Homosalate
Products with Homosalate
2-in-1 Daily Pick Dayscreen Moisturizer SPF 30
A genuinely competent 2-in-1 that delivers both halves of its promise — a full four-filter broad-spectrum sunscreen and a hydrating green-tea-and-ceramide moisturizer base — in one weightless, fragrance-free, traceless lotion for $20. SPF 30 rather than 50 is the main compromise, but as a morning-routine compressor it earns its place.
Maximum Protection Powerhouse Ultra Sheer Dry-Touch Sunscreen SPF 100+
The maximum-SPF sunscreen that actually earned its number — backed by a published clinical trial proving SPF 100+ provides meaningful real-world protection beyond SPF 50+. The reformulated Helioplex360 technology and matte Dry-Touch finish make 33% active ingredients feel surprisingly wearable. If you take sun protection seriously and can tolerate chemical filters, this is as much protection as you can buy.
Cult Makeup-Base Sunscreen Anthelios Ultra Light Fluid Face Sunscreen SPF 60
A genuinely excellent, decade-proven facial sunscreen — a photostable four-filter SPF 60 in a weightless, instantly-absorbing, true-matte fluid that has earned its cult status as a makeup base. The alcohol-denat base is the whole story: it is exactly what makes the texture beloved, and exactly why dry and sensitive skin should think twice.
No-Hands High-SPF Pick Sport Ultra Roll On Sunscreen SPF 60
A genuinely clever format: a high SPF 60, fragrance-free, photostabilized chemical sunscreen in a no-hands rollerball that is great for faces, necks, and squirmy kids. The filter set is sound and it skips fragrance and oxybenzone, but the roller goes on thin, so the whole thing hinges on applying enough in overlapping passes.
No-Mess Roller Sport Kids Sunscreen Roll On Lotion SPF 60
A genuinely clever no-mess roller that kids tolerate without the usual struggle, in a gentle fragrance- and paraben-free SPF 60 base. It excels at faces, necks, and shoulders where sprays and rubbing fail. The downsides are baked into the format: it is easy to lay down thin streaky tracks, and the small bottle makes it a face-and-spot tool, not a whole-body sunscreen.
On-the-Go UV Shield Sport Sunscreen Stick SPF 50
Coppertone Sport Stick SPF 50 is a purpose-built reapplication tool — not a primary sunscreen, but the thing you pull from your pocket when you need to re-up protection on your nose and ears without stopping your hike. Five UV filters at 39% total concentration deliver serious protection, but the oxybenzone and waxy texture are worth knowing about before you commit.
Black-Owned SPF Cornerstone BGS SPF 30 Moisturizing Sunscreen
The founding product of one of the most important indie sunscreen brands of the past decade. Chemical filter system delivers reliable no-white-cast protection on every skin tone, plant-oil base provides genuine moisturization, and the brand's nearly ten-year track record validates the formulation choices. Held back by the homosalate concentration and reef-safer status — practical limitations rather than philosophical ones.
Pocket SPF Touch-Up Suntouchable Invisi-Stick SPF 50
A clear, photostable SPF 50 sunscreen stick that fixes the white-cast problem most sticks have, in a pocketable format for around $14. It is excellent for reapplying over makeup and hitting the ears, nose, and hairline everyone forgets. Like any stick, it should top up a properly dosed base sunscreen rather than be your only line of defense.
Pool-Day Workhorse Kids Sport Sunscreen Spray Lotion SPF 50
A wallet-friendly, water-resistant SPF 50 built for the chaos of getting sunscreen onto a kid who will not stand still. The spray-lotion format makes coverage easier to verify than an aerosol mist, and it holds up through pool time. The trade-off is a sensitizer-heavy filter mix plus parabens, so it suits hardy skin far better than reactive or eczema-prone little ones.
Sweatproof Face Pick Sport Sunscreen for Face SPF 50
A genuinely face-adapted version of the brand's sport line: lighter, mattifying, fragrance-free, and built to survive a sweaty workout without sliding into your eyes. Silica controls shine while ceramide and aloe soften the filters' drying edge. The drawbacks are a small tube for the price, a finish that can read too matte on dry skin, and a filter set that reactive skin may not love.
Gentle Daily Face SPF Oil Free Sunscreen for Face SPF 50
A quietly capable everyday face sunscreen that does something many chemical facial SPFs can't: stay oil-free and lightweight without an alcohol sting. Fragrance-free, low-irritation, and makeup-friendly with a stabilized SPF 50 filter system. The small tube and per-ounce price are the main trade-offs, plus beeswax rules it out for strict vegans.
