Rating: 3/5
Quick Verdict: Beauty of Joseon is strictly a winter sunscreen for me, and even then it leaves me greasy. On the whole, this would not be my top pick for those with oily skin, based on my experience.
Read on for the full review
If you’ve been following the skincare space on social media, you would have noticed the Beauty of Joseon sunscreen everywhere. All the skincare influencers are talking about it, as are the dermatologists. And it seems to me that everybody is loving it.
Through the comments of some of my fellow oily skinned-people I found out that this is a great sunscreen for those on the oilier side. And that it glides on like a dream. Of course, I had to try it. So I ordered it right away and started using it.
But, just as we all know, experts or non-experts raving about something does not necessarily translate into a product working well for your specific skin type.
As of writing this review I’ve been using this sunscreen for more than a month, and here are my honest thoughts.
Beauty of Joseon Relief Sun: Rice + Probiotics SPF 50+ PA++++
Korean sunscreens are formulated to a high industry standard, and are known to have skincare-like properties. This one is no exception. It’s gentle on your skin and provides you with a high degree of sun protection.
There’s no fragrance, no white cast, and no stinging of the eyes. This is gentle enough for me to use it on my son, who is only 3 years old. (The packaging is cute, too.)
For me, however, I found that this sunscreen just sits on my face despite rubbing it in. It’s winter right now in Australia, so I don’t mind a bit of stickiness on my face, as that can help makeup go on better. But I find that I can’t use this sunscreen on its own as it leaves me looking like a grease ball. I need to have a dusting of compact powder on top to control the grease, and we are speaking of peak winter here in Brisbane. The humidity is nowhere near that of summer. And it’s obviously a lot colder.
One could, however, use it on the neck and the chest, where one doesn’t get oily.
Final verdict
The Beauty of Joseon sunscreen may have worked for some with oily skin, but it’s been leaving me greasier than I’m comfortable with. And I don’t see this working for me at all in warmer weather. It’s not my go-to sunscreen even in winter.
A 50ml bottle will cost you AU$24, which I feel is pricey for what you get, especially considering that we run through sunscreens fast when it’s not winter. If you want just another sticky sunscreen that gives you an SPF of more than 50, there are plenty in the Australian market that do that. You don’t need this one.
Also, whether this product withstands sweat or humidity, remains to be seen. (I demand a lot from my sunscreens!)
However, this is a quality sunscreen in its own right (based on the ingredients and that high SPF), and for those with sensitive skin or skin that isn’t as oily as mine, this might work well. For oily skinned people who are interested in a Korean sunscreen, I suggest you look elsewhere.
