BEMT is the first new ingredient allowed by the FDA since the 1990s. It's meaningful but a very narrow decision. The FDA still has not approved any of the following sunscreens that have been widely used outside of the US, in some cases for decades: - DHHB / Uvinul A Plus - EHT / Uvinul T150 - MBBT / Tinosorb M - Iscotrizinol / Uvasorb HEB - Drometrizole trisiloxane - Mexoryl XL - Methoxypropylamino cyclohexenylidene…
There is no risk with using zinc oxide 24%. It works too well and is safe. The risk is with chemical sunscreens having hormone disrupting effects, although bemotrizinol is expected to be safer in this regard, especially if it's not stacked with older harmful chemicals.
Yes, if you're savvy enough to know to stick to sunscreens that contain zinc oxide as the only ingredient (I don't think most people are), and don't mind looking like a ghost (the white cast) or getting white marks on your clothes, this is a safe and effective option. If you aren't checking the ingredients lists carefully, like most people aren't, and you don't know that most sunscreen-containing products in the US are hormone disruptors, like most people don't, your health is at risk.