From the article: [...] [...] [...] [...] [...] [...]
From the article:
For the first time in nearly three decades, the Food and Drug Administration approved a new chemical UV filter for use in sunscreens sold in the U.S. And that has many dermatologists cheering.
[...]
The new ingredient is called bemotrizinol, and it has several advantages over the chemical sunscreen ingredients previously available in the U.S., Rogers says.
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In general, chemical sunscreens sold in the U.S. rely on an ingredient called avobenzone to block out UVA rays, says Kelly Dobos, a cosmetic chemist who teaches at the University of Cincinnati.
But avobenzone by itself isn't photo stable, meaning its protection can start to break down rapidly when exposed to sunlight. And as avobenzone breaks down, it can release molecules that lead to skin irritation, says Alexa Friedman, a senior scientist with the nonprofit Environmental Working Group, or EWG.
By contrast, bemotrizinol offers protection against both UVA and UVB rays all on its own, and it is photo stable, so it breaks down more slowly, offering better protection, Rogers says.
[...]
Bemotrizinol has been widely used in European and Asian sunscreens for decades. But it has taken 20 years for the FDA to approve its use in this country.
That's because in the U.S., sunscreens are regulated as over-the-counter drugs rather than cosmetics, as they're classified in Europe. That means ingredients need to undergo rigorous testing for safety and efficacy before they can be approved for use in the U.S.
"It's really expensive and time consuming," Dobos says. The European company DSM-Firmenich spent at least $18 million over more than two decades in its push to gain FDA approval for bemotrizinol.
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However, all that testing means bemotrizinol has more safety data to back it up than any other chemical sunscreen ingredient currently approved in the U.S., says Friedman of EWG.
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Until now, Rogers says, the only sunscreen ingredient available in the U.S. that offered the aforementioned advantages of bemotrizinol – photo stable, non-irritating, minimally absorbed into the skin and with good broad spectrum protection against both UVA and UVB rays – was zinc oxide.
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Bemotrizinol, on the other hand, is transparent on the skin, and because it protects against both UVA and UVB rays on its own, it doesn't have to be mixed with as many other chemical filters and stabilizers to achieve broad spectrum protection, Dobos adds. She says that should lead to more aesthetically pleasing, less greasy sunscreen formulations in the near future.
Was not expecting to see my Alma Mater referenced. Go bearcats! But also, I'm glad we now have a better sunscreen solution as a pale guy with a very pale wife I'm a daily sunscreen user, it's nice...
Was not expecting to see my Alma Mater referenced. Go bearcats!
But also, I'm glad we now have a better sunscreen solution as a pale guy with a very pale wife I'm a daily sunscreen user, it's nice to have a new option.
Can any European/Asian users of sunscreens containing bemotrizinal tell me how well these usually do against sweating? Because right now the main problem I have with US sunscreens is that I sweat...
Can any European/Asian users of sunscreens containing bemotrizinal tell me how well these usually do against sweating? Because right now the main problem I have with US sunscreens is that I sweat like a stuck pig in the slightest heat, so it all comes off every thirty minutes or so for me.
I use Korean sunscreen because it’s supposedly better due to additional ingredients. I’d be lying if I said I looked into it anymore than that, but I do spend a decent bit of money on that and...
I use Korean sunscreen because it’s supposedly better due to additional ingredients. I’d be lying if I said I looked into it anymore than that, but I do spend a decent bit of money on that and other skin care products. I do feel like I burn less with it, although I tan so easily unfortunately.
Likewise, and the one I'm using (Scinic) definitely has bemotrizinol (Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine) as an ingredient. I'm taking a couple of drugs that increase sun sensitivity,...
Likewise, and the one I'm using (Scinic) definitely has bemotrizinol (Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine) as an ingredient.
I'm taking a couple of drugs that increase sun sensitivity, and come from people so pale that melanoma runs in the family. U.S. UVA-only blockers and zinc mineral sunscreen weren't doing the job well enough to handle a few hours outdoors without a burn even with repeated applications.
The formula I'm using is shiny when first applied, but it dries down to a nice natural glow and doesn't cause breakouts.
The only real question I have about bemotrizinol is whether it has the same potential coral reef toxicity as the old FDA-approved sunscreen ingredients like avobenzone, etc.
Note: I'm only using the Korean sunscreen on face and hands (feet if I'm wearing sandals). Everything else gets sun-blocking clothing and hat for any substantial length of time outdoors, so I can't comment on full-body sunscreens.
