# The EU PFHxA cosmetics restriction: limits and earlier stock > The PFHxA cosmetics restriction applies from 10 October 2026. Check the chemical scope, reporting limits, and evidence for any earlier stock. Canonical URL: https://cosmeticaffairs.com/regulatory/eu-pfhxa-cosmetics-restriction-october-2026/ Author: [Cosmetic Affairs Editorial](https://cosmeticaffairs.com/authors/editorial/) Published: 2026-10-27T00:00:00-04:00 Editorial date: 2026-10-17 Modified: 2026-10-27T00:00:00-04:00 Collection: Regulatory Updates Topics: Regulatory, PFAS, Ingredient Restrictions ## Source record - Jurisdiction: European Union - Issuing authority: European Commission - Document status: Final regulation - Regulation adopted: 2024-09-19 - Source checked: 2026-10-27 - Restriction applies to cosmetics: 2026-10-10 ### Original documents - [Commission Regulation (EU) 2024/2462](https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2024/2462/oj/eng) - [ECHA REACH Annex XVII entry 79](https://echa.europa.eu/documents/10162/f1451352-6834-634d-79a9-b43880dae258) The EU restriction on PFHxA, its salts, and related substances began applying to cosmetics on 10 October 2026. It is a specific REACH restriction, introduced by Regulation (EU) 2024/2462, with defined chemical scope and concentration limits. A statement that a material is “PFAS tested” is too broad to establish whether it meets this entry. The report needs to identify the substances, matrix, method, and reporting limits relevant to the assessment. ## Read the two limits separately Entry 79 sets the following limits for cosmetics, measured in homogeneous material. The restriction applies at concentrations **equal to or greater than** either threshold: | Substance group | Threshold by mass | | --- | --- | | Sum of PFHxA and its salts | 25 parts per billion, equivalent to 25 micrograms per kilogram | | Sum of PFHxA-related substances | 1,000 parts per billion, equivalent to 1 milligram per kilogram | The ppb and mass-per-kilogram values express the same limits. Related substances are defined by structure and potential to degrade or transform into PFHxA; the entry includes exclusions. Use that definition when requesting evidence rather than substituting an unspecified total-PFAS test. ## Check what “not detected” means Ask the supplier to identify the grade, manufacturer, specification, and basis for its statement. Request relevant impurity and manufacturing-change information. Where testing is appropriate, discuss the actual matrix and purpose with a suitable laboratory. A reporting limit above the restriction threshold cannot establish that the sample is below it. A reported sum also needs an explanation of the substances included. Keep the analytical report with the declaration so the reviewer can examine both. ## Earlier placement needs supporting evidence Paragraph 7 exempts articles and mixtures placed on the market before 10 October 2026 from paragraph 1. It does not set a separate expiry for that derogation. Recital 25 explains that suppliers should be able to demonstrate earlier placement. Identify the stock and transactions behind any reliance on that provision. A manufacturing date establishes when goods were made, not by itself their market-placement history. Retain invoices, delivery information, and the explanation of the relevant transaction. Resolve ambiguous cases before assigning release status. ## Keep the wider PFAS proposal separate The Commission describes the wider PFAS initiative as a proposed restriction, with a Commission proposal to follow ECHA's opinion. That process does not replace today's text of entry 79. Address PFHxA in the current product review and follow the broader process in ingredient and supplier planning. If a material needs replacement, assess its function and compare alternatives for performance, compatibility, and supply as well as chemical scope. In the assessment, identify the stock covered by the supplier evidence or earlier-placement provision. Assign any unanswered supplier questions before deciding whether that stock can be released. ## Sources - [Commission Regulation (EU) 2024/2462: official legal record](https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2024/2462/oj/eng). - [European Commission: REACH restrictions](https://single-market-economy.ec.europa.eu/sectors/chemicals/reach/restrictions_en). - [European Commission: PFAS pollution and the wider restriction process](https://environment.ec.europa.eu/topics/chemicals/pfas-pollution_en).