An active or functional organic compound is solubilized in a phenylethyl ester, e.g. an aryl carboxylic ester of 2-phenylethyl alcohol, as a solvent, cosolvent or additive, to form a composition thereof. Representative active or functional organic compounds include personal care products, e.g. sunscreens containing UVA/UVB absorbing compounds, such as avobenzone and benzophenone-3. Such compositions also show increased critical wavelength and UVA/UVB absorbance ratio performance properties.