The Watch List™
What we watch:
UV filters • persistence chemicals • reef-risk claims • endocrine activity signals • formulation additives
The Watch List™ explores ingredients, claims and formulation topics commonly discussed in sunscreen conversations. Inclusion does not automatically indicate risk, and context, concentration, formulation and regulation all matter.
For the ingredients you do want in your sunscreen
The Ingredient List™
Chemical Filters
Organic / chemical UV filters currently included within The Watch List™
Raw Materials
Raw materials are the starting ingredients used to make many sunscreen ingredients. They go through a series of chemical reactions before becoming the UV filters listed on a sunscreen label.
Petroleum-Derived
Petroleum-Based Raw Materials
What they are
Petroleum-based raw materials come from crude oil or natural gas. After refining, they become simple chemical ingredients that can be used to make thousands of everyday products.
How they're used
Chemists combine these raw materials with other ingredients, including acids and other chemical building blocks, to create new substances with specific properties. Some of these become chemical UV filters used in sunscreen.
Why this matters
Chemical UV filters don't come straight from nature. They are manufactured in laboratories through a series of controlled chemical reactions using different raw materials. The exact process varies depending on the ingredient and the manufacturer.
Where they fit
Think of sunscreen like baking a cake:
- Raw Materials → the starting ingredients.
- Chemical UV Filters → one finished ingredient made from those raw materials.
- Other Sunscreen Ingredients → everything else added to help the product spread, stay on the skin and remain stable.
- Finished Sunscreen Product → the bottle you buy.
Hybrid UV Filter Systems
Category:
Active filters, often Chemical, sometimes with Zinc Oxide
Combination of mineral + organic UV filters in one formula.
What it is
Common in beauty and family brands, not always transparent in labeling - 'reef safe' claims are not proven or regulated.
Why it’s on The Watch List™
- Multiple UV filters used together can appear in “mineral” or “reef-safe” products
- Increases formulation complexity and exposure pathways
- Includes filters under global review (e.g. oxybenzone, homosalate)
- Newly approved and under tested chemicals such as bemotrizinol
Watch for these ingredients: - oxybenzone • homosalate • octocrylene • avobenzone • bemotrizinol • octisalate
Chemical Filters
- Oxybenzone
- Octinoxate
- Octocrylene
- Homosalate
- Avobenzone
- Bemotrizinol
- Octisalate
- PBSA (Phenylbenzimidazole Sulfonic Acid / Ensulizole)
- 4-MBC (4-Methylbenzylidene Camphor / Enzacamene)
- Padimate O
Oxybenzone
What it is
A chemical UV filter used to absorb UV rays.
Why it’s on The Watch List
Linked to coral bleaching and endocrine disruption concerns. Widely restricted in reef-sensitive regions.
SunSafe® Tags
Reef, Endocrine, UV Filter Source
Octinoxate
What it is
A chemical UV filter that protects against UVB rays.
Why it’s on The Watch List
Associated with coral reef damage and potential hormone disruption.
SunSafe® Tags
Reef, Endocrine, UV Filter, Source
Octocrylene
What it is
A UV filter used to stabilise other sunscreen ingredients.
Why it’s on The Watch List
Octocrylene can degrade into benzophenone, a compound linked to hormone disruption concerns. The older the product, the higher the potential benzophenone content.
It persists in the environment and may be ingested by marine life, contributing to long-term ecosystem impacts and pollution.
SunSafe® Tags
Persistence, Endocrine, UV Filter, Source
Homosalate
What it is
A chemical UV filter used in many SPF formulations.
Why it’s on The Watch List
- Detected as a systemic UV filter (absorbed into the body in studies)
- Shows endocrine activity signals in laboratory research, prompting ongoing scientific review
- Often used at higher concentrations to achieve SPF targets, increasing total exposure potential
- Included in current regulatory reassessment discussions in multiple regions
- Frequently appears in daily-use sunscreen products, increasing repeated exposure relevance
SunSafe® Tags
Endocrine, UV Filter, endocrine disrupter, chemical sunscreen, hybrid sunscreen, homosalate, Source
Avobenzone
What it is
A UVA-filtering chemical sunscreen ingredient.
Why it’s on The Watch List
Photo-unstable on its own and often requires stabilisers, increasing formulation complexity and environmental load.
SunSafe® Tags
UV Filter, Persistence Source
Bemotrizinol
Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine / BEMT / Tinosorb S
What it is
Bemotrizinol is a highly photostable, broad-spectrum UV filter now permitted by the US FDA at concentrations up to 6%.
Why it’s on The Watch List™
The FDA’s 2026 environmental review found that permitting this use was not expected to have a significant environmental impact. We’re continuing to watch the independent, long-term and coral-specific environmental evidence as it develops—not labelling harm where it has not been established.
