11 Best Korean Sunscreens, Approved by Dermatologists & Tested by Editors 2024

11/13

Innisfree Daily UV Defense Mineral Sunscreen Broad Spectrum SPF 45 with Hyaluronic Acid Color Correcting

Original photo courtesy of Glamour contributor Jenifer Calle

Here’s a tinted sunscreen in a shade you might not expect: green. Innisfree’s color-correcting formula uses a super sheer green base to help immediately neutralize any visible redness. “I have combination skin and sometimes get red around my cheeks. The green (though it’s more like jade color) diminishes any redness. But, you do have to rub it in pretty well to avoid any white cast since it’s a thick consistency,” says Jenifer Calle, Glamour’s senior commerce editor. Calle ranks this among her favorite sunscreens because of its “glowy finish.”

SPF rating: 45FDA-approved filters: Yes (zinc oxide)Key ingredients: Hyaluronic acid, squalane, cicaHighlights: Soothing and hydrating ingredients, tinted to instantly neutralize rednessSave when you shop for the best Korean sunscreens with these Amazon and Sephora promo codes.

What’s the difference between Korean sunscreens and US sunscreens?Some of the most popular K-beauty sunscreens have the advantage of using filters we don’t yet have access to in the U.S. “Korean sunscreen filters are remarkably advanced, offering a weightless, hydrating, and natural finish that sets them apart from traditional sunscreens,” says Cho.

The FDA has a famously short, unchanging list of approved sunscreen filters that excludes many of the options used in other countries. You’re likely already familiar with filters like titanium dioxide or octinoxate, since they originate from a list that hasn’t been updated with new options since 1999.

Dr. Chang says that “newer-generation UV filters” often used in Korean sunscreens offer “broad-spectrum protection while being lightweight, non-sticky, and without white cast.” That makes them far more comfortable to wear, apply under your foundation, and reapply throughout the day. Cho agrees. “Korean sunscreen filters are remarkably advanced, offering a weightless, hydrating, and natural finish that sets them apart from traditional sunscreens,” she says.

While you can’t shop sunscreens without FDA approval at your nearest Sephora, you can still find them on retailers like Olive Young or YesStyle. Dr. Chang explains that filters that haven’t gained FDA approval still go through rigorous testing in other countries. “Sunscreen testing and approval processes vary globally,” she says. “In the U.S., sunscreens are considered a drug that undergoes strict FDA testing and regulation. Meanwhile, Korean sunscreens are regulated by the Korean Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS), which has different testing protocols compared to the FDA.” To account for the discrepancies between their testing methods, many Korean brands “have improved transparency regarding their SPF testing methods,” she says.