The very best Korean sunscreens are amongst our absolute favourite sunscreens, and the explanations are past skin-deep. Along with their clear, cast-free finishes and hydrating, brightening, and even acne-fighting properties, Korean sunscreens are formulated with progressive UVA and UVB filters that have not been authorised stateside. (Hey, FDA, get on it.) TL;DR They can not be legitimately offered on Amazon, and every other U.S. retailers. Fortunate for us, there are Asia-based retailers corresponding to Olive Younger (the Sephora of Korea, primarily), Stylevana, and Yesstyle that you may purchase from with confidence.
Be taught extra about what units the perfect Korean sunscreens aside, because of knowledge from Okay-beauty specialists, dermatologists, and each NYC and Seoul-based Attract editors.
Our Prime Korean Sunscreens
Steadily Requested Questions
Finest General: Thank You Farmer Solar Undertaking Moisture Solar Cream SPF 40
Why it is price it: You may see some acquainted, editor-beloved components in Thank You Farmer’s Solar Undertaking Water Solar Cream, like soothing aloe leaves and hydrating sunflower seed extracts. Particularly noteworthy is that this sunscreen is a hybrid formulation, that means it accommodates each mineral and chemical filters (homosalate, octocrylene, and titanium dioxide, to be precise). “Centella asiatica extract and bamboo water are two key components that soothe and hydrate the pores and skin,” notes Eunice Park, MD, a twin board-certified facial plastic surgeon based mostly in Lengthy Island, NY, and founding father of AIREM, including that this moisturizing sunscreen is right for regular to dry pores and skin sorts.
P.S. Dr. Park additionally recommends Thank You Farmer’s The Solar Essence, which she calls a favourite throughout steamy summer season months. “It has a light-weight, watery texture with a pearlescent end that’s excellent for regular to oily pores and skin sorts,” she notes.
Tester suggestions from Attract commerce editor Sarah Han
“Thank You Farmer Solar Undertaking Moisture Solar Cream SPF 40 encapsulates all the things I like about Korean sunscreens, that are 100% extra elite than US sunscreens (I stated what I stated.),” says commerce editor Sarah Han. “It is supremely hydrating—a lot in order that I truly skip my daytime moisturizer—with out feeling heavy or greasy and offers my pores and skin a pleasant however not over-the-top glow. This light-weight cream really melts proper in with out the slightest little bit of solid.”
Sunscreen kind/Key components/Who it is for
- Sunscreen kind: chemical
- Key components: homosalate (9%), octinoxate (6.8%), octisalate (4.5%), octocrylene (4%), and nutritional vitamins B5, B3, E, and Okay (panthenol, niacinamide, tocopherol, and menadione)
- Who it is for: all pores and skin sorts (except you do not like a barely dewy end)
Finest Glowy: Great thing about Joseon Reduction Solar: Rice + Probiotic SPF50+ PA++++
Why it is price it: When you’re on magnificence TikTok, chances are high you’ve got seen Great thing about Joseon Reduction Solar: Rice + Probiotic SPF50+ PA++++ throughout your FYP. The viral sensation is without doubt one of the greatest sunscreens we have tried lately, partly on account of its glowy and healthy-looking end. Chock-full of nourishing components corresponding to niacinamide, rice extract, and grain-derived probiotics, this chemical-free, cast-free formulation would possibly simply make you stay up for making use of sunscreen each single day.
P.S. We have observed a development of Okay-beauty manufacturers formulating FDA-approved sunscreens to promote on Amazon—presumably, to fight the excessive quantity of counterfeits (of the unique, non-FDA-approved formulation) being offered on the positioning. Great thing about Joseon has one referred to as Each day Reduction Sunscreen SPF 40, which Han says has a nice texture however is a smidge heavier than its predecessor.