As someone who is physically incapable of tanning due to being so pale (used to joke the only people I'd seen with paler skin were Michael Jackson and John McCain, and that made me worried for...
As someone who is physically incapable of tanning due to being so pale (used to joke the only people I'd seen with paler skin were Michael Jackson and John McCain, and that made me worried for McCain's health): hooray! Never heard of this before but I'm on-board with anything that can help us survive the death ray that is our local star! I think I could feel myself actively burning in the sunlight during every walk this week...
I'm just shocked that it took 20 years and $18 million dollars to get approved. I knew that the FDA approval process was rigorous to the point of absurdity, but did not realize it was that extreme. At least we now have really strong proof this is really good...?
Bemotrizinol has been approved for use in the European Union since 2000 and is a common ingredient found in sunscreens in Asia and Australia. It's been proven effective and safe for quite a long...
Bemotrizinol has been approved for use in the European Union since 2000 and is a common ingredient found in sunscreens in Asia and Australia. It's been proven effective and safe for quite a long time. The Swiss company DSM-Firmenich lobbied to get it approved and were granted 18 months of exclusive rights in the US.
There are plenty of online retailers that sell European and Asian sunscreens using bemotrizinol already. Based on recommendations, I've been using Korean sunscreens for years which have been significantly more effective than traditional American sunscreens.
Would you be kind enough to drop a link or name to one of the retailers you recommend? I really am not up for the level of research I would need to do to feel comfortable make a choice on this....
Would you be kind enough to drop a link or name to one of the retailers you recommend? I really am not up for the level of research I would need to do to feel comfortable make a choice on this. I'm sure we're about to get inundated with years of advertising in the U.S. about how all the other sunscreens are killing us, which is going to make this even harder to clear through the FUD.
I primarily use Wishtrend and occasionally yesstyle. It seems like Wishtrend recently opened a US store for their Dear Klair's brand, which has been my favorite so works for me! Beauty of Joseon,...
I primarily use Wishtrend and occasionally yesstyle. It seems like Wishtrend recently opened a US store for their Dear Klair's brand, which has been my favorite so works for me!
Beauty of Joseon, Round Lab, and COSRX are other very popular brands all with great sunscreens and other skincare products. I'm sure many of the other brands stocked are great and it likely comes down to what works for your skin the best.
FDA is so wild of a concept to me, being in the same country where one can sell gas station heroine (NPR) beverages openly by simply calling it a supplement, and yet it costs millions to approve a...
FDA is so wild of a concept to me, being in the same country where one can sell gas station heroine (NPR) beverages openly by simply calling it a supplement, and yet it costs millions to approve a lotion.
This is what happens when you have a great institution ruined by decades of neoliberalism. “Why prevent snake oil salesmen from entering the market? It’s billions of dollars being left on the table!”
This is what happens when you have a great institution ruined by decades of neoliberalism. “Why prevent snake oil salesmen from entering the market? It’s billions of dollars being left on the table!”
It’s really related. Because the FDA is so rigorous, the loopholes became a necessity, otherwise you wouldn’t be able to buy anything. Because the loopholes were a necessity, it was a nudge nudge...
It’s really related. Because the FDA is so rigorous, the loopholes became a necessity, otherwise you wouldn’t be able to buy anything. Because the loopholes were a necessity, it was a nudge nudge wink wink situation that became de facto policy.
It’s a situation where the best thing to do would be to actually lower the standards in general so that you can close the loopholes.
It might be better instead to negotiate standards that are accepted more broadly so that the work to prove safety and efficacy doesn't have to be replicated for multiple governments? If it was...
It might be better instead to negotiate standards that are accepted more broadly so that the work to prove safety and efficacy doesn't have to be replicated for multiple governments? If it was accepted ages ago elsewhere, having to re-prove it in the USA seems wasteful assuming we can find shared standards. (I recognize that's a huge assumption.)
That'd require the US to lower their standards. Other countries already do similar for medications (accept studies done in other countries). Without Congress passing another law repealing the...
That'd require the US to lower their standards. Other countries already do similar for medications (accept studies done in other countries).
Without Congress passing another law repealing the current statutes, this is expected.
The agency's ethos is still grounded in avoiding disaster with prescription medications in the wake of thalidomide in the 1950's. Also, the number of people at risk from "gas station heroin" isn't...