Hydrating Beach Lotion Hydrating Sunscreen Lotion SPF 50 Guava Mango
A standout among COOLA's body offerings: a genuinely hydrating SPF 50 lotion that moisturizes and protects in one non-greasy step. The glycerin-and-oleosome base feels lovely, the filter blend is sensible, and only the added flavor, the homosalate, and the premium single-size price hold it back from a higher grade.
Errand-Day Body SPF Daily Hydration Lotion with SPF 15
A fragrance-free body lotion with a real, label-verified SPF 15 that suits forearms, hands and neck on ordinary days, and a weaker moisturiser than its name suggests: the sunflower oil and petrolatum of the plain version are gone, and four chemical filters on a glycerin base are what you get. Good for errand-day protection from a trusted pharmacy brand; not enough SPF for the sun and not enough lotion for dry legs.
Drugstore Sheer Body SPF Sheer Sensitive Sunscreen Lotion SPF 50
A nine-dollar, fragrance-free, oil-free chemical body sunscreen at SPF 50 that disappears on every skin tone, dries to a comfortable matte finish and, on independent testing, blocks UVA and UVB in the high eighties of percent. The 'sensitive' is a fragrance-free label on octocrylene and avobenzone rather than a mineral promise, which the reactive minority should know; for everyone else it is one of the best-value body sunscreens on a drugstore shelf.
Convenient, Under-Applied by Design Sheer Sensitive Sunscreen Spray SPF 50
The aerosol version of a good cheap line: fragrance-free, alcohol-free, cast-free, with a doubly stabilised avobenzone system and enough homosalate to carry SPF 50 in a thin sprayed film. It protects when it is sprayed to a glisten and rubbed in, and it protects far less when it is used the way sprays are used; add the inhalation, the nine percent homosalate and Banana Boat's 2021 aerosol history, and the lotion in the same line is the better bottle.
Beach Day Workhorse Original SPF 50 Sunscreen Lotion
The sunscreen that launched a surf-culture empire and made SPF application feel like a lifestyle choice rather than a chore. It's a straightforward chemical UV filter system in an enjoyable tropical-scented package, offered at a competitive price across four sizes. Not sophisticated, but genuinely effective and surprisingly well-liked for something most people would rather not think about.
Melanin-Rich Skin Sun Essential SPF 30 Broad Spectrum
The sunscreen that proved the industry had been ignoring an enormous market. A moisturizing, cast-free SPF 30 with an oil-rich formula specifically designed for melanin-rich skin. It is not for oily skin, but for dry to normal darker complexions that have spent years fighting white cast and ashy finish, this $16 tube is exactly the product that should have existed decades ago.
Melanin-Friendly Pioneer SPF 30 Broad Spectrum Sunscreen
A genuinely useful sunscreen that solved a real problem — disappearing completely on melanin-rich skin while delivering competent SPF 30 protection. The moisturizing botanical oil base is a bonus for dry skin but a drawback for oily types. Not the most sophisticated formula on the market, but it earns its spot by being the sunscreen that finally got a lot of people to wear sunscreen at all.
Sensitive Skin Daily Driver Fragrance Free Face Sunscreen Lotion SPF 50+
A fragrance-free, chemical SPF 50+ face lotion formulated to Australia's stricter TGA sunscreen standards, delivering genuinely strong broad-spectrum coverage with zero white cast at a drugstore price. The beeswax base rules it out for vegans and fungal-acne sufferers, but for most reactive skin it's a quietly excellent daily driver.
Lip SPF You'll Actually Reapply Lip Repair Stick + Sunscreen SPF 30
A rare lip SPF that's actually pleasant enough to use daily: broad-spectrum SPF 30 from four recognized filters tucked into Aquaphor's emollient repair base, with no white cast and minimal taste. It protects an area most people forget while still conditioning the lips. Reapply often outdoors, keep it for daytime, and patch test if your lips are reactive.
Throw-In-The-Bag Sport Stick Sport Ultra Sunscreen Stick SPF 50
A cheap, genuinely useful sport stick that nails the one thing sticks are good for: hands-free, targeted reapplication on faces, ears, and noses. The photostabilized chemical filter set is sound and it grips through sweat, but it goes on sheer, carries a coconut scent, and only hits SPF 50 if you apply it in several generous passes.
