In the introduction to this series (Chemicals to Avoid – Parabens), I wrote I’d periodically highlight chemicals we should avoid based on these guidelines:
- What is the primary use of the substance?
- How is the substance used in cosmetics/skincare/personal care products/fragrance and WHY?
- What is the health concern, if any?
- My view
- What you should keep a look-out on labels
I really didn’t want to write another such post so soon after the introductory blog. Even to myself, I sound like I am ALWAYS going to advocate against things that go against cosmetic industry norms. I assure you this is not the case BUT I had to tell you about Benzophenone-3 (“BP-3”) or more commonly outside India, Oxybenzone.
What is the primary use of the substance?
Oxybenzone absorbs UV rays and acts as a (photo) stabilizer. This means it slows down/prevents damage caused by UV exposure. Other uses include food packaging, coating products, fillers, plasters and polymers.
But the primary use of BP-3 is as a UVA/UVB filter in cosmetics and personal care products.
How is the substance used in cosmetics/skincare/personal care products/fragrance and WHY?
Oxybenzone is a broad-band UV filter, which means it absorbs UVB and shorter UVA radiation. In the 1990s, manufacturers used it to replace another UV filter (PABA) because Oxybenzone offered superior UVA protection and was photostable. By comparison, Avobenzone, another popular UVA filter is not photo-stable and becomes 50%-90% less effective within an hour of application.
It is every manufacturer’s darling and its found in perfumes, lipsticks, hair sprays, and conditioners as a photostabilizer and/or fragrance enhancer.
What is the health concern, if any?
Health concerns around Oxybenzone have been around for a LONG TIME and are well-documented.
1. Endocrine disruptors: Oxybenzone is absorbed through the skin and there is sufficient data showing its presence in: Human Breast Milk, Amniotic Fluid and Urine and blood plasma.
Unsurprisingly Oxybenzone has been found in the urine samples of 90%+ Americans (men and women, with a higher concentration in women (likely to be because women use higher levels of personal care products).
High levels of Oxybenzone have been linked with: girls with LOWER weights at birth and boys with larger heads.
In all likelihood Oxybenzone causes endocrine system disruption.
2. Skin allergen: If BP-3 is absorbed so readily in the skin, it shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone that BP-3 ALSO is an allergen for people with pre-existing skin conditions. In fact, the US FDA (see below) recently said that the evidence for establishing Oxybenzone as a photoallergen in individuals with photo-sensitivity is so clear cut, that they do not need further information.
3. Oxybenzone and children: in 2006, the Swedish Research Council noted that kids under 2 years old probably have not developed the enzymes to metabolize Oxybenzone. As children have a greater body surface area to weight ratio, they are likely to absorb a greater rate of Oxybenzone and there is concern that Oxybenzone may accumulate in kids (?)
No-one knows what happens in this situation, because nobody has collected the data. Watch this space…
What has changed?
The FDA (main cosmetic and drug regulator in the USA) has as recently as February 2019 said this:
“we propose that oxybenzone is not GRASE for use in sunscreens without further data.”
GRASE stands for stands for Generally Recognized As Safe and Effective.
My view
My view is that the FDA has a generally more relaxed attitude to cosmetic regulation when compared to Europe: you only need to walk around a drugstore in New York to realise that half of supplements would never be permitted for sale in Europe, indicating lighter regulation in the USA.
When such a relaxed regulator says an ingredient is not GRASE without further data, then I am not comfortable buying cosmetics or personal care products OR Sun Protection that contains BP-3.
What you should keep a look-out on labels
Benzophenone-3, Oxybenzone, Uvinul M
Benzophenone-3 is common in India and Europe. American and Australian manufacturers use Oxybenzone.
Many products JUST label their ingredient as “Benzophenone” (see Product listing) and if I find such a listing on a sunscreen product, then I will assume it’s BP-3 because of its ubiquity in sunscreen products. If a manufacturer meant something else, then honestly, I won’t give them benefit of the doubt.
My dime (as small as it is to a manufacturer’s bottom line) still needs to buy accurate information.
See also Guide to Buying Sun Protection
2 thoughts on “Chemicals to avoid – Benzophenone-3”
Thanks for the information! I just discovered this ingredient in my very expensive, “responsible formulation”, Kiehl’s Facial Wash.
Ya, its very likely that the ingredient is being used to protect the other ingredients from UV damage if its present in the facewash. There are simpler ways to protect the ingredients (e.g.) improved packaging or shorter shelf life.