The agency's ethos is still grounded in avoiding disaster with prescription medications in the wake of thalidomide in the 1950's. Also, the number of people at risk from "gas station heroin" isn't comparable to the number who might use a sunscreen or widely prescribed medication. That's not to say there's never been another major health catastrophe from prescription medication - Fen-Phen and OxyContin come to mind.
Sure, but moisturizers and haircare products aren't so strictly regulated. Plenty of questionable supplements are totally unproven too. It's hard for me to see why moisturizers should be treated...
Sure, but moisturizers and haircare products aren't so strictly regulated. Plenty of questionable supplements are totally unproven too.
It's hard for me to see why moisturizers should be treated any differently than sunscreens. In Asia especially, it's common for moisturizers to contain sunscreen.
I'm not really disagreeing with you here, there are some ridiculous gaps in the regulations. But as long as cosmetics and supplements don't make explicit health claims (like "cures/prevents...
I'm not really disagreeing with you here, there are some ridiculous gaps in the regulations. But as long as cosmetics and supplements don't make explicit health claims (like "cures/prevents {disease name}"), they're not regulated as strictly within the FDA's jurisdiction.
Sunscreens have the explicit health purpose of preventing sunburn, skin damage, and skin cancer. They're used by billions of people, including infants and children. It seems reasonable to me that they'd be regulated more strictly to ensure they do what's claimed, safely, than the broad range of generally safe products that can ameliorate dry skin and hair.
I wouldn't trust a single word coming out of that fearmongering anti-science misinformation lobbying group of "clean beauty" companies. NPR should know better than to openly promote the skincare...
nonprofit Environmental Working Group, or EWG.
I wouldn't trust a single word coming out of that fearmongering anti-science misinformation lobbying group of "clean beauty" companies. NPR should know better than to openly promote the skincare industry's version of anti-vaxxers.
It's a big win in my book even with a company getting 18 months of exclusive rights for domestic sale. I've been using Korean face sunscreen for a couple years after my spouse started looking into...
It's a big win in my book even with a company getting 18 months of exclusive rights for domestic sale. I've been using Korean face sunscreen for a couple years after my spouse started looking into Korean cosmetics. We've tried a few brands to see if I find a favorite. In general I like how much lighter they are on the skin and that I can't feel it after applying it. Not a fan of how greasy typical american sunscreen feels and I haven't used it as much as I should have. The Korean stuff is great though! So I'm hopeful this change means more comfortable sunscreens are about to become a lot more accessible for Americans.
That’s how I feel with a random Nivea Japanese sunscreen that I use. It’s my daily face/neck/tattoo sunscreen because it basically just feels like lotion. If I’m going to actually be out in the...
That’s how I feel with a random Nivea Japanese sunscreen that I use. It’s my daily face/neck/tattoo sunscreen because it basically just feels like lotion. If I’m going to actually be out in the sun and covering more of my body I typically go with some american mineral sunscreens and deal with the greasy feeling just because it’s so much cheaper to cover myself in.
Yeah same, if I'm going on a hike or going to be out in the sun a long time I also use a mineral sunscreen on the rest of my body. The thinner Asian sunscreens just feel so much better on my face...
Yeah same, if I'm going on a hike or going to be out in the sun a long time I also use a mineral sunscreen on the rest of my body. The thinner Asian sunscreens just feel so much better on my face and neck though and that's still a huge improvement. Just need to be better about reapplying it later in the day tbh.
But if people are interested in foreign sunscreens, there's a lot of good resources to import them (and I don't think the import tax is SUPER bad). I'm also happy to ask my spouse for the link to the Korean website she orders through. Sunscreen should be relatively easy to pick, but it looks like cosmetics are a deep rabbit hole with lots of good YouTube content that reviews the products. So it takes some time, but the research barrier isn't too steep if you want to try a face wash, sunscreen, and a cream or two.
In Japan, Nivea is cheap and easy to find at stores like Don Quijote for only a few dollars! It gets a lot pricier with tariffs and consumer shipping...
a random Nivea Japanese sunscreen
In Japan, Nivea is cheap and easy to find at stores like Don Quijote for only a few dollars! It gets a lot pricier with tariffs and consumer shipping...
I’m glad to hear it’s less likely to leave white cast compared to zinc oxide. I’m already a pale guy, so a thick layer of white sunscreen almost makes me glow. Is this because they sponsored the...
I’m glad to hear it’s less likely to leave white cast compared to zinc oxide. I’m already a pale guy, so a thick layer of white sunscreen almost makes me glow.