SunSafe® Tags
UV Filter, Environmental Review, Formulation Complexity, Emerging Filter, Source, Source, Source
Octisalate
What it is
A UVB-absorbing chemical sunscreen filter often used to boost SPF performance and improve water resistance.
Why it’s on The Watch List™
Frequently used alongside multiple UV filters in hybrid and chemical systems. Included due to cumulative formulation load, repeated exposure considerations and broader transparency discussions around multi-filter sunscreen systems.
SunSafe® Tags
UV Filter, Hybrid Sunscreen, Formulation Complexity, Source
PBSA
What it is
A water-soluble UVB filter commonly used in lighter daily SPF formulations.
Why it’s on The Watch List
PBSA has been detected in surface waters, and laboratory evidence indicates a low rate of biodegradation. We’re watching its environmental fate, transformation products and chronic aquatic exposure. This is an evidence-gap position—not a claim of established ecosystem harm.
SunSafe® Tags
UV Filter, Water Soluble, Environmental Review, Source, Source
4-MBC
What it is
A UVB sunscreen filter historically used in some international formulations.
Why it’s on The Watch List
Included due to international regulatory discussions and endocrine activity research signals.
SunSafe® Tags
Endocrine, Regulatory Review, UV Filter, Source
Padimate O
What it is
A UVB chemical sunscreen ingredient related to PABA-derived chemistry.
Why it’s on The Watch List
Included due to historical safety discussions and reduced modern use compared with newer filters.
SunSafe® Tags
UV Filter, Legacy Filter, Ingredient Watch, Source
Sunscreen Formulation
Film formers, preservatives, silicones, fragrances, emulsifiers and other ingredients combined with UV filters to create finished sunscreen products.
Finished Sunscreen Product
The complete consumer product after formulation, manufacturing, packaging and distribution.
Human Risks
- Benzophenone-1 (and related compounds)
- Retinyl Palmitate
Benzophenone-1 (and related compounds)
What it is
Benzophenone-1 is a UV stabiliser and major metabolite and transformation product of oxybenzone.
Why it’s on The Watch List
Experimental and review evidence indicates estrogenic activity, and BP-1 has been documented in environmental matrices. We’re watching the endocrine evidence, environmental occurrence and incomplete fate data as they develop.
SunSafe® Tags
#Endocrine, #Persistence, Source, Source, Source
Retinyl Palmitate
What is it?
Retinyl Palmitate is a vitamin A derivative—not a UV filter.
Why it’s on The Watch List™
In a National Toxicology Program study, creams containing Retinyl Palmitate increased the onset and multiplicity of skin lesions and squamous neoplasms in UV-exposed hairless mice compared with control cream. This animal study does not establish equivalent human risk.
Why it’s on The Watch List™
However, because Retinyl Palmitate adds no UV-filtering benefit, The Sunscreen List™ treats the uncertainty as avoidable in sunscreen.
SunSafe® tags
Human Risk, UV Reactivity, Non-SPF Ingredient, Source
Environmental Risks
- VP/Eicosene Copolymer
- Acrylates Copolymer
- Silica Dimethyl Silylate
-
PFAS (Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances)
VP/Eicosene Copolymer
What it is
VP/Eicosene Copolymer is a synthetic film former used to improve water resistance and product performance.
Why it’s on The Watch List
Ingredient-specific environmental evidence remains limited, so claims that it does not readily biodegrade or that it causes microplastic-type pollution are not established. It remains on The Watch List™ as an environmental data gap while evidence and synthetic-polymer definitions continue to develop.
SunSafe® Tags
Persistence chemical, Source, Source
Acrylates Copolymer
What it is
Acrylates Copolymer describes a broad family of synthetic polymers used for film-forming and texture.
Why it’s on The Watch List ™
Some acrylic polymers biodegrade slowly, but the available review found generally no-to-low aquatic toxicity and reached a preliminary conclusion of low environmental concern. Important exposure and ecotoxicity data gaps remain. Whether a polymer meets a microplastic definition depends on its physical form and use—not its name alone.
SunSafe® Tags
Persistence chemical, Source, Source
Silica Dimethyl Silylate
What it is
Silica Dimethyl Silylate is a surface-modified amorphous silica used for texture, viscosity and a matte finish.
Why it’s on The Watch List™
Available evidence does not support treating it as established environmental pollution. The evidence-based watch point is potential respiratory exposure where particles may be inhaled, particularly in powders or sprays. Risk depends on particle size and final-product delivery.
SunSafe® Tags
#Persistence, beauty silicone, glide, Source, Source
PFAS (Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances)
What it is
PFAS are a large class of synthetic chemicals. Certain PFAS are intentionally used in cosmetics, while others may be present as impurities or breakdown products.
Why it’s on The Watch List
Many break down very slowly and can accumulate in people, animals and the environment. Exposure to certain PFAS has been associated with increased cholesterol, reduced fertility, developmental effects, hormone interference and an increased risk of some cancers. Some PFAS can cross the placenta and enter umbilical cord blood. Evidence and toxicity vary by compound.
