First US Sunscreen With New FDA-Approved Filter Bemotrizinol Hits Shelves
Three months after the FDA cleared bemotrizinol, the first new US sunscreen active ingredient in more than 20 years, Australian brand Ultra Violette has become the first company to sell it in the United States.
Meridians Life Desk
Published 2 September 2026 · Updated 2 September 2026 · 4 min read
BeautyThe short answer
- The FDA finalized approval of bemotrizinol as a sunscreen active ingredient on June 9, 2026 — the first new US sunscreen filter in more than 20 years.
- Ultra Violette's Unblock Screen SPF 50 launched August 31, 2026 at Sephora and on the brand's site, priced at $40 for 50ml.
- The filter is approved at concentrations up to 6%, for ages 6 months and older.
- dsm-firmenich, which makes the raw ingredient under the brand name Parsol Shield, was also cleared but has not announced a US retail launch date.
A sunscreen ingredient the FDA cleared three months ago has finally reached a US store shelf. Ultra Violette, an Australian skincare brand, launched the first bemotrizinol-based sunscreen sold in the United States on August 31, 2026.
The regulatory path
FDA issued a proposed order on bemotrizinol on December 12, 2025, opened it for public comment through January 26, 2026, and finalized it as a final order on June 9, 2026 — about seven months start to finish. The order permits bemotrizinol at concentrations up to 6%, for use in adults and children 6 months and older.
“As promised in the Trump administration's MAHA Strategy Report, HHS is advancing innovation by bringing a new sunscreen ingredient to the US market for the first time in 20 years. Bemotrizinol has been used safely in Europe for decades, and FDA's action will increase competition and consumer confidence in sunscreen products.”
What a "final order" actually does
A final order lets manufacturers market monograph-compliant sunscreen products without filing a separate drug application — but it doesn't put anything on shelves by itself. That took nearly three more months.
The first product
Ultra Violette's Unblock Screen SPF 50 Breakout-Friendly SkinScreen launched August 31, 2026 at Sephora and on the brand's own site, priced at $40 for 50ml. It's described as a whipped, matte-finish formula without white cast, also containing Bix'Activ, an oil-control and pore-blurring ingredient, and Pentavitin, a plant-derived hydration ingredient.
“We are incredibly proud to be the first to bring our SPF products formulated with Bemotrizinol to Sephora and the wider US market.”
What's next
dsm-firmenich, whose branded bemotrizinol raw material is sold as Parsol Shield, was cleared by the same FDA action but has not announced a US consumer-product launch date. Ultra Violette's second bemotrizinol formula, Fave Screen SPF 50 — described as an ultralight, brightening sunscreen with 5% bemotrizinol plus niacinamide, vitamin C and vitamin E — is slated for January 2027.
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Meridians Life Desk is an editorial desk at Meridians, not an individual. A desk byline means the article was produced and fact-checked to that desk's published standards. Read our editorial standards and corrections policy.
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