Paste an Ingredient List, See the UV Filters
Last updated September 21, 2026
Paste an ingredient list and every entry a regulator lists as a UV filter is picked out, with the band it covers and the limit each country sets.
A sunscreen label gives the actives one name and the ingredients list gives them another. This tool reads either. It matches what you paste against 31 UV filters, shows which part of the UV spectrum they cover between them, and prints the maximum concentration the US FDA, the EU, Health Canada, Australia's TGA and Japan's MHLW allow for each — with the document every figure came from.
What this tool cannot tell you
It identifies filters. It does not measure sunscreens, and three things in particular are outside what an ingredient list can support:
- The SPF. SPF belongs to a finished formulation, not to a filter. The same four filters at the same concentrations give different SPFs in different bases, which is why SPF has to be measured on the product.
- How much of each filter is in there. Outside the US drug-facts format, ingredient lists are ordered, not quantified. A filter near the end of a list may be present at a fraction of its permitted maximum.
- Whether the formula holds up. Photostability is a property of the mixture: avobenzone alone degrades quickly in sun, and the same avobenzone stabilized by octocrylene or bemotrizinol does not. A list of names cannot show you which case you have.
The coverage ring is also deliberately optimistic about the band and silent about the strength: a band counts as covered if any filter present covers it at all, however little of that filter the product contains.
The full filter table
The same data the decoder runs on, as a plain table — it is here so the page works without JavaScript and so the figures are readable and citable on their own. A cell reads “not checked” where we have not read that regulator's own document for that filter; it never means the filter is banned there. Machine-readable copies: filters.json and filters.csv.
| Filter | Covers | United States | European Union | Canada | Australia | Japan |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avobenzone Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane |
UVA I, UVA II | proposed not GRASE ≤3% [1] [2] | Annex VI entry 8 ≤5% [3] | monograph ≤3% [4] | permitted active ≤5% [5] | Appendix 4 listed ≤10% [6] |
| Bemotrizinol Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine |
UVB, UVA II, UVA I | GRASE ≤6% [7] | Annex VI entry 25 ≤10% [3] | monograph ≤6% [4] | permitted active ≤10% [5] | Appendix 4 listed ≤3.0% [6] |
| Cinoxate | UVB | proposed not GRASE ≤3% [1] [2] | not in Annex VI [3] | monograph ≤3% [4] | permitted active ≤6% [5] | Appendix 4 listed ≤5.0% [6] |
| Dioxybenzone Benzophenone-8 |
UVB, UVA II (part) | proposed not GRASE ≤3% [1] [2] | not in Annex VI [3] | monograph ≤3% [4] | permitted active ≤3% [5] | not permitted [6] |
| Ensulizole Phenylbenzimidazole Sulfonic Acid |
UVB | proposed not GRASE ≤4% [1] [2] | Annex VI entry 6 ≤8% [3] | monograph ≤4% [4] | permitted active ≤4% [5] | Appendix 4 listed ≤3.0% [6] |
| Homosalate | UVB | proposed not GRASE ≤15% [1] [2] | Annex VI entry 3 ≤7.34% [3] | monograph ≤15% [4] | permitted active ≤15% [5] | Appendix 4 listed ≤10% [6] |
| Meradimate Menthyl Anthranilate |
UVA II (part) | proposed not GRASE ≤5% [1] [2] | not in Annex VI [3] | monograph ≤5% [4] | permitted active ≤5% [5] | not permitted [6] |
| Octinoxate Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate |
