Ingredient glossary
Iscotrizinol
On your shelf ✓What Iscotrizinol does for your skin, who it suits, and what to watch for.
INCI: Diethylhexyl Butamido Triazone · Also: Uvasorb HEB
In short: Iscotrizinol delivers uvb protection and uva protection, suits most skin types, and the evidence behind it is strong.
- What it does
- Uvb protection, uva protection
- Best for
- Most skin types
- Evidence
- Strong
- How long
- Straight away
The molecule
The Glow take
Only as good as the sunscreen it lives in.
As a single filter, Iscotrizinol only matters as part of a finished sunscreen you actually reapply. The best SPF is the one that feels good enough to wear every morning.
— Maya
What it does
- uvb protection
- uva protection
strong evidenceThe 1998 European regulator opinion behind the EU Annex VI listing reported very low oral toxicity, very low skin absorption, negative mutagenicity and no sensitization, and the 10 percent cap stands on it. Protection is strongest in UVB and UVA II; true broad spectrum coverage still depends on the partner filters in the formula.
On a label: usually effective at 3-10%.
Who it's for, and who should skip it
Tends to suit
- normal
- oily
Approach with care
- rare allergy
- Clogs poresLow
- Irritation riskLow
How it fits each skin type
- DrySuits
- CombinationSuits
- OilySuits
- SensitiveSuits
Take extra care if any of these apply to you: rare allergy.
Where it fits in your routine
This one works on contact — there is nothing to wait for.
What that covers, and what it does not
Measured on: UVB and UVA2 attenuation by the dried film, contributing to measured SPF.
A bulky, very photostable triazine that absorbs across UVB and the shorter UVA waves as soon as the film sets — an optical mechanism with nothing to wait for, and the dossier behind the EU 10 percent cap measured very low skin absorption precisely because the molecule stays on the surface. As with any filter, the effect is only present while the film is intact and the SPF number belongs to the finished product, not the filter. The base is right that true broad-spectrum coverage still depends on the partner filters, so UVA1 protection is not this ingredient's to claim.
EU Cosmetics Regulation 1223/2009 Annex VI entry for diethylhexyl butamido triazone and the 1998 European regulator opinion behind it; ISO 24444 in vivo SPF method. No PMID asserted.
Plays well with
- other uvb filters
- broad spectrum filters
Iscotrizinol, answered
Is Iscotrizinol safe during pregnancy?
Yes. Iscotrizinol is considered safe to use during pregnancy and breastfeeding. As with anything, if you are unsure it is worth a quick word with your doctor or midwife.
Who should avoid Iscotrizinol?
Approach Iscotrizinol with care if any of these apply to you: rare allergy.
What concentration of Iscotrizinol actually works?
Iscotrizinol tends to do its job in the 3 to 10% range. Much lower and it is likely underdosed.
This, for every label you own
One ingredient is easy. A full label is where it gets confusing. The Ingredient Decoder reads any product and tells you the honest truth, ingredient by ingredient.
Sources & how we reviewed this
- EU Regulation 1223/2009-AnnexVI-diethylhexyl-butamido-triazonesummary page only, the document itself was not read