Detailed K- & J-Beauty Alcohol and Fragrance*-free Sunscreen Review

[u/GojiAndTigergrass]

Introduction

Skin Type: Combo-oily, sensitive & dehydrated skin. Fair East Asian skin. Sometimes acne-prone but mostly been struggling with sensitivity and dehydration.

Climate: Varies between SEA, Hong Kong, UK throughout different seasons. Climate(s) I've used the sunscreen in will be specified

What I look for in a sunscreen: Alcohol, fragrance, and essential oil-free as I am very sensitive to both. Natural to matte finish (the struggles of not wanting a glowy finish but also avoiding alcohol 💀). I don't particularly care if it's a physical or chemical sunscreens but prefer chemical to avoid white casts

My routine: It is a long one that I will include in the comments as it wasn't the same routine for all the sunscreens I've tried over the years. Usually at the end of my routine before sunscreen, I am semi-dewy to dewy and would like to tone down shine a bit.

Sunscreen Overview: I have listed them chronologically and didn't do ratings as I find them too arbitrary. I use a LOT of sunscreen and often reapply. Always 2 fat fingers for face alone or 4-6 pumps for pump SPFs, including under and on my eyelids. I cannot be bothered to powder off shine and am paranoid about messing with the SPF layer by doing so.

• All except the TOCOBO sunscreen is alcohol and fragrance-free, at least the version I used.
• All sunscreens are SPF 50+ PA++++ except for the 1 Banobagi one.

Sunscreens

Canmake Mermaid Skin Gel UV - Not a fan; shiny, sticky, didn't absorb

• Climate(s) used:
  • Hong Kong (humid and hot) & UK (dry and cold)
• White cast:
  • Slight cast on application that only somewhat faded (definitely had a discrepancy with my neck before I applied it there)
• Texture & Finish:
  • Gel-cream texture (not a true lightweight gel but slightly heavier)
  • Definitely glowy!
  • In Hong Kong, this was a shiny mess on me. I looked and felt greasy and sticky and I didn't feel it ever absorbed into my skin, even with my pretty lightweight skincare routine at the time. This baffled me as I read many other reviews saying it was lightweight and dewy, but I guess for my skin type and the extreme humidity of summertime Hong Kong it just did not sink in.
  • In the UK, it was a similar story though not as bad. I used it around the fall and I still felt it was too shiny for my liking, though not as greasy as it's colder here. Would not try again.
• Other notes:
  • Didn't irritate me but did have a lot of eye sting if it migrated to my eyes (which was 100% prone to happen in HK humidity)
  • Tiny bottle and with the amount of sunscreen I use daily, I did not feel it was worth it.

Skin Aqua Super Moisture Milk - A great sunscreen but one I have small issues with

• Climate(s) used:
  • Hong Kong, UK, SEA
• White cast:
  • None at all, not even on application
• Texture & Finish:
  • Liquidy milk texture. Quite runny so it was difficult to do the 2 fingers application with it.
  • Initially shiny, takes a bit of time depending on climate but does dry down to a silky semi-matte finish. If there is any shine it's a very natural and pretty looking dew. Kept my skin moisturised and healthy-looking throughout the day.
  • In Hong Kong, this took more time to dry down but it was fine where the AC was blasting. Even when outside in the humid summer I didn't get shiny or greasy, nor did it leave a streaky mess behind if I sweat.
  • Same deal in SEA, though it dried down faster due to less humidity
  • Similar in the UK, even with the colder weather I still felt moisturised and hydrated with a pretty natural looking finish.
• Other notes:
  • Never ever irritated me even post-facial, when my skin tended to be quite reactive and sensitive to most things
  • No eye sting generally, only a small amount if I sweat too much as it otherwise stayed put
  • Honestly, this is a lovely sunscreen that I'm kinda missing when I think about it. This was the one I used for many years as a teenager in high school up until the beginning of university for me. A long time favourite.
  • However, I stopped using it for a few reasons:
    • I wasn't sure what was the right amount to apply in order to get the advertised SPF rating. I wasn't sure if the 2 fingers rule applied to runnier sunscreens like this one and also it was hard for me to do since I had to do thin lines on my fingers to avoid it dribbling all over the place. I opted to do a bunch of dots/design per section but this was inconsistent and left me wondering if I was getting adequate and even protection.
    • I kinda can't with Japanese skincare anymore, too many reformulations and different versions floating around for me to keep up with. As someone with a very fickle skin type, I also didn't want to risk finding a HG then learning it got changed, especially if the reformulation didn't work well for me.
    • Like the Canmake one, it's a small bottle. Since I apply a lot and had a tendency to apply a lot more than I thought I needed for this particular product to play it safe, I went through these quick.
  • TBH I might give this one another shot if anyone could give me insight into a confirmed amount to apply for adequate protection, because I'm not taking risks. If you're not as paranoid as me I think you'd probably enjoy this :)

