It’s no secret that Korean beauty and skincare have been on the rise for years – with no end in sight. After having asked Korean women living in Korea what the secret is to their glowing and translucent – or “glass skin” – is, the overwhelming answer was “sunscreen” so you know that Korean sunscreen products are plentiful at stores.
Sun protection is one of the number one ways to preserve youthful, undamaged skin, so whether it is sunscreen, wearing a hat, or trying to avoid the sun all together, creating a barrier between you and those damaging UV rays is the number one way to go when wanting to aspire to the Korean glass skin trend that is popularized now.
When to apply sunscreen
If you’re anything like us, you have an essence, serums, moisturizers and other skincare dailies that you apply to your skin. When and where should sunscreen fit into your routine?
You might not like this answer but…it depends. Let’s first take a look at the different types of sunscreens: chemical and mineral sunscreen. Chemical sunscreen has active ingredients such as avobenzone, octinoxate, and oxybenzone. Mineral sunscreen has active ingredients such as zinc oxide or titanium dioxide.
If you have chemical sunscreen, this type of sunscreen needs time to absorb damaging UV rays, which is why it is recommended to apply this before using moisturizer. For mineral sunscreen, these minerals act as a shield that will block the sun’s UV rays which is why you should apply it as the last step, after your moisturizer.
Sunscreen brands to try
Out of all the brands that are out on the market, here are 3 tried and true Korean sunscreen products that are always on rotation.
Beauty of Joseon Relief Sun
This product has had it’s viral moment. The brand claims to have sold over 4,000,000 units of this product! It is well-deserved as we can attest to the quality. This is on repeat as a purchase. It goes on so smoothly with no white cast. This Beauty of Joseon sunscreen is not sticky and gives a hydrating finish. Rather than it feeling like a sunscreen, it feels more like a moisturizing cream.
Dr. Jart Every Sun Day
Even though Dr. Jart is more of a common brand now, since it’s sold in places like Sephora, Dr. Jart is actually one of the pioneers in Korean skincare, having been founded in 2004. The Every Sun Day sunscreen goes on light (if we are comparing, maybe not quite as light as Beauty of Joseon’s sunscreen) but still lightweight enough to wear it does not leave you feeling oily. It has a matte finish so it’s great to wear throughout the day.
Round Lab Birch Moisturizing Sunscreen
Round Lab has been tried and true with many products this brand has to offer. We’ve found it to be best for sensitive skin so if that’s you, we recommend the Round Lab Birch Moisturizing Sunscreen. It’s on the more affordable side as well so if you want to experiment, this might be a nice one to try out. Like all the others, there is no white cast.
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