Here Comes the Sunscreen Ingredient the U.S. Has Been Waiting For (Little Darlin')

What’s coming, what the science says, and what to do in the meantime

My earliest memories of summer are at the Brighton Beach Baths in Brooklyn, before they closed in 1994. The pool. The cabanas. The unmistakable smell of Banana Boat mixed with chlorine in the air. I would scream at my mother to look up and watch me do some sort of unbalanced headstand in the water, nose plugged, then dive in with the zeal of an Olympian. I’d inevitably snort pool water up my nose and come up choking on my own words: “Did you see it, Ma?!”

She humored me. She always did. And she did it from a chaise lounge while holding up a sun reflector, anointed not in sunscreen but in Bain de Soleil— a tube of orange gel that promised “the St. Tropez tan.” It might have had an SPF of 4, a number so laughable it was basically a rounding error. It wasn’t sun protection. It was a tanning accelerator with a French name and a great marketing team.

A still image from the movie, There’s Something About Mary (no, this is not my mother).

I suppose it shouldn’t have surprised me when, years later, my mother was diagnosed with skin cancer and required Mohs surgery. But it did.

And did I learn from watching all of this? Not right away. In college, I was a regular at a tanning salon. Not a one-time thing, either. I had a membership. (Facepalm.) Yes, friends, your public health champion over here, your beacon of evidence-based science, used to voluntarily fry under UV lights at a strip mall salon on Long Island with “Tropical” in the name. I shudder thinking about it now.

But I have seen the light. (Pun very much intended.) My daily moisturizer now has SPF year-round, even throughout the Massachusetts winter-hermit months.

Between my mother’s skin cancer diagnosis and my own tanning salon years, I’d say I have a personal stake in this one. Which is why it drives me absolutely nuts to open social media and see people claiming chemical sunscreens cause cancer (they don’t). That sun exposure is safer than sunscreen (come again?). That mineral-only is the only “clean” option (that’s marketing copy, not science).

So, I brought in cosmetic chemist Kelly Dobos to walk through what’s actually new in sunscreen this year, including an update on the first new sunscreen ingredient the U.S. may approve in decades, and what the science says about protecting your skin. Over to Kelly to discuss…

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Spring break is almost here, and that means summer will be here before we know it. For many families, that means more time outside, vacations, sports, camp, and everything in between. But more time in the sun also brings increased exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation, a major driver of sunburn, premature aging, and skin cancer. And if you’ve heard the buzz about the impending approval of a new sunscreen filter known as bemotrizinol (BEMT), you may be wondering whether better products will finally be available in the U.S. this year.

A Brief History of Sunscreen in the U.S.

​​For decades, sunscreen innovation in the US has lagged behind Europe, Asia, and Australia. While other regions have approved new UV filters that are more photostable, more protective, and more cosmetically elegant, the U.S. has been limited to a small set of active ingredients, including zinc oxide and titanium dioxide, which leave a white cast, or avobenzone, which can degrade in sunlight and require stabilizers to remain effective.

Back in the 1930s and 40s, the first sunscreens looked very different from what we know today. They were mostly products with single-digit SPF (Sun Protection Factor) numbers, offering just enough protection to keep the worst sunburns at bay. By the 1950s, tanning had become wildly popular. Coppertone’s famous ads, featuring a mischievous dog tugging down a little girl’s swimsuit bottom to reveal tan lines, proudly encouraged people, “Tan, don’t burn.”

Everything changed in the 1970s, when the U.S. Food and Drug Administration reclassified sunscreens as over‑the‑counter drugs rather than simple cosmetics. That shift meant sunscreens had to meet stricter standards, clear labeling, proven effectiveness, and follow well‑defined lists of allowed active ingredients. It was a turning point that reflected a new reality. Sunscreen wasn’t just a beauty product anymore. It was becoming an essential tool for public health and a key player in reducing the risk of skin cancer.

Then, in the 1990s, scientists learned something important about the sun that changed how we think about protection. For years, most sunscreens had focused on blocking UVB rays, the ones that cause obvious sunburns. But research began showing that UVA rays, which reach deeper into the skin, could also play a serious role in skin damage and skin cancer. That discovery was a wake‑up call. Suddenly, it wasn’t enough to prevent burns; people needed broad‑spectrum sunscreens that shielded skin from both UVA and UVB.

As more studies revealed how harmful UVA could be, sunscreen companies raced to develop new ingredients that could protect against the full range of rays from the sun. At the same time, consumers were becoming more aware that tans, wrinkles, and long‑term skin aging were linked to these deeper‑penetrating wavelengths. People started looking for sunscreens labeled “broad‑spectrum,” and the industry had to evolve quickly to meet that expectation.

Europe moved faster because sunscreens there are regulated as cosmetics, making it easier to introduce new UVA‑protective filters. In the U.S., the process was slower. Avobenzone, approved in 1988, became the workhorse UVA filter and remains so today. But it came with a major drawback: it breaks down in sunlight unless carefully stabilized, which limits how well it performs on its own.

In 2006, another UVA‑protective ingredient, ecamsule (AKA Mexoryl SX), was also approved in the U.S., but only for specific products through a full New Drug Application. That meant it never became widely available across brands, leaving American consumers with fewer UVA‑filter options than people in many other countries.

