Why the US Has Only 16 Sunscreen Filters While Europe Has ~30
Even after the FDA approved bemotrizinol in 2026, US formulators can use just 16 UV filters versus roughly 30 in Europe — here's why American sunscreen feels behind.
Even after the FDA's 2026 approval of bemotrizinol, US formulators have access to 16 approved UV filters, while European formulators have access to roughly 30.
Public-health researchers writing on modernizing US sunscreen rules argue that the limited filter list leaves American formulas behind on broad-spectrum performance, and the FDA's 2026 approval of bemotrizinol was reported as a long-awaited step toward catching up.
Questions we get a lot
How many UV filters are approved in the US versus Europe?
Even after the FDA's 2026 approval of bemotrizinol, US formulators have access to 16 approved UV filters, while European formulators can choose from roughly 30. That gap means a number of newer filters common in European and Asian products aren't yet available in US sunscreens. The difference is largely about regulation, not the chemistry itself.
Why is it so hard to get new sunscreen filters approved in the US?
The US regulates sunscreen as an over-the-counter drug, which subjects new UV filters to a higher approval bar than the cosmetic framework used in much of Europe. That's why new filters have been slow to reach US shelves. Researchers argue this lag has kept American formulas a step behind on broad-spectrum options.
What is bemotrizinol and why was its FDA approval a big deal?
Bemotrizinol is a broad-spectrum UV filter long used in Europe and Asia that the FDA approved in 2026, reported as the first new US sunscreen filter in roughly two decades. Its approval was seen as a step toward narrowing the gap between US and European sunscreen options. Even so, it still leaves the US with far fewer filters than Europe overall.
r/SkincareAddiction: 'Why is everyone obsessed with Korean and European sunscreens? Is American SPF actually worse, or is that just hype?'