OCTISALATE
Fragrance Ingredient; Sunscreen Agent; Ultraviolet Light Absorber; UV ABSORBER; UV FILTER
Also listed as
ETHYLHEXYL SALICYLATE, BENZOIC ACID, 2-HYDROXY-, 2-ETHYLHEXYL ESTER; 2-ETHYLHEXYL 2-HYDROXYBENZOATE; ETHYL HEXYL SALICYLATE; 2-ETHYLHEXYL SALICYLATE; SALICYLIC ACID, 2-ETHYLHEXYL ESTER; 2-ETHYLHEXYL ESTER BENZOIC ACID, 2-HYDROXY-; 2-ETHYLHEXYL ESTER SALICYLIC ACID; 2-HYDROXY- 2-ETHYLHEXYL ESTER BENZOIC ACID; OCTISALATE (OCTYL SALICYLATE) ; BENZOIC ACID, 2HYDROXY, 2ETHYLHEXYL ESTER; EHS
Given the incomplete information made available by companies and the government, EWG provides additional information on personal care product ingredients from the published scientific literature. The chart below indicates that research studies have found that exposure to this ingredient -- not the products containing it -- caused the indicated health effect(s) in the studies reviewed by Skin Deep researchers. Actual health risks, if any, will vary based on the level of exposure to the ingredient and individual susceptibility -- information not available in Skin Deep.
| This ingredient: | |
 | Cancer |
| Developmental/reproductive toxicity |
 | Violations, restrictions & warnings |
| Allergies/immunotoxicity |
| Contamination concerns |
 | Other strong concerns for this ingredient: Enhanced skin absorption |
| Other moderate concerns for this ingredient: Irritation (skin, eyes, or lungs) |
 | Lesser or emerging concerns for this ingredient: Organ system toxicity (non-reproductive), Ecotoxicology, Data gaps |
|
See products containing OCTISALATE | |
About OCTISALATE: Octisalate is a weak UVB absorber with a generally good safety profile among sunscreen ingredients. It is a penetration enhancer, which may increase the amount of other ingredients passing through skin.
ingredient UV blocking strength
| common sunscreen concentrations |
UV blocking strength |
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2.0% |
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3.0% |
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4.0% |
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4.8% |
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5.0% |
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10.0% |
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OCTISALATE has reported used in the following product types: sunscreen: SPF 15-30 (235); sunscreen: SPF greater than 30 (218); facial moisturizer/treatment (211); sunscreen: moisturizer (190); anti-aging (76); hair color and bleaching (76); sunscreen: makeup (70); lip balm (52); sunscreen: lip balm (49); lipstick (45)
Violations, restrictions & warnings
| type of concern | product conditions | 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 |
Allergies/immunotoxicity
| type of concern | product conditions | reference |
| One or more human case studies show possible immune effects | Shaw DW, 2006 | |
| show more | ||
Organ system toxicity (non-reproductive)
| type of concern | product conditions | reference |
| One or more animal studies show broad systemic effects at moderate doses (low dose studies may be unavailable for this ingredient) | RTECS®- National Technical Information Service | |
| show more | ||
Irritation (skin, eyes, or lungs)
| type of concern | product conditions | reference |
| One or more animal studies show skin irritation at low doses | RTECS®- Food and Cosmetics Toxicology 1978 | |
| show more | ||
Ecotoxicology
| type of concern | product conditions | reference |
| Suspected to be an environmental toxin | Environmental Canada Domestic Substance List |
Biochemical or cellular level changes
| type of concern | product conditions | reference |
| Does not produces excess reactive oxygen species or other harmful biochemical changes. | Allen, 1996 |
Enhanced skin absorption
| type of concern | product conditions | reference |
| Penetration enhancer | Pont, 2004 | |
| Penetration enhancer | Morgan, 1998 | |
| Penetration enhancer | Krishnan, 2004 | |
| Absorbs into the skin | Walters KA, Brain KR, Howes D, James VJ, Kraus AL, Teetsel NM, et al, 1997 |
Data gaps
| type of concern | product conditions | reference |
| Not assessed for safety in cosmetics by industry panel | ||
| 259 studies in PubMed science library may include information on the toxicity of this chemical see search results -> | PubMed |
Persistence and bioaccumulation
| type of concern | product conditions | reference |
| Not suspected to be persistent | Environmental Canada Domestic Substance List | |
| show more | ||
