If you've spent any time on the beauty side of the Internet in the last few years, it's highly likely you've seen droves of people sounding the alarm on the effectiveness, and quality, of sunscreens sold in the US compared to those sold abroad. Sunscreens in Europe and Asia are highly-coveted by American consumers because they offer more advanced chemical UV filters—like Tinosorb S (BEMT), Tinosorb M, Mexoryl SX/XL (Ecamsule), Ethylhexyl Triazone, and DHHB—that are not approved for sale in the United States. However, there's a chance that might change soon.
On Dec. 11, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced its proposal for bemotrizinol (BEMT) to be approved as an active ingredient in over-the-counter sunscreens sold in the US. Per the FDA, bemotrizinol is a chemical sunscreen filter that "shows very low absorption through the skin" and provides strong broad-spectrum protection against ultraviolet A (UVA) and ultraviolet B (UVB) rays, both of which can both cause sun damage and premature skin aging at best and skin cancer at worst. It's also already an active ingredient in sunscreens available in Europe, Asia, and Australia. Should the action be approved, BEMT will be "generally recognized as safe and effective for use by adults and children six months of age and older," and companies will be allowed to use it in concentrations of up to six percent in their products.
