Home › Ingredients › Homosalate
Homosalate in skincare
UVB filter. EU SCCS capped it at 7.34% in 2021 pending endocrine data; the US allows 15%. Compliant formulas sit within the caps, and in a sunscreen it is the active doing the work.
AM use only as a UV filter. No function in PM products. Reapply every 2 hours. EU now restricts to 0.5% (from 10%) due to endocrine-disruption findings. US still allows 15%. For children or pregnant women, choose mineral alternatives.
What it is
Homosalate (3,3,5-trimethylcyclohexyl salicylate) is a UVB-absorbing organic UV filter widely used in chemical sunscreens for its ability to stabilize avobenzone and enhance product aesthetics. Systemically absorbed after application. Detected in blood, urine, and breast milk. The EU SCCS (2021 final opinion) concluded homosalate has potential endocrine-disrupting properties, leading EU Regulation (EU) 2022/1176 to slash the allowed concentration from 10% to 0.5%, effective July 2025. The FDA still permits up to 15% but has classified it as non-GRASE (insufficient data) since the 2019 proposed order. Metabolizes to salicylic acid in the body (potential concern for those with salicylate sensitivity). Not reef-safe at high concentrations.
The facts
| Category | Chemical UV Filter (UVB) |
| Typical use | Morning |
| Concentration YARAI treats as a full dose | 7.34% |
| EU maximum permitted concentration | 7.34% (7.34%) |
| EU Cosmetics Regulation annex | VI |
| EU status | restricted |
| EU and US differ | FDA OTC sunscreen monograph permits up to 15%. EU cut the limit to 7.34% after SCCS identified endocrine-disrupting potential. |
Why the amount matters, not just the presence
Most ingredient checkers tell you whether something is in the bottle. That is a smaller question than it sounds. Homosalate at 7.34% and homosalate at a trace level are not the same ingredient in any way that affects your skin.
An ingredient list is ordered by quantity, so position carries real information. YARAI reads that position and scores accordingly, which is why the same ingredient can land differently in two different products.
The honest limit: a list gives order, not percentages. Estimating concentration from position is an estimate. It is a better estimate than ignoring position, and it is still an estimate. We would rather tell you that than let a number look more certain than it is.
Regulatory status
EU Annex VI UV filter: max 7.34% (SCCS lowered from 10% in 2021 due to endocrine disruption concerns).
Common questions
What does homosalate do in a skincare product?
UVB filter. EU SCCS capped it at 7.34% in 2021 pending endocrine data; the US allows 15%. Compliant formulas sit within the caps, and in a sunscreen it is the active doing the work.
How much homosalate should a product contain?
YARAI treats 7.34% as a full dose for this ingredient. Below that, the ingredient is present but is scored as contributing less. An ingredient list gives you the order of ingredients, not their percentages, so this is an estimate read from position rather than a measurement.
Is homosalate restricted in the EU?
The EU Cosmetics Regulation permits this ingredient up to 7.34% in leave-on cosmetics, listed under VI. 7.34%
When should I use homosalate?
AM use only as a UV filter. No function in PM products. Reapply every 2 hours. EU now restricts to 0.5% (from 10%) due to endocrine-disruption findings. US still allows 15%. For children or pregnant women, choose mineral alternatives.
Check your own products
Point your camera at a product. YARAI identifies it from the label, finds that product's full ingredient list from published sources, and scores it. No barcode and no box needed, which is how it handles imported and small-brand products.
Concern level, category and thresholds on this page are read directly from the same data the YARAI app scores with, so this page and the app cannot disagree. EU figures cite Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009. Last built 2026-09-09. Nothing here is medical advice.