UK Finalizes Amendments to Benzophenone-3 Use in Cosmetics

Compared with existing provisions, the updated requirements specify permitted product categories for benzophenone-3 as a UV filter, and establish corresponding concentration limits. Additional conditions are also introduced for its use as a stabilizer.

In May 2025, UK notified the WTO of a draft regulation seeking to amend the use requirements for benzophenone-3 (CAS No. 131-57-7) in cosmetic products. The finalized regulation—The Cosmetic Products (Restriction of Chemical Substances) (No. 2) Regulations 2025—was adopted on July 21, 2025, and will come into force on January 21, 2026.¹

Benzophenone-3 is currently regulated under UK Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 (the Cosmetics Regulation), with permitted concentrations of up to 6% as a UV filter and 0.5% as a stabilizer. Based on an October 2024 opinion from the Scientific Advisory Group on Chemical Safety of Non-Food and Non-Medicinal Consumer Products (SAG-CS), which evaluated the substance's potential endocrine-disrupting properties, UK has developed the current regulation.

Compared with existing requirements, the current regulation defines permitted product categories for benzophenone-3 as a UV filter, and establishes corresponding concentration limits. It also introduces additional conditions for its use as a stabilizer. To ensure a smooth transition, cosmetic products containing benzophenone-3, placed on the market prior to January 21, 2026, and in compliant with the Cosmetics Regulation applicable prior to that date, can remain available for sale until July 21, 2026.

The updated use conditions for benzophenone-3 are presented in the table below, with changes to the existing provisions highlighted in red.

Ref. No.	Substance Identification				Restrictions			Labelling of Use Conditions and Warnings
Ref. No.	Chemical Name / INN	Name of Common Ingredients Glossary	CAS No.	EC No.	Product Type	Maximum Concentration	Others	Labelling of Use Conditions and Warnings
4	2-Hydroxy-4-methoxybenzophenone / Oxybenzone	Benzophenone-3	131-57-7	205-031-5	(a) Skin products, other than those listed in paragraph (b), including all propellant and pump spray skin products; (b) Face products, hand products and lip products (excluding propellant and pump spray face products, hand products and lip products); (c) All other cosmetic products.	6% (a) 2.2%; (b) 6%; (c) 0.5%.	Not more than 0.5% to protect product formulation. For product types (a) and (b), not to be used at more than 0.5% to protect product formulation. If used at 0.5% to protect product formulation, the levels used as UV filter must not exceed, for product types: (a) 1.7%; (b) 5.5%.	Contains Benzophenone-3*
*Notes:* * Not required if the concentration is 0.5% or less, and when the ingredient is used only for product protection purpose.

UK Finalizes Amendments to Benzophenone-3 Use in Cosmetics

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