DHHB in Derma's sunscreens - What you should know
 

At Derma, we use the UV filter Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate (DHHB) in several of our sunscreens. We have chosen this UV filter because it is widely recognized as both safe and effective.

Recently, questions have been raised about DHHB and the fact that, in certain cases, it can contain small amounts of DnHexP, a substance with endocrine-disrupting properties.

For this reason, the European Union has set a limit on the amount of DnHexP that may be present in DHHB. The maximum permitted level is 10 ppm (parts per million).

This limit has been established by the European Union’s Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety (SCCS), where experts, including toxicologists, assess substances used in skincare and cosmetic products. Their assessment concluded that products containing DnHexP would still be safe at a higher level (up to 260 ppm). However, the EU has chosen to set the limit significantly lower. (See the SCCS' report for further details.)

The new EU regulation will come into force in January 2027. However, at Derma, we already comply with the upcoming requirements.

Our supplier of DHHB guarantees that the level of DnHexP in the UV filter does not exceed 1 ppm. This is ten times lower than the upcoming limit set by the European Union.

DnHexP can occur as an impurity during the production of DHHB, but manufacturers have developed improved production methods to minimize and remove such impurities. All cosmetic products, including sunscreens, are subject to strict safety requirements within the European Union. Thanks to these high standards, you can feel confident using sunscreens sold in the European Union.

In addition, DHHB may constitute no more than 10% of SPF products. This means that the potential level of DnHexP in Derma’s finished products is very low – no more than 0.1 ppm.

Not only do our sunscreens comply with the upcoming EU requirements, but the level of DnHexP in our products is also well below the established limit.

Both the Nordic Swan Ecolabel and AllergyCertified have assessed DHHB and concluded that it meets their strict requirements for product composition and safety. As a result, they approve DHHB as one of the few UVA filters permitted in their certified products.