Tester suggestions from Attract senior information editor Nicola Dall’Asen
“Fairly frankly, I’d by no means go for one more sunscreen once more after the torrid affair I am presently having with Great thing about Joseon’s Reduction Solar SPF 50,” senior information editor Nicola Dall’Asen shared in our roundup for the greatest moisturizers with SPF. “On TikTok’s suggestion, I purchased a complete four-pack of this Okay-beauty staple and have been tearing by all of it summer season, which is all too straightforward to do, given the way in which it melts into pores and skin like butter and leaves a highlighter-level glow behind.”
Sunscreen kind/Key components/Who it is for
- Sunscreen kind: chemical
- Key components: rice extract, niacinamide, pumpkin ferment extract, inexperienced tea, ginseng
- Who it is for: regular, mixture, and dry pores and skin
Finest Semi-Matte: Etude Sunprise Milk Ethereal End Solar Milk SPF 50+
Why it is price it: Many Korean sunscreens depart dewy or radiant finishes, however in case you have oily or mixture pores and skin, mineral formulation could be extra comfy to put on. True to its title, Etude Sunprise Milk Ethereal End Solar Milk SPF 50+ is a light-weight, milky, and fluid-like formulation that does not depart a chalky end or trigger your make-up to tablet, like different mineral sunscreens usually do. It does take a couple of beats longer to totally take up, so so long as you do not thoughts that facet, this subtly floral formulation is a goodie. Remember to shake nicely earlier than software!
“As somebody who primarily wears chemical sunscreens, it is not onerous to infer that I am very choosy about mineral sunscreens. Regardless of the preliminary jumpscare-white formulation, Etude’s Sunprise would not depart a ghastly solid on me, although I positively have to be affected person mixing two fingers’ price of product—I take about 30 seconds altogether, and as you’ll be able to see in my after picture, my pores and skin returns to its pure state—only a smidge brighter and extra evened out. You’ll be able to see a refined glow in my after picture, but when I have been to skip my moisturizer (which I completely might, since I utilized a hydrating essence and antioxidant serum prior), I believe I might obtain a more true matte end.”
Sunscreen kind/Key components/Who it is for
Sunscreen kind: mineral
Key components: zinc oxide (17%), aloe, acai berry, and acerola
Who it is for: mixture, oily, delicate pores and skin
Most Light-weight: Skin1004 Hyalu-Cica Water-Match Solar Serum SPF 50+ PA++++
Why it is price it: All aboard the TikTok hype practice: Skin1004’s Hyalu-Cica Water-Match Solar Serum SPF 50+ PA++++ has taken over our feeds with its impossibly light-weight, serum-like formulation that leaves pores and skin trying dewy and recent. In keeping with the model, this sunscreen makes use of next-generation, photostable chemical UV filters corresponding to Tinosorb M, Uvinul A Plus, Uvinul T 150, and Iscotrizinol. How’s that for innovation?
One other Skin1004 sunscreen we love: Han says Skin1004’s Madagascar Centella Probio-Cica Glow Solar Ampoule was her favourite magnificence launch of 2024. It is also extraordinarily light-weight, fluid, and leaves a really refined dewy end that Han says would not emphasize her shiny areas.
Tester suggestions from Attract contributing editor Deanna Pai
“My pores and skin is of course oily and liable to zits, so I all the time choose light-weight, fast-absorbing formulation. Nothing within the US market actually compares to this serum, which sinks in rapidly and leaves my pores and skin trying dewy, however not chalky or greasy. And it is infused with cica, which I’ve discovered truly tends to scale back redness of any energetic breakouts.”
Sunscreen kind/Key components/Who it is for
- Sunscreen kind: chemical
- Key components: hyaluronic acid, cica, arugula leaf, inexperienced tea, and broccoli extracts
- Who it is for: Folks in search of an excellent light-weight sunscreen; folks with oily/acne-prone pores and skin
Finest for Dry Pores and skin: Then I You Essence Gentle Sunscreen SPF 50 PA+++
Why it is price it: Then I Met You’s Essence Gentle Sunscreen SPF 50 PA+++ is a dream for pores and skin that craves hydration. Whereas this ethereal lotion is not as viscous as a typical Korean essence, it gives related, skin-boosting advantages—because of components corresponding to ceramides, hyaluronic acid, and provitamin B5—and leaves behind a dewy, radiant end. Even when you do not have dry pores and skin, it is price a strive, as our editors will attest.