DSM-Firmenich has exclusive rights to market bemotrizinol in the U.S. for 18 months. It will be sold under the brand name Parsol Shield.
Is this because they sponsored the proposal to the FDA?
An Australian woman did a great comparison of sunscreens using her own skin and a series of grids about a year ago. Worth watching, and relevant to these ingredients.
An Australian woman did a great comparison of sunscreens using her own skin and a series of grids about a year ago. Worth watching, and relevant to these ingredients.
Interesting, I've tried the Korean brands(bought when I was on vacation there) but honestly I still going the La Roche Posay to be by far the best, it was also one of the few that met/exceeded the...
Interesting, I've tried the Korean brands(bought when I was on vacation there) but honestly I still going the La Roche Posay to be by far the best, it was also one of the few that met/exceeded the SPF rating in that Australian study, was it still avebenzone?
From the article:
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Was not expecting to see my Alma Mater referenced. Go bearcats!
But also, I'm glad we now have a better sunscreen solution as a pale guy with a very pale wife I'm a daily sunscreen user, it's nice to have a new option.
Can any European/Asian users of sunscreens containing bemotrizinal tell me how well these usually do against sweating? Because right now the main problem I have with US sunscreens is that I sweat like a stuck pig in the slightest heat, so it all comes off every thirty minutes or so for me.
I use Korean sunscreen because it’s supposedly better due to additional ingredients. I’d be lying if I said I looked into it anymore than that, but I do spend a decent bit of money on that and other skin care products. I do feel like I burn less with it, although I tan so easily unfortunately.
Likewise, and the one I'm using (Scinic) definitely has bemotrizinol (Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine) as an ingredient.
I'm taking a couple of drugs that increase sun sensitivity, and come from people so pale that melanoma runs in the family. U.S. UVA-only blockers and zinc mineral sunscreen weren't doing the job well enough to handle a few hours outdoors without a burn even with repeated applications.
The formula I'm using is shiny when first applied, but it dries down to a nice natural glow and doesn't cause breakouts.
The only real question I have about bemotrizinol is whether it has the same potential coral reef toxicity as the old FDA-approved sunscreen ingredients like avobenzone, etc.
Note: I'm only using the Korean sunscreen on face and hands (feet if I'm wearing sandals). Everything else gets sun-blocking clothing and hat for any substantial length of time outdoors, so I can't comment on full-body sunscreens.
As someone who is physically incapable of tanning due to being so pale (used to joke the only people I'd seen with paler skin were Michael Jackson and John McCain, and that made me worried for McCain's health): hooray! Never heard of this before but I'm on-board with anything that can help us survive the death ray that is our local star! I think I could feel myself actively burning in the sunlight during every walk this week...
I'm just shocked that it took 20 years and $18 million dollars to get approved. I knew that the FDA approval process was rigorous to the point of absurdity, but did not realize it was that extreme. At least we now have really strong proof this is really good...?
Bemotrizinol has been approved for use in the European Union since 2000 and is a common ingredient found in sunscreens in Asia and Australia. It's been proven effective and safe for quite a long time. The Swiss company DSM-Firmenich lobbied to get it approved and were granted 18 months of exclusive rights in the US.
There are plenty of online retailers that sell European and Asian sunscreens using bemotrizinol already. Based on recommendations, I've been using Korean sunscreens for years which have been significantly more effective than traditional American sunscreens.
Would you be kind enough to drop a link or name to one of the retailers you recommend? I really am not up for the level of research I would need to do to feel comfortable make a choice on this. I'm sure we're about to get inundated with years of advertising in the U.S. about how all the other sunscreens are killing us, which is going to make this even harder to clear through the FUD.
I primarily use Wishtrend and occasionally yesstyle. It seems like Wishtrend recently opened a US store for their Dear Klair's brand, which has been my favorite so works for me!
Beauty of Joseon, Round Lab, and COSRX are other very popular brands all with great sunscreens and other skincare products. I'm sure many of the other brands stocked are great and it likely comes down to what works for your skin the best.
FDA is so wild of a concept to me, being in the same country where one can sell gas station heroine (NPR) beverages openly by simply calling it a supplement, and yet it costs millions to approve a lotion.
This is what happens when you have a great institution ruined by decades of neoliberalism. “Why prevent snake oil salesmen from entering the market? It’s billions of dollars being left on the table!”
