FDA approves bemotrizinol, new sunscreen filter in 20 years

For the first time in more than two decades, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved a new active ingredient for sunscreens, a move that will introduce a long-used global sunscreen technology to the American market. The ingredient, bemotrizinol, was approved on Tuesday, June 9, 2026, and is the first addition to the FDA’s list of permitted sunscreen filters since the late 1990s.

The FDA stated that bemotrizinol, which will be marketed under the brand name Parsol Shield by the manufacturer DSMFirmenich, meets the agency’s standards for safety and effectiveness. The agency considers it generally recognized as safe and effective for adults and children six months and older, noting it has low levels of absorption through the skin.

The approval marks a significant shift in the U.S. sunscreen landscape, which has lagged behind Europe, Australia, and parts of Asia in available ingredients. Sunscreens are regulated as over-the-counter drugs in the United States, a process that has historically been lengthy. Bemotrizinol was first submitted for FDA review in 2005 and has been widely used internationally for years.

Experts and advocates highlight several advantages of the new...