The Food and Drug Administration approved bemotrizinol on Tuesday, marking the first new sunscreen filter ingredient to receive FDA approval in 27 years. The ingredient is sold under the brand name PARSOL.

The approval ends a lengthy drought in new sunscreen ingredient approvals that has lasted since the mid-1990s. The development has generated significant interest within the sunscreen and cosmetics industry.

While bemotrizinol represents a new addition to the U.S. market, the ingredient is not new internationally. It has been available and used in sunscreen products in other markets around the world for years before receiving FDA authorization.

The FDA's approval process for sunscreen ingredients has historically been lengthy and complex, contributing to the extended gap between new ingredient approvals. The agency evaluates sunscreen filters for both safety and effectiveness before granting approval for use in consumer products.

The addition of bemotrizinol to the approved ingredients list provides manufacturers with a new option for formulating sunscreen products in the United States market.