Are Korean Sunscreens Better? Debunking the hype.
Are Korean sunscreens just simply better than sunscreens made in the US? Let’s Discuss.
Do they have access to better UV filters?
Do Korean sunscreens have better textures and aesthetics than US sunscreens?
How does Korean culture surrounding sunscreens impact what sunscreen is sold there?
Korean sunscreens are better. Sunscreens in the US suck. That is the gist of what many influencers on TikTok and Instagram say when sharing a massive sunscreen haul showcasing popular Korean sunscreens. We’re taking a deeper dive into why it doesn’t make sense to generalize that all sunscreens are good or bad simply based on where they were made. We’ll take a look at access to certain UV filters, overall aesthetics of sunscreen formulations, the culture of wearing sunscreens and how they are used and see that it’s a much more complicated story.
Our Ava Isa Every Morning SPF 30, lightweight 25% zinc oxide sunscreen with glossy and smooth application and excellent daily protection
1. Do they have access to better UV filters?
There is no easy answer to this question. Simply, most countries outside the US have access to more UV filters. In the US, the FDA has not approved a new filter on their sunscreen monograph for a very long time. Other countries globally have access to other UV filters including several that provide UVA protection. Korean sunscreen formulators have access to more UV filters when formulating.
However, there are two things to consider when then jumping to the conclusion that Korean sunscreens are therefore de facto better. One- zinc oxide remains an excellent choice as a UV filter when used properly in a nice high concentration (as close to 25% as possible). You can achieve excellent aesthetics in your formula. We make facial sunscreens with 25% zinc oxide that are silky, smooth, lightweight with no white cast. It’s an outdated myth that all mineral sunscreens are thick white goop.
You can also achieve excellent UVA protection, which has always been our focus, when you use enough of the active ingredient and know how to use innovative dispersion technology to optimize its performance. In terms of protecting against UVA light when comparing avobenzone and zinc oxide, we would argue that zinc oxide offers extended protection throughout the longest UVA wavelengths when used correctly and does not permeate the skin (even broken skin). This means we do not have to worry about it as a potential endocrine disruptor (hormone disruption) as we would with any UV filter that has a small molecular weight. Zinc oxide is the UV filter that gives the best protection in both the long wave UVA and the blue light portion of Visible light. Zinc oxide is not a consolation prize or a downgrade when compared to these other ‘Next-gen’ UV filters. It holds its own as an amazing UV filter that provides excellent protection for your skin.
Furthermore, just because Korean formulators (and also EU ones etc) have access to these ‘next-gen’ UV filters- it doesn’t mean they use them in every formula or use them in their effective concentration. It is almost impossible for most people to know what is in any given Korean sunscreen formula since the UV filters are listed in the general body of ingredients by their chemical names (which are long and complicated). Even seasoned pros can struggle trying to parse out what ingredients are the active UV filters from the non-medicinal ingredients. Sunscreens in the US and Canada are required to use Drug Fact Panels that list the active ingredients with their active concentration. Even if you are able to figure out the UV filters in a formula, brands almost never disclose what the concentration is of the given UV filter. Contrary to the popular myth, the concentration of the UV filter does absolutely impact the efficacy of the protection of any given formula within the full UV spectrum. It’s like any drug product where one should know what is in their medicine and what’s the dose. For example, the UV filter Tinosorb M does give very good protection especially in the UVA range and is very similar to zinc oxide in how it protects. However, its ideal concentration is 5% or more. The downside is that at this concentration it can be quite whitening so many formulators do not use it at this concentration. If you are using a sunscreen but are not sure what the active UV filters are and what their active concentration is, then you are missing key information on its true efficacy. There are issues with in-vivo SPF and PPD testing, that we don’t recommend choosing a sunscreen based on these without also considering what is in your sunscreen.
2. Do Korean sunscreens have better textures and aesthetics than US sunscreens?
Your preference for texture and aesthetics in your sunscreen is subjective. Historically, many American consumers would buy sunscreens when they were going to the beach, or during the summer or when doing an outdoor activity. The formulations of the past reflected this type of use and were focused on being water-resistant, in large sizes for the body etc. This has changed as consumer preferences have changed. Since our company started, we have focused on creating formulas designed to be worn on the face for daily use. We therefore pride ourselves on delivering formulations that are beautiful for daily wear, that complement your make-up and give you a nice finish. We also include specialized skincare actives to make them multipurpose and support their protection through anti-oxidant support or even more unique like Vitamin D creation in the skin as seen in our Ava Isa Every Morning SPF 30 formula. All to say, you can find sunscreens with the texture and aesthetics you are looking for in any country.
3. How does their culture surrounding sunscreens impact what is sold there?
Korean skincare culture does seem to prioritize the use of a daily sunscreen whereas you could argue that North American skincare culture is later to the game in promoting this concept. Asian sunscreens also have the reputation for talking more about the importance of UVA protection instead of simply focusing on the labelled SPF. As a sunscreen company, this has also been our core value as well. We have always tried to educate on the importance of maximizing your UVA protection to protect against pigmentation, signs of aging and skin cancer for all skin types. We also tend to agree that when you use a daily sunscreen with a high UVA protection factor (our formulas range from UVA PF’s of 12-21, see our sunscreen guide for more info) then you don’t need to be as aggressive with ‘corrective’ type skincare. We still love and recommend using ingredients like Vitamin A derivatives and exfoliants in your skincare rotation. We like using each type of ingredient 1-2x per week. However, we don’t agree that you have to be on a mission to constantly ramp up your corrective skincare to its maximum use because your sunscreen is doing the heavy lifting of prevention.
Summary: debunking the myth that all Korean sunscreens are better
We’re not here to put down Korean sunscreens. We would argue that any sunscreen sold in the US and Canada should go through the proper channels of getting FDA and Health Canada approval. We spend a lot of time and effort to comply with FDA and Health Canada regulations and any sunscreen that does not do this is being sold illegally. Other than that, we would recommend judging a sunscreen but its active ingredients their concentrations (i.e. their effective doses) and then seeing if these line up with the labelled SPF and UVA. It does not make sense to simply assume that a sunscreen is ‘good’ or ‘bad’ because it comes from a specific place. We also don’t think North Americans have to feel like they aren’t able to access truly great and innovative formulas. You can find and use a sunscreen that you love and trust and if you’re not sure, then get in touch and we’ll point you in the right direction. Make sure to also follow us on our Instagram and TikTok accounts for the resources to ultimately find the perfect sunscreen for you.
