This Sunscreen Ingredient Was Just Approved in the US: What to Know
The ingredient filters both UVA and UVB rays and can last four to eight hours, dermatologists said.
- On June 9, 2026, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved Bemotrizinol, the first new sunscreen ingredient permitted for over-the-counter consumer use in the United States since 1999.
- Although new to the United States, Bemotrizinol has been utilized by consumers in Europe and Asia for decades, with European regulators first approving the chemical in 2000.
- The ingredient offers broad-spectrum protection against UVA and UVB rays and remains photostable, meaning it does not degrade as readily in the sun as older chemical products.
- Regulators noted the chemical is unlikely to cause skin irritation, making it suitable for children as young as 6 months and eliminating the need to mix multiple filters.
- Modernizing the U.S. sunscreen market, this approval follows long-standing advocacy by the American Academy of Dermatology to streamline the cumbersome, multi-step drug approval process for over-the-counter products.
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Bemotrizinol (BEMT): A New, Old, Very Good Sunscreen Finally Gets Approved
It's 20 years late, but an improved sunscreen called BEMT will soon be available to Americans. Its discovery and synthesis are vaguely related to illicit fentanyl. The chemistry is cool, and, according to both the "broken clock" and "blind squirrel" adages, even the Environmental Working Group gets it right.
A better sunscreen has been available in Europe for 25 years. It just became legal to sell in the U.S.
As summer in the U.S. heats up, people become more diligent about protecting their skin from the Sun. Another option for doing so will soon be available. On June 9, 2026, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the first new sunscreen ingredient to be permitted for over-the-counter consumer use in the U.S. since 1999 – a chemical called bemotrizinol. Bemotrizinol isn’t new – consumers in Europe and Asia have used it for decades. Some are …
The US just approved bemotrizinol, a sunscreen ingredient long used in Asia and Europe. Here's how it works.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the first new sunscreen ingredient to be permitted for over-the-counter consumer use in the U.S. since 1999.
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