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Bemotrizinol sunscreen has reached U.S. store shelves, the Associated Press reported in a story carried by PBS NewsHour on October 15. The FDA cleared the ingredient in June, the first new sunscreen filter it has allowed in more than 25 years, according to the agency’s June 9 announcement.
This guide draws on the FDA announcement, the AP story, and Consumer Reports. It is general information, not medical advice. Ask a dermatologist about your own skin.
What bemotrizinol sunscreen contains
Bemotrizinol, or BEMT, is a chemical filter that blocks both UVA and UVB rays. Consumer Reports says UVB rays cause sunburn, UVA rays mainly age the skin, and both add to skin cancer risk. The AP calls BEMT the first chemical ingredient in the U.S. that covers both types of rays on its own. Until now, makers had to combine several ingredients to get that range.
The ingredient is not new everywhere. Europe has used it since 1999, Consumer Reports says, and the FDA notes it has been sold in many other countries for years. The U.S. treats sunscreen as a drug, so far fewer filters are cleared here. A Dutch company, DSM Nutritional Products, asked for the change. The FDA’s final order allows concentrations up to 6 percent and followed a December 2025 proposal and a public comment period.
How bemotrizinol sunscreen compares with older filters
Jennifer Stein, a dermatologist at NYU Langone Health, told the AP that BEMT is “a molecule that’s too big to really penetrate through the skin and get absorbed into the bloodstream.” In her words, “the older chemical sunscreens had small molecules.” Stein also said mineral sunscreens made with zinc oxide are “good sunscreens,” and called the new option “a nice option” for people who dislike them. Zinc oxide is stable but can leave a white cast, which Consumer Reports says may matter most for people with darker skin. Bemotrizinol does not leave white streaks.
David Andrews, chief science officer at the Environmental Working Group, pointed to a different gap. Avobenzone, an older chemical UVA filter, “has been known to be particularly unstable on its own,” he told the AP, while “BEMT is significantly more stable.” He said the new ingredient “provides a solution for what is currently a big gap with respect to providing strong UVA protection.”
What the safety reviews found
The FDA says bemotrizinol is absorbed through the skin at low levels and is generally recognized as safe and effective, for adults and for children 6 months and older. The AP reports that DSM studied more than 500 patients and found skin absorption nearly undetectable. FDA reviewers found that daily use for up to three weeks “did not cause irritation” or allergic reactions.
The environmental picture is less settled. The EU’s environmental agency found “limited evidence of environmental toxicity” for bemotrizinol, but the AP says longer-term research is needed. Hawaii and parts of Florida have banned oxybenzone and octinoxate over damage to coral reefs. Mineral ingredients are generally considered safer for the environment, though some experts advise avoiding nano formulations, and the AP notes that the phrases “reef safe” and “reef friendly” have no standard definition.
How to use bemotrizinol sunscreen
Bemotrizinol sunscreen does not change much about how you use sunscreen. Mona Gohara, a dermatologist at Yale School of Medicine, told Consumer Reports it is “an exciting addition to our sunscreen toolbox, but it does not make current sunscreens obsolete.” Stein told the AP that sunscreen is “just one part of an overall sun-protection plan,” and that “clothing is even better.”
Look for the words “broad spectrum protection” on the label and an SPF of at least 30. Sunscreens that do not block both UVA and UVB must carry an FDA warning. To try bemotrizinol sunscreen, check the active ingredients list for it. The AP names Neutrogena among the makers but no specific products, and neither report covers price. Reapply every few hours, and more often after swimming or heavy sweating.
The regulatory backdrop
The FDA revoked its approval of oxybenzone in September because it is “absorbed through the skin to a greater extent than previously understood,” the AP reports. More than a dozen other ingredients remain in U.S. sunscreens, and the agency says they need more safety evidence. That overhaul began in 2019. Consumer Reports adds that DSM-Firmenich holds 18 months of exclusive marketing rights and sells the ingredient as Parsol Shield, which may limit how many brands carry it at first.
Editor’s take
Bemotrizinol sunscreen is a useful addition, mostly for people who dislike the white cast of mineral formulas or want stronger UVA coverage from a chemical one. It is not a reason to throw out what you own. The best sunscreen is still the one you will wear and reapply. Price, brand availability, and the FDA’s next decisions on the older ingredients are the things to watch.
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