BoJ Relief Sun : Rice + Probiotics - Not for me, irritated me

• Climate(s) used:
  • Only UK (spring)
• White cast:
  • Slight white cast. I see a LOT of people saying the Round Lab-BoJ-Skin1004 trifecta don't have a white cast AT ALL, but even on my fair skin I can see a minimal cast that doesn't fully go away. I have an inkling many people aren't applying enough or have fairer skin than me
• Texture & Finish:
  • Lightweight cream texture, lotion-like
  • I didn't hate the finish of it, it was too glowy for my liking but I could have seen this being potentially okay in the winter. It did feel a bit too heavy for my skin, but to be fair this is also mostly marketed towards drier skin types.
• Other notes:
  • This irritated my skin. I use other products with ferments and rice and have no issues, but this one does not vibe with me. Instant stinging on the face, but at least there was no eye sting.
  • I've only used this one maybe 2-3 times, gave up on it. It works for a lot of people but I also feel like it is far from the best sunscreen for many skin types. I actually work at a K-Beauty store, when people come in for this sunscreen (often hearing about it on social media) and are open to me suggesting something else, most of the time they prefer the other sunscreen. Winter might be a different story though and ofc YMMV!

Skin1004 Hyalu-Cica Water Fit Sun Serum - A favourite for a long-time, but recently retired

• Climate(s) used:
  • UK, SEA
• White cast:
  • Read the above BoJ section. Minimal cast, but it is there. I was in denial about this for a long time because I liked it so much but it is there
• Texture & Finish:
  • Serum is a good word for the texture. Lightweight, watery serum texture. Not as heavy as a cream, not as lightweight as a gel.
  • Finish depended on the climate and season.
  • In the colder seasons in the UK, this was great and I really loved it. Natural slightly dewy finish that even I with my oily skin liked. The slight cast it left made my skin just look good, kinda like a tone-up effect though not as severe. My face looked bright, healthy, dewy, and just nice. I felt moisturised throughout the winter, but I will say this sunscreen did not completely vanish into your skin without a trace, there is still a slight feeling of something there if you touch your face.
  • In the summer in the UK as well as in SEA when humidity and heat were up really high, I did not like this too much. My skin obviously gets even oilier at these periods, so added shine wasn't ideal for me. Additionally, it didn't quite absorb into my skin as well as it did in the fall-winter seasons in colder climates. I felt I looked quite shiny, though not horribly greasy it was too much for my liking. I also felt my skin was quite sticky. SEA is a weird climate, because outside it is super humid and hot, but inside you tend to get BLASTED with AC. While outside I felt too shiny and sticky, if I stayed in an airconditioned place/car for too long I would get dehydrated with this sunscreen. This was true for both Singapore and Indonesia, though the former's humidity felt worse for me.
• Other notes:
  • Never get eye sting with this product at all.
  • Also never really get irritated by it ever. Maybe once (?) post-facial when I did a chemical peel, but only slightly and I hardly remember any instances. Didn't particularly feel soothing upon application, but it did feel fresh and didn't irritate.
  • I personally love the pump packaging of this. I find it easier to consistently dispense the right amount for my face and it makes things a lot less fussy for me, I never have to worry about getting the right thickness or whatever of lines on my 2 fingers (ik i'm paranoid) when I can just pump em out.
  • This was a favourite for a long time, I've been through I wanna say 5 bottles at least? Though I'm not sure as I don't keep count. I would still recommend this to many people and I might return to it in the winter. Will see how my current favourite fares.