SunSafe® tags
PFAs, hormone disruption, infertility, Source, Source, Source, Source, Source
More Reports:
The Ingredient List™ | Case Studies
Keep Reading:
Environmental presence + persistence
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9652235/
Toxicological + formulation effects (marine systems)
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0269749122014269
Human exposure + biological interaction
https://www.mdpi.com/2305-6304/13/2/110
Regulatory + absorption studies context
https://www.tga.gov.au/news/media-releases
PFAs
- World Health Organization
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
- U.S. EPA — PFAS Health Effects
- National Library of Medicine & National Center for Biotechnology Information
Retinyl Palmitate
• National Toxicology Program — Photocarcinogenesis Study of Retinyl Palmitate
• FDA correspondence regarding sunscreen vitamin A studies
What we watch:
UV filters • persistence chemicals • reef-risk claims • endocrine activity signals • formulation additives
The Watch List™ explores ingredients, claims and formulation topics commonly discussed in sunscreen conversations. Inclusion does not automatically indicate risk, and context, concentration, formulation and regulation all matter.
For the ingredients you do want in your sunscreen
The Ingredient List™
Chemical Filters
Organic / chemical UV filters currently included within The Watch List™
Chemical Filters
Human Risks
Environmental Risks
Hybrid UV Filter Systems
Category:
Active filters, often Chemical, sometimes with Zinc Oxide
Combination of mineral + organic UV filters in one formula.
What it is
Common in beauty and family brands, not always transparent in labeling - 'reef safe' claims are not proven or regulated.
Why it’s on The Watch List™
- Multiple UV filters used together can appear in “mineral” or “reef-safe” products
- Increases formulation complexity and exposure pathways
- Includes filters under global review (e.g. oxybenzone, homosalate)
- Newly approved and under tested chemicals such as bemotrizinol
Watch for these ingredients: - oxybenzone • homosalate • octocrylene • avobenzone • bemotrizinol • octisalate
Chemical Filters
- Oxybenzone
- Octinoxate
- Octocrylene
- Homosalate
- Avobenzone
- Bemotrizinol
- Octisalate
- PBSA (Phenylbenzimidazole Sulfonic Acid / Ensulizole)
- 4-MBC (4-Methylbenzylidene Camphor / Enzacamene)
- Padimate O
Oxybenzone
What it is
A chemical UV filter used to absorb UV rays.
Why it’s on The Watch List
Linked to coral bleaching and endocrine disruption concerns. Widely restricted in reef-sensitive regions.
SunSafe® Tags
Reef, Endocrine, UV Filter Source
Octinoxate
What it is
A chemical UV filter that protects against UVB rays.
Why it’s on The Watch List
Associated with coral reef damage and potential hormone disruption.
SunSafe® Tags
Reef, Endocrine, UV Filter, Source
Octocrylene
What it is
A UV filter used to stabilise other sunscreen ingredients.
Why it’s on The Watch List
Octocrylene can degrade into benzophenone, a compound linked to hormone disruption concerns. The older the product, the higher the potential benzophenone content.
It persists in the environment and may be ingested by marine life, contributing to long-term ecosystem impacts and pollution.
SunSafe® Tags
Persistence, Endocrine, UV Filter, Source
Homosalate
What it is
A chemical UV filter used in many SPF formulations.
Why it’s on The Watch List
- Detected as a systemic UV filter (absorbed into the body in studies)
- Shows endocrine activity signals in laboratory research, prompting ongoing scientific review
- Often used at higher concentrations to achieve SPF targets, increasing total exposure potential
- Included in current regulatory reassessment discussions in multiple regions
- Frequently appears in daily-use sunscreen products, increasing repeated exposure relevance
SunSafe® Tags
Endocrine, UV Filter, endocrine disrupter, chemical sunscreen, hybrid sunscreen, homosalate, Source
Avobenzone
What it is
A UVA-filtering chemical sunscreen ingredient.
Why it’s on The Watch List
Photo-unstable on its own and often requires stabilisers, increasing formulation complexity and environmental load.
SunSafe® Tags
UV Filter, Persistence Source
Bemotrizinol
Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine / BEMT / Tinosorb S
What it is
Bemotrizinol is a highly photostable, broad-spectrum UV filter now permitted by the US FDA at concentrations up to 6%.
Why it’s on The Watch List™
The FDA’s 2026 environmental review found that permitting this use was not expected to have a significant environmental impact. We’re continuing to watch the independent, long-term and coral-specific environmental evidence as it develops—not labelling harm where it has not been established.
SunSafe® Tags
UV Filter, Environmental Review, Formulation Complexity, Emerging Filter, Source, Source, Source
Octisalate
What it is
A UVB-absorbing chemical sunscreen filter often used to boost SPF performance and improve water resistance.
