Frequently Asked Questions
How are Korean sunscreens different from Western sunscreens?
One of the key differences between Western sunscreens and Korean sunscreens is their role in our perception of skin care, as Zion Ko Lamm, MD, a board-certified internal medicine doctor based in Charlotte, North Carolina, points out. Korean sunscreens are part of a skin-care lifestyle, defending against a broader range of long-term effects of the sun and promoting general skin health. On the other hand, Western sunscreens are formulated with necessity in mind, beginning and ending with sun protection.
Another difference is that no matter how much zinc oxide they contain, Korean mineral sunscreens are transparent on all skin tones, free of the telltale white cast that we often experience with non-Korean sunscreens. Plus, both chemical and mineral Korean sunscreens feature ingredients found in your favorite serums and moisturizers, like Centella asiatica, allantoin, ceramides, hyaluronic acid, and niacinamide. So when you apply Korean sunscreen to your face, you protect your skin from UVA and UVB rays and work in a layer of hydrating, brightening, and smoothing benefits.
Are Korean sunscreens better than Western sunscreens?
Depends on who you ask, but many would say yes. Why? “It’s not that South Korea has something specifically unique that allows them to create better sunscreens,” Toronto-based cosmetic chemist Stephen Ko previously told Allure. “They just have access to more sunscreen ingredients to work with.”
Because the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) classifies sunscreen as a drug, its chemicals and components must undergo lengthy, formal drug approval processes, which results in limitations to the ingredients in Western formulas. In fact, “there hasn’t been a new [chemical or mineral] approved for use in sunscreens in the U.S. since 1999,” says Ko. This also allows Korean brands to incorporate SPF and skin care innovations into their formulas more swiftly, allowing for more state-of-the-art, sophisticated formulations (active ingredients include Tinosorb S, Uvinul A Plus, and Uvinul T 150).
In short, the U.S. is “terribly behind the rest of the world in approving sunscreens that are superior to those we have,” Vivian Bucay, MD, a board-certified dermatologist based in San Antonio, Texas, previously told Allure. Even Congresswoman Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez agrees. If you’re passionate about sunscreens like we are, she encourages people to contact their congressperson (especially if they sit on the Energy and Commerce Committee) and call upon them to “break through some of the regulatory barriers at the FDA” and “fund public research so that we can all enjoy the filters that develop out of the scientific process.”
How should I choose a Korean sunscreen?
A lot of this depends on your personal preferences, just like any sunscreen produced in the US, Europe, Asia, etc. But if you look at Korean sunscreen packaging, you’ll notice “PA” next to the SPF grades. While SPF measures the degree of UVB light protection, PA (Protection Grade of UVA) is all about UVA light and your protection from developing pigmentation, says Dr. Ko Lamm. She equates PA+++ to SPF 30 and recommends seeking out sunscreens with a minimum of each. “PA is based on the PPD test or the persistent pigmentation darkening test. It measures the multiple increases of UVA a person can theoretically be exposed to without tanning or darkening of the skin,” Dr. Ko Lamm adds. “The PA system ranges from PA+ to PA++++; the maximum rating means it has a PPD value of 16.” This means that while wearing PA++++ sunscreen, your skin can withstand 16 times more UVA radiation than it would without the sunscreen. So, until you exceed that hypothetical 16x UVA level, you won’t start to tan or burn.
Meet the experts
- Vivian Bucay, MD, a board-certified dermatologist based at the Bucay Center for Dermatology and Aesthetics based in San Antonio, Texas
- Claire Chang, MD, a board-certified dermatologist based in New York City
- Stephen Ko, a cosmetic chemist based in Toronto
- Zion Ko Lamm, MD, a board-certified internal medicine doctor based in Charlotte, North Carolina
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When Allure tests a product, our editors look at it from every angle in an effort to best serve you. We review ingredients, scrutinize brand claims, and, when necessary, examine peer-reviewed scientific and medical studies. In addition to testing each and every product that’s included in each and every review, we rely on experts who shape their fields, including dermatology, cosmetic chemistry, and medicine, to help us vet the ingredients and formulas.
For our list of the best Korean sunscreens, we considered each product’s performance across five primary categories: product ingredients, efficacy, product wear, and benefits. Every product was determined to have excelled in each category by our editorial team, which is composed of in-house writers and editors as well as contributors—along with special consideration from dermatologists. To learn more information on our reporting and testing processes, read our complete reviews process and methodology page.
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