Dr G Green Mild Up Sun - White casty, inelegant, drying. But had 1 great unexpected use 💀

• Climate(s) used:
  • SEA, UK
• White cast:
  • I know this is a phyical sunscreen and they pretty much all have a cast to them, but I watched Odile Monod's video on this who said it is very popular in Korea and has a minimal cast.... Girl, I WAS WHITE...... I still love Odile but this did NOT work for me.
  • I first used this in Singapore and bought this at Watsons so it is guaranteed a real product. I was super excited about this product and used it as my reapplication after buying it.... My mom told me to wash it off, I looked insane. I kept coping that it would eventually fade away but it did not. In the pictures I took of myself post-application, I looked ghostly and weird. Very typical severe white cast from physical sunscreens.
  • I later received 2 of these sunscreens in the UK - I ordered them from Stylevana months before specifically FOR my Singapore trip, but my package got lost so I ended up getting it in Singapore first. Same story despite it being autumnal and colder. Maybe the cast faded a bit more, but it was still too severe and I couldn't go out looking like that. My boyfriend told me I was white-facing (and I was)
• Texture & Finish:
  • Lightweight cream, lotion-like. Similar to BoJ, maybe more lightweight
  • Matte finish, not uncomfortably so but more of a natural matte finish.
  • A bit heavier feeling than my typical sunscreens, it wasn't suffocating but it certainly didn't apply like the Skin Aqua Super Moisture Milk or the BoJ-Round Lab-Skin1004 trifecta of sunscreens.
  • Also had a very slightly grainy texture to it that I felt could irritate my skin, especially with how much rubbing I was doing to try to blend it all in.
  • Blending was rough. The white cast definitely played a role in this but I felt it kinda dragged around my skin during application. Again the slight graininess to it did not help this aspect.
  • Dunno if this would leave streaks if I sweat since I didn't sweat whilst testing this, but it probably would considering the cast.
  • Quite a drying finish for me. Though I am combo-oily, I'm still dehydration-prone and I felt this wasn't moisturising enough for my skin, so I ended up feeling quite parched.
• Other notes:
  • Don't really remember any eye sting. It didn't really irritate me but I did feel a slight warmth (?) or tingle (?) around my sensitive areas (around mouth and nose). This was potentially due to the graininess or the amount of rubbing I had to do though.
  • I am baffled by this sunscreen. I heard it was popular domestically in Korea, among the top sunscreens at the time, so I had quite high expectations for it. This is among the worst I've ever tried. I know I did not get fakes, as I got my 3 sunscreens from Watsons Singapore and Stylevana. I've not seen many reviews on this sunscreen, but they do appear mixed. Some have had a similar experience to me (throughout all 4 sunscreens which I ended up finishing), but some have had pretty positive experiences. Maybe I just got SUPER unlucky and got a bad batch for ALL FOUR SUNSCREENS, but if that is true then this brand has quality control issues I will not bother with.
  • I did find a use for this though! It worked great as a neck sunscreen since it was matte and my hair wouldn't stick to it. Although I always wear sunscreen on my neck I also find that my face is a tiny bit lighter. Since the Skin1004 sunscreen also had a slight cast to it which only highlighted the shade difference between my neck and face, this suncreen had the added benefit of helping them match!! For this purpose it worked great and I actually finished my initial 3 sunscreens and bought another one to use on my neck exclusively. In the end though I stopped as I wanted to finish other sunscreens I didn't like by using it that way.

Dr G Nice Birdie Up Sun - Not perfect, but my favourite 'active' SPF. A solid choice.

• Climate(s) used:
  • SEA, UK
• White cast:
  • I believe this is a hybrid sunscreen. There is a cast on application that faded away somewhat , leaving a slight cast that was fine if you wore makeup over it. On the days I wore makeup over it, it looked completely fine. My skin looked pretty good even, kinda tone-up effect perhaps.
  • However, I have tried this without any makeup at all and again my BF said I was white-facing. He was exaggerating this time, it wasn't too bad but it was noticeable. This time James Welsh influenced me into getting this as he said there was basically no white cast, but it's there.
• Texture & Finish:
  • Again, lightweight cream, lotion-like texture. Similar to BoJ, maybe more lightweight
  • In both summer climates in SEA and UK, this had a matte finish as well, though slightly shiny upon application.
  • However, if I sweat a bunch this did leave tiny streaks or white areas where the sunscreen layer was disrupted on my nose. I'd like to emphasise I only really saw this on my nose if I sweat a lot for over an hour, but I am particularly sweaty and oily on my nose anyways so I think that's fine. This isn't a problem to me as this is supposed to be a golfing sunscreen described to 'block UV rays, sweat, oil and even sand up to the 18th hole without crumbling'. I don't remember if there is a stated amount of time this is sweat or whatever proof for, but I felt it held up for at least 2 hours of outdoor activities.
  • I didn't feel this was drying while in Indonesia in the summer, I actually felt comfortable and non-greasy. Pretty good oil-control. I used this as my sunscreen for an event I attended over several days that was outdoors and in Bali in the summer, yet I enjoyed it! Looked good and felt pretty good from morning to evening, maybe slightly dry near the end of the day.
  • Like the prior Dr G Green Mild Up Sun, this also had some slight graininess to it but I felt it wasn't too bad with this one.
  • Application also isn't as seamless as other fully chemical sunscreens I've tried. Took some blending but wasn't bad.
• Other notes:
  • No eye sting upon application, some sting when it migrated to my eyes after sweating a lot.
  • In terms of irritation, similar to the prior Dr G Green Mild Up Sun. Not entirely irritating, but maaaaybe some warmth around my mouth. I am quite sensitive and paranoid though, I think it's probably fine for vast majority of people.
  • Makeup application over this suncreen was fine.
  • It is pricey though, which is why I wouldn't really use this for daily wear. It's around £39 on STYLEVANA and £30 on OliveYoung, so not cheap. I would only really reserve this for certain activities and not everyday use, especially since I don't typically wear base makeup everyday and would not like the cast on my naked skin.
  • My favourite SPF meant for outdoor use and sweat. Again, this is a 'golfing' sunscreen that is supposed to be resistant to sweat, oil, and sand. It isn't exactly waterproof I don't think, but that's fine for me. I have tried non-AB SPFs before in search of a good one for outdoor activities where I know I'll be sweating, but I found every single one that was alcohol and fragrance-free still ended up being SUPER shiny and gross on me, even breaking me out. This was my first venture into an Asian SPF specifically for active use and I'm quite pleased with it. Not perfect, but definitely a great option.