Why it’s on The Watch List™
Frequently used alongside multiple UV filters in hybrid and chemical systems. Included due to cumulative formulation load, repeated exposure considerations and broader transparency discussions around multi-filter sunscreen systems.
SunSafe® Tags
UV Filter, Hybrid Sunscreen, Formulation Complexity, Source
PBSA (Phenylbenzimidazole Sulfonic Acid / Ensulizole)
What it is
A water-soluble UVB filter commonly used in lighter daily SPF formulations.
Why it’s on The Watch List
PBSA has been detected in surface waters, and laboratory evidence indicates a low rate of biodegradation. We’re watching its environmental fate, transformation products and chronic aquatic exposure. This is an evidence-gap position—not a claim of established ecosystem harm.
SunSafe® Tags
UV Filter, Water Soluble, Environmental Review, Source, Source
4-MBC (4-Methylbenzylidene Camphor / Enzacamene)
What it is
A UVB sunscreen filter historically used in some international formulations.
Why it’s on The Watch List
Included due to international regulatory discussions and endocrine activity research signals.
SunSafe® Tags
Endocrine, Regulatory Review, UV Filter, Source
Padimate O
What it is
A UVB chemical sunscreen ingredient related to PABA-derived chemistry.
Why it’s on The Watch List
Included due to historical safety discussions and reduced modern use compared with newer filters.
SunSafe® Tags
UV Filter, Legacy Filter, Ingredient Watch, Source
Human Risks
- Benzophenone-1 (and related compounds)
- Retinyl Palmitate
Benzophenone-1 (and related compounds)
What it is
Benzophenone-1 is a UV stabiliser and major metabolite and transformation product of oxybenzone.
Why it’s on The Watch List
Experimental and review evidence indicates estrogenic activity, and BP-1 has been documented in environmental matrices. We’re watching the endocrine evidence, environmental occurrence and incomplete fate data as they develop.
SunSafe® Tags
#Endocrine, #Persistence, Source, Source, Source
Retinyl Palmitate
What is it?
Retinyl Palmitate is a vitamin A derivative—not a UV filter.
Why it’s on The Watch List™
In a National Toxicology Program study, creams containing Retinyl Palmitate increased the onset and multiplicity of skin lesions and squamous neoplasms in UV-exposed hairless mice compared with control cream. This animal study does not establish equivalent human risk.
Why it’s on The Watch List™
However, because Retinyl Palmitate adds no UV-filtering benefit, The Sunscreen List™ treats the uncertainty as avoidable in sunscreen.
SunSafe® tags
Human Risk, UV Reactivity, Non-SPF Ingredient, Source
Environmental Risks
- VP/Eicosene Copolymer
- Acrylates Copolymer
- Silica Dimethyl Silylate
-
PFAS (Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances)
VP/Eicosene Copolymer
What it is
VP/Eicosene Copolymer is a synthetic film former used to improve water resistance and product performance.
Why it’s on The Watch List
Ingredient-specific environmental evidence remains limited, so claims that it does not readily biodegrade or that it causes microplastic-type pollution are not established. It remains on The Watch List™ as an environmental data gap while evidence and synthetic-polymer definitions continue to develop.
SunSafe® Tags
Persistence chemical, Source, Source
Acrylates Copolymer
What it is
Acrylates Copolymer describes a broad family of synthetic polymers used for film-forming and texture.
Why it’s on The Watch List ™
Some acrylic polymers biodegrade slowly, but the available review found generally no-to-low aquatic toxicity and reached a preliminary conclusion of low environmental concern. Important exposure and ecotoxicity data gaps remain. Whether a polymer meets a microplastic definition depends on its physical form and use—not its name alone.
SunSafe® Tags
Persistence chemical, Source, Source
Silica Dimethyl Silylate
What it is
Silica Dimethyl Silylate is a surface-modified amorphous silica used for texture, viscosity and a matte finish.
Why it’s on The Watch List™
Available evidence does not support treating it as established environmental pollution. The evidence-based watch point is potential respiratory exposure where particles may be inhaled, particularly in powders or sprays. Risk depends on particle size and final-product delivery.
SunSafe® Tags
#Persistence, beauty silicone, glide, Source, Source
PFAS (Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances)
What it is
PFAS are a large class of synthetic chemicals. Certain PFAS are intentionally used in cosmetics, while others may be present as impurities or breakdown products.
Why it’s on The Watch List
Many break down very slowly and can accumulate in people, animals and the environment. Exposure to certain PFAS has been associated with increased cholesterol, reduced fertility, developmental effects, hormone interference and an increased risk of some cancers. Some PFAS can cross the placenta and enter umbilical cord blood. Evidence and toxicity vary by compound.
