STABILIZATION OF SUNSCREENS IN COSMETIC COMPOSITIONS

Cosmetic compositions containing organic sunscreens along with a 4-substituted resorcinol derivatives of general formula I exhibit improved storage stability and oxidative stability: where each R 1 and R 2 , independently, represents a hydrogen atom, -CO-R (acyl group), -COO-R, CONHR; where R represents saturated or unsaturated, linear, branched or cyclic C 1 - C 18 hydrocarbon groups; and R 3 represents (1) an alkyl group, having from 1 to 18 carbon atoms, preferably having from 2 to 12 carbon atoms, with or without substitution of one or more hydrogen atoms of a linear alkyl group with a methyl or ethyl group; e.g., R 3 constitutes linear or branched chain alkyls, or (2) a group of the general formula (II) where X is preferably H, n is 0 to 3 and the dashed lines represents an optional double bond.