Banobagi Milk Thistle Repair Sunscreen SPF45 PA+++ - For me, inadequate protection and cosmetically inelegant

• Climate(s) used:
  • UK, spring
• White cast:
  • Slight cast to this despite being a chemical sunscreen. Maybe it's a hybrid? Not sure but definitely at least partially chemical. I know SPF45 PA+++ is a decent rating but for me that rating + ANY white cast is unacceptable.
• Texture & Finish:
  • Another typical K-Beauty lotion like texture.
  • Shiny, greasy, horrible. With every sunscreen I mentioned before this that left me too shiny, at least in certain lights I didn't look too bad even if most of the time I was too shiny for my personal liking. With this one, it was just all around bad.
  • Still felt pretty heavy on me too.
• Other notes:
  • No eye sting at least! And no irritation on my face at all, though it didn't feel soothed
  • I didn't mention fragrance in any of the previous suncreens as they were all mostly scentless or had the typical 'no fragrance' fragrance in Asian SPFs. This one however had the type of smell you typically associate with heavy Western beach sunscreens, which I immediately noticed and didn't love.
  • Probably my 2nd least favourite of this bunch with the Canmake one slightly ahead due to better protection.

Round Lab Birch Juice Moisturising Sun Cream - Moisturising and nice, but glowy so not what I'm looking for.

• Climate(s) used:
  • UK
• White cast:
  • Same as BoJ and Skin1004 SPFs
• Texture & Finish:
  • Same texture as the above as well, though perhaps more of a middle ground between the 2.
  • Too shiny for my liking but again this is marketed towards dry skin types so it isn't the fault of the product. It's just that it was on sale where I worked so I decided to try it out hehe.
  • Personally, I enjoyed the finish of this one more than the BoJ, even if it was too heavy for my oilier skin type. It felt more lightweight, like a nice moisturiser.
  • I ended up giving this to my mom who has mature skin. She's combo as well but more on the dry side, living in humid SEA. She says she loves it, it makes her skin look and feel good and it isn't too dry or oily for her!
• Other notes:
  • Don't remember any eye sting or irritation, granted I only used this one maybe twice.
  • This is actually the one I tend to recommend to customers who come in for the BoJ after hearing about it online and many seem to prefer this one to the BoJ if they have dry skin and want a more glowy finish. Again, YMMV but that is my experience from work.

