The FDA Just Approved a New Sunscreen Filter, Bemotrizinol, the First In 27 Years

Well, thanks to an exceptionally overdue decision made today, June 9, 2026, the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has finally approved a new sunscreen filter. The chemical, bemotrizinol, also known as BEMT, has been available for use in both Europe and Asia since 2000, and it now joins the other approved UV filters in the US such as avobenzone, octisalate, titanium dioxide, and zinc, among eight other options.

For context, it's been over 27 years since the US has approved a new sunscreen filter for UV protection, and up until now, only two filters, avobenzone and zinc, have provided any type of UVA protection—those are the rays that penetrate deep into the dermal layer of the skin and cause wrinkles and other signs of premature aging. “UVB rays are what cause sunburns and play a big role in the development of skin cancer,” board-certified dermatologist Dara Spearman, MD, previously told Marie Claire. “UVA rays go deeper into the skin and are mostly responsible for premature aging. Think wrinkles and sunspots.”

Unfortunately, since many consumers prefer a chemical sunscreen over a mineral option (which can sometimes leave a white cast on the skin), avobenzone degrades quickly when exposed to UV light, in addition to being somewhat irritating for sensitive skin.

To beauty fans in the know, European and Asian sunscreens have long felt like the better option, especially compared to the US market. With more lightweight textures and an overall more elegant finish—not to mention more stable UVA protection—these formulas have been a must-buy when traveling internationally. I know that I tend to come home with at least three bottles in my suitcase after a trip abroad. Now, in just a few years (or, hopefully, a few months as brands start to formulate new products with BEMT) my sunscreen shopping can occur a little closer to home.

“This is a great day for American consumers and everyone who has fought to improve sunscreen options and close the UVA protection gap in U.S. sunscreens,” David Andrews, Ph.D., chief science officer at EWG, says in a report on EWG. “For decades, Americans have used outdated sunscreen tech while the rest of the world moved forward. The approval of bemotrizinol will help change that."

Now, according to the FDA, bemotrizinol “provides protection against both ultraviolet A and B rays and has low levels of absorption through the skin into the body.”

Having access to a significantly more photo-stable ingredient that also has zero white cast (although mineral sunscreens have gotten a lot better in the last year) will hopefully encourage more people to embrace SPF on a daily basis, not just for beach days. And with more UVA protection, anyone who chooses a product with BEMT can rest easy knowing that they are more thoroughly protected with their sun care products.

So while it may have taken 21 years to get here—the application for bemotrizinol was filed with the FDA in 2005—at least we can enter the summer season knowing that more best-in-class sunscreens will be hitting the shelves in America sooner than we think.