Ingredient Index
Is Tinosorb S banned in Europe?
No, and the bigger news is on the other side of the Atlantic: in June 2026 the FDA finally approved bemotrizinol, the first new sunscreen filter it had cleared since 1999. Europe has allowed it up to 10% for years; the US now permits up to 6%, with formulators able to use it from August 2026. Legal in both, at last.
What the EU does
Fully legal, and prized. Bemotrizinol is authorized as a UV filter at up to 10% under Annex VI of the Cosmetics Regulation, and it is the backbone of modern European sunscreens: photostable (it doesn't fall apart in sunlight the way avobenzone does), broad-spectrum across UVA and UVB, too large a molecule to absorb through skin meaningfully, and free of the endocrine-activity signals that dog the legacy filters.
It is approved across the EU, UK, Japan, Australia, and much of the world. When dermatologists say European sunscreens are better, this molecule and its sibling Tinosorb M are a large part of what they mean.
Citation Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009, Annex VI/30 (max 10%)
What the US does
Approved, finally. On June 10, 2026 the FDA issued a final administrative order (OTC000039) adding bemotrizinol to the OTC sunscreen monograph at concentrations up to 6%, recognizing it as safe and effective (GRASE) for adults and children six months and older. It is the first new UV filter the agency has added to the monograph since 1999.
The wait was the story for 25 years. US sunscreens are regulated as over-the-counter drugs, and the FDA's process had stalled every new filter since the 1990s; even the 2014 Sunscreen Innovation Act, written by Congress to break the logjam, ended with the agency asking for more testing. Bemotrizinol's sponsor funded that testing, and approval followed. Two caveats remain: formulators can only start using it from August 9, 2026, so it will take time to reach US shelves, and the US cap of 6% sits below Europe's 10%. Its sibling filter, Tinosorb M (bisoctrizole), is still not US-approved.
Citation FDA, "FDA Expands Sunscreen Options for the First Time in 20 Years" (June 2026); OTC sunscreen monograph, bemotrizinol added at up to 6%
Products that commonly contain it
Where you'll meet bemotrizinol:
- European, Australian, and Asian sunscreens (La Roche-Posay, Eucerin, Avène and many others), which have used it for years
- US sunscreens, beginning with formulations made from August 2026 onward
- "Imported sunscreen" listings, historically the only US route to it
- New US labels as reformulated products arrive
What to look for on a label
Names to recognize on the label:
- "Bis-ethylhexyloxyphenol methoxyphenyl triazine", the INCI mouthful
- "Bemotrizinol" or trade name "Tinosorb S"
- Sibling filter "Tinosorb M" (methylene bis-benzotriazolyl tetramethylbutylphenol), still EU-only
- Older US "broad spectrum" labels rely on legacy filter combinations; newer ones may add bemotrizinol
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Frequently asked questions
Is Tinosorb S banned in Europe?
No, the opposite. It is authorized at up to 10% and is a mainstay of modern European sunscreen formulation.
Can Americans buy Tinosorb S sunscreens now?
Yes, soon. The FDA approved bemotrizinol in June 2026 at up to 6%, and formulators can use it in US products from August 9, 2026. Until reformulated products reach shelves, imported European or Asian sunscreens remain the way to find it.
Why did it take so long?
The FDA regulates sunscreen filters as drugs and had not approved a new one since 1999. Bemotrizinol sat in that queue for over two decades until its sponsor completed the testing the agency requested.
Is Tinosorb S safer than older US filters?
It is more photostable than avobenzone and too large to penetrate skin meaningfully, and it shows no endocrine-activity signals in screening, a cleaner profile than several legacy filters. EU and Australian regulators reached that view years ago; the FDA has now completed its own GRASE review.
Related ingredients
Related reading
Primary sources
- Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 on cosmetic products, Annex VI (EUR-Lex)
- Federal Register: Amending OTC Monograph M020 (Sunscreen) to add bemotrizinol, final order OTC000039 (June 10, 2026)
- FDA: FDA Expands Sunscreen Options for the First Time in 20 Years (press announcement, June 2026)
- BASF: Bemotrizinol (Tinosorb S) receives FDA approval, first new filter since 1999 (June 12, 2026)
Last reviewed June 19, 2026 · How we assign statuses