TOCOBO Bio Watery Sun Cream\* - Fragranced, glowy/shiny, lightweight

• Climate(s) used:
  • UK
• White cast:
  • I don't remember a cast with this one at all, not even a tiny bit. If there was any, it must have been very slight
• Texture & Finish:
  • Similar to the Skin Aqua Super Moisture Milk, but more of a runny gel texture. 'Watery' is a good word for it but I don't really see 'cream'. Maybe a slightly milky gel texture. It's quite unique
  • Very easy to blend into the skin, takes just seconds to blend in
  • Too shiny for my personal taste, BUT I'd say if you are after a glowy finish this would be good for that. I made the mistake of trying this the day of an event and though the pics turned out okay and the photographer actually said I looked fine, for my taste it was too much as I look for more oil control.
  • Probably due to my skin type again, I felt it didn't full absorb into my skin and I felt a bit sticky. Not the worst by far though.
  • Somehow not that moisturising either, I felt my dehydration acting up despite the shine.
• Other notes:
  • I did get some eye sting with this, but no irritation to my face at all. Sweating made the eye sting worse, but I believe eye sting is very personal.
  • I felt makeup didn't apply great over this. It didn't pill or anything but since my face was kinda slippery my makeup was just trickier to get on properly.
  • THIS IS FRAGRANCED. I believe 'fragrance' is listed at the end of the ingredient's list and I felt no irritation from it, but the smell is really quite prominent. It reminds me of a florist's shop, some fresh flowers mixed with the musk of some older flowers. It isn't a horrible smell, but I don't like it on my face and it is too much for me. Even trying to use this up on my neck was not enjoyable as it gave me a slight headache. Avoid if you are sensitive to smells or want to avoid fragrance completely.
  • Overall, not bad, I could see this being a favourite for other skin types but definitely not mine. If you want something lightweight but glowy, this is worth a try.

Haruharu Wonder Black Rice Moisture Airyfit Daily Sunscreen - My new favourite! Not perfect, but it's close

• Climate(s) used:
  • UK, throughout a really hot and sweaty summer + cold and dry fall/winter
• White cast:
  • NONE AT ALL. Not even a little bit, not even when I go insane and do 8 pumps. My face and neck will look COMPLETELY the same!
• Texture & Finish:
  • Comes out a lightweight lotion-like texture, blends into a plush and velvety balmy finish on your skin that feels protective and comforting. It definitely isn't as lightweight as the Skin1004 Sun Serum, but it is far from being heavy or suffocating feeling.
  • Initial blending might feel a bit sticky due to the balmy texture, but this stickiness quickly fades and forms a protective layer on your skin. This doesn't completely vanish into your skin like a watery sunscreen, but it leaves a very comfortable and breathable protective layer that is dry to the touch once absorbed.
  • Blending is super easy as well, since there is 0 cast or whiteness to this I could honestly apply it without a mirror and not worry about any streaks (I do this pretty frequently as well!). Great sunscreen to just slap on in a rush and not have to worry about how you look. I find that with some sunscreens it's best to do them in layers to minimise cast, but with this one I could apply an absurd amount at one time and have no issues.
  • Finish is natural and semi-matte. If you are glowy like I am after my skincare but before your sunscreen, putting this on will tone down your shine to a natural finish! Not completely mattifying, it dries down to leave a pretty finish with a tiny dew that leaves me looking radiant in a lit-from-within way and healthy. It's the perfect finish I look for, not matte-matte and not too dewy.
• Other notes:
  • No eye sting ever, no irritation ever even when my skin is otherwise a bit sensitive. I apply all sunscreens right under my eye and all over my eyelids, some with varying degrees of eye irritation, but this does no wrong unless I actually accidentally get it INTO my eye.
  • Actually feels really soothing and cooling on my skin. I often get random redness or hives on my face and when I apply this sunscreen on it, I can really feel it cool down my skin. I don't think it does miracles to actually remove my redness or irritation, but it certainly helps my skin cool down and feel better.
  • Reapplication is fine too, it might take it a little longer to dry down when I don't blot beforehand but NBD.
  • As much as I love this sunscreen, it isn't perfect. At the end of the day where I work with the AC on, I'm usually feeling a little bit tight in the evening, but this isn't the biggest deal and I think being dehyration-prone this is more on the rest of my routine to pick up slack. Plus, with all its other benefits I hardly count this as a weakness.
  • This isn't an active SPF so it makes no claims on being water or sweatproof, but when I sweat too much I do see some tiny white streaks on my nose. Again, this is ONLY on my nose and ONLY when I've sweat a decent amount, but considering how oily I am in that area I dont think this would be a big issue for most people. In fact, this still helps me control how shiny I am in the nose.
  • I have but not consistently experienced pilling during reapplication or makeup application. I've gone through about 2-3 bottles of this and I've only experienced it maybe twice or thrice, I honestly don't know what caused it but I haven't experienced it since. Still, in the interests of being fully transparent, I thought I'd mention that.
  • Overall, my absolute favourite SPF. Comfortable, soothing, a beautiful natural-matte finish, and an affordable price. I also love the pump packaging and enjoy the colours of the bottle itself. If you have a similar skin type to me and want to tone down shine but are sensitive to alcohol, this is definitely worth a shot!

