Novel benzoxazolyl benzene derivatives of formula (I): ##STR1##

wherein R¹ is hydrogen, C_1-20-alkyl or C_2-20-alkenyl; R² and R³ are independently a group —C(R⁴,R⁵)C(R⁶)C(R⁷,R⁸) (a) or a group —C(R⁴,R⁵)CH(R⁶)CH(R⁷,R⁸) (b), wherein R⁴, R⁵, R⁶, R⁷, R⁸, R⁴, R⁵, R⁶, R⁷ and R⁸ are independently, hydrogen, C_1-10-alkyl or C_2-10-alkenyl, or C_2-10-alkyl or C_3-10-alkenyl containing at least one oxygen atom interrupting the hydrocarbon chain; or wherein R⁴, R⁵, R⁶, R⁴, R⁵ and R⁶ are hydrogen, C_1-10-alkyl or C_2-10-alkyl containing at least one oxygen atom interrupting the hydrocarbon chain, or alkyl substituted by silane or oligosiloxane moiety, and one of R⁷ and R⁸ or R⁷ and R⁸ is a silane or oligosiloxane moiety and the other one of R⁷ and R⁸ or R⁷ and R⁸ is hydrogen; and X is phenylene or naphthylene, or substituted phenylene or naphthylene for use as UV screening agents for protecting human skin or hair against radiation, and in UV screening compositions, particularly topical compositions for cosmentic or dermatological use.