Abstract: What is shown is a high purity adduct of castor oil and a cyclic carboxylic acid anhydride, charactered by the absence of free acid anhydride, which is used in personal care products. The adduct is made by a process, without side reactions, which includes (a) reacting castor oil and cyclic carboxylic acid anhydride at a temperature of 75-120° C. for 4 to 24 hours, and then (b) continuing the reaction at room temperature for at least 1 week to react any remaining maleic anhydride. Skin and hair care formulations of such adducts are also described.

Abstract: A photostable UV absorbent with maximum absorption above 340 nm having the formula: ##STR1## wherein R is --CO(R.sub.2) or phenyl optionally substituted with lower alkyl and/or lower alkoxy;R.sub.2 is --alkyl, --O(C.sub.2+ alkyl), ##STR2## n has a value of from 2 to 8; S and T each independently are hydroxy, lower alkyl, lower alkoxy or, when R.sub.2 is alkyl or alkoxy, S can also be phenyl and when R.sub.2 is alkoxy, T is alkoxy, or S+T taken with the phenyl ring form a naphthyl radical or a fused benzodioxol-5-yl heterocyclic radical;k+l has a value of from 0 to 3 with the proviso that, when R.sub.2 is--O(alkyl), T is --O(lower alkyl) and the value of l is 2 or 3;R.sub.3 is hydrogen or lower alkylene;R.sub.4, R.sub.5, and R.sub.6 are each independently C.sub.1 to C.sub.18 alkyl or one of R.sub.4, R.sub.5 and R.sub.6 can be phenyl andA is an anion.