It’s summertime: time to be out in the sunshine making happy memories at the pool, beach, park and playground. Now you and your family can enjoy the outdoors with even more skin protection. Here’s what you should know:

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved a sunscreen ingredient that can prevent sunburn and skin damage. It’s called bemotrizinol (bem-o-TRIZ-in-ol) and it can be even better than currently available sunscreens at shielding your child’s skin from the most damaging effects of the sun.

What is bemotrizinol?

Bemotrizinol (BEMT) is a sunscreen ingredient that has been used in Europe, Asia and Australia for many years. It’s now available in the United States with the brand name Parsol Shield® thanks to FDA approval in June 2026. Bemotrizinol is the first sunscreen ingredient approved by the FDA since 1999.

Testing shows that the ingredient is safe, and sunscreens with bemotrizinol should be appearing on U.S. store shelves soon.

Is bemotrizinol better?

Currently available sunscreens use chemicals (avobenzone) or minerals (zinc or titanium) to block and absorb the sun’s rays and prevent them from penetrating skin. Bemotrizinol is a chemical like avobenzone, but is better in several ways:

• Bemotrizinol keeps its strength in the sun longer than avobenzone. (Doctors still recommend re-applying bemotrizinol sunscreen every 2 hours.)
• Bemotrizinol is less likely than avobenzone to absorb into your child’s skin and cause irritation.
• Unlike avobenzone, bemotrizinol is a reef safe sunscreen that does not harm the environment.

Bemotrizinol and mineral sunscreen

Mineral sunscreens are safe and work well. But they can be hard to rub in and can leave a white or gray film that shows up on deeper skin tones.

New sunscreens will likely combine bemotrizinol and minerals. With the new ingredient, sunscreens can reduce the amount of zinc or titanium in their formulas. That means you can protect your child with sunscreens that are easy to apply and — bonus! — won’t leave chalky discolorations on your child’s skin.

Protection from UVA rays

The sun emits UVA, UVB, and UBC rays. UVA rays are the most damaging, because they can penetrate deeper into the layers of your child’s skin and set the stage for premature aging and even skin cancer later on. Bemotrizinol is better at blocking UVA rays than avobenzone.

Making sure your child is protected with good sunscreen, frequently applied, is essential to their future skin health. New products with bemotrizinol will be here soon, and you can feel confident adding them to your family’s summertime skin care lineup.