The first new sunscreen type in 25 years has arrived on US store shelves

Bemotrizinol reached U.S. store shelves in Washington and elsewhere after the FDA approved it in June, marking the first new sunscreen chemical option in more than 25 years. The ingredient, also known as BEMT, provides broad-spectrum UVA and UVB protection without the white streaking associated with some mineral sunscreens. Studies reviewed by the FDA found nearly undetectable skin absorption and no irritation or allergic reactions. Longer-term research is still needed on its effects on coral reefs.

The FDA reviewed BEMT safety studies involving more than 500 patients conducted by Dutch manufacturer DSM Nutritional Products.

Daily use of BEMT for up to three weeks did not cause irritation or allergic reactions in the studies reviewed by the FDA.

About 25 percent of sunscreen applied to the skin is estimated to wash off while people swim or wade in the ocean.

Avobenzone, the only other chemical-based ingredient that filters UVA light, is known to be unstable on its own, while experts describe BEMT as significantly more stable.

The FDA began an effort to overhaul U.S. sunscreen ingredients in 2019, and more than a dozen other ingredients still require additional safety and effectiveness evidence.

Published Oct 15, 2026 1:24 am KST

Updated Oct 15, 2026 1:34 am KST

A screenshot from Neutrogena's website shows its new Ultra Sheer SPF 70 sunscreen.

WASHINGTON — For the first time in more than a quarter-century, Americans have a new option when shopping for sunscreen: a skin-protecting chemical that’s long been a go-to option in Europe and other parts of the world.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved bemotrizinol — sometimes called BEMT — in June. The first sunscreens containing it are now hitting U.S. store shelves, including formulas from Neutrogena and other manufacturers.

Dermatologists say the chemical fills an important market gap by offering broad protection, like the most well-established sunscreen ingredients, but without their cosmetic downsides, including white streaking.

BEMT has decades of safety data behind it, including studies showing it has minimal absorption into the skin. That’s been a concern with some older sun-blocking chemicals.

“It’s not a brand-new ingredient that you’re going to be the first person to try,” said Dr. Jennifer Stein, a dermatologist at NYU Langone Health.

Here’s what to know:

New ingredient offers broad protection without streaks

To be effective, sunscreens must protect against both forms of ultraviolet light that can damage the skin — UVB rays, which cause most sunburn, and UVA rays that pose the greatest risk of skin cancer and wrinkles.

Sunscreens that block both forms are labeled “broad spectrum protection.” Those that don’t must carry an FDA warning label.

BEMT is the first chemical-based sunscreen in the U.S. that offers this dual protection. Previously, manufacturers had to mix multiple ingredients to protect against both UVA and UVB light.

“This ingredient provides a solution for what is currently a big gap with respect to providing strong UVA protection,” said David Andrews, chief science officer of the Environmental Working Group, a nonprofit that advocates for higher sunscreen standards.

A different class of sunscreens, using minerals such as zinc oxide and titanium dioxide, has long been shown to offer strong protection against both forms of ultraviolet light. These mineral-based formulas work by physically blocking harmful rays from the skin.

But some people — particularly those with darker complexions — tend to avoid them because they cause white streaking and discoloration. In other cases, people don’t like their texture or consistency.

“Those are good sunscreens,” Stein said. “But for people who aren’t so inclined to use them — maybe they don’t like how it feels on their skin — this is a nice option.”

There's less skin penetration with the new formula

The fact that chemical-based sunscreens are absorbed into the skin means they have to be carefully studied to make sure they aren't building up in the body at unsafe levels.

Last month, the FDA revoked approval of an older chemical ingredient, oxybenzone, after determining it was “absorbed through the skin to a greater extent than previously understood.”

That’s not a problem with BEMT.

“It’s a molecule that’s too big to really penetrate through the skin and get absorbed into the bloodstream,” Stein said. “The older chemical sunscreens had small molecules.”

As part of its safety review, the FDA reviewed studies of BEMT in more than 500 patients conducted by Dutch manufacturer DSM Nutritional Products. Levels of the chemical absorbed into the skin were nearly undetectable, the studies found.

Agency reviewers said research in people who used the sunscreen daily for up to three weeks showed that BEMT “did not cause irritation” or allergic reactions. As a result, the FDA designated the ingredient as “generally recognized as safe and effective,” alongside the older mineral ingredients zinc oxide and titanium dioxide.

