For your skin
An older UV filter that covers UVB and part of the UVA range. It can contribute to broad-spectrum protection, though people with sunscreen sensitivity may prefer a formula that uses a different filter system.
Want the science? Keep reading ↓Mechanism of action
An oil-soluble organic filter that absorbs UVB and short-wave UVA radiation. It is used with complementary filters to create broad-spectrum sunscreen, and regulators continue to evaluate the additional safety data needed for its over-the-counter status.
Why we tier this moderate
2 cited papers across 1 country. The mechanism is well-described and there's at least one controlled trial in the literature, but we tier this Moderate rather than Strong to stay honest about how many specific papers we cite directly.
Cited research
Matta MK et al. Effect of Sunscreen Application on Plasma Concentration of Sunscreen Active Ingredients: A Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA. 2020;323(3):256-267 — maximal-use study measured systemic exposure to oxybenzone and five other sunscreen actives.
FDA Proposed Rule, Sunscreen Drug Products for Over-the-Counter Human Use, 84 FR 6204 (26 February 2019) — oxybenzone was among the organic filters for which FDA requested additional safety data.
Sources: PubMed · KCI · J-Stage · CNKI · Wanfang · SFD · MFDS · Cochrane · SCCS · CIR. Every entry points to a specific document. See methodology for what each outcome label means.