Bemotrizinol: The Next-Generation Sunscreen Ingredient Coming to the United States

For years, dermatologists have looked to Europe, Asia, and Australia with a bit of sunscreen envy. While consumers in those regions have had access to newer, more advanced ultraviolet (UV) filters, Americans have been limited to a smaller selection of sunscreen ingredients approved decades ago.

That is finally changing.

In June 2026, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved bemotrizinol (also known as BEMT, by its trade name PARSOL® Shield or Tinosorb S®¹. This is the first new sunscreen active ingredient added to the U.S. market in more than 20 years. The ingredient has been used safely around the world since the early 2000s and is widely recognized for its exceptional performance and favorable safety profile.

What Is Bemotrizinol?

Bemotrizinol is a broad-spectrum chemical UV filter that protects against both UVA and UVB rays². This distinction matters because UVB rays are primarily responsible for sunburn, while UVA rays penetrate deeper into the skin and contribute to premature aging like wrinkling and hyperpigmentation, including brown spots.

Unlike many currently available US sunscreen filters, bemotrizinol provides strong coverage across a wide range of the UV spectrum on its own. This allows formulators to create simpler, more effective sunscreen products.

Why Are Dermatologists So Excited About It?

One word: stability.

Many traditional chemical sunscreen ingredients become less effective when exposed to sunlight. For example, avobenzone, the most common UVA filter in US sunscreens, is inherently unstable and can degrade over time unless it is paired with stabilizing ingredients.

Bemotrizinol, on the other hand, is highly photostable, meaning it maintains its protective properties even after prolonged UV exposure. Bemotrizinol can also help stabilize other sunscreen ingredients when used in combination². This translates into more reliable broad-spectrum protection throughout the day.

For consumers, this means sunscreen formulations that can be:

• More durable under sun exposure

• More effective against UVA rays

• Less dependent on multiple UV filters

• Lighter and more cosmetically elegant

Is Bemotrizinol Safe for Sensitive Skin?

For many people, this may be one of bemotrizinol's most appealing features.

Available evidence suggests that bemotrizinol has a very low risk of causing allergic contact dermatitis or skin irritation. Decades of international use have established an excellent safety record, and the FDA concluded that the ingredient is generally recognized as safe and effective (GRASE) for adults and children six months of age and older.³⁻⁵

Its low allergy-causing potential may make it particularly attractive for individuals with sensitive skin who struggle to find tolerable sunscreens.

Of course, any sunscreen formulation contains multiple ingredients, such as fragrances, preservatives, and botanical extracts, that can trigger reactions. Even when a UV filter itself is well tolerated, checking the full ingredient list remains important. Once bemotrizinol becomes available in the US later this year, SkinSAFE will score the products so you’ll know if they’re a good choice for you. 

What About Absorption and Endocrine Disruption Concerns?

Questions about the safety of chemical sunscreens have increased in recent years, particularly around systemic absorption and potential hormone effects.

Current evidence on bemotrizinol is reassuring.

Studies show that bemotrizinol is minimally absorbed through the skin. Its large molecular size and chemical structure limit its ability to penetrate into the bloodstream in meaningful amounts. The FDA specifically noted its low levels of skin absorption during its review process⁶.

There is also no evidence that bemotrizinol acts as an endocrine disruptor in humans⁷. Regulatory agencies in multiple regions, including Europe and now the US, have reviewed extensive toxicology data and determined that available evidence supports its safety when used as directed.

When Will Bemotrizinol Be Available in the United States?

Although the FDA approved bemotrizinol in June 2026, consumers may need to wait a few months before seeing it on store shelves. The FDA's final order takes effect on August 9, 2026, and the first products are expected to launch in late 2026, with wider availability throughout 2027.

The rollout will happen gradually because DSM-Firmenich, the company that petitioned for FDA approval, has been granted an 18-month exclusivity period to market the ingredient in the United States⁸.

During this time, bemotrizinol will be sold under DSM-Firmenich's trade name, Parsol® Shield. Consumers are unlikely to see the international brand name Tinosorb® S, used by BASF, until the exclusivity period ends.

When shopping, look for "bemotrizinol" or "Parsol® Shield" on the active ingredients list.

After the 18-month exclusivity period expires, additional suppliers and sunscreen brands will be able to use the ingredient, likely leading to broader availability and more product options.

The Bottom Line

Bemotrizinol represents a major step forward in sunscreen innovation in the United States.

Its combination of broad-spectrum protection, exceptional photostability, low allergenic potential, minimal skin absorption, and reassuring safety data makes it one of the most promising sunscreen ingredients available today.

While it is not a reason to stop using your current sunscreen, it does offer consumers another effective option, especially those seeking a lightweight and cosmetically elegant formula that is suitable for sensitive skin.

The best sunscreen is still the one you will use every day. Bemotrizinol may simply make that choice easier.

References: 

1. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. (2026, June 11). FDA expands sunscreen options for the first time in 20 years. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

2. Ziglar, J., Mohammad, T. F., Gilaberte, Y., & Lim, H. W. (2025). Sunscreens: Updates on sunscreen filters and formulations. Photodermatology, Photoimmunology & Photomedicine, 41(3), e70026.

3. Luna-Bastante, L., Gatica-Ortega, M. E., Pastor-Nieto, M. A., et al. (2020). Allergic contact dermatitis to Tinosorb S, Scutellaria baicalensis, and other emerging allergens in cosmetics. Contact Dermatitis, 82(5), 307–309.

4. Badaoui, A. (2024). Allergic contact dermatitis to bis-ethylhexyloxyphenol methoxyphenyl triazine (Tinosorb S) in a sunscreen: An emerging allergen? Contact Dermatitis, 91(5), 443–445.

5. Suzuki, K., Futamura, K., Sugiyama, M., Matsunaga, K., & Yagami, A. (2022). Allergic contact dermatitis caused by dimethicodiethylbenzalmalonate (polysilicone-15, Parsol SLX) and bis-ethylhexyloxyphenol methoxyphenyl triazine (Tinosorb S) in sunscreen cream. Contact Dermatitis, 87(1), 108–110.

6. D'Ruiz, C. D., Plautz, J. R., Schuetz, R., Sanabria, C., Hammonds, J., Erato, C., Klock, J., Vollhardt, J., & Mesaros, S. (2023). Preliminary clinical pharmacokinetic evaluation of bemotrizinol—A new sunscreen active ingredient being considered for inclusion under the FDA's over-the-counter (OTC) sunscreen monograph. Regulatory Toxicology and Pharmacology, 139, 105344.

7. Ashby, J., Tinwell, H., Plautz, J., Twomey, K., and Lefevre, P. A. (2001). Lack of binding to isolated estrogen or androgen receptors, and inactivity in the immature rat uterotrophic assay, of the ultraviolet sunscreen filters Tinosorb M-active and Tinosorb S. Regulatory Toxicology and Pharmacology, 34(3), 287–291.

8. Godoy, M. (2026, June 13). 4 things to know about the newly approved sunscreen ingredient. NPR.