Oily-Skin Face SPF Pick Oil Free + Shine Control Sunscreen Face Lotion SPF 45
A rare drugstore facial sunscreen that actually delivers on shine control: silica and starch soak up oil for a genuine matte finish under SPF 45 broad-spectrum protection. Fragrance-free and non-comedogenic, it's a smart oily-skin pick, though the alcohol base and small tube hold it back for dry or dehydrated complexions.
Refillable Kids' Spray Kids 360 Coverage Advanced Control Mist Sunscreen SPF 50
The best reason to buy a Banana Boat kids' spray in years is the bottle, not the sunscreen: a quiet, non-aerosol, any-angle, refillable sprayer that covers a squirming child in three sweeps without a cloud to breathe or a can to bin. The formula is the adult Sport mist minus the fragrance — standard four-filter SPF 50+, eighty minutes of water resistance, an alcohol base that stings scrapes. Rub it in, keep it off the face, and reach for a mineral lotion if the child has eczema.
Gloss With a Number PLAY Lip Balm SPF 30
A glossy, clinging, properly tested SPF 30 lip balm in a squeeze tube for $12 — better value and longer-wearing than the brand's pricier stick, and honest enough to print its flavour molecule by molecule. It is a quarter chemical filter by weight on the one site that swallows sunscreen, it is sweetened and flavoured to be licked, and its gloss-like tack divides people; Supergoop's own customers rate it 4.3. A sensible lip SPF for the pool bag, with the usual chemical-lip-balm caveats stated plainly.
Oily Skin Sunscreen Staple Clear Face Break-Out Free Liquid Lotion Sunscreen SPF 50
A genuinely useful drugstore sunscreen for oily and acne-prone skin that backs up its 'breakout free' promise with real formulation choices — oil-absorbing starches, antimicrobial botanicals, and a water-light texture that disappears on skin. Not for the sensitive-skinned, but for those battling both breakouts and UV damage, it's a reliable daily shield at a fair price.
Beach Day Budget Pick Beach Defense Sunscreen Lotion SPF 70
A no-nonsense, budget-friendly beach sunscreen that delivers legitimate SPF 70 protection with 80-minute water resistance. The reformulated oxybenzone-free Helioplex system holds up during extended sun exposure, and the price-to-protection ratio is hard to beat. Not the most elegant formula — fragrance and high homosalate will turn off purists — but for a day at the beach, it does exactly what it promises.
Beach Day Workhorse Sport Sunscreen Lotion SPF 50
Coppertone Sport SPF 50 is a no-nonsense body sunscreen that earns its keep through sheer reliability — four photostabilized UV filters, 80-minute water resistance, and a price tag that doesn't punish you for reapplying generously. It won't win any elegance awards, but when you need protection that survives a five-set tennis match or a day at the beach, this is the blue bottle you reach for.
Matte Finish Daily SPF Original SPF 50 Sunscreen Face Lotion
A no-nonsense matte face sunscreen that ditches Sun Bum's signature tropical fragrance in favor of office-friendly wearability. The UV protection is solid and the price is fair, but the inclusion of Methylisothiazolinone and widespread eye-stinging complaints keep it from being an easy universal recommendation.
Maximum Chemical SPF Original SPF 70 Sunscreen Lotion
Sun Bum's highest-SPF body lotion pushes Homosalate to its FDA maximum to achieve a number that's more psychologically reassuring than practically superior to SPF 50. The pleasant tropical formula and fair pricing make it a solid beach sunscreen, but the elevated filter concentrations and fragrance limit who should actually reach for it.
Budget Sun Protection Champion Plant Based SPF 50 Lotion
A genuinely affordable chemical sunscreen that backs up its plant-based branding with real botanical content — aloe vera as the primary base and coconut oil for moisturizing emollience. It is not revolutionary, but at under $12 for 6 ounces of fragrance-free, vegan SPF 50 protection, it does not need to be.
Budget Sunscreen MVP Suntouchable Invisible SPF 35
A genuinely impressive budget sunscreen that doubles as a silicone primer, delivering invisible broad-spectrum SPF 35 with zero white cast and a velvety finish that makes makeup application better, not worse — all for $15.
Beach Day Budget Pick Everyday Active Lotion SPF 30
A solid everyday sunscreen that does what it promises at a price that makes daily reapplication financially painless. The oxybenzone-free formula delivers reliable SPF 30 protection with Hawaiian Tropic's signature tropical vibe, though the fragrance and older-generation chemical filters will not win over the sensitive-skin or cosmetically elegant SPF crowd.
