EcoSunsafe Defence Plus: Three Modern UV Filters in One Supplier System

EcoSunsafe Defence Plus — ingredient library

Quick Note

EcoSunsafe Defence Plus is not one UV-filter molecule. Public supplier information lists three modern organic filters inside the blend: DHHB for UVA, EHT for high-efficiency UVB absorption, and BEMT for broad UVA + UVB coverage. That combination is scientifically rational and uses filters permitted under India’s UV-filter standard.

In this guide

What exactly is EcoSunsafe Defence Plus?

EcoSunsafe Defence Plus is a proprietary UV-filter raw material supplied by EcoCos Biotechnologies. It is not an INCI ingredient by itself in the same sense as Zinc Oxide, Titanium Dioxide or Niacinamide. A finished-product ingredient list should reflect the individual INCI components contributed by the blend.

EcoCos publicly positions the EcoSunsafe family as an encapsulated / micro-dispersed sunscreen technology intended to improve UV-filter delivery, sensory feel and formulation efficiency. SpecialChem categorizes Defence Plus as a sunscreen-agent / UV-filter active system.

For Open Science, the useful way to explain it is as a formulation system containing multiple filters rather than as a new molecule.

What is actually inside the supplier blend?

Publicly listed INCI: Aqua; C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate; Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate; Ethylhexyl Triazone; Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine; Phospholipids; Polysorbate 80; 1,3-Butylene Glycol; Phenoxyethanol.

The three ingredients doing the direct UV-filtering work are DHHB, EHT and BEMT. The remaining listed ingredients form the vehicle, dispersion/delivery environment and preservation system.

What public sources do not disclose is equally important: the assay or exact percentage of each UV filter inside EcoSunsafe Defence Plus. Without that information, a formulator cannot calculate the final DHHB, EHT or BEMT concentration from the trade-blend percentage alone.

Three filters, three different jobs

DHHB, EHT and BEMT overlap, but they are not redundant. EHT is an exceptionally efficient UVB absorber. DHHB is designed for UVA and peaks near 354 nm. BEMT is a broad-spectrum filter with strong UVB and UVA absorption and two major absorption maxima around 310 and 343 nm.

The value of combining them is spectral complementarity. Instead of asking one molecule to carry the entire UV spectrum, the system assigns different wavelength regions to filters that are particularly effective there.

That is a formulation principle, not an automatic SPF number.

EcoSunsafe Defence Plus UV filter system

DHHB: the long-UVA anchor

Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate (DHHB) is an oil-soluble, photostable UVA filter with an absorption maximum around 354 nm. It is particularly useful in UVA1, the longer-wave part of UVA associated with deeper photobiological effects.

Photochemical studies describe DHHB as photostable in tested sunscreen formulations. One important nuance: DHHB should not automatically be described as a universal photostabilizer for every other filter. A study combining it with avobenzone found DHHB itself remained photostable but did not improve avobenzone photostability under those experimental conditions.

India’s IS 4707 permits DHHB up to 10% in the ready-to-use cosmetic.

EHT: the UVB efficiency engine

Ethylhexyl Triazone (EHT) is a high-molecular-weight, oil-soluble UVB filter with peak absorption around 314 nm. It is known for very high UVB absorptivity and strong photostability, which is why relatively low concentrations can make an important contribution to SPF.

That does not make EHT a broad-spectrum filter. Its role is mainly UVB, so it needs UVA partners in a modern sunscreen.

India permits EHT up to 5% in the ready-to-use cosmetic.

BEMT: the broad-spectrum bridge

Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine (BEMT, also called bemotrizinol) is a photostable broad-spectrum organic UV filter. It absorbs in both UVB and UVA, with well-known absorption maxima around 310 nm and 343 nm.

BEMT is valuable not only because it adds spectral coverage; classic formulation research also showed that it can improve the photostability of avobenzone-containing systems under tested conditions.

India permits BEMT up to 10% in the ready-to-use cosmetic.

DHHB, EHT and BEMT perform complementary UV-filtering roles

Why a pre-dispersed / encapsulated system can matter

A raw-material system can be useful even when the same filters could technically be purchased separately. Pre-dispersion can simplify incorporation, reduce crystallization or solubility problems, and help distribute filters more uniformly through a formula.

EcoCos describes the EcoSunsafe range as micro-dispersed and encapsulated. The listed phospholipids and Polysorbate 80 are consistent with a delivery/dispersion role, but the exact architecture of Defence Plus is proprietary and is not fully described in the public sources reviewed.

Fairywren should therefore say “supplier-described encapsulated / micro-dispersion technology” unless its TDS provides a more specific technical description.

Why trade-blend percentage is not filter percentage

This is the most important formulation point. If a sunscreen contains 10% EcoSunsafe Defence Plus, that does not mean it contains 10% DHHB + EHT + BEMT. The trade raw material also contains water, emollient, phospholipid, surfactant, glycol and preservative.