UVB | proposed not GRASE ≤7.5% [1] [2] | Annex VI entry 12 ≤10% [3] | monograph ≤7.5% [4] | permitted active ≤10% [5] | Appendix 4 listed ≤20% [6] |
| Octisalate Ethylhexyl Salicylate |
UVB | proposed not GRASE ≤5% [1] [2] | Annex VI entry 20 ≤5% [3] | monograph ≤5% [4] | permitted active ≤5% [5] | Appendix 4 listed ≤10% [6] |
| Octocrylene | UVB, UVA II (part) peak 303 nm [8] |
proposed not GRASE ≤10% [1] [2] | Annex VI entry 10 ≤10% [3] | monograph ≤10% [4] | permitted active ≤10% [5] | Appendix 4 listed ≤10% [6] |
| Oxybenzone Benzophenone-3 |
UVB, UVA II, UVA I (part) | proposed not GRASE ≤6% [1] [2] | Annex VI entry 4 ≤6% [3] | monograph ≤6% [4] | permitted active ≤10% [5] | Appendix 4 listed ≤5.0% [6] |
| Padimate O Ethylhexyl Dimethyl PABA |
UVB | proposed not GRASE ≤8% [1] [2] | Annex VI entry 21 ≤8% [3] | monograph ≤8% [4] | permitted active ≤8% [5] | Appendix 4 listed ≤10% [6] |
| Sulisobenzone Benzophenone-4 |
UVB, UVA II (part) | proposed not GRASE ≤10% [1] [2] | Annex VI entry 22 ≤5% [3] | monograph ≤10% [4] | permitted active ≤10% [5] | Appendix 4 listed ≤10% [6] |
| Titanium Dioxide | UVB, UVA II (part), UVA I (part) [9] [10] | proposed GRASE ≤25% [1] [2] | Annex VI entries 27 and 27a ≤25% [3] | monograph ≤25% [4] | permitted active ≤25% [5] | not a listed UV absorber; no limit [6] |
| Zinc Oxide | UVB, UVA II, UVA I [10] | proposed GRASE ≤25% [1] [2] | Annex VI entries 30 and 30a ≤25% [3] | monograph ≤25% [4] | permitted active; no maximum set [5] | not a listed UV absorber; no limit [6] |
| Iron Oxide Iron Oxides |
visible light [11] | not checked | not checked | not checked | not checked | not checked |
| PABA Aminobenzoic Acid |
UVB peak 289 nm [12] |
not GRASE from 11 Sep 2027 ≤15% [1] [13] | prohibited (Annex II entry 167) [3] [14] | not in the monograph [4] | not in the Determination [5] | Appendix 4 listed ≤4.0% [6] |
| Trolamine Salicylate | not checked | not GRASE from 11 Sep 2027 ≤12% [1] [13] | not in Annex VI [3] | monograph ≤12% [4] | permitted active ≤12% [5] | not checked |
| Bisoctrizole Methylene Bis-Benzotriazolyl Tetramethylbutylphenol |
UVB, UVA II, UVA I (part) peak 350 nm [15] |
NDA required [1] [16] | Annex VI entries 23 and 23a ≤10% [3] | monograph ≤5% [4] | permitted active ≤10% [5] | Appendix 4 listed ≤10.0% [6] |
| Tris-Biphenyl Triazine | UVB, UVA II peak 310 nm [17] |
not in the monograph [1] | Annex VI entry 29 ≤10% [3] | not in the monograph [4] | permitted active ≤10% [5] | Appendix 4 listed ≤10.0% [6] |
| Ecamsule Terephthalylidene Dicamphor Sulfonic Acid |
UVA I peak 345 nm [8] |
NDA only [1] [18] | Annex VI entry 7 ≤10% [3] | monograph ≤10% [4] | permitted active ≤10% [5] | Appendix 4 listed ≤10% [6] |
| Drometrizole Trisiloxane | UVB, UVA II, UVA I (part) peak 341 nm [8] |
NDA required [1] [16] | Annex VI entry 16 ≤15% [3] | monograph ≤15% [4] | permitted active ≤10% [5] | Appendix 4 listed ≤15.0% [6] |
| Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate | UVA I peak 356 nm [19] |
not in the monograph [1] | Annex VI entry 28 ≤10% [3] | not in the monograph [4] | permitted active ≤10% [5] | Appendix 4 listed ≤10.0% [6] |
| Ethylhexyl Triazone | UVB peak 314 nm [8] |
NDA required [1] [16] | Annex VI entry 15 ≤5% [3] | not in the monograph [4] | permitted active ≤5% [5] | Appendix 4 listed ≤5.0% [6] |
| Iscotrizinol Diethylhexyl Butamido Triazone |
UVB [8] | NDA required [1] [16] | Annex VI entry 17 ≤10% [3] | not in the monograph [4] | not in the Determination [5] | not permitted [6] |
| Polysilicone-15 | UVB peak 312 nm [8] |