Beach Day Budget Pick Silk Hydration Weightless Lotion SPF 30
A beach-ready body sunscreen that delivers on its weightless promise with genuinely silky texture and reliable broad-spectrum protection, all at a drugstore price. The tropical fragrance and parabens will be dealbreakers for some, but for sun-loving skin that isn't easily irritated, this is solid everyday coverage.
Lightweight Daily Pick Sun Day Adventure Sunscreen SPF 50
A lightweight, no-white-cast daily chemical sunscreen with a complete photo-stabilized four-filter SPF 50 system, fragrance-free and well-priced. It is a straightforward, comfortable everyday sunscreen with a sound formula — judged, fairly, against Purito's specific history of having its sun-care testing called into question.
Trusted Kids' Sunscreen WaterBabies Baby Sunscreen Lotion SPF 50
A long-trusted, alcohol-free children's sunscreen that does the essential job well: a fully stabilized SPF 50 filter system in a gentle, aloe-based lotion that holds up to water and play. It's thicker and needs rubbing in, carries a light fragrance, and costs a bit more than an adult body lotion, but for kids' sun protection it's a dependable, sensible pick.
Beach-Day Quick Spray WaterBabies Baby Sunscreen Spray SPF 50
A fast, photostable beach-day spray that does the one job parents need it to do — get broad-spectrum SPF 50 onto a moving target quickly and cheaply. The chemical filter system is genuinely well-built, but the added fragrance and the inherent limits of aerosol application keep it from being a sensitive-skin or true facial recommendation.
Budget High-SPF Classic Kids Sunscreen Lotion SPF 70
A cheap, smooth, genuinely high-SPF kids' lotion that protects well and wears nicely — but it's the brand's old-guard formula, leaning on oxybenzone and fragrance that most newer children's sunscreens have abandoned. If those don't bother you it's a strong-value pick; if you're reef-conscious or have a sensitive kid, the mineral options are the better call.
Sweatproof Skin-Care SPF Protection 50 Sport SPF50
A sport sunscreen made by a skin-care company, and it shows: fragrance-free, alcohol-free, avobenzone stabilised with the full 10 percent of octocrylene, and safflower oleosomes that turn a 28 percent filter load into something that feels like body lotion. It is heavier than a daily face SPF and its filters are the ordinary American set, but for sweat, water and long days out it is one of the more comfortable tubes available.
High-SPF Daily Shield Protect + Hydrate Moisturizing Sunscreen SPF 60
A capable high-SPF chemical sunscreen that adds genuine hydration through oat extract and glycerin, making it more comfortable for daily wear than most SPF 60 formulas. The lightweight, invisible texture earns points for compliance, though the fragrance, alcohol, and eye-stinging potential keep it from being a universal recommendation.
Invisible Protection Workhorse Invisible Daily Defense Sunscreen Lotion SPF 60+
The versatile sibling to the Face Serum — a face-and-body sunscreen lotion that delivers SPF 60+ broad-spectrum protection with zero white cast and genuine feverfew antioxidant science. The lotion format is more practical for all-over coverage, but the addition of fragrance, menthyl lactate, and dyes compared to the cleaner serum formula makes this the less refined option. Effective and affordable, with caveats for sensitive skin.
Budget-Friendly Beach Day Essential Light As Air Sunscreen Lotion SPF 50
A genuinely impressive lightweight chemical sunscreen that punches well above its drugstore price point, delivering cosmetically elegant SPF 50 protection with 80-minute water resistance. The oxybenzone-free formula and matte finish are modern touches, though fragrance and high homosalate concentration may give sensitive skin users pause.
Active Lifestyle Face SPF Sport Face Sunscreen Lotion SPF 50
A no-frills sport sunscreen sized and textured for the face, delivering reliable SPF 50 protection through sweat, heat, and water. It does exactly what active people need — stay on the face during exercise — without pretending to be a skincare product. The fragrance is the one thing it should have left at the starting line.
Sport Day SPF Workhorse Island Sport Sunscreen Lotion SPF 50
Hawaiian Tropic's most performance-oriented sunscreen delivers SPF 50 protection with 80-minute water resistance while keeping the brand's tropical sensory identity intact. A reliable sport sunscreen at an excellent price point, though the fragrance and older-generation UV filters keep it a step behind the most advanced global formulations.