A Long Road to Better Sunscreens: The Story of Bemotrizinol in the United States

Bemotrizinol was born in the late 1990s from a very intentional design process. Chemists wanted a UV filter that didn’t break down easily in the sun, didn’t irritate skin, and didn’t easily permeate through it. They engineered a large, highly stable molecule that remained on the skin’s surface and blocked both UVA and UVB radiation. It quickly became a staple in international sunscreens, raising the bar for protection and cosmetic elegance.

But while bemotrizinol was being used around the world, it hit an early roadblock in the U.S. Not because of safety problems or performance issues, but because of regulation. Because sunscreen filters are treated as over‑the‑counter drugs in the U.S., not cosmetic ingredients, bemotrizinol couldn’t simply be adopted because other countries had used it safely for years. Instead, it had to enter a long, technical approval pathway that required extensive safety data and clinical studies.

Years passed. Attempts to bring bemotrizinol and other modern sunscreen filters into the U.S. stalled. Manufacturers waited for clarity on what data the FDA wanted, and the FDA’s criteria shifted as it adopted new safety expectations. By the 2010s, it had become clear that simply being used safely abroad wasn’t enough. Companies would need to run modern skin absorption studies, known as maximal usage trials, along with updated toxicology reviews. Few sunscreen ingredients had ever been asked to produce this level of evidence, and the process added several more years to the ingredient’s journey.

While other applicants withdrew or paused development, more data accumulated to support bemotrizinol, including skin absorption studies, decades of post‑market safety data from abroad, photostability testing, and detailed toxicology reports. And in parallel, U.S. policy continued to evolve, too. The Sunscreen Innovation Act tried to accelerate reviews. The CARES Act created a new administrative order system for OTC drugs. With each shift, bemotrizinol’s dossier inched closer to the finish line.

Now, after more than twenty years of effort, the FDA has taken a major step forward: in December 2025, the agency formally proposed adding bemotrizinol to the list of approved sunscreen ingredients in the U.S. That proposal has gone through a public review period, and the FDA is now evaluating feedback before making a final decision. A final approval could come as early as mid-to-late 2026, though the timeline is not guaranteed. And even once approval is granted, companies still need time to reformulate products, test them, manufacture at scale, and distribute them across retailers. That process takes months and realistically more than a year.

Still, it’s good news. For the first time in decades, the U.S. sunscreen landscape is truly changing. A modern sunscreen filter that has been rigorously tested for safety will eventually give consumers more options that feel better, protect better, and fit seamlessly into everyday routines.

This summer, keep using the sunscreens you already trust, and remember that sunscreen is only one part of a sun protection strategy.

What You Can Do Now: Practical, Evidence-Backed Sun Protection

When it comes to staying safe in the sun, organizations like the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) and The Skin Cancer Foundation emphasize that the best approach to sun protection is a combination of habits. Sunscreen is incredibly important, but it works best as part of a broader routine that includes shade, clothing, and smart timing, especially as the days get longer and people spend more time outdoors.

The most reliable protection starts before you even reach for a bottle of sunscreen. Seeking shade, especially during the sun’s peak hours between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., is one of the easiest ways to reduce UV exposure. Clothing also plays a powerful role. Lightweight, tightly woven fabrics or garments with an ultraviolet protection factor (UPF) rating can shield large areas of skin. Wide‑brimmed hats protect the ears, face, and neck (places people frequently forget to apply sunscreen), and sunglasses that block 100% UVA and UVB help protect the eyes and surrounding skin. For babies under six months, both AAD and The Skin Cancer Foundation are clear: they should be kept out of direct sunlight entirely, relying on shade and protective clothing rather than sunscreen.

Of course, sunscreen is still essential, especially for the areas we can’t easily cover. Dermatologists recommend choosing a broad‑spectrum formula with SPF 30 or higher to protect against both UVA and UVB rays. In the U.S., dependable options include mineral sunscreens containing zinc oxide and properly formulated organic chemical sunscreens that use ingredients like avobenzone, octocrylene, and homosalate. And because sunscreen has to work in real life, it helps to know which product formats are actually permitted: under current FDA regulations, only lotions, creams, oils, gels, butters, pastes, ointments, sticks, sprays, and powders are officially recognized sunscreen forms, which means your sunscreens should fall into one of these categories. One important note: while sunscreens in cosmetic powders and other makeup products can help reinforce your UV protection, they’re typically not applied in sufficient amounts to provide full coverage and shouldn’t be relied on as your sole method of sun protection. The right sunscreen is ultimately the one you’ll apply generously and reapply, which is why cosmetic elegance matters far more than most people realize.

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Using sunscreen correctly is just as important as choosing the right one. Most adults need about one ounce, roughly a shot glass full, to cover their entire body. Sunscreens should be reapplied every two hours and sooner after swimming, sweating, or toweling off. Sprays are fine if that’s what you prefer, but they need to be applied generously and must be rubbed in to ensure even coverage.

Finally, it’s important to reemphasize that while that sunscreen adds an important layer of protection, pairing it with shade, clothing, and being mindful of time is the best overall defense. It’s not meant to replace those other habits, but to complement them.

Together, these habits form a sun‑smart routine that is simple, practical, and strongly supported by leading dermatology organizations. And the good news is that when used consistently, they really do make a difference, helping prevent sunburn today and lowering the risk of skin cancer.

Stay Curious,

Unbiased Science