More than a dozen other ingredients are currently used in U.S. sunscreens, but the FDA has said they will require additional evidence to support their safety and effectiveness. The FDA review is part of an ongoing effort to overhaul U.S. sunscreen ingredients that kicked off in 2019.

More evidence is needed about the impact on coral reefs

Scientists have shown that some sunscreen ingredients can trigger bleaching and damage coral reefs. That's led to bans on two chemical ingredients — oxybenzone, the ingredient recently targeted by the FDA, and octinoxate — in Hawaii and parts of Florida. It's estimated about 25% of the sunscreen people apply to their skin washes off while swimming or wading in the ocean.

The U.S. government doesn't classify the environmental impact of sunscreens, and marketing claims like “reef safe” or “reef friendly” have no standard definition or requirements. The European Union's environmental agency has found “limited evidence of environmental toxicity” with BEMT, but longer-term research is needed.

Mineral ingredients like zinc oxide are generally considered safer for the environment, although some experts recommend staying away from so-called nano formulations. Those products are made with tiny particles that are more likely to be inhaled or absorbed by marine organisms.

Older chemicals were often unstable

Experts say BEMT has one other key advantage, in that it doesn’t quickly break down in the sun. That’s been a particular issue for avobenzone, the only other chemical-based ingredient that filters UVA light.

“Avobenzone has been known to be particularly unstable on its own, and a lot of work and reformulation efforts have gone into trying to find ways to stabilize it,” said Andrews. “BEMT is significantly more stable.”

As with all sunscreens, dermatologists say it’s important to reapply every few hours — more frequently if you’re swimming or sweating a lot.

Also, people shouldn’t rely on sunscreen alone when spending time outside, Stein said. Taking breaks in the shade, wearing a hat and sun-protective clothing are all important protections.

“Sunscreen is just one part of an overall sun-protection plan,” Stein said. “Clothing is even better.”

贝莫曲嗪醇（Bemotrizinol）于6月获得美国食品药品监督管理局（FDA）批准后，已在华盛顿特区及其他地区的商店上架，成为25年来首个获批的新型防晒化学成分。该成分也称为BEMT，可提供广谱UVA和UVB防护，且不会像某些矿物防晒霜那样留下白色条纹。FDA审查的研究发现，该成分几乎不会被皮肤吸收，也不会引起刺激或过敏反应。目前仍需开展更长期的研究，以评估其对珊瑚礁的影响。

