Octocrylene
Octocrylene may sound otherworldly, but it's a skincare ingredient that you may unknowingly be using daily—if you are, in fact, applying sunscreen every day, which we highly recommend. It's a chemical sunscreen ingredient, used not only for its own ability to protect skin from both UVA and UVB rays but also for its ability to further increase the stability and efficacy of other chemical sunscreen ingredients, hence its popularity and prevalence.
Ahead, a board-certified dermatologist and chief medical officer of Sanova Dermatology Ted Lain, a board-certified dermatologist and founder of 5th Avenue Aesthetics Marie Hayag, and a cosmetic chemist and founder of BeautyStat Cosmetics Ron Robinson explain exactly how this ingredient works—and also weigh in on the controversy surrounding it.
OCTOCRYLENE
TYPE OF INGREDIENT: Chemical sunscreen
MAIN BENEFITS: Protects against UV rays as well as stabilizes other chemical sunscreen ingredients.
WHO SHOULD USE IT: Anyone looking for an effective chemical sunscreen formula.
HOW OFTEN CAN YOU USE IT: Daily, though, it should also be reapplied every two hours, particularly if you're swimming or sweating, says Lain.
WORKS WELL WITH: Other chemical sunscreen ingredients, particularly avobenzone.
DON'T USE WITH: According to the experts we spoke with, there are no ingredients known to interact with octocrylene negatively.
What is Octocrylene?
"Octocrylene is a chemical sunscreen ingredient that, once absorbed into the skin, captures harmful UV rays before they can cause damage to the underlying skin cells," explains Lain. Sunscreens are generally split up into two categories. Physical formulas rely on minerals such as zinc oxide and titanium dioxide and work by sitting on top of the skin and deflecting rays. The other category relies on chemicals (octocrylene being just one of several) that work once they're absorbed into the skin.
Benefits of Octocrylene for Skin
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Protects against UVA rays: Octocrylene offers protection against UVA rays, those responsible for signs of aging.
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Also protects against UVB rays: While certain chemical sunscreen actives only guard against one type of UV ray, octocrylene protects against UVA and shorter UVB rays (those responsible for burning), says Robinson.
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Works synergistically with other skin-protecting ingredients: Octocrylene is FDA-approved in concentrations of up to 10 percent; on its own, this doesn't offer adequate protection, so it's always combined with other chemical sunscreen ingredients, all of which have their own percentage cap, he says.
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Helps prevent skin cancer: As noted above, it absorbs UVB rays, and shorter UVA rays, which are responsible for skin cancer.
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Stabilizes chemical sunscreen ingredients: Octocrylene is unique among its counterparts in its ability to ensure the stability and efficacy of other chemical sunscreen ingredients, avobenzone in particular. "Octocrylene is quite photostable, losing only about 10 percent of its SPF protection after 95 minutes," says Hayag. "It doesn't break down or change its molecular structure in the presence of UV light, as some other sunscreen ingredients do." (Plainly, the last thing you want is a sunscreen ingredient that's going to become inactivated and stop working when exposed to the sun.) This is in stark contrast to avobenzone, a broad UVA blocker that breaks down within 30 minutes of sun exposure, points out Lain, noting that this is why you'll often see the two combined.
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Increases the water-resistance of a sunscreen: Octocrylene can also help improve the water-resistance of a sunscreen, adds Hayag.
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Helps combat signs of aging: As it protects the skin from the elements, octocrylene helps preserve the skin against wrinkles and sun spots caused by the sun.
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Protects against skin damage: Thanks to UVA-protection, octocrylene protects the skin against sun damage.
Side Effects of Octocrylene
According to Hayag, octocrylene doesn't pose any substantial side effects to most people, though she does add that some studies have shown that children are more prone to having an actual allergy to the ingredient. As such, she suggests children and anyone with sensitive skin or issues such as rosacea or eczema avoid it, as does anyone who's breast-feeding (it can be found in breast milk).
Additionally, the biggest potential issue is the recent public concern about the safety of chemical sunscreens in general; many, including this one, have come under fire through studies that show that trace amounts might get into the bloodstream, explains Robinson. While this does sound concerning, it doesn't necessarily mean that they're unsafe, just that further research is needed. "The short answer is that, based on all the available data provided, the amount found in the bloodstream will not cause problems," says Lain.
Not to mention that we definitely know that not wearing sunscreen will lead to skin cancer. That being said, if you're stressed about it, pass on this and other chemical sunscreens, which the FDA is still investigating, and stick with mineral options that include zinc oxide and titanium dioxide. These are the two sunscreen ingredients the FDA has deemed GRASE—"generally recognized as safe and effective".