Government, industry, academic studies and classifications
| government/industry list/academic study | appears on list as | classification(s) |
| Environmental Canada Domestic Substance List | BENZOIC ACID, 2-HYDROXY-, 2-ETHYLHEXYL ESTER | •This chemical was NOT flagged by CEPA for further attention. The chemical was flagged for suspected aquatic toxicity. |
| IFRA Fragrance Ingredient List | ETHYL HEXYL SALICYLATE | •The chemical has been reported as used in fragrance compounds by IFRA affiliated member companies in 2008. |
| Japan's Standards for Cosmetics | OCTYL SALICYLATE | •Japan - restricted for use in some types of cosmetics (concentration limit) |
| Japan's Standards for Cosmetics | OCTYL SALICYLATE | •Japan - restricted for use in some types of cosmetics (concentration limit) |
| Japan's Standards for Cosmetics | OCTYL SALICYLATE | •Japan - restricted for use in some types of cosmetics (concentration limit) |
| Allen, 1996 | OCTISALATE (ETHYLHEXYL SALICYLATE) | Does not produce damaging reactive oxygen species upon exposure to sunlight |
| Pont, 2004 | OCTISALATE (ETHYLHEXYL SALICYLATE) | Increased penetration amount and decreased lag time of 2,4-D in human volunteers |
| Morgan, 1998 | OCTISALATE (ETHYLHEXYL SALICYLATE) | •penetration enhancer: alter(s) skin structure, allowing other chemicals to penetrate deeper into the skin, increasing the amounts of other chemicals that reach the bloodstream |
| Krishnan, 2004 | OCTISALATE (ETHYLHEXYL SALICYLATE) | •penetration enhancer: alter(s) skin structure, allowing other chemicals to penetrate deeper into the skin, increasing the amounts of other chemicals that reach the bloodstream |
| Shaw DW, 2006 | OCTISALATE | Case study report of allergy to octisalate |
| Singh M, Beck MH, 2007 | OCTYL SALICYLATE | Report of acute contact sensitivity to octyl salicylate |
| Walters KA, Brain KR, Howes D, James VJ, Kraus AL, Teetsel NM, et al, 1997 | OCTYL SALICYLATE | Absorbs and permeates into the skin |
| RTECS®- Food and Cosmetics Toxicology 1976 | OCTISALATE | • skin - Primary skin irritant (rabbit ) |
| RTECS®- Food and Cosmetics Toxicology 1978 | OCTISALATE | • skin - Primary skin irritant (rabbit ) |
| RTECS®- National Technical Information Service | OCTISALATE | • broad systemic - Broad systemic toxicity (mouse LD50) |
references
| government/industry list/academic study | reference |
| Environmental Canada Domestic Substance List | EC (Environment Canada). 2008. Domestic Substances List Categorization. Canadian Environmental Protection Act (CEPA) Environmental Registry. |
| IFRA Fragrance Ingredient List | IFRA (International Fragrance Assocication). 2010. IFRA Fragrance Ingredient List based on 2008 Use Survey. Accessed online 01/04/2010: http://www.ifraorg.org/Home/News/Latest-News/page.aspx/66?xf_itemId=43&xf_selectionDatapartId=25 |
| Japan's Standards for Cosmetics | Japan Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare. 2006. Standards for Cosmetics. Evaluation and Licensing Division. Pharmaceutical and Food Safety Bureau. |
| Open scientific literature | {Allen, 1996} |
| Open scientific literature | {Pont, 2004} |
| Open scientific literature | {Morgan, 1998} |
| Open scientific literature | {Krishnan, 2004} |
| Open scientific literature | Shaw DW. 2006. Allergic contact dermatitis from octisalate and cis-3-hexenyl salicylate. Dermatitis 17(3): 152-155. |
| Open scientific literature | Singh M, Beck MH. 2007. Octyl salicylate: a new contact sensitivity. Contact Dermatitis 56(1): 48. |
| Open scientific literature | Walters KA, Brain KR, Howes D, James VJ, Kraus AL, Teetsel NM, et al. 1997. Percutaneous penetration of octyl salicylate from representative sunscreen formulations through human skin in vitro. Food Chem Toxicol 35(12): 1219-1225. |
| RTECS®- Food and Cosmetics Toxicology 1976 | RTECS®- Food and Cosmetics Toxicology. (London, UK) V.1-19, 1963-81. For publisher information, see FCTOD7. 14,765,1976 |
| RTECS®- Food and Cosmetics Toxicology 1978 | RTECS®- Food and Cosmetics Toxicology. (London, UK) V.1-19, 1963-81. For publisher information, see FCTOD7. 16,833,1978 |
| RTECS®- National Technical Information Service | RTECS®- National Technical Information Service. (Springfield, VA 22161) Formerly U.S. Clearinghouse for Scientific & Technical Information. AD277-689 |
"RTECS®" is a United States trademark owned and licensed under authority of the U.S. Government, by and through MDL Information Systems, Inc.
Copyright © 2010 by Environmental Working Group
All rights reserved.
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