not in the monograph [1] | Annex VI entry 26 ≤10% [3] | not in the monograph [4] | permitted active ≤10% [5] | Appendix 4 listed ≤10.0% [6] |
| Disodium Phenyl Dibenzimidazole Tetrasulfonate | UVA II peak 335 nm [8] |
not in the monograph [1] | Annex VI entry 24 ≤10% [3] | not in the monograph [4] | permitted active ≤10% [5] | not permitted [6] |
| Enzacamene 4-Methylbenzylidene Camphor |
UVB peak 300 nm [8] |
NDA required [1] [20] | deleted from Annex VI in 2024 [3] [21] | monograph ≤4% [4] | permitted active ≤4% [5] | not permitted [6] |
| Amiloxate Isoamyl p-Methoxycinnamate |
UVB peak 308 nm [8] |
NDA required [1] [16] | Annex VI entry 14 ≤10% [3] | not in the monograph [4] | permitted active ≤10% [5] | not permitted [6] |
| Phenylene Bis-Diphenyltriazine | UVB, UVA II, UVA I, visible light peak 329 nm [22] [23] |
not in the monograph [1] | Annex VI entry 31 ≤5% [3] | not in the monograph [4] | not in the Determination [5] | not checked |
| Mexoryl 400 Methoxypropylamino Cyclohexenylidene Ethoxyethylcyanoacetate |
UVA I peak 385 nm [24] [8] |
not in the monograph [1] | Annex VI entry 32 ≤3% [3] | not in the monograph [4] | permitted active ≤3% [5] | not checked |
Sources
- FDA OTC Monograph M020, Sunscreen Drug Products for Over-the-Counter Human Use The order that actually governs US sunscreens: the 1999 stayed monograph, deemed final by the CARES Act. Effective 9 August 2026.
- FDA proposed administrative order OTC000008, 24 September 2021 Proposes that twelve of the filters are not GRASE for want of data, and that zinc oxide and titanium dioxide are. Never finalized.
- Annex VI to Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009, consolidated text of 18 May 2026 The EU list of UV filters allowed in cosmetic products, with the maximum concentration and conditions for each.
- Health Canada, Primary Sunscreen Monograph, version of 27 February 2026 Table 1 covers the two minerals as natural health product ingredients, Table 2 the organic filters as non-prescription drug ingredients.
- Therapeutic Goods (Permissible Ingredients) Determination (No. 2) 2026 Schedule 1 of the Australian instrument in force since 12 June 2026, which sets each sunscreen active's permitted concentration.
- MHLW Standards for Cosmetics (Notification No. 331 of 2000), Appendix 4 Japan's positive list of UV absorbers. A UV absorber that is not in Appendix 4 may not be used in a cosmetic at all.
- FDA final administrative order OTC000039, 10 June 2026 Adds bemotrizinol to M020 at up to 6%, effective 9 August 2026.
- Guerra-Tapia et al., "Sunscreens: A Review of UV Filters", Cosmetics 2023, 10, 101 Peer-reviewed review giving the absorption maximum and band class of each approved UV filter.
- SCCS/1516/13, opinion on titanium dioxide (nano) Carries the extinction tables that show titanium dioxide's attenuation falling from 308 nm to 400 nm.
- Smijs and Pavel, Nanotechnol Sci Appl 2011;4:95-112, on titanium dioxide and zinc oxide Compares the two minerals: titanium dioxide is primarily a UVB absorber, zinc oxide is the more efficient UVA absorber, with a wurtzite band gap of 3.22 eV.
- Dumbuya et al., J Cosmet Dermatol 2021, on iron oxides and visible light Gives the attenuation range of yellow, red and black iron oxides across the visible spectrum.
- SCCP/1008/06, opinion on para-aminobenzoic acid Gives 289 nm in alcohol, 278 nm in water, and 300-305 nm for crystals deposited on skin.
- FDA final administrative order OTC000008-1, issued 11 September 2026 Determines PABA and trolamine salicylate not GRASE and removes them from M020, with effect from 11 September 2027.