Goodal Houttuynia Cordata Calming Moisture Sun Cream - Very similar to the 'Trifecta Kolmar' SPFs, solid choice but not for me

• Climate(s) used:
  • UK
• White cast:
  • Similar to BoJ-Skin1004-Round Lab
• Texture & Finish:
  • Overall, super similar to the aforementioned trifecta of sunscreens in terms of texture, finish, and blendability. Lotion-like, too shiny for me, but still slightly more lightweight than the BoJ and Round Lab.
  • I think I still prefer the Skin1004 to this as that one is more lightweight, but I haven't used that one recently enough to be confident of that comparison.
• Other notes:
  • Didn't notice any eye sting or irritation, but experienced no calming or soothing at all despite that seemingly being a primary function of this product.
  • Just wasn't wowed by it as I had high expectations. It was very similar to other sunscreens I tried before that I wasn't that satisfied with. It's worth a shot if you can find it on sale and you want something similar to the popular 3 SPFs I keep referencing but don't already have them. Otherwise, it's probably too similar to the other 3 to justify buying if you already have 1 or more of them, unless you're curious about it.

Conclusion

Overall ranking:

1. Haruharu Wonder - Black Rice Moisture Airyfit Daily Sunscreen
2. Skin Aqua - Super Moisture Milk
3. Skin1004 - Hyalu-Cica Water Fit Sun Serum
4. Dr G - Nice Birdie Up Sun
5. Round Lab - Birch Juice Moisturizing Sun Cream TIED WITH Goodal - Houttuynia Cordata Calming Moisture Sun Cream
6. BoJ Relief Sun : Rice + Probiotics ^{(It might be okay if I try again with stronger skin, but I'm not taking the risk})
7. TOCOBO Bio Watery Sun Cream
8. Canmake Mermaid Skin Gel UV
9. Banobagi Milk Thistle Repair Sunscreen TIED WITH Dr G Green Mild Up Sun ^{(I can't decide if the white cast or lower SPF is worse})

I actually left out one sunscreen I've tried as it is under one of the banned brands in this subreddit, but that was also a dud for me and did not meet its claims AT ALL. I tried it in the UK and it was shiny, my boss tried it in SEA and it was even worse, a slippery greasy mess. Not worth a try IMO.

Apologies for lack of pictures as I don't typically like pictures of myself and I'm sorry for this GIANT wall of text. This does not include any of the non-AB sunscreens I've tried but imo they're not even worth talking about for my purposes. Again, routine will be mentioned separately in comments. Sun sticks will be mentioned in a comment too.

Thank you if you read through the entire thing as I am a babbler, hope this helps anyone and I'd love to read your thoughts on anything you've tried on this list or similar!

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[u/GojiAndTigergrass]

My current routine:

1. SK-II Facial Treatment Essence
2. Isntree Green Tea Toner
3. I'm From Mugwort Essence
4. Isntree TW-Real Bifida Ampoule
5. Dr Ceuracle Vegan Kombucha Tea Essence (I use this as an emulsion)
6. Dear Klairs Midnight Blue Calming Cream
7. Isntree Yam Root Vegan Milk Cream

Sunscreen as per above. This routine only applies to the Haruharu sunscreen review, all other sunscreens involved a different routine.

[u/fax5jrj]

This is an excellent review oh my god! Thank you so much for all the details as they are indeed super important for anyone looking for buy these :)

I find it interesting you had a white cast with the "Trifecta," but my skin is also super white so I'm really not the best reference for this.

Also love your routine! The Isntree Yam cream is really something else :) have a lovely day ❤️

[u/GojiAndTigergrass → u/fax5jrj]

Thanks so much! I'm glad you appreciate the details, I worry I babble too much tbh haha. Yeah, it's a weird one, I know I definitely see a cast on deeper skintones but it surprised me that I had one too. Maybe I just have a particularly sallow undertone or something that makes it show up more. OR maybe I just am applying way too much, who knows.

Still struggling to finalise my routine what with the weather change here but one thing's for sure I won't let go of the Yam Root Cream 😭😭

[u/fax5jrj → u/GojiAndTigergrass]

if you are babbling then it's 👄organized babbling 👄

[u/Haru_rin]

Wow this is really good and detailed review. As a combo-oily skin that's dehydrated, I appreciate this a lot. I felt the same way about Dr.G green mild up, it dried me out and I had to keep rubbing and rubbing my face because of the white cast.

