Against the backdrop of rising global awareness of sun protection, consumers are demanding sun care products featuring high safety, superior stability and lightweight texture. UV filtering ingredients with broad-spectrum protection, excellent stability and outstanding formulation compatibility have become a core competitive focus in the beauty, skincare and daily chemical industries. As a classic water-soluble broad-spectrum UV absorber, Benzophenone-4, also known as Sulisobenzone or BP-4, boasts a unique molecular structure, powerful UV filtering capacity and stable physicochemical properties. Having been fully verified by the market over the years, it has evolved into a benchmark ingredient for sun care products, daily chemical formulation stabilization and industrial protection. It defends the skin against photodamage and reinforces the photostability of formulations, continuously driving the safety upgrade and experience innovation of sun care and daily chemical systems.
Benzophenone-4 is a synthetic benzophenone derivative with the chemical name 2-Hydroxy-4-methoxy-5-sulfobenzophenone, CAS No. 4065-45-6, molecular formula C₁₄H₁₁O₆S and molecular weight 307.3. It appears as white to pale yellow crystalline powder with no peculiar odour. Distinct from most oil-soluble UV filters, it features excellent water solubility and can be easily incorporated into aqueous formulation systems. Manufactured with sophisticated fine chemical synthesis and purification technologies including precise esterification, sulfonation and recrystallization, the product is strictly controlled for impurities to achieve a purity of over 98%. It delivers remarkable thermal and photostability and remains stable across a wide pH range without decomposition. The product can be stored for two years while maintaining its quality when kept sealed in a cool, dry and shaded environment. Widely recognized as a safe sun protection raw material worldwide, Benzophenone-4 is listed as an approved UV filter in the Technical Specification for Cosmetic Safety of China, and is also authorized for use in major markets including the European Union and the United States, with a maximum permitted use concentration of 5% calculated as acid. Its safety has been verified by multiple authoritative tests, proving no teratogenicity or phototoxicity. Suitable for all skin types, it is particularly ideal for developing lightweight and non-greasy products such as sun mists, sun sprays and gels. It enjoys high compatibility with surfactants, moisturizers, plant extracts and other ingredients without compromising formulation stability. Apart from sun care items, it is also widely applied in general skincare, color cosmetics, perfumes, industrial coatings and textiles, realizing versatile application values.
Benzophenone-4 features dual core functions of skin photoprotection and formulation photostabilization. With broad-spectrum UV absorption capacity, it effectively targets UVB rays ranging from 280 nm to 320 nm and short-wave UVA rays from 320 nm to 340 nm. It efficiently captures and absorbs harmful ultraviolet radiation and converts UV energy into harmless thermal energy via molecular transformation, fundamentally blocking UV penetration and damage to the skin. Long-term application can effectively relieve sunburn symptoms such as redness, soreness and peeling, reduce free radicals induced by ultraviolet rays, and mitigate dullness, fine lines and sagging caused by photoaging to maintain a youthful skin condition. Gentle and non-irritating, it does not impair the skin barrier and meets the sun protection demands for daily commuting and outdoor activities. As a high-performance photostabilizer for cosmetic formulations, it prevents fragrances, colorants and active ingredients from oxidative deterioration under light exposure, avoiding product discoloration, off-odors and efficacy loss so as to extend shelf life. It also protects plastic packaging and containers from UV aging and keeps the appearance and quality of finished products stable. In addition, its water-soluble characteristic endows formulations with a fresh and lightweight texture. Products containing this ingredient leave no oily film, white cast or sticky residue on the skin, greatly enhancing the user experience. When added to hair care products, it shields hair strands from UV damage and improves dryness, frizziness, discoloration and yellowing. In textile and coating industries, it enhances the anti-aging and anti-fading performance of materials and prolongs their service life, delivering multi-fold values for skin care, formulation protection and material preservation.
Thanks to its core strengths including water solubility, broad-spectrum protection, high safety, superior stability and excellent formulation compatibility, Benzophenone-4 has become a classic raw material in the domestic and international sun care, skincare and daily chemical industries. It is extensively used in sun creams, sun lotions, sun sprays, serums, color cosmetics, perfumes, industrial coatings, textiles, adhesives and other products. Its reliable protective effect and consistent quality have won high trust from manufacturers and end consumers. As the sun care market continues to evolve toward mildness, high efficiency and lightweight texture, Benzophenone-4 keeps expanding its application scope by virtue of its irreplaceable water-soluble broad-spectrum UV shielding performance, standing as a preferred choice for both high-end sun care formulas and mass daily chemical products. In the future, with continuous innovation in synthesis techniques and formulation technologies, Benzophenone-4 will be further optimized in purity and photostability to adapt to more new dosage forms and compound formulas. It will keep leading the upgrading of UV filter ingredients toward greater safety, higher efficiency and multi-functionality, providing more reassuring and comfortable sun protection solutions for global consumers and injecting sustained momentum into the quality improvement of daily chemical and industrial sectors.
Benzophenone-4 are now available for purchase at Xi’an Biof -Technology Co., Ltd. For more information , visit https://www.biofingredients.com.
XI'AN BIOF BIO-TECHNOLOGY CO.,LTD
Email: Tom@xabiof.com
Tel/WhatsApp: +86-15091533695
Website: https://www.biofingredients.com
Post time: May-26-2026
