The Sunscreen Filter the US Just Approved — and Skinvisibles Has Used for Years

A new chapter in sunscreen technology

In June 2026, the US Food and Drug Administration approved bemotrizinol as a new sunscreen active ingredient — the first new sunscreen active ingredient added to the US OTC monograph in around 20 years.

For Europeans, this may sound surprising. Bemotrizinol is not new to European sunscreen technology. It has been used here for years as a modern, broad-spectrum UV filter and is authorised in the EU at concentrations of up to 10%.

So why is this such big news?

One filter, broad protection

Bemotrizinol — listed in an ingredient list as Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine (BEMT) — is a highly photostable organic UV filter that absorbs across a broad part of the UV spectrum, helping protect against both UVB and UVA.

Its photostability matters because a sunscreen needs to maintain its performance when exposed to sunlight.

Why Europe moved differently

The difference is largely regulatory. European sunscreen development has historically had access to a broader selection of modern UV filters than the US.

The EU regulates cosmetic UV filters through a positive list of permitted ingredients, while sunscreens in the US are regulated as over-the-counter drugs and have historically operated under a much more restrictive system.

The result is striking: ingredients that have been used in European sunscreen formulations for years are only now becoming available in the US.

Where Skinvisibles comes in

Bemotrizinol is not simply an ingredient we talk about. It is part of the UV filter systems used in several Skinvisibles formulas, including Aqua Sense, Even Sense, Glow Sense, Transparent Sense, Invisible Sense and UV Serum.

But modern sunscreen is never about one filter alone. Skinvisibles combines different UV filters to create balanced protection across relevant wavelengths, then adds targeted skincare ingredients according to the needs of each formula. Protection first, but never protection alone.

SPF is only part of the story

SPF primarily describes protection against UVB-related sunburn. It does not tell the whole story of sunlight reaching the skin.

UVA penetrates deeper into the skin and is strongly associated with photoageing and pigmentation. Sunlight also extends beyond ultraviolet wavelengths into visible and infrared light.

That is why we believe sunscreen should be understood as a photoprotection system, not simply an SPF number.

Technology you actually want to wear

Advanced UV filters provide the science. But protection only works when people use enough of it and use it consistently.

A sunscreen that feels heavy, sticky or difficult to layer is easy to avoid. One that feels light, disappears into the skin and works naturally with skincare is much easier to use every day.

This is why Skinvisibles is built around two principles: sensoriality and efficacy. The future of sunscreen is not simply higher SPF. It is smarter protection, better formulations and skin that benefits from wearing it.