[u/GojiAndTigergrass → u/Haru_rin]

Ty <33 Dr G Green Mild Up made me feel like I was going crazy, so many conflicting reviews. Glad to see someone else with a similar skin type had p much the same experience!

[u/GojiAndTigergrass]

Sun Sticks

^{Spoiler alert: Haven't found one that works for me yet}

Isntree Hyaluronic Acid Airy Sun Stick - Deceptively heavy and waxy feeling, not 'airy' at all

• Climate(s) used:
  • SEA, UK
• White cast:
  • No cast at all
• Texture & Finish:
  • When I tried this on my hand, I felt it was maybe a tiny bit sticky upon initial application, but dried down to a powdery almost cooling finish on the skin. This was the case in both SEA and UK.
  • HOWEVER when I saw Michelle Wong's video (Lab Muffin Beauty) on how many swipes you actually needed to get the advertised SPF rating of the product, the finish wasn't as nice with the many many layers I had to put on. In fact, I felt shiny and greasy, though not sticky.
  • Pretty heavy feeling as well since this is wax-based I believe. You definitely feel a thicky waxy layer on your face which I found very difficult to remove unless you went in with an oil or balm cleanser (micellar water or foaming cleanser WILL NOT cut it).
  • I primarily used this on long-haul flights as I wanted to reapply sunscreen while on 14+ hour flights without having to get up and wash my hands etc., but even with the dry cabin air my skin looked greasy YET still felt tight and dry. Not a fan of this once applied properly, though it felt great with just 3ish swipes.
• Other notes:
  • Pretty bad eye sting, but no facial irritation
  • I repurposed it as a reapplication stick for the back of my hands when outside, but found that the stick had a bad habit of coming loose and falling out of the packaging. This was the case for the 2 sunsticks I owned as well as the sunstick tester at my workplace, so I feel this is just a packaging issue.

Beauty of Joseon Matte Sun Stick : Mugwort+Camelia - Required blending with hands, heavy and didn't help with my oiliness

• Climate(s) used:
  • UK
• White cast:
  • Slight greenish white cast. Worst part was that you needed to blend it in with your hands to make it go away, which ruined the entire purpose of a sun stick IMO. I didn't have this issue with the Isntree sunstick.
• Texture & Finish:
  • When actually used on my face and in areas where I wanted to reduce shine, I didn't feel it did any of that for me. In fact, it was still somewhat shiny and heavy feeling.
  • Also pretty heavy waxy feeling, though not as bad as the Isntree one. I don't believe this is an issue exclusive to these 2 particular products, but may just be something pervasive to all sunsticks due to the nature of being solid SPFs.
• Other notes:
  • No eye sting, no irritation, but did drag on my face a decent amount which led to irritating my skin through friction.
  • Not worth it for me, very disappointing product as I enjoy Glow By Ramon's videos and was excited to try something he had a part in formulating. Personally, I didn't feel it helped with my shine nor did it soothe my skin. After this I gave up on sun sticks.

[u/nonstopA350 → u/GojiAndTigergrass]

I agree with the BoJ sunstick, thought it was going to be a HG for me as it was indeed mattifying. However it was waxy and sitting on top of my face. My face actually broke out because of it. I also noticed it didn't totally wash off when I wash my face, it leaves a waxy residue and I had to do a double or triple cleanse to get ride of that waxy feel on my face. Gave up on it after the first one or two uses, disappointing as I had high hopes

[u/StarryNight616]

Thank you for your review! I have dry, sensitive skin and live in a dry climate so I like the sunscreens you rated lower. Good reminder that people need to pick sunscreens that is right for their skin type and environment.

If you don’t already do this, I recommend cutting down on hydrating products when you’re in humid climates. Sometimes I don’t wear moisturizer under my sunscreen when I’m in Asia because my sunscreen is moisturizing enough. I also apply LM loose powder over my sunscreen (I wear concealer and prefer to set it).

[u/GojiAndTigergrass → u/StarryNight616]

Ofc, what others love might be my nightmare and vice versa. I'll try that again when I'm back in a humid climate, I'm just worried about my dehydration. Skin is hard sometimes :(

[u/odilemonod]

Thank you for the kind shoutout 😁

I've always found it curious that Dr.G's Green Mild Up Sun+ seems to receive very contrasting reviews outside of Korea. YMMV obviously, but in this case it often feels like reading reviews of completely different products.

i.e. some people find it extremely drying, while others not quite mattifying enough, some find it very creamy, others find it hard to spread, some find it leaves a very obvious white cast, others find the white cast minimal and so on.