SunSafe® tags
PFAs, hormone disruption, infertility, Source, Source, Source, Source, Source
More Reports:
The Ingredient List™ | Case Studies
Keep Reading:
Environmental presence + persistence
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9652235/
Toxicological + formulation effects (marine systems)
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0269749122014269
Human exposure + biological interaction
https://www.mdpi.com/2305-6304/13/2/110
Regulatory + absorption studies context
https://www.tga.gov.au/news/media-releases
PFAs
- World Health Organization
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
- U.S. EPA — PFAS Health Effects
- National Library of Medicine & National Center for Biotechnology Information
Retinyl Palmitate
• National Toxicology Program — Photocarcinogenesis Study of Retinyl Palmitate
• FDA correspondence regarding sunscreen vitamin A studies
What we watch:
UV filters • persistence chemicals • reef-risk claims • endocrine activity signals • formulation additives
The Watch List™ explores ingredients, claims and formulation topics commonly discussed in sunscreen conversations. Inclusion does not automatically indicate risk, and context, concentration, formulation and regulation all matter.
For the ingredients you do want in your sunscreen
The Ingredient List™
Chemical Filters
Organic / chemical UV filters currently included within The Watch List™
Hybrid UV Filter Systems
Category:
Active filters, often Chemical, sometimes with Zinc Oxide
Combination of mineral + organic UV filters in one formula.
What it is
Common in beauty and family brands, not always transparent in labeling - 'reef safe' claims are not proven or regulated.
Why it’s on The Watch List™
- Multiple UV filters used together can appear in “mineral” or “reef-safe” products
- Increases formulation complexity and exposure pathways
- Includes filters under global review (e.g. oxybenzone, homosalate)
- Newly approved and under tested chemicals such as bemotrizinol
Watch for these ingredients: - oxybenzone • homosalate • octocrylene • avobenzone • bemotrizinol • octisalate
Chemical Filters
- Oxybenzone
- Octinoxate
- Octocrylene
- Homosalate
- Avobenzone
- Bemotrizinol
- Octisalate
- PBSA (Phenylbenzimidazole Sulfonic Acid / Ensulizole)
- 4-MBC (4-Methylbenzylidene Camphor / Enzacamene)
- Padimate O
Oxybenzone
What it is
A chemical UV filter used to absorb UV rays.
Why it’s on The Watch List
Linked to coral bleaching and endocrine disruption concerns. Widely restricted in reef-sensitive regions.
SunSafe® Tags
Reef, Endocrine, UV Filter Source
Octinoxate
What it is
A chemical UV filter that protects against UVB rays.
Why it’s on The Watch List
Associated with coral reef damage and potential hormone disruption.
SunSafe® Tags
Reef, Endocrine, UV Filter, Source
Octocrylene
What it is
A UV filter used to stabilise other sunscreen ingredients.
Why it’s on The Watch List
Octocrylene can degrade into benzophenone, a compound linked to hormone disruption concerns. The older the product, the higher the potential benzophenone content.
It persists in the environment and may be ingested by marine life, contributing to long-term ecosystem impacts and pollution.
SunSafe® Tags
Persistence, Endocrine, UV Filter, Source
Homosalate
What it is
A chemical UV filter used in many SPF formulations.
Why it’s on The Watch List
- Detected as a systemic UV filter (absorbed into the body in studies)
- Shows endocrine activity signals in laboratory research, prompting ongoing scientific review
- Often used at higher concentrations to achieve SPF targets, increasing total exposure potential
- Included in current regulatory reassessment discussions in multiple regions
- Frequently appears in daily-use sunscreen products, increasing repeated exposure relevance
SunSafe® Tags
Endocrine, UV Filter, endocrine disrupter, chemical sunscreen, hybrid sunscreen, homosalate, Source
Avobenzone
What it is
A UVA-filtering chemical sunscreen ingredient.
Why it’s on The Watch List
Photo-unstable on its own and often requires stabilisers, increasing formulation complexity and environmental load.
SunSafe® Tags
UV Filter, Persistence Source
Bemotrizinol
Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine / BEMT / Tinosorb S
What it is
Bemotrizinol is a highly photostable, broad-spectrum UV filter now permitted by the US FDA at concentrations up to 6%.
Why it’s on The Watch List™
The FDA’s 2026 environmental review found that permitting this use was not expected to have a significant environmental impact. We’re continuing to watch the independent, long-term and coral-specific environmental evidence as it develops—not labelling harm where it has not been established.
SunSafe® Tags
UV Filter, Environmental Review, Formulation Complexity, Emerging Filter, Source, Source, Source
Octisalate
What it is
A UVB-absorbing chemical sunscreen filter often used to boost SPF performance and improve water resistance.
Why it’s on The Watch List™
Frequently used alongside multiple UV filters in hybrid and chemical systems. Included due to cumulative formulation load, repeated exposure considerations and broader transparency discussions around multi-filter sunscreen systems.