Derm Office Staple Sun Shield Matte SPF 50
A dependable hybrid sunscreen built for the derm office waiting room crowd — people who want serious SPF 50 protection without the greasy, shiny aftermath. The matte finish is legitimately impressive for a formula packing 16.5% zinc oxide, though the $59 price tag asks a lot when the supporting cast of ingredients is fairly basic.
Vacation Drugstore Sunscreen Hawaiian Sunscreen SPF 45
A tropical-scented drugstore body sunscreen that reliably delivers SPF 45 at a budget price — but the formulation is stuck in the 2010s, with parabens, fragrance, and a coconut-vanilla signature that makes it more vacation sunscreen than everyday UV protection. It's fine for what it is. It's just no longer where the category is going.
Beach-Day Body Staple Ultra Sheer Body Mist Sunscreen Spray SPF 30
A convenient, lightweight, oxybenzone-free body spray with a properly photostabilized broad-spectrum filter blend, sold at a price that makes generous use painless. Excellent for fast coverage of arms, legs, and backs on active days. The catches are the universal spray pitfalls — easy under-application, an alcohol-and-fragrance base, and an inhalation caution — plus it's strictly a body, not face, product.
No-White-Cast Daily SPF Complete + Daily Facial Moisturizer with Sunscreen Broad Spectrum SPF 40
A genuinely well-built daily SPF 40 that solves the two things people hate about facial sunscreen: white cast and zero skincare payoff. The avobenzone is properly photostabilized, niacinamide adds real benefit, and it disappears on every skin tone. The chemical filters make it less ideal for very reactive skin, but the value is excellent.
Lightweight Daily Face SPF Protect + Hydrate Face Sunscreen SPF 60
A lightweight, oxybenzone-free chemical face sunscreen that delivers reliable SPF 60 broad-spectrum protection with a near-invisible, makeup-friendly finish and a soothing oat angle. The alcohol denat. base can feel drying and the 2 oz tube is small, but as an affordable everyday face SPF from a trusted brand, it is a sensible pick for normal-to-oily skin.
Everyday SPF Moisturizer Daily Oil Free Facial Moisturizer SPF 35
A convenient, genuinely lightweight oil-free moisturizer with broad-spectrum SPF 35 built in — no grease, no white cast, and a little niacinamide for good measure. It's a solid one-step daytime option for combination and oily skin, though the botanical extracts can bother reactive skin, the SPF is a notch below 50, and the chemical filters make it a no for pregnancy.
Everyday Light-Exposure Lotion Sport Ultra Sunscreen Lotion SPF 15
A cheap, genuinely lightweight body sunscreen with a sound photostabilized chemical filter set and a pleasant, fast-absorbing feel. The catch is right on the label: SPF 15 is low protection, so this earns its place only for brief, incidental sun exposure, with a strong fragrance and frequent reapplication as the main caveats.
On-the-Go Touch-Up Sport Kids Sunscreen Stick SPF 50
A pocket-sized, mess-free swipe-on built for the spots kids burn first: noses, ears, cheeks, and shoulders. Fragrance-free with a well-stabilized chemical filter set, it shines as a targeted top-up rather than a whole-body sunscreen. The catch is a waxy, pore-clogging base and a tiny size that runs out fast and tempts you to apply too thin.
Hybrid Convenience Pick Baby Mineral Enriched Sunscreen Spray SPF 50
A smart middle-ground spray that uses zinc oxide for UVA and chemical filters for UVB, giving parents mineral reassurance with the easy application and minimal white cast of a chemical formula. Fragrance- and paraben-free, it is gentler than the brand's chemical sprays. Just remember it is a hybrid, not true mineral, and aerosols still demand rubbing in and never spraying near a baby's face.
Beach-Day Workhorse Sport Continuous Sunscreen Spray SPF 50
A reliable, properly photostabilized broad-spectrum body spray at a sensible price — the dependable middle child of Coppertone's Sport spray lineup. SPF 50 hits the sweet spot of real protection without the extra filter load of the higher numbers, but the alcohol-heavy aerosol is drying, fragranced, and only as good as how generously you apply it.
Everyday Errands SPF Sport Continuous Sunscreen Spray SPF 30
The sensible everyday member of Coppertone's Sport spray family: a photostabilized SPF 30 that's plenty for errands, dog walks, and casual sun, applied fast and feeling like almost nothing. The lower filter load is genuinely fine for incidental exposure, but the drying alcohol base, fragrance, and the ever-present spray under-application trap are the usual caveats.
