Benzophenone in cosmetics: why it's flagged
Short answer
Benzophenone is flagged by Olive Detective as a moderate concern in cosmetics. UV absorber; possible carcinogen and endocrine disruptor. The flag is class-level and precautionary, based on IARC 2B; SCCS — it describes the ingredient class, not the safety of any particular product.
What the concern is
- Carcinogenicity concern — flagged by IARC or an equivalent body for review.
- Endocrine concern — the class has been examined for hormone-disrupting activity.
How it appears on an INCI list
Cosmetic labels use INCI names, which are standardised worldwide, so the same wording appears on a product bought anywhere. This class is matched on benzophenone.
How it affects the score
Cosmetic scoring follows the Yuka method: a product with only green and yellow ingredients has its score floored at 50, any orange ingredient caps it below 50, and any red caps it below 25. This ingredient is orange, so it caps a product's score below 50 on its own.
Source: IARC 2B; SCCS
Other cosmetic ingredients we flag
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