SunSafe® Tags
UV Filter, Hybrid Sunscreen, Formulation Complexity, Source
PBSA
What it is
A water-soluble UVB filter commonly used in lighter daily SPF formulations.
Why it’s on The Watch List
PBSA has been detected in surface waters, and laboratory evidence indicates a low rate of biodegradation. We’re watching its environmental fate, transformation products and chronic aquatic exposure. This is an evidence-gap position—not a claim of established ecosystem harm.
SunSafe® Tags
UV Filter, Water Soluble, Environmental Review, Source, Source
4-MBC
What it is
A UVB sunscreen filter historically used in some international formulations.
Why it’s on The Watch List
Included due to international regulatory discussions and endocrine activity research signals.
SunSafe® Tags
Endocrine, Regulatory Review, UV Filter, Source
Padimate O
What it is
A UVB chemical sunscreen ingredient related to PABA-derived chemistry.
Why it’s on The Watch List
Included due to historical safety discussions and reduced modern use compared with newer filters.
SunSafe® Tags
UV Filter, Legacy Filter, Ingredient Watch, Source
Human Risks
- Benzophenone-1 (and related compounds)
- Retinyl Palmitate
Benzophenone-1 (and related compounds)
What it is
Benzophenone-1 is a UV stabiliser and major metabolite and transformation product of oxybenzone.
Why it’s on The Watch List
Experimental and review evidence indicates estrogenic activity, and BP-1 has been documented in environmental matrices. We’re watching the endocrine evidence, environmental occurrence and incomplete fate data as they develop.
SunSafe® Tags
#Endocrine, #Persistence, Source, Source, Source
Retinyl Palmitate
What is it?
Retinyl Palmitate is a vitamin A derivative—not a UV filter.
Why it’s on The Watch List™
In a National Toxicology Program study, creams containing Retinyl Palmitate increased the onset and multiplicity of skin lesions and squamous neoplasms in UV-exposed hairless mice compared with control cream. This animal study does not establish equivalent human risk.
Why it’s on The Watch List™
However, because Retinyl Palmitate adds no UV-filtering benefit, The Sunscreen List™ treats the uncertainty as avoidable in sunscreen.
SunSafe® tags
Human Risk, UV Reactivity, Non-SPF Ingredient, Source
Environmental Risks
- VP/Eicosene Copolymer
- Acrylates Copolymer
- Silica Dimethyl Silylate
-
PFAS (Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances)
VP/Eicosene Copolymer
What it is
VP/Eicosene Copolymer is a synthetic film former used to improve water resistance and product performance.
Why it’s on The Watch List
Ingredient-specific environmental evidence remains limited, so claims that it does not readily biodegrade or that it causes microplastic-type pollution are not established. It remains on The Watch List™ as an environmental data gap while evidence and synthetic-polymer definitions continue to develop.
SunSafe® Tags
Persistence chemical, Source, Source
Acrylates Copolymer
What it is
Acrylates Copolymer describes a broad family of synthetic polymers used for film-forming and texture.
Why it’s on The Watch List ™
Some acrylic polymers biodegrade slowly, but the available review found generally no-to-low aquatic toxicity and reached a preliminary conclusion of low environmental concern. Important exposure and ecotoxicity data gaps remain. Whether a polymer meets a microplastic definition depends on its physical form and use—not its name alone.
SunSafe® Tags
Persistence chemical, Source, Source
Silica Dimethyl Silylate
What it is
Silica Dimethyl Silylate is a surface-modified amorphous silica used for texture, viscosity and a matte finish.
Why it’s on The Watch List™
Available evidence does not support treating it as established environmental pollution. The evidence-based watch point is potential respiratory exposure where particles may be inhaled, particularly in powders or sprays. Risk depends on particle size and final-product delivery.
SunSafe® Tags
#Persistence, beauty silicone, glide, Source, Source
PFAS (Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances)
What it is
PFAS are a large class of synthetic chemicals. Certain PFAS are intentionally used in cosmetics, while others may be present as impurities or breakdown products.
Why it’s on The Watch List
Many break down very slowly and can accumulate in people, animals and the environment. Exposure to certain PFAS has been associated with increased cholesterol, reduced fertility, developmental effects, hormone interference and an increased risk of some cancers. Some PFAS can cross the placenta and enter umbilical cord blood. Evidence and toxicity vary by compound.
