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- The United States Food & Drug Administration announced today that bemotrizinol has been added to the list of approved sunscreen filters in the United States—the first such addition in more than twenty years.
- The ingredient has been available in Europe for decades and has many unique attributes that make American dermatologists excited about it being available in our country.
- Brands are already formulating with the ingredient, which is gentler, longer-lasting, and provides better protection from UVA radiation than some of the current filters available.
It’s easy to assume the sunscreen available to you in the US is identical to the types everyone else is slathering on around the world. It's not that simple, though. There are only a few sunscreen ingredients available in our country currently, but, now, the United States Food & Drug Administration has added another one to that list.
The agency announced today that bemotrizinol, which is currently available in Europe, will be added as a permitted active ingredient for use in sunscreens. Until today, the FDA only recognized two sunscreen active ingredients as Generally Recognized As Safe and Effective (GRASE)—the mineral sunscreens zinc oxide and titanium dioxide. Many common chemical filters like oxybenzone and avobenzone are under safety review, which means that while they are still currently available to the purchasing public, the jury is still out as to whether or not there are long-term safety risks associated with their usage. Bemotrizinol, a chemical filter, will fall under GRASE category as absorption is low.
Meet the experts: Joshua Zeichner, MD, is the director of cosmetic and clinical research in dermatology at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City. Gary Goldenberg, MD, is a board-certified dermatologist practicing in New York City. Ife J. Rodney, MD, is a dermatologist and founding director of Eternal Dermatology Aesthetics. Asha Patel Shah, MD, MBA, FAAD, is the head of medical affairs, North America, Skin Health & Baby at Kenvue.
While products containing the ingredient are not yet available Stateside, this news will help bring American sunscreens up to the level of their European counterparts, which have a reputation for being more advanced and just plain better.
Dermatologists are all for this move. Here’s what they want you to know.
What is bemotrizinol?
Bemotrizinol is a chemical UV filter that has been available in Europe for decades, explains Joshua Zeichner, MD, director of cosmetic and clinical research in dermatology at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City. “It has an advantage over other chemical UV filters currently available the US because it provides broader protection against UV light, including long-wave UVA rays, which is the wavelength thought to penetrate most deeply into the skin and be most associated with the development of skin cancers,” he says. “Currently available sunscreen filters do a poor job at blocking these long-wave UVA rays.” He also shares that the ingredient is unlikely to irritate even the most sensitive skin types.
Another big plus is that bemotrizinol is also photostable, which means it doesn’t quickly break down in the sun, adds Ife J. Rodney, MD, dermatologist and founding director of Eternal Dermatology Aesthetics. “That means it may last longer on the skin,” she says. This is a big advancement as experts know that in order to get long-lasting protection, you must use the right amount—and reapply frequently.
To start, you’ll see the ingredient listed on product labels as PARSOL Shield, a proprietary brand name developed by cosmetic ingredient manufacturer dsm-firmenich. Later, you’ll see it listed as its generic ingredient name bemotrizinol or BEMT.
Dermatologists are all for this.
One more big perk of bemotrizinol is that it “plays well with other sunscreen ingredients,” says Gary Goldenberg, MD, a board-certified dermatologist practicing in New York City, providing a higher SPF at lower doses, too. This is why our experts are encouraged by the fact that it hasbeen fully approved for us by the FDA, with Zeichner calling the news “extremely exciting.” Goldenberg agrees. “This is excellent news and long overdue,” he says. “We have been stuck in the past, while the rest of the world enjoys superior formulas with lightweight, elegant, safer sunscreens with better protection.”
Another sunscreen ingredient will allow give people better tools to protect against the sun’s harmful rays, Zeichner says. “Ultimately this will mean fewer skin cancers, including melanomas, which are potentially fatal,” he adds. Rodney says this move is also a big win for people with sensitive skin. “It can be very useful for people with some sensitive skin types who have trouble finding a sunscreen that won’t irritate their skin,” she says.
When will bemotrizinol be added to sunscreens for purchase?
That’s tough to say. While the announcement just came today, sunscreen manufacturers have been anticipating the news for a while—and may already be experimenting with the ingredient in formulas. “Americans deserve timely access to the best safe, effective, and consumer-friendly over-the-counter products available,” FDA Commissioner Marty Makary said in an earlier statement.
One major manufacturer, Kenvue, the parent company of the number one sunscreen brand in America, Neutrogena, already has plans to add the ingredient to its formulas. “Once the bemotrizinol order is final later this year, Neutrogena will integrate this filter into its sunscreen innovation pipeline, leveraging its aesthetic benefits and gentleness profile into formulations,” Asha Patel Shah, MD, MBA, FAAD, head of medical affairs, North America, Skin Health & Baby at Kenvue tells Women’s Health exclusively.
Zeichner can’t wait. “As soon as sunscreens in the US begin to be produced with bemotrizinol, I can tell you that I will be the first in line to purchase it,” he says. In the meantime, here are a few SPF products that are currently available and approved by the Women's Health beauty team.
3 Chemical Sunscreens For All Skin Types
A mix of chemical filters gets a boost from hyaluronic acid to provide a moisturizing experience that's completely non-comedogenic (meaning it won't clog your pores).
This unique formula actually works better when you sweat, making it a great option for those who work out regularly (hello, that's you). Plus, it features licorice root extract, which is proven to soothe breakouts.
Chemical sunscreens can be tricky to use if you have highly reactive skin. Luckily, this one contains La Roche-Posay's thermal spring water to calm your outer layer.
3 Mineral Sunscreens For All Skin Types
Sure, there are less expensive options out there, but none can give you the benefits of this formula, which includes supercharged zinc oxide (that goes on sheer), hyaluronic acid and niacinamide to hydrate and soothe, and silk extract to smooth skin's texture.
This brightening SPF (with niacinamide and vitamin C) works wonders: It features a forgiving texture that won't exacerbate the struggles of those with overactive sebaceous glands (read: it's slightly mattifying).
This sunscreen spreads easily on the skin and does not leave a white cast. It contains aloe leaf juice and squalane to keep skin hydrated. It also leaves behind a dry, satiny finish means allowing the lotion to works as a great primer under makeup as well.
Korin Miller is a seasoned freelance writer specializing in general wellness, sexual health and relationships, and lifestyle trends, with work appearing in Men’s Health, Women’s Health, Everyday Health, Food & Wine, and more. She has a master’s degree from American University and lives by the beach.
Brian Underwood is beauty director at Women’s Health, where he oversees content strategy for the brand across all platforms, including digital, print, and social. Underwood previously served as beauty and wellness director at Oprah Daily and O, The Oprah Magazine. During his tenure leading beauty content for the Oprah brand at Hearst, stories Underwood commissioned were awarded the Skin Cancer Foundation Media Award and a Fragrance Award for Editorial Excellence (his second). He was the launch Beauty Director of Dr. Oz THE GOOD LIFE, and has held additional editorial positions at Fitness, Organic Style, Good Housekeeping, Life & Style Weekly, and Woman’s Day and has written for Self, Shape, Seventeen, Redbook, Cosmopolitan, and many more. Underwood previously served on the Skin Cancer Foundation’s gala committee and as partnerships director of the Trans Beauty Clinic, a New York-based charitable organization that provided beauty services and workshops to the city’s trans community.
