Avobenzone

Avobenzone suppliers and sourcing guide

Avobenzone is a dibenzoylmethane UV filter that absorbs mainly in the UVA I range. It is made by chemical synthesis, typically a Claisen-type condensation of a 4-tert-butylbenzoate ester with 4-methoxyacetophenone, then purified and crystallized. Brands buy it as an off-white to pale yellow crystalline powder that is dissolved in the oil phase of a sunscreen. In the U.S. it is regulated as an OTC sunscreen drug active, not as a cosmetic ingredient.

See suppliers What to ask for on the COA

Category: Cosmetic actives
Also known as: butyl methoxydibenzoylmethane (INCI) · 4-tert-butyl-4'-methoxydibenzoylmethane · Parsol 1789 (trade name) · CAS 70356-09-1
Facts checked: November 2026

Forms and grades of avobenzone

Suppliers sell different products under the same name. Specify the one you need.

USP / drug-grade powder
Crystalline avobenzone made to the USP monograph for use as a sunscreen drug active; the grade U.S. sunscreen makers need under drug GMP.
Cosmetic-grade powder
Same molecule sold for markets where it is a cosmetic UV filter; check that the specification and documentation also meet drug requirements before using it in U.S. OTC sunscreen.
Encapsulated avobenzone
Avobenzone held in silica, polymer or sol-gel capsules, sold as a dispersion or powder; the active percentage is lower and must be stated on the specification.
Supplier premixes
Avobenzone pre-dissolved with other filters or solvents such as octocrylene or esters, which saves a melting step but fixes the ratio.

What to check on the COA

Compare each result with your own specification when the lot arrives.

Assay (HPLC or UV): Avobenzone content against the USP or supplier specification, usually by HPLC; this is the number used to set the label percentage.
Specific absorbance: UV absorbance (E1%, 1 cm) near 357 nm, which confirms identity and strength.
Melting range and appearance: Melting range and color of the powder; a low melting range or yellowing points to impurities.
Related substances: Impurities and by-products by HPLC against stated limits.
Residual solvents: Solvents from crystallization, tested by GC to USP <467> or the supplier method.
Heavy metals and iron: Lead and other metals by ICP-MS; low iron matters because avobenzone forms colored complexes with metal ions.

Storage, lots and expiry

Storage and shelf life

Keep avobenzone in sealed, light-resistant containers at room temperature and away from moisture. Avoid contact with iron and other reactive metals in tanks and tools, since metal ions discolor it. Shelf life and retest date come from the supplier specification.

Lots and expiry dates

Record the assay, absorbance and lot of each shipment, since the label percentage depends on it, and keep certificates for drug GMP files. Use lots first in, first out and retest past the retest date before release.

Regulatory status

Facts from regulators and standards bodies, each linked to its source.

21 CFR 352.10 lists avobenzone up to 3 percent among OTC sunscreen active ingredients; FDA describes this 1999 final sunscreen monograph as stayed (not in effect).
Source: ecfr.gov (opens in a new tab)
FDA says the CARES Act deemed final order for OTC sunscreens (OTC000006) considers sunscreens containing the 16 active ingredients of that 1999 monograph as generally recognized as safe and effective (GRASE).
Source: fda.gov (opens in a new tab)
FDA's 2021 proposed order (OTC000008) proposed that sunscreens containing avobenzone are not GRASE because additional data are needed; FDA says this is not a conclusion that the ingredient is unsafe and that the remaining proposals will be addressed in future orders.
Source: fda.gov (opens in a new tab)
Health Canada's Primary Sunscreen Monograph lists avobenzone (4-tert-butyl-4'-methoxydibenzoylmethane) as a UVA I filter at up to 3%.
Source: webprod.hc-sc.gc.ca (opens in a new tab)

This is general information, not regulatory advice. Status differs by country and by how the ingredient is used, so check the rules for your product and market.

Avobenzone suppliers

Manufacturers and distributors whose own websites say they sell it.

We are checking avobenzone suppliers now

Every listing is checked against the supplier’s own website before it goes live, so this list fills in over the coming weeks. The specs and COA checklist above are ready today.

Sell avobenzone? Request a listing

Frequently asked questions

What forms of avobenzone can brands buy?

Common forms include uSP / drug-grade powder, cosmetic-grade powder, encapsulated avobenzone and supplier premixes. Ask each supplier for the specification sheet of the exact grade they quote.

What should the COA for avobenzone include?

Expect assay (HPLC or UV), specific absorbance, melting range and appearance, related substances, residual solvents and heavy metals and iron, each with its method, specification and result for that lot.

How should avobenzone be stored?

What is the regulatory status of avobenzone?

21 CFR 352.10 lists avobenzone up to 3 percent among OTC sunscreen active ingredients; FDA describes this 1999 final sunscreen monograph as stayed (not in effect). FDA says the CARES Act deemed final order for OTC sunscreens (OTC000006) considers sunscreens containing the 16 active ingredients of that 1999 monograph as generally recognized as safe and effective (GRASE). FDA's 2021 proposed order (OTC000008) proposed that sunscreens containing avobenzone are not GRASE because additional data are needed; FDA says this is not a conclusion that the ingredient is unsafe and that the remaining proposals will be addressed in future orders. Health Canada's Primary Sunscreen Monograph lists avobenzone (4-tert-butyl-4'-methoxydibenzoylmethane) as a UVA I filter at up to 3%.

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