SunSafe® tags
PFAs, hormone disruption, infertility, Source, Source, Source, Source, Source
More Reports:
The Ingredient List™ | Case Studies
Keep Reading:
Environmental presence + persistence
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9652235/
Toxicological + formulation effects (marine systems)
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0269749122014269
Human exposure + biological interaction
https://www.mdpi.com/2305-6304/13/2/110
Regulatory + absorption studies context
https://www.tga.gov.au/news/media-releases
PFAs
- World Health Organization
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
- U.S. EPA — PFAS Health Effects
- National Library of Medicine & National Center for Biotechnology Information
Retinyl Palmitate
• National Toxicology Program — Photocarcinogenesis Study of Retinyl Palmitate
• FDA correspondence regarding sunscreen vitamin A studies
What we watch:
UV filters • persistence chemicals • reef-risk claims • endocrine activity signals • formulation additives
The Watch List™ explores ingredients, claims and formulation topics commonly discussed in sunscreen conversations. Inclusion does not automatically indicate risk, and context, concentration, formulation and regulation all matter.
For the ingredients you do want in your sunscreen
The Ingredient List™
Chemical Filters
Organic / chemical UV filters currently included within The Watch List™
Chemical Filters
Human Risks
Environmental Risks
Hybrid UV Filter Systems
Category:
Active filters, often Chemical, sometimes with Zinc Oxide
Combination of mineral + organic UV filters in one formula.
What it is
Common in beauty and family brands, not always transparent in labeling - 'reef safe' claims are not proven or regulated.
Why it’s on The Watch List™
- Multiple UV filters used together can appear in “mineral” or “reef-safe” products
- Increases formulation complexity and exposure pathways
- Includes filters under global review (e.g. oxybenzone, homosalate)
- Newly approved and under tested chemicals such as bemotrizinol
Watch for these ingredients: - oxybenzone • homosalate • octocrylene • avobenzone • bemotrizinol • octisalate
Chemical Filters
- Oxybenzone
- Octinoxate
- Octocrylene
- Homosalate
- Avobenzone
- Bemotrizinol
- Octisalate
- PBSA (Phenylbenzimidazole Sulfonic Acid / Ensulizole)
- 4-MBC (4-Methylbenzylidene Camphor / Enzacamene)
- Padimate O
Oxybenzone
What it is
A chemical UV filter used to absorb UV rays.
Why it’s on The Watch List
Linked to coral bleaching and endocrine disruption concerns. Widely restricted in reef-sensitive regions.
SunSafe® Tags
Reef, Endocrine, UV Filter Source
Octinoxate
What it is
A chemical UV filter that protects against UVB rays.
Why it’s on The Watch List
Associated with coral reef damage and potential hormone disruption.
SunSafe® Tags
Reef, Endocrine, UV Filter, Source
Octocrylene
What it is
A UV filter used to stabilise other sunscreen ingredients.
Why it’s on The Watch List
Octocrylene can degrade into benzophenone, a compound linked to hormone disruption concerns. The older the product, the higher the potential benzophenone content.
It persists in the environment and may be ingested by marine life, contributing to long-term ecosystem impacts and pollution.
SunSafe® Tags
Persistence, Endocrine, UV Filter, Source
Homosalate
What it is
A chemical UV filter used in many SPF formulations.
Why it’s on The Watch List
- Detected as a systemic UV filter (absorbed into the body in studies)
- Shows endocrine activity signals in laboratory research, prompting ongoing scientific review
- Often used at higher concentrations to achieve SPF targets, increasing total exposure potential
- Included in current regulatory reassessment discussions in multiple regions
- Frequently appears in daily-use sunscreen products, increasing repeated exposure relevance
SunSafe® Tags
Endocrine, UV Filter, endocrine disrupter, chemical sunscreen, hybrid sunscreen, homosalate, Source
Avobenzone
What it is
A UVA-filtering chemical sunscreen ingredient.
Why it’s on The Watch List
Photo-unstable on its own and often requires stabilisers, increasing formulation complexity and environmental load.
SunSafe® Tags
UV Filter, Persistence Source
Bemotrizinol
Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine / BEMT / Tinosorb S
What it is
Bemotrizinol is a highly photostable, broad-spectrum UV filter now permitted by the US FDA at concentrations up to 6%.
Why it’s on The Watch List™
The FDA’s 2026 environmental review found that permitting this use was not expected to have a significant environmental impact. We’re continuing to watch the independent, long-term and coral-specific environmental evidence as it develops—not labelling harm where it has not been established.
SunSafe® Tags
UV Filter, Environmental Review, Formulation Complexity, Emerging Filter, Source, Source, Source
Octisalate
What it is
A UVB-absorbing chemical sunscreen filter often used to boost SPF performance and improve water resistance.
Why it’s on The Watch List™
Frequently used alongside multiple UV filters in hybrid and chemical systems. Included due to cumulative formulation load, repeated exposure considerations and broader transparency discussions around multi-filter sunscreen systems.
SunSafe® Tags
UV Filter, Hybrid Sunscreen, Formulation Complexity, Source
PBSA (Phenylbenzimidazole Sulfonic Acid / Ensulizole)
What it is
A water-soluble UVB filter commonly used in lighter daily SPF formulations.
