New Sunscreen Ingredient Hits US Shelves After a Quarter Century

A new sunscreen ingredient just landed in American drugstores, and it is the first of its kind to reach U.S. shelves in more than a quarter-century. According to Fortune, citing The Associated Press, the chemical is called bemotrizinol, or BEMT, and it has been a go-to option in Europe and other parts of the world for decades. Sunscreens that contain it, including formulas from Neutrogena and other manufacturers, are now hitting store shelves.

If you have ever dodged mineral sunscreen because it leaves you looking like a ghost, this one is aimed squarely at you. Here is what you actually need to know before you toss a new bottle in your cart.

What Makes BEMT Different

Good sunscreen has to block two kinds of ultraviolet light. UVB rays cause most sunburn, while UVA rays pose the greatest risk of skin cancer and wrinkles. Products that block both are labeled "broad spectrum protection," and those that do not must carry an FDA warning label, according to the Associated Press.

Here is the headline: BEMT is the first chemical-based sunscreen in the U.S. that offers this dual protection on its own. Until now, brands had to mix several ingredients together to cover both UVA and UVB. David Andrews, chief science officer of the Environmental Working Group, told the AP that the ingredient "provides a solution for what is currently a big gap with respect to providing strong UVA protection."

The Food and Drug Administration approved bemotrizinol in June, and the first products have now made it to retail. It is part of a long effort to overhaul sunscreen rules in the U.S. that kicked off back in twenty nineteen. More than a dozen other ingredients still sold here will need extra evidence to prove they are safe and effective, the agency has said.

No White Cast, Better Feel

Mineral sunscreens made with zinc oxide and titanium dioxide work well, and dermatologists still call them good options. The catch is cosmetic. They can leave white streaking and discoloration, especially on people with darker complexions, and plenty of folks simply hate the texture.

That is where this new sunscreen ingredient could change daily habits. "Those are good sunscreens," said Dr. Jennifer Stein, a dermatologist at NYU Langone Health. "But for people who aren't so inclined to use them, maybe they don't like how it feels on their skin, this is a nice option." Less chalky and more wearable usually means people actually put it on, which is the whole point.

Industry voices see the same upside. Trade coverage of a recent webinar suggests the ingredient lets formulators build lighter, more creative products that could move SPF from the beach bag into a daily routine, according to the dsm-firmenich team behind it.

Is It Safe? The Skin Absorption Question

The new sunscreen ingredient matters for safety too. Chemical sunscreens soak into the skin, so regulators have to make sure they do not build up in the body at unsafe levels. That concern is real: last month the FDA revoked approval of an older chemical ingredient, oxybenzone, after finding it was absorbed through the skin to a greater extent than previously understood.

BEMT does not have that problem, experts say. "It's a molecule that's too big to really penetrate through the skin and get absorbed into the bloodstream," Stein explained. "The older chemical sunscreens had small molecules." The FDA reviewed studies of more than five hundred patients run by the Dutch manufacturer DSM Nutritional Products, and absorbed levels were nearly undetectable.

Reviewers also looked at people who used the product daily for up to three weeks and found it "did not cause irritation" or allergic reactions. As a result, the agency designated BEMT as "generally recognized as safe and effective," the same status held by zinc oxide and titanium dioxide.

Stable in the Sun, Still a Question for Reefs

There is another practical win. BEMT does not quickly break down in sunlight. That has been a long-running headache for avobenzone, the only other chemical ingredient that filters UVA. "Avobenzone has been known to be particularly unstable on its own, and a lot of work and reformulation efforts have gone into trying to find ways to stabilize it," Andrews said. "BEMT is significantly more stable."

Ocean lovers should hold their applause for now. Scientists have shown that some sunscreen chemicals can trigger bleaching and damage coral reefs, which led Hawaii and parts of Florida to ban oxybenzone and octinoxate. The AP reports that the European Union's environmental agency found "limited evidence of environmental toxicity" with BEMT, but longer-term research is still needed. Terms like "reef safe" have no standard definition in the U.S., so treat them as marketing until proven otherwise.

How to Actually Use It

Do not assume a fancy label gives you a free pass. Dermatologists say you should reapply every few hours, and more often if you are swimming or sweating. Shade breaks, hats and sun-protective clothing matter too. "Sunscreen is just one part of an overall sun-protection plan," Stein said. "Clothing is even better."

The bigger story is choice. For the first time in a generation, shoppers get a fresh tool that blocks the rays behind skin cancer without a thick white film. Read the active ingredient list on the back of the bottle and look for bemotrizinol. For more on the science and health stories shaping your daily life, check out our health coverage.