Max-Protection Pick Sport Continuous Sunscreen Spray SPF 70
The big-number can in Coppertone's Sport spray range, reaching SPF 70 by stacking a heavier filter load — including oxybenzone the lower SPFs skip. It delivers genuinely robust, well-photostabilized protection for long, punishing sun days, but that extra coverage comes with more to potentially react to and a drying, heavily fragranced base, so it's a tool for intense exposure rather than an everyday upgrade.
Maximum-Number Spray Sport Continuous Sunscreen Spray SPF 100
The maximum-number can in Coppertone's Sport spray family, reaching SPF 100 by stacking six organic filters — including octinoxate and oxybenzone the lower SPFs avoid. The protection is robust and well-stabilized, but the real-world UVB gain over SPF 50 is essentially a rounding error, while the dense filter load, fragrance, and drying alcohol base raise the irritation stakes. You're mostly paying for a bigger number.
Grip-Friendly Pick Sport Clear Sunscreen Lotion SPF 50
A clever rub-in lotion that mimics a spray's clear, dry, grip-friendly finish while keeping the controllable dosing a lotion gives you. It nails SPF 50 with a photostabilized, oxybenzone-free filter set and a genuinely matte, no-white-cast feel that athletes and sweaty-handed types will appreciate — though the alcohol-heavy base means it's still not the move for sensitive skin.
Face-and-Body All-Rounder Complete Sunscreen Lotion SPF 50
Coppertone's most versatile everyday sunscreen: a face-and-body SPF 50 lotion built on a lighter, humectant-rich, oxybenzone-free base that's a clear step up in wearability from the brand's alcohol-heavy sport line. It delivers photostabilized broad-spectrum protection at a genuinely cheap price, and the only real holdouts are the residual fragrance and a touch of alcohol that keep it just shy of sensitive-skin perfect.
Daily Face-and-Body SPF Complete Sunscreen Lotion SPF 30
The everyday-protection sibling of Coppertone's Complete line: a face-and-body SPF 30 in the same light, humectant-rich, oxybenzone-free base, pitched at the level of sun most of us actually face day to day. It's comfortable enough for daily facial wear, cheap, and properly photostabilized — with the familiar caveats of a little fragrance and residual alcohol, plus a filter ceiling best suited to incidental rather than all-day intense exposure.
Oxybenzone-Free Quick Spray Complete Sunscreen Spray SPF 50
The cleaner, gentler cousin of Coppertone's sport spray: an oxybenzone-free continuous SPF 50 with noticeably less alcohol, so it feels a touch kinder on skin while keeping the same quick, all-over convenience. The protection is legitimate and photostabilized, but it shares every spray's core weakness — it's only as good as how generously you apply it, and the fragrance and residual alcohol keep it off sensitive skin.
The full homosalate guide
Spend five minutes reading sunscreen ingredient lists and you will find homosalate in roughly half of them — not because it is a particularly powerful UV filter, but because it quietly solves a formulation problem most consumers never think about.
As a lightweight, oil-soluble liquid it dissolves solid UV filters like avobenzone that would otherwise refuse to blend smoothly, while also absorbing UVB radiation in the 295–315 nm range. That dual utility has made it a workhorse of modern sunscreen chemistry for decades. What is genuinely unsettled is not whether it filters UVB — that is not in question — but how much systemic exposure is acceptable, a question that has pushed regulators in Europe and the US toward a closer look at safe usage levels.
Where the evidence stands, by concern
Evidence for an ingredient is not one grade — it differs concern by concern. Each row below was researched separately against regulatory approvals, clinical guidelines, and trials our team opened and verified; the band and dots rank how central homosalate is to treating that concern, from first-line therapy down to supportive care, at treatment-level doses and vehicles. A product's own grade weighs its actual formula.
How it's regulated in the US
FDA does not classify ingredients — it classifies products, by what they are sold to do. The same molecule can be a drug active in one product and a cosmetic ingredient in the next, and only the claim on the label decides which. What follows is a statement about that legal standing, not about whether it works — the evidence question is answered separately above.
OTC drug active Homosalate is legal in US sunscreens up to 15 percent — and it is also one of the filters FDA itself flagged in 2019 as lacking sufficient safety data to support a GRASE determination. Both things are true at once, and the second one rarely reaches a product page.
