Ingredient glossary
Mexoryl SX
On your shelf ✓What Mexoryl SX does for your skin, who it suits, and what to watch for.
INCI: Ecamsule
In short: Mexoryl SX delivers uva protection, suits most skin types, and the evidence behind it is strong.
- What it does
- 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, Mexoryl SX 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
- uva protection
strong evidenceClinical sunscreen trials and regulatory data show Mexoryl SX maintains high UVA absorbance with minimal degradation and improves UVA protection indices in finished products.
On a label: usually effective at 3-10%.
Who it's for, and who should skip it
Tends to suit
- all
Approach with care
No specific group flagged to avoid it.
- Clogs poresLow
- Irritation riskLow
How it fits each skin type
- DrySuits
- CombinationSuits
- OilySuits
- SensitiveSuits
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: UVA attenuation by the applied film, read as UVA protection factor / PPD.
The protection is optical: a sulfonated camphor filter absorbs UVA as soon as the applied film has dried, and there is nothing in the skin to remodel. This is not read off absorbance alone - standardised human testing measures it, with the panel irradiated roughly 15-30 minutes after application, and that interval is the whole of the wait. Two limits the bucket does not carry on its own: the film is the protection, so it goes with water, towelling, sweat and time, which is why reapplication exists and why the result is maintained rather than accumulated; and the photoageing benefit of daily use over years is a separate and far slower outcome from the protection timed here. 'Persistent UVA protection' in the marketing means photostable across one exposure, not building up over visits.
ISO 24442 (in vivo UVA protection, PPD) and ISO 24443 (in vitro UVA), which fix the application-to-irradiation interval; EU Cosmetics Regulation Annex VI entry for terephthalylidene dicamphor sulfonic acid (ecamsule). No PMID claimed.
Plays well with
- uv filters
- antioxidants
Mexoryl SX, answered
Is Mexoryl SX safe during pregnancy?
Yes. Mexoryl SX 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 Mexoryl SX?
No specific group is flagged to avoid Mexoryl SX. It is well tolerated by most skin. Still, introduce anything new one product at a time.
What concentration of Mexoryl SX actually works?
Mexoryl SX tends to do its job in the 3 to 10% range. Much lower and it is likely underdosed.
Compare Mexoryl SX with
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