# Are Korean sunscreens legal in the US?

> Only if they meet US drug rules. In the US a sunscreen is an over-the-counter drug, and unless it has its own FDA approval it may use only the UV filters in the FDA’s sunscreen monograph. Many Korean formulas use filters missing from that list. The FDA added one newer filter, bemotrizinol, on 10 June 2026.

- Canonical: https://thecastindex.com/answers/are-korean-sunscreens-legal-in-the-us
- Topic: Regulations & halal
- Facts checked: 2026-10-22
- Author: Kaiser Khan (Founder & Editor)

## Key points

- The FDA regulates sunscreens as nonprescription drugs; South Korea regulates them as functional cosmetics.
- The FDA added bemotrizinol to its sunscreen monograph, M020, by final order on 10 June 2026.
- Filters Korea permits but the US list does not include are, for example, ethylhexyl triazone, DHHB, bisoctrizole and polysilicone-15.
- The FDA says that in most circumstances it is illegal for individuals to import unapproved drugs for personal use, though its staff can take a more permissive view in some cases.
- In the UK, a sunscreen may use only UV filters on the permitted list, and a UK-based responsible person must notify it before sale.

## Why are Korean sunscreens treated differently in the US?

Because the two countries put sunscreen in different legal boxes. The FDA regulates sunscreens as nonprescription drugs, so they must meet US safety and effectiveness standards, and it notes that other countries may treat them as cosmetics. In South Korea a sunscreen is a functional cosmetic reviewed by the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS), as our [Korean sunscreen rules guide](https://thecastindex.com/guide/korean-sunscreen-rules-spf-pa) explains.

Since the CARES Act of March 2020, US sunscreen rules sit in an administrative order, OTC Monograph M020. A sunscreen that conforms to it is treated as generally recognised as safe and effective and is not a new drug. A formula with an active ingredient the monograph does not list would need its own FDA drug approval before it could be sold as a sunscreen.

## Which Korean sunscreen filters are not allowed in the US?

Several filters that Korea permits are missing from the US list. On our comparison of the two official lists, they include ethylhexyl triazone, diethylamino hydroxybenzoyl hexyl benzoate (DHHB), bisoctrizole and polysilicone-15. Our [sunscreen filters explainer](https://thecastindex.com/beauty/ingredients/sunscreen-filters) covers what UV filters do.

The US list does change. On 10 June 2026 the FDA issued a final order adding bemotrizinol to the monograph, following an industry request and its own review of the literature. On 10 September 2026 it went the other way and removed PABA and trolamine salicylate, finding that their risks in sunscreens outweigh their benefits.

A formula still has to conform to the monograph as a whole, so the bemotrizinol order does not by itself clear any particular Korean sunscreen. Korean law lets products made only for export follow the importing country’s rules, so a US version can differ from the one sold in Seoul.

## Can you order Korean sunscreen online and bring it into the US?

The FDA’s personal-importation guidance does not mention sunscreens specifically. It says that in most circumstances it is illegal for individuals to import unapproved drugs or devices for personal use, while listing limited situations in which its staff may take a more permissive decision. It defines a personal importation as a product not for further sale or distribution.

We found no FDA statement on how it handles a single tube of foreign sunscreen in a personal parcel, so we cannot say how a given shipment will be treated. Reselling is clearer: the personal-use route does not cover products meant for sale, and the FDA can refuse shipments that appear to be for commercial distribution.

If you buy sunscreen abroad, the FDA’s advice is to read the label so you understand how it differs from US products. Korean labels show SPF50+ and PA grades; US labels use Broad Spectrum and give water resistance as 40 or 80 minutes, and the FDA says no sunscreen is waterproof.

## Are Korean sunscreens legal in the UK?

Yes, when they meet UK cosmetics law. The UK’s product safety regulator says only substances on its permitted lists, including Annex 6 for UV filters, may be used, and a responsible person with a UK address must notify the product before it reaches shoppers in Great Britain.

That is why more Korean formulas reach UK shelves than US ones. Our [best Korean sunscreens in the UK](https://thecastindex.com/beauty/best/best-korean-sunscreens-uk) guide compares what is on sale; this page does not rank products.

## Questions

### Did the FDA approve bemotrizinol?

Yes. The FDA added bemotrizinol to its over-the-counter sunscreen monograph, M020, by final order on 10 June 2026. A sunscreen that uses it must still conform to the rest of the monograph to be sold without its own drug approval.

### Can US shops sell Korean sunscreens?

Only versions that meet US drug rules: every active ingredient on the FDA’s sunscreen monograph and US-style labelling, or an approved drug application. Korean law lets export-only products follow the importing country’s rules, so a US version can differ from the Korean one.

### Why do Korean sunscreens say PA++++ instead of Broad Spectrum?

The two countries label UVA protection differently. Korea grades it from PA+ to PA++++, based on a measured UVA protection factor. The FDA uses the term Broad Spectrum for sunscreens that protect against both UVA and UVB radiation.

## Related on The Cast Index

- [Korean sunscreen rules: SPF50+, PA++++ and UV filters](https://thecastindex.com/guide/korean-sunscreen-rules-spf-pa)
- [Best Korean sunscreens in the UK](https://thecastindex.com/beauty/best/best-korean-sunscreens-uk)
- [Sunscreen filters explained](https://thecastindex.com/beauty/ingredients/sunscreen-filters)
- [Mineral vs chemical sunscreen](https://thecastindex.com/compare/mineral-vs-chemical-sunscreen)
- [SPF products and buying guide](https://thecastindex.com/beauty/category/spf)
- [Seoul K-beauty desk](https://thecastindex.com/markets/south-korea)

## Sources

- [US FDA — Questions and answers on FDA’s regulatory actions on over-the-counter sunscreen (content current as of 10 September 2026)](https://www.fda.gov/drugs/understanding-over-counter-medicines/questions-and-answers-fdas-regulatory-actions-over-counter-sunscreen) — checked 2026-10-22
- [US FDA — Sunscreen: how to help protect your skin from the sun (content current as of 16 October 2026)](https://www.fda.gov/drugs/understanding-over-counter-medicines/sunscreen-how-help-protect-your-skin-sun) — checked 2026-10-22
- [US FDA — Personal importation (content current as of 18 August 2025)](https://www.fda.gov/industry/import-basics/personal-importation) — checked 2026-10-22
- [MFDS — Cosmetics safety standards, including permitted UV filters](https://www.law.go.kr/행정규칙/화장품안전기준등에관한규정) — checked 2026-10-22
- [Korea Legislation Research Institute — Cosmetics Act, English translation](https://elaw.klri.re.kr/kor_service/lawViewMultiContent.do?hseq=69925) — checked 2026-10-22
- [OPSS — Making cosmetic products available to consumers in Great Britain](https://www.gov.uk/guidance/making-cosmetic-products-available-to-consumers-in-great-britain) — checked 2026-10-22