It’s really related. Because the FDA is so rigorous, the loopholes became a necessity, otherwise you wouldn’t be able to buy anything. Because the loopholes were a necessity, it was a nudge nudge wink wink situation that became de facto policy.
It’s a situation where the best thing to do would be to actually lower the standards in general so that you can close the loopholes.
It might be better instead to negotiate standards that are accepted more broadly so that the work to prove safety and efficacy doesn't have to be replicated for multiple governments? If it was accepted ages ago elsewhere, having to re-prove it in the USA seems wasteful assuming we can find shared standards. (I recognize that's a huge assumption.)
That'd require the US to lower their standards. Other countries already do similar for medications (accept studies done in other countries).
Without Congress passing another law repealing the current statutes, this is expected.
The agency's ethos is still grounded in avoiding disaster with prescription medications in the wake of thalidomide in the 1950's. Also, the number of people at risk from "gas station heroin" isn't comparable to the number who might use a sunscreen or widely prescribed medication. That's not to say there's never been another major health catastrophe from prescription medication - Fen-Phen and OxyContin come to mind.
Sure, but moisturizers and haircare products aren't so strictly regulated. Plenty of questionable supplements are totally unproven too.
It's hard for me to see why moisturizers should be treated any differently than sunscreens. In Asia especially, it's common for moisturizers to contain sunscreen.
I'm not really disagreeing with you here, there are some ridiculous gaps in the regulations. But as long as cosmetics and supplements don't make explicit health claims (like "cures/prevents {disease name}"), they're not regulated as strictly within the FDA's jurisdiction.
Sunscreens have the explicit health purpose of preventing sunburn, skin damage, and skin cancer. They're used by billions of people, including infants and children. It seems reasonable to me that they'd be regulated more strictly to ensure they do what's claimed, safely, than the broad range of generally safe products that can ameliorate dry skin and hair.
I wouldn't trust a single word coming out of that fearmongering anti-science misinformation lobbying group of "clean beauty" companies. NPR should know better than to openly promote the skincare industry's version of anti-vaxxers.
It's a big win in my book even with a company getting 18 months of exclusive rights for domestic sale. I've been using Korean face sunscreen for a couple years after my spouse started looking into Korean cosmetics. We've tried a few brands to see if I find a favorite. In general I like how much lighter they are on the skin and that I can't feel it after applying it. Not a fan of how greasy typical american sunscreen feels and I haven't used it as much as I should have. The Korean stuff is great though! So I'm hopeful this change means more comfortable sunscreens are about to become a lot more accessible for Americans.
That’s how I feel with a random Nivea Japanese sunscreen that I use. It’s my daily face/neck/tattoo sunscreen because it basically just feels like lotion. If I’m going to actually be out in the sun and covering more of my body I typically go with some american mineral sunscreens and deal with the greasy feeling just because it’s so much cheaper to cover myself in.
Yeah same, if I'm going on a hike or going to be out in the sun a long time I also use a mineral sunscreen on the rest of my body. The thinner Asian sunscreens just feel so much better on my face and neck though and that's still a huge improvement. Just need to be better about reapplying it later in the day tbh.
But if people are interested in foreign sunscreens, there's a lot of good resources to import them (and I don't think the import tax is SUPER bad). I'm also happy to ask my spouse for the link to the Korean website she orders through. Sunscreen should be relatively easy to pick, but it looks like cosmetics are a deep rabbit hole with lots of good YouTube content that reviews the products. So it takes some time, but the research barrier isn't too steep if you want to try a face wash, sunscreen, and a cream or two.
In Japan, Nivea is cheap and easy to find at stores like Don Quijote for only a few dollars! It gets a lot pricier with tariffs and consumer shipping...
I’m glad to hear it’s less likely to leave white cast compared to zinc oxide. I’m already a pale guy, so a thick layer of white sunscreen almost makes me glow.
Is this because they sponsored the proposal to the FDA?
Yeah they spent the money on the approval process so this is the trade off.
Honestly, that seems fair enough considering it’s a relatively short amount of time.
An Australian woman did a great comparison of sunscreens using her own skin and a series of grids about a year ago. Worth watching, and relevant to these ingredients.
Interesting, I've tried the Korean brands(bought when I was on vacation there) but honestly I still going the La Roche Posay to be by far the best, it was also one of the few that met/exceeded the SPF rating in that Australian study, was it still avebenzone?
Completely agree on La Roche Posay sunscreen! It's lightweight and broad spectrum.