To calculate regulatory compliance and understand the actual filter loading, Fairywren needs the supplier specification or CoA showing the concentration/assay of DHHB, EHT and BEMT in the raw material.

Fairywren formulation principle

A trade-name percentage is meaningful only after you know what the trade material contains.

Does EcoSunsafe Defence Plus itself equal SPF 50 or PA++++?

No. The supplier markets Defence Plus as a high-protection sunscreen solution and recent supplier-linked communication has described SPF >50 and PA++++ positioning.[1,2] That is not the same as saying any formula containing the blend automatically becomes SPF 50 PA++++.

SPF and UVA/PA performance depend on the final filter concentrations, other filters, emollients, solubilization, dispersion, rheology, film formation, application thickness and stability of the complete formula.

This is exactly why competitor formulas using DHHB, EHT and BEMT still market their own in-vivo-tested SPF/PA results rather than relying only on the filter names.

Supplier claims vs evidence Fairywren should hold

Some claims can be supported from the chemistry of the disclosed filters: UVA absorption, UVB absorption, broad-spectrum contribution and strong photostability of these modern filters.

Other claims should be supported by supplier- or finished-product-specific data before Fairywren publishes them: no white cast, blue-light protection, infrared protection, pollution defence, biodegradability, reef-safe positioning, a specific SPF/PA boost, or a specific water-resistance result.

The cleanest website approach is to state the verified ingredient architecture publicly and keep stronger performance claims tied to Fairywren’s own test section.

Blue light and infrared: what can we honestly say?

The publicly listed filters are designed primarily for ultraviolet wavelengths. DHHB is mainly UVA, EHT mainly UVB, and BEMT spans UVB/UVA with absorption declining toward the visible-light region.

That means the INCI list alone does not establish meaningful protection against blue/visible light, and it does not establish infrared filtration. Reviews of photoprotection note that standard organic/inorganic sunscreen filters are not direct infrared-A filters.

If EcoCos has validated Defence Plus against HEV/blue light or infrared endpoints through a specific system test, Fairywren can evaluate that report. Until then, do not turn a supplier marketing phrase into a Fairywren consumer claim.

EcoSunsafe Defence Plus in a hybrid sunscreen system

Where it fits in Fairywren’s hybrid UV-filter system

Fairywren’s sunscreen uses EcoSunsafe Defence Plus alongside Zinc Oxide and Titanium Dioxide. That gives the sunscreen a hybrid architecture with both organic and inorganic filters.

Inside that system, EHT strengthens UVB, DHHB strengthens UVA, BEMT bridges UVA + UVB, Zinc Oxide contributes broad and long-wave UVA/UVB attenuation, and Titanium Dioxide contributes strongly in UVB and shorter UVA.

This is a useful Open Science story because it shows why a multi-filter system exists: not to create a longer ingredient list, but to build complementary coverage and formulation performance.

The actual SPF 50 / PA claim must remain tied to Fairywren’s finished-product testing rather than to any one component.

Indian regulatory guardrails

India’s IS 4707 (Part 4):2022 lists all three organic filters in Defence Plus as permitted UV filters with maximum concentrations in the ready-to-use cosmetic: DHHB 10%, EHT 5%, and BEMT 10%.

Because Defence Plus is a proprietary blend, Fairywren’s regulatory file should include supplier composition/assay data sufficient to demonstrate that the finished sunscreen remains within those individual limits.

The trade blend’s own use level is not a substitute for checking each regulated UV filter.

Raw-material quality and DHHB impurity control

DHHB deserves an additional raw-material quality note. The EU SCCS reviewed contamination by di-n-hexyl phthalate (DnHexP) in DHHB, and EU regulation was updated in 2026 to tighten the permitted trace impurity level.

This is not a reason to avoid DHHB. It is a reason to require good supplier documentation and manufacturing control. For Fairywren, the practical question is whether the EcoSunsafe raw-material specification and CoA document DHHB quality and relevant impurities.

Open Science should not turn this into a consumer scare point; it belongs primarily in formulation and quality-control discipline.

What this trade ingredient cannot tell you

The trade name alone cannot tell you Fairywren’s SPF, PA rating, UVA-PF, critical wavelength, water resistance, white-cast performance, blue-light protection or infrared protection.

It also cannot tell you the actual final concentration of DHHB, EHT or BEMT unless you know the supplier assay.

And because EcoSunsafe Defence Plus is a supplier system rather than a single molecule, scientific evidence on DHHB, EHT and BEMT explains the filter logic — it does not automatically validate every performance claim made for the proprietary blend.

Common myths

The claim: “EcoSunsafe Defence Plus is one UV filter.”

Verdict: No. It is a proprietary blend containing three organic UV filters plus carrier/delivery ingredients.

The claim: “If I use 10% Defence Plus, I have 10% UV filters.”

Verdict: No. The trade blend also contains water, emollient, phospholipid, surfactant, glycol and preservative. Supplier assay data are needed.