- sun protection OTC monograph up to 15 percent
Generally recognized as safe and effective under an FDA order — marketed without FDA approval
Permitted label wording “Helps prevent sunburn; if used as directed with other sun protection measures, decreases the risk of skin cancer and early skin aging caused by the sun”
The 2019 proposed rule asked industry for more data on 12 of 16 chemical filters. That request has not changed their marketing status.
Homosalate's UVB-filtering action is well established: it absorbs UV energy in the 295–315 nm window (peak around 306 nm) and has been permitted in sunscreens for decades, up to 15% in the US. Its role as a solubilizer for avobenzone and other solid UV filters is documented in the formulation literature. The safety picture is where the uncertainty lies. FDA maximal-usage trials (JAMA, 2019–2020) found homosalate plasma concentrations reaching roughly 14–23 ng/mL depending on the vehicle — far above the 0.5 ng/mL threshold the agency uses to decide whether further safety study is warranted — with levels still detectable in over half of participants three weeks after the last application. In vitro and animal work has reported weak estrogenic and anti-androgenic effects, and a 2024 zebrafish study found thyroid hormone changes at micrograms-per-litre exposures. These effects were generally seen at doses or routes that do not map cleanly onto everyday sunscreen use, and no controlled human study has shown clinical harm at ordinary use levels. The EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety, after reviewing new industry data, concluded in late 2021 that homosalate is safe up to 7.34% in face creams and pump sprays but not above 0.5% in other products; Commission Regulation (EU) 2022/2195 made those limits binding, with non-compliant products off the EU market from 1 July 2025. Great Britain did not adopt the restriction and retained the prior allowance. The FDA has not yet assigned the filter GRASE status and is awaiting additional data — leaving the real-world risk genuinely unresolved.
How it works
Chemically, homosalate is an ester of salicylic acid and 3,3,5-trimethylcyclohexanol, the latter a hydrogenated derivative of isophorone that lends the molecule its oily, liquid character at room temperature. That liquid state is a large part of why formulators reach for it: rather than needing to be dispersed like a powder filter, homosalate flows freely and doubles as a co-solvent, dissolving oil-soluble actives — particularly avobenzone — that would otherwise sit as undissolved particles and undermine both protection and texture. When UVB photons in the 295–315 nm band strike the molecule, its conjugated aromatic system absorbs that energy and sheds it as low-grade heat through molecular vibration, a non-radiative decay process. That keeps the photons from reaching the keratinocytes below, where they could damage DNA. On its own homosalate is a fairly weak filter — only about SPF 4 at a 10% concentration — which is why it almost never appears as a product's sole active. It earns its place inside multi-filter systems, typically alongside avobenzone for UVA coverage and often with octocrylene or octisalate. Worth flagging: homosalate is not inherently photostable and can degrade under prolonged UV exposure, so thoughtfully built broad-spectrum sunscreens pair it with photostabilizers to hold protection over a day in the sun. Being oil-soluble, it settles into the lipid phase of an emulsion without disturbing the water phase, which keeps formulas cosmetically clean.
Key benefits
- Absorbs UVB radiation across 295–315 nm, with peak absorption near 306 nm
- Dissolves solid filters like avobenzone, yielding smoother, more cosmetically elegant formulas
- Oil-soluble liquid that improves sunscreen spreadability and lends a lighter feel
- Rarely a contact allergen in clinical patch testing, so it suits most skin
- Supports high-SPF broad-spectrum formulas when combined with dedicated UVA filters
- Helps deliver the non-greasy textures favored in daily SPF moisturizers
Concentration & usage
In the US, the FDA permits homosalate up to 15% in over-the-counter sunscreens, and most formulas land in the 5–15% range. The EU is stricter: under Commission Regulation (EU) 2022/2195, homosalate is capped at 7.34% in face creams and pump sprays and 0.5% in other (including body) products, with non-compliant stock off the market from 1 July 2025. Great Britain did not adopt this restriction and retains the higher allowance. On an INCI list it appears plainly as "Homosalate," usually positioned mid-to-upper when present in meaningful amounts. US shoppers have an easier time gauging the dose than most: sunscreen Drug Facts panels are required to declare each active ingredient by name with its exact percentage, so homosalate's concentration is printed right on the label rather than left to guesswork.
Who it's for & who should be cautious
Who it's for
If you use a broad-spectrum chemical sunscreen in the US, you are likely already using homosalate — it turns up in a large share of American formulas. It tends to suit people with oily or combination skin who find some mineral-only sunscreens heavy or greasy, since its liquid nature feeds lighter, faster-absorbing textures. For anyone who wants reliable daily SPF without a white cast and without committing fully to mineral filters, a homosalate-containing facial sunscreen is a practical, well-tolerated pick.
