Advances in organic UV filters for sunscreens over the past decade

Ultraviolet (UV) radiation is a major environmental factor in photoaging, erythema, and skin cancer, making sunscreens an essential strategy for photoprotection. Although currently approved organic UV filters exhibit proven efficacy, limitations related to photostability, insufficient coverage of the long UVA range, potential toxicological risks, and environmental impacts persist, restricting the approval of new molecules over the past decades. In this context, this review aimed to map and discuss the main structural trends of new organic UV filters reported in the literature between 2015 and 2025. Almost 500 compounds were selected and organized into three major categories: derivatives of or inspired by approved organic UV filters, natural product-based compounds, and miscellaneous. Overall, the analyzed studies demonstrate significant advances in the development of molecules with broad-spectrum UV absorption, particularly in the UVA range, improved photostability, and, in some cases, additional desirable properties such as antioxidant activity and reduced environmental impact. These findings highlight scientific progress in the field and reinforce the potential of these frameworks for the development of next-generation organic UV filters.