Is bemotrizinol safe?

What the evidence says

Bemotrizinol is a sunscreen ingredient that blocks both UVA and UVB rays. It's already approved for use in Canada, where Health Canada lists it in the Primary Sunscreen Monograph at concentrations up to 6%. It's also been used safely in European and other sunscreens for many years.

In the United States, the FDA only recently added bemotrizinol to its approved sunscreen ingredient list, treating it as generally recognized as safe and effective for adults and children 6 months of age and older. FDA reviewers looked at global safety monitoring data, including from Health Canada, and found no confirmed serious adverse events tied to the ingredient. Studies measuring how much bemotrizinol gets absorbed into the bloodstream after sunscreen use found levels were low, and side effects reported in clinical studies were mostly mild, such as skin irritation.

Animal reproductive and developmental studies did not turn up concerning effects either. For a young child, using a sunscreen containing bemotrizinol as directed is considered reasonable by regulators, though as with any sunscreen it's sensible to avoid use on broken skin, keep it out of eyes, and follow age directions on the label (many products advise checking with a doctor for infants under 6 months).