Who should be cautious
Shoppers in the EU should read labels, since post-2025 reformulations have cut homosalate levels or swapped it for other filters — a regulatory adjustment, not a sign of confirmed danger. People who are pregnant or breastfeeding may reasonably lean toward mineral-only sunscreens (zinc oxide or titanium dioxide) given the demonstrated systemic absorption and the open questions about hormonal activity; this is a cautious choice, not a response to proven harm at normal use. Anyone with a confirmed salicylate sensitivity should patch test or check with a dermatologist first, though homosalate is a very rare sensitizer and its kinship to salicylic acid does not reliably predict cross-reactivity.
Pairs with & conflicts
Myths & facts
Myth: Homosalate is banned in the US because it has been proven unsafe
Reality: It is not banned anywhere in the US and remains legal at up to 15%. The FDA has simply not yet granted it GRASE status and is gathering more data. The EU's 2025 concentration limits reflect a precautionary regulatory call, not confirmed harm at everyday exposure.
Myth: The systemic-absorption data proves homosalate disrupts hormones in people
Reality: FDA trials confirmed blood levels exceed the 0.5 ng/mL threshold that prompts further study, and lab and animal work shows weak estrogenic and anti-androgenic effects. But those signals largely come from doses or routes beyond typical use, and no controlled human study has shown clinical hormonal disruption at sunscreen concentrations. The data justifies caution, not alarm.
Myth: Homosalate alone makes a sunscreen broad-spectrum
Reality: It covers only UVB (295–315 nm) and delivers roughly SPF 4 at 10% by itself, with zero UVA protection. Part of its real value is solubilizing UVA filters like avobenzone — the broad-spectrum rating on the bottle comes from the whole filter system, not from homosalate on its own.
Frequently asked questions
Is it fine to wear a homosalate sunscreen every day?
For most adults, daily use at US-permitted levels (up to 15%) has not been shown to cause harm in real-world conditions, and consistent sun protection carries clear benefits. The caveat is that the FDA has asked for more safety data because the confirmed systemic absorption leaves open questions. If you are pregnant, nursing, or coating young children over large areas, switching to a mineral filter is a sensible precaution.
Why did so many European sunscreens drop or cut their homosalate?
An SCCS review led the EU to limit homosalate to 7.34% in face creams and pump sprays and 0.5% in other products, with the rules binding from 1 July 2025. The committee judged that higher levels could not be confirmed safe given the absorption data and animal findings on potential reproductive effects. Many brands reformulated with filters such as Tinosorb S or Mexoryl SX, which sit more comfortably under current EU thresholds.
Will a homosalate sunscreen shield me from UVA aging rays?
On its own, no. Homosalate absorbs only in the UVB band (295–315 nm, peaking around 306 nm) and offers no UVA defense. To get true broad-spectrum coverage it has to be paired with a UVA filter — most often avobenzone in US products, and frequently Tinosorb S, Mexoryl SX, or zinc oxide in European and Asian formulas.
I react to salicylic acid — can I still use a homosalate sunscreen?
Homosalate is an ester of salicylic acid, so a chemical relationship exists, but in practice it is a very rare contact sensitizer and patch-test data has not shown meaningful sensitization rates. If you have a confirmed salicylate allergy or have reacted to salicylate topicals before, it is worth checking with a dermatologist first — but blanket avoidance is not warranted for the general population.
If its safety is debated, why is homosalate in so many sunscreens?
It has decades of use behind it and a low record of rashes or photoallergy, and its talent for dissolving other filters makes it a formulation tool as much as a UV absorber. The systemic-absorption concerns are real and regulators are acting on them, but they surfaced from studies built to stress-test worst-case exposure, not from a pattern of harm reported by everyday users.
Does homosalate break down in sunlight and lose effectiveness?
Yes — it is not inherently photostable and can degrade with extended UV exposure. Multi-filter formulas usually add photostabilizers such as octocrylene to slow that breakdown. Reapplying every two hours, the standard guidance, also blunts the practical impact, since you are refreshing the filter before meaningful degradation sets in.
Sources
- https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6549296/
- https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8763688/
- https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10965677/
- https://health.ec.europa.eu/publications/scientific-advice-safety-homosalate-cas-no-118-56-9-ec-no-204-260-8-uv-filter-cosmetic-products_en
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39413646/