Everybody Free To Wear Sunscreen After FDA Approves First New Ingredient In Almost 30 Years
And RFK Jr. at least didn't fuck it up!
After years of people finally becoming more educated about the necessity of sunscreen, there has been a seriously concerning resurgence of not just tanning, but (ugh) tanmaxxing, particularly among Gen Z. While much of this comes from the unfortunate resurgence of Y2K aesthetics like extreme thinness and those backless tops that were the bane of my existence when I worked at Wet Seal, some blame certainly goes to Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and all the other MAHA weirdos crying that those of us who give a damn about skin cancer prevention are waging a war on “sunshine” and cruelly trying to deprive them of Vitamin D and other nutrients.
Recently, Kennedy, clearly a fan of tanning beds himself, blocked a new rule that would have barred minors from using them. Unlike most age-based restrictions, this rule was less about responsibility and personal choice than about the fact that the younger you are when exposed to the sun and things like tanning beds, the more likely you are to develop melanoma later on (like, it’s specifically more dangerous for your kid to get a tan than for you to get one).
But, incredibly, it was just announced that the FDA, under that asshole, just went ahead and approved a new sunscreen ingredient for the first time in 27 years. Hooray! Clearly, after that shit, we could all use some good news on this front.
Now, I don’t know that I’d credit Kennedy so much for this as I would the SAFE Sunscreen Standards Act that passed last year, but whoever gets credit, it’s very much a step in the right direction.
The specific ingredient is bemotrizinol, better known as BEMT or under the brand-names Tinosorb S or PARSOL Shield. It is a chemical filter that is far more photostable (meaning it doesn’t degrade in sunlight) than anything that is currently available in the United States. It also has more UVA filters than anything on our market.
BEMT has been used in Europe since 1999 and was first recommended for review by the FDA in 2005, but they never got around to doing it. This time, they decided that because it’s been used for so long and has been proven to be safe and effective, they may as well just designate it as Generally Recognized as Safe and Effective (GRASE) and call it a day.
That’s actually a very big deal, as it is the first chemical filter to get that designation.
As you may know, there are two kinds of sunscreen: chemical (organic) and mineral (inorganic), and there has been a lot of anti-scientific, unnecessary fear-mongering about chemical sunscreen for a few years now. While there are certainly some ingredients in some sunscreens that are bad for other reasons (oxybenzone is bad for coral reefs, but there is no serious proof that it is a “hormone disruptor,” as has been claimed), both chemical and mineral sunscreens are effective and you should use whichever one you want, as long as you are using something. Except DIY sunscreen, because that is ridiculous and stupid. Please do not DIY your sunscreen. Or, um, spread beef tallow all over your body, which is apparently also a thing for some people.
I happen to prefer chemical sunscreen, as it does not leave a white cast. I also think that the more chemical sunscreen options we have, the better, because the most effective sunscreen is the sunscreen people will use every day, and I think they’re probably more likely to use one that doesn’t make them look like a mime.
One thing I feel like I need to point out — most sources are reporting that “the Dutch company DSM Nutritional Products will be the first in the U.S. to sell its BEMT-formulated sunscreen, Parsol Shield, according to the Associated Press. The company has an 18-month exclusivity period, after which the other manufacturers can start using the ingredient.”
PARSOL Shield is not, in fact, a sunscreen, it is another brand name for BEMT. It’s the ingredient itself (so we would have PARSOL Shield instead of Tinosorb S for 18 months), so yes, there will be multiple companies that will be able to make sunscreens containing the ingredient. That’s a good thing, because we want people to use sunscreen and they might be less likely to use an entirely unfamiliar brand.
We also want the Gen Zers to stop tan-maxxing before they make themselves even more vulnerable to skin cancer, so hopefully Drunk Elephant (or whatever it is they’re into these days) will come out with a sunscreen containing BEMT and they’ll get into that instead. Because that’s really, really, really bad.
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While it’s absolutely a good thing that we have approved a new sunscreen filter, it’s worth noting that it is just one ingredient. The vast majority of high-quality, effective sunscreens from Asia and Europe have multiple filters that do multiple things, like the Uvinuls, the Mexoryls, and the other Tinosorbs. Because of this, I would still highly recommend getting your sunscreen imported from Asia (face) and Europe (body) instead of at US stores, if that is a possibility for you (honestly they’re still way cheaper than Supergoop!).
What I suggest for face is Madagascar Centella Sun Serum, Biore Aqua Rich Watery Essence and Nivea Super Water Gel, and for body, La Roche-Posay Anthelios Invisible Spray (for every day), Heliocare 360 Body Glow Sunscreen (to look like you maybe did get a little sun) and Garnier Ambre Solaire Sensitive Advanced Sun Cream (water and sand-resistant, for the beach).
Again, the most effective sunscreen is the one you will use every day, so if you know you are not going to get around to ordering it online, just get whatever you like from the store.
PREVIOUSLY ON WONKETTE!
I mostly avoid "outside".
I tried it once. There were people. Do not recommend.
One star.
If I ever seriously use the suffix “-maxxing” anything you have my explicit permission to death-maxx me