Bemotrizinol: The First New US Sunscreen Filter in Decades
You keep hearing bemotrizinol is finally coming to American shelves, so here is what it is, what it protects against, and why it took so long.
In June 2026 the FDA amended OTC Monograph M020 to add bemotrizinol at concentrations up to 6%, making it the first new active added to the OTC sunscreen monograph since the late 1990s; it is highly photostable and provides broad-spectrum UVB and UVA coverage.
The FDA has described expanding the list of allowed sunscreen actives as a way to give Americans access to filters already used abroad, and dermatology coverage frames bemotrizinol's addition as a long-overdue step toward better UVA protection.
Questions we get a lot
What is bemotrizinol and what does it do?
Bemotrizinol, also sold as Tinosorb S, is a broad-spectrum UV filter that absorbs both UVB and UVA radiation. It is notably photostable, so it does not degrade quickly under sunlight, which helps maintain protection over time. It has been used in EU sunscreens for years and is valued for delivering strong coverage in lightweight formulas.
Why is bemotrizinol such a big deal for US sunscreen?
It is the first new active added to the US OTC sunscreen monograph since the late 1990s, ending a decades-long gap. The FDA amended OTC Monograph M020 to allow bemotrizinol at concentrations up to 6%. Because it offers strong broad-spectrum coverage, its approval is seen as a meaningful modernization of the US filter lineup.
Why did it take so long to approve a new sunscreen filter in the US?
US sunscreens are regulated as over-the-counter drugs, and adding a new active requires a rigorous monograph process that had stalled for years. The FDA has worked to expand the approved ingredient list to bring newer filters to American consumers. Bemotrizinol's addition to OTC Monograph M020 marks the first such update in roughly a generation.
r/SkincareAddiction: 'Is bemotrizinol actually going to be in American sunscreens now? Why did it take literally decades?'