FDA approved bemotrizinol (BEMT) for US sunscreen, first new filter since 1999

The FDA just approved bemotrizinol (BEMT), a popular European and Asian sunscreen ingredient that absorbs both UVA and UVB rays. It is the first time the FDA has approved a new sunscreen ingredient since 1999. In plain English: US sunscreen is finally getting a modern UV-blocking component after decades of lag.

The timing matters because bemotrizinol is not a minor tweak. It is a chemical UV filter designed to be more effective at protecting skin, and it does not break down easily when exposed to sunlight. The catch is that consumers will still have to wait more than a year to get these improved American products, even though the ingredient is now cleared.

Why the approval feels like a reset: in the US, sunscreen is treated as a non-prescription drug. That regulatory framing forces each ingredient through a lengthy approval process. Over time, that made sunscreen advancement slow-moving, and the FDA did not approve a new UV-blocking filter in decades. Other countries did not sit still. Markets like the UK, South Korea, Japan, and Australia have been proactive about approving advanced ingredients, and the result is that sunscreens there can deliver stronger protection across both UVA and UVB while also applying more smoothly.

The issue is not that US sunscreen is useless. As dermatologist Dr. Ellen Gendler, practicing in New York City, put it, US sunscreens are “very good” at blocking UVB rays, the ones that cause sunburn. But UVA is a different problem. UVA rays are deeper-penetrating, which is part of why someone can still tan while wearing sunscreen. Gendler also noted that this can be “even more harmful to the skin” than UVB damage, because UVA rays are known to cause skin cancer. And she emphasized that SPF is not an indicator of protection against UVA. In her experience, patients using high-SPF products can still tan because they are not well protected against ultraviolet A.

Part of the broader frustration is the feel and finish. One common complaint about US sunscreens is that they leave a white cast and can feel greasy. That complaint has driven many people to look abroad for formulas that apply more cleanly. The reason international sunscreens often feel better comes down to regulatory classification: in other countries, sunscreens are classified as cosmetics rather than non-prescription drugs. That generally means faster innovation and a shorter path for ingredient updates. For example, Gendler described her favorite international sunscreen as La Roche Posay’s SPF 50 Anthelios UVMune 400, which uses Mexoryl 400. She noted Mexoryl variants have been considered among the best UVA-blocking ingredients since 2005.

Yet the US has not fully mirrored that progress. The FDA has only approved some forms of Mexoryl in limited formulas, which means that La Roche Posay versions sold in the US may not include Mexoryl in their main sunscreens. The source points to an exception: the only La Roche Posay product in the US with Mexoryl is an SPF-15 moisturizer. That limitation is part of the reason UVA protection in US products has lagged, and it is also why an FDA-approved filter like bemotrizinol could matter beyond just “more protection,” because it targets the UVA gap and may improve the texture users complain about.

So what does BEMT change, specifically? The ingredient is described as a chemical UV filter that absorbs both UVA and UVB rays. It is also supposed to enable more seamless, streak-free application, which addresses two practical barriers to adoption: effectiveness and usability. But the industry is not getting an instant nationwide swap. DSM Nutritional Products, which filed for FDA approval of bemotrizinol as a sunscreen ingredient in 2024, will have exclusive rights to sell its proprietary BEMT formulation in the US for 18 months, according to Vox. After that exclusivity window, other cosmetic companies can likely follow suit.

For executives, the second-order implications are the competitive and operational math. For one, this is the biggest US sunscreen ingredient update since 1999, which makes it a forcing function for R&D pipelines, formulation teams, and portfolio planning. Companies that relied on older UVA coverage strategies may find their differentiators eroding as consumer expectations shift toward broader spectrum protection that also feels better on skin. Meanwhile, the exclusivity period creates a window where DSM’s ingredient can become a headline differentiator, which can drive partner negotiations, co-development, and speed-to-shelf decisions across the category.

And for anyone watching the broader regulatory landscape, sunscreen is a small product with big signals. When the FDA treats a category like a drug, innovation slows. When it finally moves, the market starts to look like the places that already modernized. US consumers may have to wait over a year to see these new and improved American products, but the strategic storyline is clear: the UVA and UVB gap that kept US formulas “old-fashioned” is now officially being narrowed, and competitors will have to decide how quickly they want to catch up.