Ethylhexyl methoxycrylene

Ethylhexyl methoxycrylene is a photostabilizer with exceptionally low singlet (S1) and triplet (T1) energy states. Given these properties, ethylhexyl methoxycrylene is capable of draining the singlet excited state reservoir of UV radiation excited molecules of various sunscreen agents. This action used to be considered impossible because molecules stay in the singlet excited state for a very short period of time - often as short as 13 one-thousandths of a billionth of a second. Ethylhexyl methoxycrylene, however, is a singlet quencher that dramatically reduces the flow of energy to the triplet escited state reservoir. As it quenches the singlet excited state, molecules do not have the chance to get to the triplet excited state reservoir and largely return to the ground state where they can continue functioning. In fact, this mechanism of action of ethylhexyl methoxycrylene is considered as being able to return UV filters to their ground states without absorbing sunlight.

Ultimately, because ethylhexyl methoxycrylene can work so quickly, it allows manufacturers to formulate products with combinations of sunscreen ingredients that used to be considered too photo-unstable to be effective. Moreover, ethylhexyl methoxycrylene is easily emulsified, and is suitable for use in lotions, creams, sprays, sticks, and gel formulations.