What is octinoxate?
Octinoxate, or Octyl methoxycinnamate (OMC) is a UV absorber and filter [4][5]. OMC only filters the UV-B rays, not the UV-A rays [5].What products is octinoxate in?
Octinoxate is used in sunscreens to filter UV-B rays. It is also used in hair color products, shampoos, lipsticks, nail polish, and skin creams to protect them from degrading in the sun [5].How to tell if a product has octinoxate
Octinoxate may go by several different names on ingredient labels. Keep this in mind and avoid these synonyms that indicate that Octinoxate is present in sunscreen and other personal care products: ethylhexyl methoxycinnamte, 2-ethylhexyl p-methoxycinnamate; parsol, parsol mcx, escalol, 2-ethylhexyl p-methoxycinnamate; omc; 2-ethylhexyl 4-methoxycinnamte; 2-ethylhexyl ester p-methoxycinnamic acid; neo heliopan, einecs 226-775-7; ccris 6200; ai3-05710; 2-ethylhexyl 4-methoxycinnamte [4][5].Risks associate with octinoxate
Octinoxate can be absorbed through skin and has been found in human urine, blood and breast milk. [5] Octinoxate is associated with a variety of health problems including- Endocrine disruption [4][5][1]
- Cell proliferation by cells responsive to estrogen exposure [5]
- Alteration of the reproductive systems of female offspring, reduction in sperm count of males & alteration of reproductive organ development (animal studies) [1][5]
- Cellular changes [4]