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Tester suggestions from Attract affiliate magnificence director Sarah Kinonen
“Technically, I’ve mixture pores and skin, however catch me mid-day and you will see me shine from throughout the room. Whereas the Then I Met You Essence Gentle Sunscreen SPF 50 PA+++ would not sop up oil and even stop it, it does play into my every day gleam in the perfect, most useful manner by giving my pores and skin dehydrated much-needed moisture (within the type of ceramides, hyaluronic acid, and panthenol) because it protects it. I’ve gone by two, perhaps three of those tubes already—it is the perfect!”
Sunscreen kind/Key components/Who it is for
Sunscreen kind: chemical
Key components: avobenzone (3%), homosalate (9%), octisalate (4.5%), octocrylene (5%), ceramides, fermented sake, hyaluronic acid, provitamin B5
Who it is for: folks with dry pores and skin (or anybody who would not thoughts trying glowy!)
Different nice Korean sunscreens
- Calling all those that are growing old gracefully: James Y. Wang, MD, a board-certified dermatologist based mostly in LA, gave Cosrx’s Vitamin E Vitalizing Sunscreen SPF 50+ a stamp of approval in our roundup of the greatest sunscreens for mature pores and skin. “Free radicals can contribute to untimely growing old, so the presence of vitamin E might assist preserve the well being and vitality of maturing pores and skin,” he defined. Silica and cotton extract assist curb extra sebum, so it is a wonderful alternative for greasy pores and skin as nicely.
- You probably have delicate, redness-prone pores and skin, Dr.G’s Inexperienced Gentle Up Solar+ SPF 50+ PA++++ is an Attract Korea Better of Magnificence winner that is 100% zinc oxide-based and wealthy in soothing cica and heartleaf. “It would not odor or really feel like a standard facial sunscreen, which is nice for my delicate pores and skin,” Kinonen, who helped choose the winner, stated. “The lotion blends into pores and skin simply and would not depart any type of white solid.”
- Obtained zits? Some by Mi’s v10 Hyal Air Match Sunscreen SPF 50 touts niacinamide, which “has been proven to scale back sebum manufacturing,” NYC-based board-certified dermatologist Marisa Garshick, MD, defined. Some research additionally level to its means to curb the expansion of bacteria-causing zits. Like many different effective formulation on this checklist, it goes on as a moist, white cream however leaves behind zero solid.
- Searching for a sunscreen that is hydrating and would not capsule below make-up? Jenny Liu, MD, a board-certified dermatologist based mostly in Minneapolis, recommends Isntree Hyaluronic Acid Each day Solar Gel SPF 30 PA+++, which she says is “tremendous light-weight, elegant, and nice below make-up.” Inside the formulation lie 10 (!) varieties of hyaluronic acid, niacinamide, cica, and heartleaf, and adenosine, which will help calm down the looks of wrinkles over time.
- Want one thing handy for on-the-go reapplication, or have squirmy youngsters? Choose up the Abib Ethereal Sunstick Smoothing Bar SPF 50+ PA++++, a chemical sunscreen follow a curved applicator that glides onto each nook and cranny of pores and skin with utter ease. It is also full of skin-soothing components like ectoin, camellia japonica seed oil, and allantoin, and waterproof for as much as 80 minutes.
Steadily Requested Questions
How are Korean sunscreens totally different from Western sunscreens?
One of many key variations between Western sunscreens and Korean sunscreens is their function in our notion of skincare, as Zion Ko Lamm, MD, a board-certified inside medication physician based mostly in Charlotte, North Carolina, factors out. Korean sunscreens are a part of a skin-care way of life, defending in opposition to a broader vary of long-term results of the solar and selling common pores and skin well being. Alternatively, Western sunscreens are formulated with necessity in thoughts, starting and ending with solar safety.