Earlier this year, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) added bemotrizinol to its list of permitted sunscreen active ingredients for use in the states, the first update to approved actives for sun protection since 1999.
Although Bemotrizinol, abbreviated as BEMT, has been used across the EU, Asia and other territories for many years, it is only in 2026 that over-the-counter sunscreens in the US can now be formulated with the ingredient, with products permitted to contain concentration levels of up to 6%.
Now, beauty brands are racing to release sun care skus in the US formulated with the newly approved ingredients, with La Roche-Posay, Neutrogena and Ultra Violette among the first to get through the gate.
Nutrition, health and beauty chemical company DSM-Firmenich was given exclusive rights to produce BEMT in the US under the name Parsol Shield.
Unlike mineral SPF formulations, sunscreens made with BEMT apply clear to the skin, with minimal absorption making the formulas well suited to sensitive or acne-prone skin.
The ingredient protects skin against both ageing and long-term damage from UVA rays, and surface sunburn from UVB.
New BEMT SPF launches that have landed in the US this year
La Roche-Posay, Anthelios UV Defence SPF 50 Sunscreen
La Roche-Posay has launched its first Anthelios sunscreen comprising BEMT – Anthelios UV Defense SPF 50 Sunscreen.
The L’Oréal-owned brand’s new launch features an amplified Cell-Ox Shield complex to provide 16-hour an
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