Ingredient glossary
Tinosorb M
On your shelf ✓What Tinosorb M does for your skin, who it suits, and what to watch for.
INCI: Methylene Bis-Benzotriazolyl Tetramethylbutylphenol · Also: MBBT
In short: Tinosorb M 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
how it was measured
Measured on UV attenuation by the applied film - erythema protection read as SPF and UVA protection factor; on contact, by mechanism.
The molecule
The Glow take
Only as good as the sunscreen it lives in.
As a single filter, Tinosorb M 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
- blue light protection
strong evidenceRegulatory dossiers and photobiology studies show Tinosorb M offers broad spectrum protection with excellent photostability and safety and significantly boosts…
Why we say this
- Regulatory dossiers and photobiology studies show Tinosorb M offers broad spectrum protection with excellent photostability and safety and significantly boosts SPF and UVA PF in combination filters.
The UV filter family, at a glance
5 UV filter entries in the base, Tinosorb M among them. 3 of the 5 are a supporting active.
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: UV attenuation by the applied film — erythema protection read as SPF and UVA protection factor.
- A microfine organic particulate that both absorbs and scatters UV, so protection exists the moment the dried film is in place and ends when it is removed, rubbed off or washed away.
- Standard SPF and UVA methods read protection 15 to 30 minutes after application, which is film drying time, not biological onset.
- The cumulative photoageing benefit of using sunscreen daily is a separate question measured in years and is not what this row times.
EU Cosmetics Regulation Annex VI entry for methylene bis-benzotriazolyl tetramethylbutylphenol; ISO 24444 SPF test method for the application-to-reading interval.
Light, and how to keep it
Tinosorb M does not break down in light, which is worth saying because plenty of people assume it does.
how it was measured
Excellent UVA1 photostability showed sunscreen S8 (EHMC, EHT and methylene bis-benzotriazolyl tetramethylbutylphenol); Auc-UVA1 Index was of 1.00.PMID 21277959 · abstract
measured stable in light
Where this filter sits on the ladder of what fails first in an ageing sunscreen: does sunscreen expire?
What regulators say
In the EU tinosorb M is capped at 10% as a UV filter (Annex VI entry 23).
What the regulator says, in full
- A UV filter has no dose-effect relationship worth stating for one ingredient: the number a reader can use is the product's SPF and UVA rating, measured on the finished film by ISO 24444 and ISO 24443, and it depends on the whole filter system, the film thickness and the vehicle, not on the percentage of methylene bis-benzotriazolyl tetramethylbutylphenol alone.
- The regulators set ceilings for safety, not efficacy: EU Annex VI entry 23, 10%, including the nano form; not an approved filter in the United States, so no monograph limit.
- Above those limits nothing is permitted and below them the SPF is whatever the product's own test says.
- The caveat: it is a microfine particulate that scatters as well as absorbs, so its contribution depends on dispersion in the film.
Plays well with
- uv filters
- antioxidants
Tinosorb M, answered
Is Tinosorb M safe during pregnancy?
Yes. Tinosorb M 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 Tinosorb M?
No specific group is flagged to avoid Tinosorb M. It is well tolerated by most skin. Still, introduce anything new one product at a time.
What concentration of Tinosorb M actually works?
Its concentration is rarely printed on the label, so use the ingredient list as your clue: near the top third it is likely doing real work, near the bottom it is more of a sprinkle.
Does Tinosorb M break down in the light?
No, and it is worth saying because plenty of people assume it does. Excellent UVA1 photostability showed sunscreen S8 (EHMC, EHT and methylene bis-benzotriazolyl tetramethylbutylphenol); Auc-UVA1 Index was of 1.00.
Compare Tinosorb M with
7 comparisons built, the 2 most looked-up above.
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
What changed on this page
- : the effective dose from trials, the highest dose tested
- : light stability
- : what the EU regulates