Updated

Updated · PBS NewsHour · Jun 15

FDA Approves First New OTC Sunscreen Ingredient in 25 Years, Opening Door to BEMT

Updated

Updated · PBS NewsHour · Jun 15

FDA Approves First New OTC Sunscreen Ingredient in 25 Years, Opening Door to BEMT

Q: A new 'elegant' sunscreen is finally approved. But what will this long-awaited upgrade cost you at the store?

There is no announced retail price yet for sunscreens made with bemotrizinol, the newly approved UV filter. What is known is that the FDA cleared bemotrizinol, or BEMT, on June 9, 2026, and manufacturers can begin using it in U.S. over-the-counter sunscreens starting August 9. Products are expected to reach store shelves around September. Dermatologists say the ingredient should allow for lighter-feeling, broad-spectrum sunscreens without the white cast associated with many mineral formulas. But neither the FDA announcement nor the reporting around the approval included a consumer price. The available coverage points instead to development and regulatory costs: DSM-Firmenich, which markets the ingredient as Parsol Shield, spent more than $18 million over roughly two decades to win approval. That figure reflects the cost of bringing the ingredient to market, not what shoppers will pay. Pricing may vary at launch because one company will have exclusive rights to the ingredient for about 18 months, which could limit early competition. After that exclusivity period, broader use by multiple brands could put downward pressure on prices. For now, the best expectation is not a confirmed dollar amount but a likely premium at launch for newer formulations, followed by wider availability and potentially more competitive pricing once more brands enter the market.

3 articles · Updated · PBS NewsHour · Jun 15

Bemotrizinol won FDA approval for over-the-counter sunscreens, the first new active ingredient cleared in more than 25 years.
BEMT has been used in Europe and Asia since the 1990s and is valued for broad-spectrum UVA and UVB protection with negligible absorption and less skin irritation.
Manufacturers can start using the ingredient on Aug. 9, 2026, though one company will hold about 18 months of exclusivity before wider rollout.
The approval comes as more than 8,500 Americans are expected to die from melanoma this year and public concern about sunscreen toxicity rose to 24% in 2025 from 17% in 2021.
Dermatologists said the long delay reflected cumbersome U.S. approval requirements and argued the change could speed access to other safe sunscreen ingredients.

Sources

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PBS NewsHour12h ago

FDA Approves Bemotrizinol for OTC Sunscreens, First New Ingredient in 25 Years

alaskadermatologist.com12h ago

Bemotrizinol: New FDA-Approved Sunscreen Ingredient | Advanced Dermatology of Alaska

KFOR Oklahoma City12h ago

FDA's approval of bemotrizinol sunscreen sparks industry excitement

4 Sources

U.S. sunscreen was stuck in the '90s. What finally broke the two-decade logjam for modern sun protection?

A new 'elegant' sunscreen is finally approved. But what will this long-awaited upgrade cost you at the store?

Landmark FDA Approval: Bemotrizinol Brings Advanced Broad-Spectrum Sunscreen to U.S. Market After 20-Year Wait

Overview

On June 9, 2026, the FDA approved bemotrizinol (PARSOL® Shield) as an over-the-counter sunscreen ingredient, marking the first new sunscreen filter allowed in the U.S. in over 20 years. Already used in Europe since 2000, bemotrizinol offers broad-spectrum protection against UVA and UVB rays. Unlike older chemical filters that can enter the bloodstream at unsafe levels and linger for weeks, bemotrizinol is a large molecule that does not absorb through the skin. This approval addresses safety concerns, brings advanced sun protection to American consumers, and opens the door for more innovative and user-friendly sunscreen products.

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