- Commission Regulation (EU) No 344/2013 Emptied Annex VI entry 1 and moved 4-aminobenzoic acid to the prohibited list, Annex II entry 167.
- SCCS/1328/10, opinion on methylene bis-benzotriazolyl tetramethylbutylphenol (nano) Describes the filter's double absorption band, at about 305 nm and 350 nm, and how a micronized dispersion shifts it.
- FDA, sunscreen Time and Extent Application feedback letters, 80 FR 892 Tentatively classified six filters, including bisoctrizole and ethylhexyl triazone, as not GRASE for want of data. Never finalized.
- HPLC study of avobenzone and tris-biphenyl triazine, PMC13063171 Reports 310 nm for tris-biphenyl triazine in acetonitrile:isopropanol and states its UVB and UVA II coverage.
- FDA proposed order on ecamsule, 80 FR 10035 Tentative determination that ecamsule up to 10% is not GRASE. Never finalized; ecamsule is sold in the US under new drug applications.
- SCCP/1166/08, opinion on diethylamino hydroxybenzoyl hexyl benzoate Gives the absorption spectrum: 356 nm in methanol, 358 nm in methanolic HCl.
- FDA proposed order on enzacamene, 80 FR 10026 Tentative determination that enzacamene is not GRASE. Never finalized.
- Commission Regulation (EU) 2024/996 Deleted 4-methylbenzylidene camphor from Annex VI; off the market from 1 May 2026.
- SCCS/1594/18, opinion on phenylene bis-diphenyltriazine Gives the absorption maximum, 329 nm at 10 µg/ml in dichloromethane.
- Marionnet et al., Photochem Photobiol Sci 2021;20:1475-86, on TriAsorB States that the filter is broad spectrum across UVB and UVA including long UVA, and also absorbs visible light.
- SCCS/1605/19, opinion on methoxypropylamino cyclohexenylidene ethoxyethylcyanoacetate Gives the absorption maximum, 385 nm.
Every figure above was read in the document it links to, on the date
recorded in filters.json. Where a
regulator's document could not be reached, or did not cover a filter
clearly enough to quote, the cell is published as null with
verified: false rather than filled with a plausible number.
Regulatory limits move; check the source before relying on one.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the ingredients in a mineral sunscreen?
The active ingredients are zinc oxide, titanium dioxide, or both — those are the only two minerals any of the five regulators here lists as a UV filter. A tinted mineral sunscreen usually also carries iron oxides, which absorb visible light rather than UV and add no SPF. Everything else on the label is the base the filters sit in. Paste a list into the decoder and it separates the two groups for you.
My label says ethylhexyl methoxycinnamate — is that octinoxate?
Yes. Ethylhexyl methoxycinnamate is the INCI name used on EU and Asian labels, octinoxate is the name the US monograph uses, and octyl methoxycinnamate is the older spelling; they are one substance. The decoder matches all three, along with the other aliases each filter is sold under.
The decoder found octisalate in my sunscreen — is it safe?
The decoder does not answer safety questions; it tells you what is in the bottle. On octisalate specifically, it is a weak UVB filter used mainly to dissolve and stabilize other filters, and the FDA's own maximal-usage trial measured it in blood at about ten times the 0.5 ng/mL level below which the agency may waive some additional nonclinical safety studies. The octisalate page sets out what that trial did and did not show.
What is phenylbenzimidazole sulfonic acid?
It is ensulizole — a water-soluble, UVB-only filter. EU and Asian labels print the full chemical name, US labels use ensulizole, and both are in the decoder's alias list. The EU permits it up to 8% and the US up to 4%.
Does octocrylene cause cancer?
The decoder cannot tell you that, and it does not try. What it can tell you is whether octocrylene is in the list you pasted. The concern people are searching for is that octocrylene degrades into benzophenone as a product ages — the octocrylene page covers what the published measurements found.
Why does the decoder say rubus idaeus seed oil is not a UV filter?
Because no regulator lists it as one. Botanical oils are not on the FDA, EU, Health Canada, TGA or MHLW filter lists, so the decoder reports them as ordinary ingredients. Several of them do absorb some UV — red raspberry seed oil measures SPF 19 in the lab — but that is measured performance, not approval as a filter, and it lives in the SPF dataset instead.