What is bemotrizinol? The sunscreen ingredient that was just approved by FDA
The approval gives Americans access to a skin-protecting chemical long used in Europe and other parts of the world (Getty Images)
Federal health regulators in the U.S. have approved bemotrizinol, a new sunscreen ingredient, marking the first such approval in over 25 years and introducing a chemical long available in European and other global markets.
Bemotrizinol meets the Food and Drug Administration’s stringent standards for safeguarding against harmful ultraviolet rays, offering protection against both UVA and UVB with minimal irritation and absorption, and is deemed safe for adults and children six months and older.
The ingredient will initially be sold in the U.S. under the brand name Parsol Shield by Dutch manufacturer DSM Nutritional Products, with a launch anticipated later this year, followed by an 18-month exclusive period before other manufacturers can incorporate it.
This approval addresses a crucial gap in the U.S. market, as previous new sunscreen introductions were hampered by the FDA’s complex system, with bemotrizinol being the first ingredient to navigate a more streamlined approval process authorized by Congress in 2020.
Experts, including David Andrews of the Environmental Working Group, emphasize that this approval helps modernize U.S. sunscreen technology, while the FDA continues to update its standards, having previously mandated broad-spectrum protection and proposing further measures for SPF and UVA protection.
