Why your sunscreen is finally getting a major upgrade

Why your sunscreen is finally getting a major upgrade

From Short Wave by NPR

June 12, 2026 · 10 min

About this episode

The episode discusses the FDA's recent approval of a new sunscreen ingredient, bemotrizinol, after a 20-year hiatus.

Until this week, the United States hadn’t approved a new sunscreen ingredient in over 20 years. That changed Tuesday, when the FDA approved a new chemical for U.S. sunscreens. It’s called bemotrizinol, and NPR science correspondent Maria Godoy joins us to tell us all about it — including the soonest it’s expected to hit shelves. Interested in more science news? Email us your question at shortwave@npr.org . Listen to every episode of Short Wave sponsor-free and support our work at NPR by signing up for Short Wave+ at plus.npr.org/shortwave . CORRECTION: This story incorrectly referred to Dr. Heather Rogers as a spokesperson for the American Academy of Dermatology. She is a fellow of the academy. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy

People in this episode

Guest: Maria Godoy

Topics covered

  • sunscreen
  • FDA approval
  • chemical ingredients
  • health
  • dermatology

Keywords

  • sunscreen
  • FDA
  • bemotrizinol
  • dermatology
  • health news

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: FDA, American Academy of Dermatology

Products: bemotrizinol

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