner1 products
nail treatment1 products
damaged skin treatment1 products
detangler1 products
bubble bath1 products
liquid hand soap1 products
nail glue1 products
moisturizer1 products
bath oil/salts/soak1 products
skin fading/lightener1 products
styling mousse/foam1 products
body spray1 products
beard care1 products
hair color and bleaching1 products
polish remover1 products
makeup primer1 products

Enhanced skin absorption

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CONCERN REFERENCE
Penetration enhancerOpen scientific literature
Absorbs into the skinOpen scientific literature

Biochemical or cellular level changes

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CONCERN REFERENCE
Produces excess reactive oxygen species that can interfere with cellular signaling, cause mutations, lead to cell death and may be implicated in cardiovascular disease.Open scientific literature
Does not produces excess reactive oxygen species or other harmful biochemical changes.Open scientific literature

Allergies/immunotoxicity

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CONCERN REFERENCE
Possible human photoallergenic toxicant or allergenOpen scientific literature
One or more human case studies show significant photoallergenic or allergenic effectsOpen scientific literature
One or more human case studies show possible Photoallergic or allergenic effectsOpen scientific literature
Limited evidence of immune system (sensitization) toxicity or allergiesOpen scientific literature
Limited evidence of any toxicity or allergiesOpen scientific literature
One or more human case studies show equivocal any or allergenic effectsOpen scientific literature
Associated with immunotoxicity or allergiesOpen scientific literature
Not likely to be a immune system toxicant or allergenic in humansOpen scientific literature

Decreased skin absorption

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CONCERN REFERENCE
Limited potential to absorb into the skin.Open scientific literature

Use restrictions

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CONCERN REFERENCE
Restricted in cosmetics (recommendations or requirements) - use, concentration, or manufacturing restrictions - Japan - restricted for use in some types of cosmetics (concentration limit)Japan's Standards for Cosmetics

Endocrine disruption

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CONCERN REFERENCE
Human endocrine disruptor - moderate evidenceEuropean Commission on Endocrine Disruption
Limited evidence of wildlife and the environment disruptionEuropean Commission on Endocrine Disruption
One or more studies show weak endocrine disruptionOpen scientific literature
One or more animal studies show endocrine disruption at moderate dosesOpen scientific literature
Associated with endocrine disruptionOpen scientific literature
One or more animal studies show any disruption at high dosesOpen scientific literature

Persistence and bioaccumulation

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CONCERN REFERENCE
Ingredient is suspected or measured to accumulate in peopleOpen scientific literature
Not suspected to be bioaccumulativeEnvironment Canada Domestic Substance List

Developmental/reproductive toxicity

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CONCERN REFERENCE
Limited evidence of developmental toxicityOpen scientific literature
One or more animal studies show developmental effects at high dosesOpen scientific literature

Organ system toxicity (non-reproductive)

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CONCERN REFERENCE
One or more animal studies show cardiovascular effects at moderate doses (low dose studies may be unavailable for this ingredient)Open scientific literature
Classified as not expected to be potentially toxic or harmfulEnvironment Canada Domestic Substance List
One or more animal studies show no adverse broad systemic effects at high dosesOpen scientific literature

Cancer

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CONCERN REFERENCE
One or more animal studies show tumor formation at moderate dosesOpen scientific literature
Not likely to be mutagenic in humansOpen scientific literature

Data gaps

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CONCERN REFERENCE
Risk assessment method deficiencies and data gaps - Maximum reported "as used" concentration is basis of safety assessment by industry safety panel (Cosmetic Ingredient Review, CIR) - implicit safe concentration limit in productCosmetic Ingredient Review Assessments
10524 studies in PubMed science library may include information on the toxicity of this chemicalNLM PubMed

Ecotoxicology

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CONCERN REFERENCE
Wildlife and environmental toxicityOpen scientific literature
Not suspected to be an environmental toxinEnvironment Canada Domestic Substance List

Informational

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CONCERN REFERENCE
Industry or government recommendations for safe use: restrictions on concentration, impurities, product types, or manufacturing methods - anyCosmetic Ingredient Review Assessments

Irritation (skin, eyes, or lungs)

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CONCERN REFERENCE
Not likely to be a any irritant in humansOpen scientific literature
  • Open scientific/peer reviewed literature
  • Japan Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare. 2006. Standards for Cosmetics. Evaluation and Licensing Division. Pharmaceutical and Food Safety Bureau.
  • EU (European Union)- Strategy for Endocrine Disrupters 2007. Commision on endocrin disruption requested by the European Parliament in 1998.
  • EC (Environment Canada). 2008. Domestic Substances List Categorization. Canadian Environmental Protection Act (CEPA) Environmental Registry.
  • CIR (Cosmetic Ingredient Review). 2006. CIR Compendium, containing abstracts, discussions, and conclusions of CIR cosmetic ingredient safety assessments. Washington DC.
  • NLM (National Library of Medicine). 2012. PubMed online scientific bibliography data. http://www.pubmed.gov.

Understanding scores

Cosmetics and personal care products are not required to be tested for safety before being allowed on the market. The Skin Deep® scoring system was designed to help the public understand whether a product is safe to use or whether it contains ingredients of concern.

Every product and ingredient in Skin Deep gets a two-part score – one for hazard and one for data availability. The safest products score well by both measures, with a low hazard rating and a fair or better data availability rating.

HOW WE DETERMINE SCORES

Hazard score

The Skin Deep ingredient hazard score, from 1 to 10, reflects known and suspected hazards linked to the ingredients. The EWG VERIFIED® mark means a product meets EWG’s strictest criteria for transparency and health.

Score legend
WEIGHT-OF-EVIDENCE APPROACH

A product’s hazard score is not an average of the ingredients’ hazard scores. It is calculated using a weight-of-evidence approach that factors in all of the hazards or health impacts associated with the ingredients.

Data availability

The Skin Deep data availability rating reflects the number of scientific studies about the product or ingredient in the published scientific literature.

NONE LIMITED FAIR GOOD ROBUST
Low Availability
Moderate Availability
High Availability
NONE

Ingredients have not been assessed.

LIMITED-FAIR

There is only a modest volume of research.

GOOD-ROBUST

Ingredients have been studied extensively.

Can’t find your product?

Enter the ingredients in EWG’s Build Your Own Report tool to get an approximate score for that product.

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September 23, 2023 | Los Angeles, CA

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