Sunscreens are getting an upgrade.
What’s happening: The FDA approved the use of bemotrizinol (BEMT), the first new SPF filter in 25+ years.
Bright spot. Common in Europe and Asia, BEMT is a broad-spectrum chemical SPF filter that absorbs UVA and UVB rays. With minimal skin absorption, photostability, and no white cast, it’s suitable for all skin tones and types, making it a go-to in viral SPFs from K-beauty’s Beauty of Joseon and La Roche-Posay.
Now stateside, BEMT will be exclusively available via DSM-Firmenich’s PARSOL Shield for the first 18 months, after which global brands can enter without US-specific reformulations.
Opportunistic. Disappointed with current options, Americans have sought BEMT for years, turning to gray-market online sellers. Recognizing demand, the FDA cracked down, closing shops and stalling US shipments.
Paving the way for future filter approvals, BEMT is hitting the US at the right time, as only 22% of available sunscreens are considered safe and effective. Meanwhile, melanoma cases are up ~6%, linked to increased sun exposure, a lack of SPF usage, and possibly unsafe chemical filters.
Punchline: Decades in the making, the FDA is catching up with a filter that could be the key to solving the SPF conundrum.
