Photo: Spotlight/Launchmetrics Save Story Save this story Save Story Save this story When people ask me what my favorite sunscreens are, I almost exclusively tell them about the French and Korean formulas that I hoard back from my travels (special shout-outs to the Caudalie Vinosun High Protection Glow Oil and Fromier EGF Cica Water Sun Ampoule ). The textures work better for my acne-prone skin and just feel so good when I slather them on. But the more impressive feat, of course, is the advanced formulations and ingredients that haven’t made their way to the US—until now. Earlier this year marked the first time since the 1990s that the US Food & Drug Administration has approved a new sunscreen filter to be used stateside: meet BEMT.
More formally known as bemotrizinol , BEMT is a chemical sunscreen filter that protects against both UVA and UVB rays. Compared to other sunscreens in the States that combine different ingredients and filters to provide sun protection, BEMT works to protect skin not only from the UVB rays that cause skin cancer, but also the UVA rays that cause skin aging and hyperpigmentation in a single filter.
Charlene Valledor, cosmetic chemist and president of SOS Beauty, adds that it is a more photostable ingredient and provides longer-lasting protection. Corinne Erickson, MD, board-certified dermatologist and owner of Georgia Skin Specialists, agrees and adds that it’s a large molecule that won’t absorb through the skin and into our bloodstreams, which is a main concern for many when it comes to chemical formulas. Sunscreens with BEMT also blend in more seamlessly and won’t leave behind a white cast, which makes it a great option for those with darker skin tones.
But BEMT is not new and it’s been used by many parts of the world for decades. While this is an exciting development in the US sunscreen space, we’re still playing catch up ingredient-wise to places like Korea, Australia, and Europe. “It’s a step in the right direction, but we aren’t running to a better place yet,” says Charlotte Palermino, co-founder and chief brand officer of Dieux. “What I hope is that this opens the door to approving all the new and more innovative filters that would make America truly competitive globally.”
“Brands and formulators have been trying to mimic the lightweight nature of the sunscreens from the EU and Korea using the approved filters in the US for years, but we’ve never been able to match them,” adds Valledor. “The new SPFs formulated with BEMT that are finally launching will be much closer to their international variants in texture.”
And just because a sunscreen doesn’t have BEMT, it doesn’t mean they aren’t effective. Dr. Erickson says that it’s just great to have more options available to encourage more people to use sunscreen daily. “Because ultimately, if you love your sunscreen, you’re much more likely to wear it every day,” she says.
So if this has piqued your interest and you’re curious how BEMT sunscreens actually perform, we’ve done the hard part and tested them for you. Read on to see which ones are actually worth it.
How do you use BEMT sunscreens? What are the downsides of BEMT? How We Tested Meet the Experts Best Overall: La Roche-Posay Anthelios UVDefense Sunscreen SPF 50 with BEMT Save to wishlist Save to wishlist La Roche-Posay
Type: Chemical Key Ingredients: Aboenzone 3%, bemotrizinol 2%, homosalate 11%, octisalate 5%, octocrylene 5% Texture: Lotion Size: 1.7 fl oz. Best Blurred Finish: Ultra Violette…