The claim: “The blend automatically gives SPF 50 PA++++.”

Verdict: No. SPF and PA are finished-product performance claims and must come from appropriate testing of the final sunscreen.

The claim: “Blue-light and infrared protection are obvious from these three filters.”

Verdict: No. Their established role is UV filtration. Blue-light/visible-light and IR claims require separate supporting evidence.

The claim: “Because the blend is photostable, the entire sunscreen is automatically photostable.”

Verdict: No. Finished-formula photostability depends on the complete filter system, vehicle and interactions.

Frequently asked questions

What is EcoSunsafe Defence Plus?

A proprietary supplier UV-filter blend from EcoCos Biotechnologies containing DHHB, EHT and BEMT plus carrier/delivery ingredients.

Is it a chemical or mineral UV filter?

The direct UV filters inside Defence Plus are organic filters. Fairywren combines the system with Zinc Oxide and Titanium Dioxide, creating a hybrid sunscreen architecture.

Which filters are inside it?

Public sources list Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate (DHHB), Ethylhexyl Triazone (EHT) and Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine (BEMT).

What does DHHB do?

It is a photostable UVA filter with an absorption maximum near 354 nm and an important role in longer-wave UVA protection.

What does EHT do?

It is a highly efficient photostable UVB filter with peak absorption around 314 nm.

What does BEMT do?

It is a photostable broad-spectrum filter with strong absorption in both UVB and UVA.

Does EcoSunsafe Defence Plus guarantee SPF 50 PA++++?

No. The finished sunscreen formula must be appropriately tested for SPF and UVA/PA performance.

Does it protect against blue light?

The supplier markets the EcoSunsafe range with HEV/blue-light positioning, but the publicly listed filter chemistry alone is not enough to substantiate that claim. Fairywren should rely on direct test data.

Does it protect against infrared?

Do not assume so from the three UV filters. Infrared protection requires separate evidence and should not be inferred from UV-filter presence.

How do we know the final concentration of each filter?

Use the supplier TDS/CoA or assay for EcoSunsafe Defence Plus, then calculate the final DHHB, EHT and BEMT levels from the actual trade-blend use rate.

SCIENTIFIC REFERENCES

  1. EcoSunsafe Defence Plus by EcoCos Biotechnologies. SpecialChem. Public product record, updated 25 May 2026. Public INCI and supplier claims.
  2. EcoCos Biotechnologies. EcoSunsafe range supplier communication: encapsulated / micro-dispersed sunscreen systems and Defence Plus positioning. LinkedIn company update.
  3. Shamoto Y, Yagi M, Oguchi-Fujiyama N, Miyazawa K, Kikuchi A. Photophysical properties of hexyl diethylaminohydroxybenzoylbenzoate (Uvinul A Plus), a UV-A absorber. Photochemical & Photobiological Sciences. 2017;16(9):1449-1457. DOI: 10.1039/C7PP00164A. PMID: 28782789.
  4. Diethylamino hydroxybenzoyl hexyl benzoate (DHHB) as additive to the UV filter avobenzone in cosmetic sunscreen formulations — evaluation of photochemical behavior and photostabilizing effect. European Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences. 2017;99:299-309. DOI: 10.1016/j.ejps.2016.12.031. PMID: 28042100.
  5. Ultrafast Transient Absorption Spectroscopy of the Sunscreen Constituent Ethylhexyl Triazone. Journal of Physical Chemistry Letters. 2017. DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpclett.7b00633.
  6. Quantification of Sunscreen Ethylhexyl Triazone in Topical Skin-Care Products by Normal-Phase TLC/Densitometry. Journal of Analytical Methods in Chemistry. 2012. Notes EHT lambda-max around 314 nm, high absorptivity and photostability.
  7. Chatelain E, Gabard B. Photostabilization of Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane (Avobenzone) and Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate by Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine (Tinosorb S). Photochemistry and Photobiology. 2001;74(3):401-406. DOI: 10.1562/0031-8655(2001)074<0401:POBMAA>2.0.CO;2. PMID: 11594052.
  8. BASF Care Chemicals. Tinosorb S / Bemotrizinol spectral information. Broad-spectrum UV filter with absorption maxima around 310 and 343 nm; photostable UVB/UVA filter.
  9. Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety (SCCS). Scientific Advice on the safety of Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate (DHHB), SCCS/1678/25, adopted 26 June 2025; EU impurity controls subsequently updated in 2026.
  10. Wang SQ, Balagula Y, Osterwalder U. Current challenges in photoprotection / related photoprotection literature: standard sunscreen filters are not specific infrared-A filters; IR protection claims require other evidence.
  11. Bureau of Indian Standards. IS 4707 (Part 4):2022 — Classification of Cosmetic Raw Materials and Adjuncts: List of UV Filters Allowed in Cosmetics with Restriction. DHHB max 10%; Ethylhexyl Triazone max 5%; BEMT max 10%.