The US Just Approved the Sunscreen Filter Korea Has Used for Years
Bemotrizinol is the new sunscreen ingredient the US just added for the first time since the late 1990s. If you already use a Korean sunscreen, there is a good chance you have been wearing it for a while. Let’s take a look at what the FDA actually did, why the US was behind, and what it means for what you put on your face.
TL;DR: On June 9, 2026, the FDA added bemotrizinol (also called Tinosorb S) to the list of sunscreen ingredients allowed in the US, the first new one in over 20 years.[1] The final order takes effect August 9, 2026. Bemotrizinol is a broad-spectrum filter that has been used in Europe and Korea for years, and it is already in popular Korean sunscreens like Beauty of Joseon Relief Sun. Nothing you own stops working, and you do not need to buy anything. It mostly means US-made sunscreens can finally catch up.
What is bemotrizinol (Tinosorb S)?
Bemotrizinol is a chemical UV filter. It protects against both UVA and UVB, the two ranges of ultraviolet light that age and burn skin, and the FDA says it has low absorption through the skin into the body [1]. It is very photostable, which means it does not break down quickly in sunlight the way some older filters do, so the protection holds up better through the day.
You will see it under a few names: bemotrizinol, BEMT, Tinosorb S, and Parsol Shield are all the same filter. On an ingredient list it is written as Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine [2]. Same thing, different label.
What exactly did the FDA do, and when?
On June 9, 2026, the FDA added bemotrizinol to the list of permitted sunscreen active ingredients. It is the first new active ingredient added to the over-the-counter sunscreen rules since the late 1990s [1].
A few specifics worth knowing, all from the FDA’s own announcement [1]:
- The company DSM Nutritional Products requested it, at concentrations up to 6 percent.
- The FDA issued a proposed order on December 12, 2025, took public comments through January 26, 2026, and finalized the action within seven months.
- The FDA considers bemotrizinol safe and effective for adults and children 6 months and older.
- It went through a streamlined review process created by the CARES Act, and it is the first new ingredient cleared that way.
Why didn’t the US have it until now?
Not because it was unsafe. Bemotrizinol has been sold in sunscreens in Europe and many other countries for years [1]. The hold-up was regulatory, not scientific: in the US, sunscreens are regulated as over-the-counter drugs, and the rulebook for which filters are allowed had not been meaningfully updated in decades. The FDA itself has acknowledged that US over-the-counter sunscreen had fallen behind other countries [1].
So for years, the situation was odd. A filter widely used in Korean and European sunscreens simply was not on the approved US list, which is a big part of why people who wanted those formulas reached for imported Korean and European sunscreens in the first place.
Which Korean sunscreens already use it?
This is the part that surprises people. If you have used the original Beauty of Joseon Relief Sun: Rice + Probiotics, you have already worn bemotrizinol. Its ingredient list includes Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine, which is bemotrizinol, alongside another modern filter, Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate (Uvinul A Plus) [2].
The “new” filter the US just approved is one that Korean formulators have been building popular, everyday sunscreens around for years. If you want to understand how these filters compare and why Korean sunscreens feel the way they do, our Korean sunscreen guide breaks it down, and our Beauty of Joseon Relief Sun comparison looks at the specific product.
What changes for you in August 2026?
Honestly, not much in your bathroom. The final order takes effect August 9, 2026 [1], but that does not flip a switch on store shelves. It means US sunscreen makers now have the legal green light to use bemotrizinol, so over time you should see more US-made sunscreens with a filter that, until now, mostly meant buying Korean or European.
A few honest notes:
- Your current sunscreen does not stop working or become unsafe. Nothing was recalled.
- You do not need to rush out and replace anything.
- If you already like a Korean sunscreen that uses this filter, you can keep using it exactly as before.
The real headline is competition. More filters allowed in the US means more options, and over time, formulas that feel lighter and protect across a broader range, the kind a lot of people already crossed an ocean to get.
FAQ
Is bemotrizinol safer than the sunscreen filters I already use?
The FDA considers it safe and effective for adults and children 6 months and older, with low absorption through the skin. “Safer” is the wrong frame: it is a well-studied, broad-spectrum, photostable filter that was already common abroad. It is a good option, not a verdict on the ones you have.
Should I throw out my current US sunscreen?
No. Nothing was recalled and nothing stopped working. This adds an option for the future, it does not take anything away.
Can I keep buying Korean sunscreens?
Yes. Many already use bemotrizinol and other modern filters, and this changes nothing about buying or using them.
Is bemotrizinol the same as Tinosorb S?
Yes. Bemotrizinol, BEMT, Tinosorb S, and Parsol Shield are all the same filter, written as Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine on an ingredient list.
Sources
[1] FDA News Release, “FDA Expands Sunscreen Options for the First Time in 20 Years,” June 9, 2026: link
[2] INCIDecoder, Beauty of Joseon Rice Probiotics Sunscreen SPF 50+ ingredient list (shows Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine, i.e. bemotrizinol): link
[3] Federal Register, Amending Over-the-Counter Monograph M020 Sunscreen Drug Products, final order, 2026: link
[4] Lab Muffin Beauty Science, on Korean sunscreens and modern UV filters: link
