WORTH THE HYPE? | VIRAL KOREAN SUNSCREENS PUT TO THE TEST

 

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Two viral Korean sunscreen formulas (both are under £20) recently arrived at Tonic 15, my go-to UK website for K-beauty products, so naturally I decided to give them a go and see if they're worth the hype!

Let's start with the Beauty of Joseon Relief Sun Rice + Probiotics SPF 50+ PA++++ | £16 (15% off with code JASMINETALKSBEAUTY). This is one for my fellow dry-skinned people because it has a creamy, moisturising texture. It's rich but not in that thick, 'rubbing it in for ages' sunscreen kind of way; think of it more like a sunscreen moisturiser (which for oily-skinned people, it will definitely work as). It's formulated with elegant, modern filters, as you'd expect from a Korean lab (such as Tinosorb M, Uvinal A Plus and Uvinal T 150) which makes for a cosmetically pleasant to use product that doesn't irritate my skin or get in my eyes and burn! It's designed as a daily sunscreen as opposed to something you're going to wear to the beach, which suits me perfectly as we transition into autumn. There's no excess left on my skin, there's no pilling under makeup and it just feels good on my skin! In terms of added ingredients, it has fermented extracts (with powerful antioxidant benefits, like you'd find in an essence), niacinamide (to help with breakouts and discolouration and strengthen the skin barrier), glycerin to draw hydration into the skin, probiotics (which can help boost skin barrier function also) and hydrating, soothing rice extract. It's fragrance-free and honestly, I think from most western brands this would be a premium £40+ formula. I'm so happy we can now get this at such a good price in the UK without long shipping times. Sorry to every whose Instagram posts I've commented on saying I needed to try this; I should have listened sooner!

The other formula I've been testing out is the Tocobo Bio Watery Sunscreen SPF 50+ PA++++ | £18.75 (15% off with code JASMINETALKSBEAUTY). This is your ultra-light option, so if the BOJ formula sounds a bit rich for your liking, you might prefer Tocobo's offering. This is a fluid lotion that melts very easily into the skin and is formulated with hyaluronic acid and glycerin to draw in hydration. It's also packed full of antioxidant extracts to work with your sunscreen in protecting the skin from free radical damage. This one does contain fragrance, which doesn't bother me, but might be a consideration for some. It's also designed to be more of a daily sunscreen so doesn't contain water resistance. Again, it's very easy to wear; it works under makeup, it's hydrating, it doesn't leave a cast or excess and it doesn't pill up or interact strangely with the rest of my routine. It has a hydrating but completely non-shiny finish and really just feels like a serum on my skin. If you struggle to incorporate daily sunscreen into your routine: give this a try, it's just so effortless to use!

I'm so happy to say that both of these formulas knocked my socks off and are absolutely worth the hype. The fact they're so affordable is just a bonus, as they can easily go toe-to-toe with products many times their price. So, if you had your eye on either of these: this is your sign to 'add to basket'! If I was pushed, I'd have to say Beauty of Joseon's formula was my favourite, but honestly: they're both winners. You can check out demos of both here.

Have you tried either of these sunscreens?

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