Health · Pharma & Biotech · 10 hrs ago
FDA Approves Bemotrizinol, a New Sunscreen Ingredient, After 27 Years
The FDA approved bemotrizinol for sunscreen use in the US in June, ending a 27-year wait for a newly approved sunscreen filter.
The ingredient, also called BEMT, has been used in sunscreens in Asia, Europe and Australia since the late 1990s.
It absorbs both UVA and UVB rays and is described as lightweight and stable in sunlight.
La Roche-Posay has released an SPF 50 sunscreen with BEMT in the US.
A reviewer who tested it for more than a month said it absorbed quickly, left no white cast and felt gentle on skin.
The formula is not water- or sweat-resistant, so that is an important limitation for exercise or swimming.
The FDA approval means US brands can now release products containing BEMT.
The FDA approved bemotrizinol, a sunscreen ingredient, in June 2026.
The approval came 27 years after the ingredient was first approved in 1999, according to the article.
Bemotrizinol is used in sunscreens in Asia, Europe and Australia.
The approval allows brands to release products containing bemotrizinol in the United States.
La Roche-Posay released one of the first US products featuring the ingredient in the week of October 23, 2026.
- Who
- The US Food and Drug Administration approved bemotrizinol.
- What
- Bemotrizinol was approved as a sunscreen ingredient.
- When
- In June 2026.
- Where
- In the United States.
- Why
- The approval allows brands to release sunscreens containing the ingredient in the United States.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
The article says bemotrizinol was the first newly approved sunscreen filter since 1999.
The FDA approved bemotrizinol.
La Roche-Posay released one of the first US sunscreens featuring bemotrizinol.
- Ingredient
- Bemotrizinol (BEMT)
- FDA approval
- June 2026
- Time since previous new filter approval
- 27 years
- Earlier approvals
- 1999
- First US product cited
- La Roche-Posay Anthelios UVDefense Sunscreen SPF 50
- Product release
- Early in the week of October 23, 2026
What people are saying
BEMT absorbs both UVA rays (the ones that cause early signs of aging and can be a major contributor to skin cancer) and UVB rays (the ones that lead to surface-level damage and sunburn).