FDA considering new sunscreen ingredient for sensitive skin

There has been much buzz around the SPF ingredient bemotrizinol, also known as BEMT or Tinosorb S. Earlier this month, the FDA announced a long-awaited proposal to expand the list of approved sunscreen active ingredients in the United States to include bemotrizinol. If finalized, this would mark the first major update to U.S. sunscreen ingredients in nearly three decades!

Bemotrizinol is great for sensitive skin. I have used Eucerin sunscreen in Italy that contains this ingredient and really liked it. We do not yet know which brands here would begin using bemotrizinol, if approved.

What is bemotrizinol?

Bemotrizinol is a broad-spectrum UV filter, meaning it protects against both UVA and UVB rays. One of its biggest advantages is its strong stability in real-world sun exposure, which allows sunscreens formulated with this ingredient to maintain their protective strength longer.

Bemotrizinol also has a unique hybrid chemical structure that allows it to absorb UV radiation while also reflecting and scattering some rays, combining benefits of both chemical and mineral sunscreens.

What does this proposal mean?

The FDA is seeking public comments on the proposal. Once the public comment period ends and the FDA completes its review, it will decide whether to issue a final order adding bemotrizinol to the active ingredient list.

If bemotrizinol is added to the FDA’s list of approved sunscreen ingredients, it would be considered “generally recognized as safe and effective” (GRASE), allowing U.S. sunscreen manufacturers to begin formulating products with this ingredient. This could open the door for new and potentially more effective sunscreen products to enter the U.S. market.

Bottom Line

The FDA’s proposal to add bemotrizinol to the list of approved sunscreen ingredients is an exciting step toward advancing sun protection formulas in the U.S. If approved, it may still take some time before we see products formulated with this ingredient on store shelves, so in the meantime, continue using a broad-spectrum sunscreen with SPF 30 or higher.

I am now seeing patients at Body and Beauty in Palm Beach and will begin in Bay Harbor, FL in April. Questions/comments? Come ask me on reddit r/skintypesolutions