On TikTok, Instagram, and various media, there's a discussion about ppm values, phthalates, and endocrine-disrupting chemicals. But what is the debate really about? And should you be worried about the sunscreen you apply to your skin every day? 

Let's look at the facts:

Should you be worried?

Short answer: NO

The concern is understandable. 

When pregnant or having small children, one naturally wants to protect both oneself and the child as best as possible. Precisely for this reason, the EU asked its experts to investigate DnHexP, which can occur as an impurity in the UV filter DHHB. 

The conclusion was that DHHB with up to 260 ppm DnHexP could be safely used under the approved conditions of use. 

The EU has subsequently chosen to introduce an even stricter requirement of a maximum of 10 ppm from 2027. 

If you want to know more about the content of your sunscreen, you can always contact the manufacturer and ask: 

• Do you know the content of DnHexP in your DHHB raw material? 
• Have you had the raw material analyzed? 
• Would you like to share the analysis results? 
 
Yes, Raz Skincare knows them and shares them further down.  

Now let's take a closer look at what DnHexP actually is, where it is found, and why it has caused debate. 

What is DnHexP?

DnHexP is an abbreviation for Di-n-hexyl phthalate.

It belongs to a group of substances called phthalates. 

Phthalates are not used as active ingredients in modern sunscreens, but DnHexP can occur as a very small impurity in certain raw materials. 

When talking about DnHexP in sunscreen, it is therefore not about an ingredient that is intentionally added. It is about traces of a substance that can be found in extremely small amounts in a UV filter. 

Where is DnHexP found?

DnHexP is primarily associated with the UV filter Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate (DHHB). 

DHHB is better known by the trade name Uvinul A Plus. 

The filter is used by some of the world's most renowned sunscreen manufacturers and is found in a large number of European premium sunscreens. 

What does the legislation say?

Many are surprised to hear that the number 260 ppm is often mentioned in the debate about DnHexP. 

In 2025, the EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety (SCCS) assessed that DHHB with up to 260 ppm DnHexP could be safely used under the approved conditions of use in cosmetic products. 

However, 260 ppm is not actually a legally binding limit. At the time of writing, there is no specific applicable EU limit for DnHexP in DHHB. 

Subsequently, the EU Commission chose to introduce a significantly stricter limit. 

From January 1, 2027, new cosmetic products containing DHHB may only be marketed in the EU if the DnHexP content in the DHHB raw material does not exceed 10 ppm. 

The EU has thus chosen a limit that is 26 times lower than the concentration that the SCCS deemed safe. 

What about products launched before 2027?

This does not mean that sunscreens produced before 2027 automatically become illegal or unsafe. As with most changes in cosmetic legislation, the EU has introduced a transitional period. 

Products already legally marketed before January 1, 2027, can continue to be sold for a period after the rule change. 

Only from July 1, 2028 must all products on the market comply with the new requirements. 

Therefore, if you see a sunscreen on the shelf in 2027 or 2028 with a high content of DnHexP, it does not necessarily mean that the product is illegal. It may be a product that was legally produced and marketed under the previous regulations. 

Where does Raz Skincare stand? 

At Raz Skincare, we have chosen to analyze our DHHB raw materials. 
The results show: 
 
 

SPF30 & SPF50+ Invisible Face Fluid

DnHexP: 1.0 ppm 

This level corresponds to approximately one tenth of the upcoming EU limit and reflects an extremely pure DHHB raw material. 

Rich SPF, Calm SPF and Repair SPF

DnHexP: 4.6 ppm 

This level remains significantly below the upcoming EU limit of 10 ppm and reflects a very pure DHHB raw material. 

All Raz Skincare's sunscreen products already meet the upcoming EU requirement of a maximum of 10 ppm DnHexP in DHHB by July 1, 2028.  

What does ppm mean? 

When talking about DnHexP, the content is measured in ppm. 

ppm means "parts per million". 

The lower the number, the less DnHexP the raw material contains. 

A lower ppm number therefore means a purer raw material. 

Conclusion

DnHexP is not an active ingredient in sunscreen. 

It is an impurity that can occur in very small amounts in the UV filter DHHB. 

DHHB is also one of the most effective and widely used UVA filters in modern European sun protection. 

At Raz Skincare, our analyzed products contain between 1.0 ppm and 4.6 ppm DnHexP, which are very low levels and a sign of a very pure DHHB raw material, and therefore we already comply with the upcoming regulations.  

For most consumers, the focus should therefore remain the same: 

Use sunscreen every day. 

The biggest risk to the skin is still the sun – not the sunscreen. 
 
Greetings, Raz 

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