Abstract: Objective To investigate the contents of ultra-voilet absorbent in sunscreen cosmetics.Methods Statistic analyses were conducted on the contents of eight kinds of ultra-voilet absorbents determined by reversed phase-high performance liquid chromatography(RP-HPLC) for 501 sunscreen cosmetics from 2005 through 2008.Results The mean contents were 45.7±23.7,27.4±9.4,14.6±9.6,32.9±15.7,41.6±26.2,19.6±8.8,34.0±20.5,17.4±9.6,and 20.7±12.5mg/g for 2-ethylhexyl-4-methox ycinnamate,oxybenzone,1-(4-tert-butylphenyl)-3-(4-methoxyphenyl) propane-1,3-dione,2-ethylhexyl salicylate,2-cyano-3,3-diphenyl acrylic acid,2-ethylhexylester,3-(4'-meth ylbenzylidene)-d-l-camphor,isopentyl-4-methoxycinnamate,2,4,6-trianilino-(p-carbo-2'-ethylhexyl-l'oxy)-1,3,5-triazine,and 2,2'-methylene-bis-6(2H-benzotriazol-2yl)-4-(tetramethyl-butyl-1,1,3,3-phenol),respectively,and the annual variation of mean content was 9.1%,26.2%,39.7%,20.6%,21.8%,17.8%,67.0%,31.6%,and 43.9%,respectively.Conclusion The maxinum content of ultra-violet absorbent is 2-ethylhexyl-4-methoxycinnamate and the minimum annual variation of ultra-violet absorbent is oxybezone in cosmetic products from markets in China.