Why it’s on The Watch List
PBSA has been detected in surface waters, and laboratory evidence indicates a low rate of biodegradation. We’re watching its environmental fate, transformation products and chronic aquatic exposure. This is an evidence-gap position—not a claim of established ecosystem harm.
SunSafe® Tags
UV Filter, Water Soluble, Environmental Review, Source, Source
4-MBC (4-Methylbenzylidene Camphor / Enzacamene)
What it is
A UVB sunscreen filter historically used in some international formulations.
Why it’s on The Watch List
Included due to international regulatory discussions and endocrine activity research signals.
SunSafe® Tags
Endocrine, Regulatory Review, UV Filter, Source
Padimate O
What it is
A UVB chemical sunscreen ingredient related to PABA-derived chemistry.
Why it’s on The Watch List
Included due to historical safety discussions and reduced modern use compared with newer filters.
SunSafe® Tags
UV Filter, Legacy Filter, Ingredient Watch, Source
Human Risks
- Benzophenone-1 (and related compounds)
- Retinyl Palmitate
Benzophenone-1 (and related compounds)
What it is
Benzophenone-1 is a UV stabiliser and major metabolite and transformation product of oxybenzone.
Why it’s on The Watch List
Experimental and review evidence indicates estrogenic activity, and BP-1 has been documented in environmental matrices. We’re watching the endocrine evidence, environmental occurrence and incomplete fate data as they develop.
SunSafe® Tags
#Endocrine, #Persistence, Source, Source, Source
Retinyl Palmitate
What is it?
Retinyl Palmitate is a vitamin A derivative—not a UV filter.
Why it’s on The Watch List™
In a National Toxicology Program study, creams containing Retinyl Palmitate increased the onset and multiplicity of skin lesions and squamous neoplasms in UV-exposed hairless mice compared with control cream. This animal study does not establish equivalent human risk.
Why it’s on The Watch List™
However, because Retinyl Palmitate adds no UV-filtering benefit, The Sunscreen List™ treats the uncertainty as avoidable in sunscreen.
SunSafe® tags
Human Risk, UV Reactivity, Non-SPF Ingredient, Source
Environmental Risks
- VP/Eicosene Copolymer
- Acrylates Copolymer
- Silica Dimethyl Silylate
-
PFAS (Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances)
VP/Eicosene Copolymer
What it is
VP/Eicosene Copolymer is a synthetic film former used to improve water resistance and product performance.
Why it’s on The Watch List
Ingredient-specific environmental evidence remains limited, so claims that it does not readily biodegrade or that it causes microplastic-type pollution are not established. It remains on The Watch List™ as an environmental data gap while evidence and synthetic-polymer definitions continue to develop.
SunSafe® Tags
Persistence chemical, Source, Source
Acrylates Copolymer
What it is
Acrylates Copolymer describes a broad family of synthetic polymers used for film-forming and texture.
Why it’s on The Watch List ™
Some acrylic polymers biodegrade slowly, but the available review found generally no-to-low aquatic toxicity and reached a preliminary conclusion of low environmental concern. Important exposure and ecotoxicity data gaps remain. Whether a polymer meets a microplastic definition depends on its physical form and use—not its name alone.
SunSafe® Tags
Persistence chemical, Source, Source
Silica Dimethyl Silylate
What it is
Silica Dimethyl Silylate is a surface-modified amorphous silica used for texture, viscosity and a matte finish.
Why it’s on The Watch List™
Available evidence does not support treating it as established environmental pollution. The evidence-based watch point is potential respiratory exposure where particles may be inhaled, particularly in powders or sprays. Risk depends on particle size and final-product delivery.
SunSafe® Tags
#Persistence, beauty silicone, glide, Source, Source
PFAS (Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances)
What it is
PFAS are a large class of synthetic chemicals. Certain PFAS are intentionally used in cosmetics, while others may be present as impurities or breakdown products.
Why it’s on The Watch List
Many break down very slowly and can accumulate in people, animals and the environment. Exposure to certain PFAS has been associated with increased cholesterol, reduced fertility, developmental effects, hormone interference and an increased risk of some cancers. Some PFAS can cross the placenta and enter umbilical cord blood. Evidence and toxicity vary by compound.
SunSafe® tags
PFAs, hormone disruption, infertility, Source, Source, Source, Source, Source
More Reports:
The Ingredient List™ | Case Studies
Keep Reading:
Environmental presence + persistence
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9652235/
Toxicological + formulation effects (marine systems)
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0269749122014269
Human exposure + biological interaction
https://www.mdpi.com/2305-6304/13/2/110
Regulatory + absorption studies context
https://www.tga.gov.au/news/media-releases
PFAs
- World Health Organization
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
- U.S. EPA — PFAS Health Effects
- National Library of Medicine & National Center for Biotechnology Information
Retinyl Palmitate
• National Toxicology Program — Photocarcinogenesis Study of Retinyl Palmitate