FDA审查了荷兰制造商DSM营养产品公司开展的涉及500多名患者的BEMT安全性研究。

FDA审查的研究表明，每天使用BEMT长达三周不会引起刺激或过敏反应。

据估计，人们在海里游泳或涉水时，涂抹在皮肤上的防晒霜约有 25% 会被冲走。

阿伏苯宗是唯一另一种可以过滤 UVA 光的化学成分，但已知其本身不稳定，而专家则认为 BEMT 的稳定性要好得多。

美国食品药品监督管理局 (FDA) 于 2019 年开始着手改革美国防晒霜成分，目前仍有十几种成分需要提供额外的安全性和有效性证据。

发布于2026年10月15日凌晨1点24分（韩国标准时间）

更新于2026年10月15日凌晨1点34分（韩国标准时间）

露得清官网的截图显示了其新款 Ultra Sheer SPF 70 防晒霜。

华盛顿——二十五年来，美国人在购买防晒霜时首次有了新的选择：一种长期以来一直是欧洲和世界其他地区首选的皮肤保护化学物质。

美国食品药品监督管理局（FDA）于6月批准了贝莫曲嗪醇（有时也称为BEMT）上市。首批含有该成分的防晒霜现已在美国商店上架，其中包括露得清和其他制造商的产品。

皮肤科医生表示，这种化学物质填补了重要的市场空白，它能像最成熟的防晒成分一样提供广泛的保护，但没有防晒成分带来的美容方面的缺点，例如留下白色条纹。

BEMT拥有数十年的安全数据支持，其中包括多项研究表明其皮肤吸收率极低。这一点一直是某些老式防晒化学产品的隐患。

“这并不是一种全新的成分，你不会是第一个尝试的人，”纽约大学朗格尼健康中心的皮肤科医生詹妮弗·斯坦博士说。

以下是您需要了解的内容：

新成分提供广谱防护，不留痕迹

有效的防晒霜必须能够防护两种可能损伤皮肤的紫外线——UVB 射线（导致大多数晒伤）和 UVA 射线（对皮肤癌和皱纹的风险最大）。

能同时阻挡这两种紫外线的防晒霜被称为“广谱防晒”。不能阻挡这两种紫外线的防晒霜必须贴有美国食品药品监督管理局（FDA）的警告标签。

BEMT是美国首款提供双重防护的化学防晒霜。此前，制造商必须混合多种成分才能同时防护UVA和UVB射线。

“这种成分为目前防晒产品在提供强效 UVA 防护方面存在的巨大缺口提供了一个解决方案，”倡导提高防晒霜标准的非营利组织“环境工作组”的首席科学官大卫·安德鲁斯说道。

另一类防晒霜，例如使用氧化锌和二氧化钛等矿物质的防晒霜，早已被证明能有效防护两种形式的紫外线。这些矿物配方通过物理阻挡有害射线来发挥作用。

但有些人——尤其是肤色较深的人——往往会避免使用美白产品，因为它们会导致皮肤出现白色条纹和变色。在其他情况下，人们则不喜欢它们的质地或触感。

“这些都是不错的防晒霜，”斯坦说。“但对于那些不太愿意使用防晒霜的人来说——也许他们不喜欢防晒霜涂在皮肤上的感觉——这是一个不错的选择。”

新配方对皮肤的渗透性更低。

由于化学防晒霜会被皮肤吸收，因此必须对其进行仔细研究，以确保它们不会在体内积累到不安全的水平。

上个月，FDA撤销了对一种较老的化学成分氧苯酮的批准，原因是FDA认定该成分“通过皮肤吸收的程度比之前所了解的要大”。

BEMT不存在这个问题。

斯坦因说：“这种分子太大，无法真正穿透皮肤并被血液吸收。早期的化学防晒霜分子都很小。”

作为安全审查的一部分，FDA审查了荷兰制造商DSM营养产品公司对500多名患者进行的BEMT研究。研究发现，皮肤吸收的化学物质含量几乎检测不到。

监管机构审查人员表示，对连续三周每日使用该防晒霜的人群进行的研究表明，BEMT“不会引起刺激”或过敏反应。因此，FDA将该成分与较早的矿物成分氧化锌和二氧化钛一起，认定为“公认安全有效”。

目前美国防晒霜中还使用了十几种其他成分，但FDA表示，他们需要更多证据来证明这些成分的安全性和有效性。FDA的这项审查是美国防晒霜成分改革计划的一部分，该计划始于2019年。

还需要更多证据来证明其对珊瑚礁的影响。

科学家已经证实，某些防晒霜成分会引发珊瑚白化并损害珊瑚礁。这导致夏威夷和佛罗里达州部分地区禁用了两种化学成分——氧苯酮（最近被美国食品药品监督管理局盯上的成分）和甲氧基肉桂酸辛酯。据估计，人们涂抹在皮肤上的防晒霜约有25%会在游泳或涉水时被海水冲走。

美国政府并未对防晒霜的环境影响进行分类，诸如“对珊瑚礁安全”或“对珊瑚礁友好”之类的营销宣传也没有统一的定义或要求。欧盟环境署发现，BEMT存在“有限的环境毒性证据”，但仍需进行更长期的研究。

氧化锌等矿物成分通常被认为对环境更安全，但一些专家建议避免使用所谓的纳米配方。这些产品由微小颗粒制成，更容易被海洋生物吸入或吸收。

老旧的化学品通常不稳定。

专家表示，BEMT 还有一个关键优势，那就是它不易在阳光下分解。这对于阿伏苯宗来说尤其成问题，阿伏苯宗是目前唯一一种能够过滤 UVA 光的化学成分。

“众所周知，阿伏苯宗本身稳定性很差，人们投入了大量精力进行配方改良，试图找到稳定它的方法，”安德鲁斯说。“BEMT 的稳定性要好得多。”

皮肤科医生表示，与所有防晒霜一样，每隔几个小时就需要重新涂抹一次——如果游泳或大量出汗，则需要更频繁地涂抹。

斯坦因还表示，人们在户外活动时不应仅仅依赖防晒霜。在阴凉处休息、戴帽子和穿着防晒衣物都是重要的防护措施。

斯坦说：“防晒霜只是整体防晒措施的一部分，穿戴合适的衣物更为重要。”