I have sensitive skin with rosacea, and I also have seborrheic dermatitis. My morning routine is simple and includes moisturizer, azelaic acid, and sunscreen. I usually wait half an hour after washing my face and moisturizing before I apply sunscreen. Since using retinal, my skin has become more sensitive than usual, which leads to burning or stinging from some sunscreens more quickly.
In general, whenever I tried Korean sunscreens in the past, they never worked for me. For a long time, I thought it was the niacinamide. So, this time I chose sunscreens free of niacinamide, but both sunscreens caused the same slight burning sensation on my skin. It would go away within a few seconds, but it happened every time I applied them, which was unpleasant.
I’m not sure—maybe my skin is sensitive to one of the solvents, like propanediol or butylene glycol. However, I’ve used other products containing glycols.
Although I experienced a slight burning with these sunscreens, that doesn’t mean everyone will—my husband had no issues with either one. Many people are big fans of these sunscreens, including my husband, who loves the Beauty of Joseon sunscreen for its finish.
Beauty of Joseon Relief Sun Aqua-fresh Rice+B5 (SPF50+ PA++++)
UV Filters:
- Ethylhexyl Triazone: Uvinul T 150, Octyltriazone
- Drometrizole Trisiloxane: Mexoryl XL
- Terephthalylidene Dicamphor Sulfonic Acid: Ecamsule, Mexoryl SX
- Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate: Uvinul A Plus, DHHB
- Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine: Tinosorb S, Bemotrizinol
Overview
- Alcohol: No
- Fragrance: No
- Niacinamide: No
- White cast: None
- Burning/irritation: Cooling sensation with slight burning
- Dryness: None
- Finish: Semi-matte
- Pilling: None
- Repurchase: Yes, for my husband and reapplication
This is a new sunscreen from the brand that does not contain Tinosorb M. If you experienced a white cast from the previous version or felt that it was too heavy, this is the lighter version. It’s very lightweight, doesn’t leave a white cast, and stays semi-matte all day, which was a pleasant surprise.
I did feel a very slight burning or warm sensation, especially with the first application, but I could reapply it multiple times without looking greasy or oily. There was no pilling, either. I usually apply it over my moisturizer and prescription azelaic acid. This is also my husband’s favorite sunscreen, and he used most of the product from the squeezed tube you see above (no burning/stinging on his skin).
Where to buy: YesStyle | Olive young | Stylevana
Full ingredient list: Water, Oryza Sativa (Rice) Seed Water, Dibutyl Adipate, Butyloctyl Salicylate, Ethylhexyl Triazone, 1,2-Hexanediol, Drometrizole Trisiloxane, Polyglyceryl-3 Distearate, Terephthalidene Dicamphor Sulfonic Acid, Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Tromethamine, Panthenol, Pentylene Glycol, Glyceryl Stearate, Silica, Caprylyl Methicone, Avena Sativa (Oat) Kernel Extract, Cynara Scolymus (Artichoke) Leaf Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Water, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Oryza Sativa (Rice) Bran Oil, Sodium Hyaluronate, Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine, Propanediol, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Poly C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate, Methylpropanediol, Carbomer, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Ethylhexylglycerin, Xanthan Gum, Glycerin, Polyether-1, Polyquaternium-51, Beta-Glucan, Biosaccharide Gum-1, Inositol, Tocopherol, Ferulic Acid, Citric Acid, Ceramide Np, Phytosphingosine, Rice Amino Acids, Rice Sh-Oligopeptide-1
Goodal Heartleaf Calming Moisture Sun Cream (SPF50+ PA++++)
UV filters
- Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate: Uvinul A Plus, DHHB
- Ethylhexyl Triazone: Uvinul T 150, Octyltriazone
- Methylene Bis-Benzotriazolyl Tetramethylbutylphenol: Tinosorb M, Bisoctrizole
- Diethylhexyl Butamido Triazone: Iscotrizinol, Uvasorb HEB
Overview
- Alcohol: No
- Fragrance: No
- Niacinamide: No
- White cast: Yes (on medium skin tone)
- Burning/irritation: Slight burning
- Dryness: Slightly drying (possibly due to Tinosorb M)
- Finish: Glowy
- Pilling: No pilling on the first application, but I did not reapply due to the white cast
- Repurchase: No
There are very few Korean sunscreens that are free of niacinamide, and this was one of them, so I wanted to try it and see if it would work for me. However, every time I apply it, I feel the same slight burning sensation. I’m not sure if it’s due to the propanediol or another ingredient, but it’s very unpleasant. Honestly, I think the sensation is more intense compared to the Beauty of Joseon Aqua-fresh sunscreen. So, if I had to choose between the two, I would definitely go with that one.
Additionally, this sunscreen leaves a white cast after just the first application on my medium skin tone, although not as much as sunscreens with zinc oxide and titanium dioxide. I wouldn’t consider reapplying it because I know the white cast would only become more noticeable with each application. It also stayed glowy on my face and, while it did dry down a little, I found it to be stickier and less matte compared to the Beauty of Joseon Aqua-fresh sunscreen.
I also avoid applying it to my neck because it settles into the lines on my neck, leaving visible white deposits.
I also find this sunscreen to be a bit on the drying side. This has happened to me with previous sunscreens, like UltraSun, which also had Tinosorb M. While my skin would appear glowy and shiny during the day, by the end of the day, it would feel dried out.
Where to buy: YesStyle | Stylevana | Olive young
Full ingredient list: Water, Dibutyl Adipate, Propanediol, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Diisopropyl Sebacate, Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate, Ethylhexyl Triazone, Methylene Bis-Benzotriazolyl Tetramethylbutylphenol, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Diethylhexyl Butamido Triazone, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Methicone, Houttuynia Cordata Extract, Pentylene Glycol, Behenyl Alcohol, Poly C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate, Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate, Decyl Glucoside, Tromethamine, Carbomer, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Ethylhexylglycerin, Xanthan Gum, T-Butyl Alcohol, Tocopherol
Comparison
The picture below shows how each sunscreen finish looks on my medium-tone skin. The Beauty of Joseon Aqua Fresh has an almost matte finish, while the Goodal Moisture Sun Cream has a shiny finish with a very slight white cast.
Disclaimer: The ingredient list/ price is subject to change over time, so make sure you check them before buying any product.