In this post I review some the most recommended asian sunscreen. Which on will be the best?

I always wear sunscreen every day, it doesn’t matter if it a quick walk around the block but there is one thing I make sure to do, wear sunscreen. Since I wear sunscreen so I often, I thought I would write a post reviewing the best Asian sunscreens.

I have freckles and most people know, those who have freckles have a higher chance of developing skin cancer. That’s why I religiously use sunscreen and reapply throughout the day. Since I use sunscreens so often, I would only review the best Asian sunscreen /most recommended Asian sunscreen that is also affordable since I use it so often.

What is the difference between western sunscreen and Asian sunscreen?

Let’s face it. Most western sunscreens aren’t that great. What is the difference between Asian sunscreen vs western sunscreen you ask? Many of the western brands use old school sunscreen ingredients and haven’t updated for an over a decade. Why? Believe it or not, sunscreen is considered a drug and needs to be FDA approved in North America[1].  Asian countries, on the other hand, treats sunscreen as a cosmetic ingredient than an over the counter drug. And since doing research is expensive, not many companies are willing to spend the money to formulate an elegant formula. That is why western sunscreen compared to Asian sunscreens are not as elegant as Asian sunscreens.

Review of some of best asian sunscreen

Review: Which of these Asian sunscreens is the best?

Here is a review of some of the most affordable/ most recommended sunscreens I have tried out:

Etude House Sunprise Mild Airy Finish SPF 50+ PA+++ $12

To be honest, I don’t really know how I feel about the Etude House Sunprise Mild Air Finish Sunscreen at first. It has a super watery texture with a minty yet plasticy smell to it. The smell does linger for a minute but does eventually disappear.

One thing that I am not particularly found about the Etude House Sunprise Mild airy finish sunscreen is the matte finish. The matte finish feels a layer of film that makes your skin feel smooth,  not my favorite finish. BUT feels weightless and blends into your skin! Being a mineral sunscreen, it does have many things going for it, it blends relatively easily without leaving a harsh white cast and it has a light, thin texture compared to most mineral sunscreen. I think it is a good sunscreen for sensitive skin, especially if you break out when you use chemical sunscreen.

TIP: For no white cast, I recommend first rubbing the sunscreen between your hands to prevent white casts.

biore UV Aqua Rich Watery Essence Sunscreen SPF+ PA+++ $13

Oh, the classic cult favorite Asian sunscreen.  Biore UV Aqua is one of my favorite sunscreens,  I always stock up whenever I go to Japan.  Although it is not watery in texture like the Etude House Sunscreen, the Biore UV Aqua Rich Watery Essence actually feels like you are applying water to your face. It doesn’t leave any sort of film on the skin, which is why I love it so much. It has zero traces of white cast, so it can be easily reapplied throughout the day especially if you are wearing makeup. The best Asian sunscreen. A++

Are you heading to Japan? Check what to buy when you are in Japan.

Review of the best asian sunscreen cosrx

Cosrx Aloe Sun Soothing Sun Cream PA 50+++

I quite liked the Cosrx Aloe Sun Soothing Sun Cream. If I could describe the Cosrx sunscreen in one word, it would be a moisturizer. I think it would be the perfect sunscreen for dry skin. It feels just like a moisturizer, creamy and quite hydrating. Will it hydrate your dry patches? Probably not, but it is one of the most hydrating and soothing sunscreens I have tried. I would definitely recommend this sunscreen if you have dry skin, or if you get dry in the winter.  Best of all it doesn’t have a white cast.

Check out my other posts: What to buy from Cosrx

innisfree sunscreen Perfect UV Protection cream $15

As one of Korea’s favorite road shop brands, I thought I should review Innisfree’s sunscreen. This particular sunscreen from Innisfree has many formulations ranging from triple care to oily skin. I personally only tried the triple care and the dry formulation. Although I don’t have the driest skin, I prefer the dry formulation much more. Somehow it left less of a white cast compared to the triple formulation and it is quite hydrating too.  It blends quite easily into the skin while being quite weightless.

Like Innisfree products? Check out my review: Which Innisfree sheet Masks is the best?

Bonus non-Asian sunscreen

review of affordable sunscreen
The white cast from The Ordinary’s sunscreen after 5 seconds of rubbing.
The ordinary Mineral UV Filter SPF 30 $9.70

Of all the sunscreen that I have reviewed in this post, The Ordinary’s sunscreen is by far the thickest and the one sunscreen with the most obvious white cast. I would use  The Ordinary’s sunscreen only as a base and wouldn’t reapply it throughout the day due to the obvious white cast. I haven’t tried the tinted version but I think that formulation would be slightly better. As you can see in the photo above, the sunscreen leaves an obvious white cast even with 5 seconds of rubbing.

Check out my other posts: The One Item That You Must Try From The Ordinary

ANTHELIOS MINERAL ULTRA-FLUID BODY LOTION SPF 50

I know this isn’t an Asian sunscreen but I knew the La Roche Posay Anthelios was a pretty recommended sunscreen. I personally didn’t like this sunscreen because this leaves a film on the face. It doesn’t feel great, a bit chalky feeling too. It is watery and weightless sunscreen. If you don’t mind having a matte finish.

Conclusion

You can’t really go wrong with most Asian sunscreens. Most of the ones I have tried were better than western sunscreens and more affordable too. My favorite will have to be the cult favorite Biore UV rich watery essence sunscreen. It is light, zero white cast and easy to reapply throughout the day. If your skin is a bit dry or needs just a little hydrating I would definitely recommend the Cosrx Aloe Sun soothing Sunscreen. However, if you are allergic to chemical sunscreen the Etude House Sunprise might the sunscreen for you.

Check out my other posts: Japanese Cult favorites sunscreen: Should you buy the Anessa or Biore Suncreen.

Disclaimer: This post is not sponsored but it may contain affiliate links where I make a small commission. This means that when you make a purchase using my links I earn a small percentage. All opinions are my own regardless of affiliate links or not. You don’t have to use my links but it would really help me keep on posting the things I love  🙂 <3 

 

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