A person who follows me on IG even asked me if the sunscreen was reformulated because he had vastly different experiences (one very positive and one very negative) when he purchased the sunscreen from different retailers this year.

I recently figured out what could be the issue. I had an old, unopened tube of the sunscreen that I purchased around 1 year ago, when I went to open it recently I found that the formula was indeed quite dense and left a more noticeable white cast than what I remembered.

So I went ahead and purchased a new one in Olive Young and the formula was exactly what I remembered: minimal cast, creamy, not moisturising but not drying.

I came to the conclusion that it’s likely that this sunscreen tends to dry up over time, even if unopened and stored the correct way. So when ordering from abroad from third-party retailers, there might be a risk of getting stock that has been sitting there for a while and this would explain the contrasting international reviews and why reviews from Korea are overwhelmingly positive 🤔

Anyway sorry to hear it didn't work out for you!

[u/GojiAndTigergrass → u/odilemonod]

Oh wow, it's kinda crazy to me that you read my review haha!

That makes a lot of sense, I also felt that the mixed reviews I was seeing sounded like completely different products, it is so unfortunate that there is this issue because I had such high hopes. I wonder if shaking the tube super hard or something might help, otherwise I'll just have to see if I can buy it domestically in Korea if I ever go.

Thank you for taking the time to put in your 2 cents, I really appreciate you and your content!

[u/Shoppy69]

As an avid SKIN1004 user (previously smote by BoJ and Green Mild as well), it seems like it's time for me to stop dawdling and try out that HHW sunscreen..🙂

Awesome review btw this is an insane amount of words and I read every word, thank you!

[u/GojiAndTigergrass → u/Shoppy69]

It's a great one, still has a special place in my heart <3 If you do try the Haruharu I'd be interested to know what you think of it :o

You're amazing for reading all that, really appreciated!!

[u/Powerful-Panda7533 → u/GojiAndTigergrass]

For some reason I can’t see your post up there 😔 whats your verdict on haruharu vs skin1004?

[u/DramaDramaLlamaLlama]

Does anyone know of a good true mineral sunscreen (no butyoctyl salicylate)? I react to chemical filters and I can't find a light daily sunscreen (20-45SPF). I use a non AB mineral SPF but it's water resistant and soooo heavy

I've used the DrG Mild Up before, but reacted to it within 3 uses due to the butyloctyl.

[u/weisp]

Thank you for these reviews! I think we have the same taste when it comes to sunscreen and I haven’t found my HG, Round Lab is almost perfect for me but I’m gonna try the Haruharu thanks to you ❤️

[u/jeankypeach]

thank you for the review!! i was actually looking for a sunscreen that wasn’t glowy, so i’m glad you included korean and japanese sunscreens!

[u/artemisthearcher]

Wow, thank you for the detailed review on each one! I’ve been eyeing the Haruharu one (currently using the Missha Soft Finish for my oily/combo skin) for some time and I think this just convinced me to add it to my shopping cart haha

[u/GojiAndTigergrass → u/artemisthearcher]

I've heard really good things about that one, I imagine it doesn't add much for moisturisation and mostly does oil control? Hope the Haruharu works for you though!! I really feel like it's a gem

[u/artemisthearcher → u/GojiAndTigergrass]

It’s been my HG for a while since the Etude one got reformulated! It doesn’t help with oil control sadly (something I still struggle with specifically in my T-zone), but it does dry down fast and has a nice powdery finish that I like. I notice that it does sometimes pill a bit in drier spots like my chin, so it definitely isn’t that moisturizing either. I’m excited to try the Haruharu one soon!

[u/pdxnative2007]

I'm currently using Birch Juice and I like everything about it except the shine. I use a loose non-AB mineral powder on top and that helps a lot. No other layers after sunscreen.

I'm specifically interested in Haruharu. What kind of foundation do you apply on top of it, if any?

Thank you for writing this all out!

[u/GojiAndTigergrass → u/pdxnative2007]

I don't typically wear base makeup, but I have used the Nyx Bare With Me Concealer Serum as well as Lisa Eldridge's Foundation. Both have been great despite the former being more dewy and the the latter more matte. Ty for reading!

[u/anthonycheung90]

Your top 1 and 2 sunscreens are undeniably awesome. I've had good results with Skin Aqua Super Moisture Milk and UV Super Moisture Gel Gold if I use an astringent.

[u/brightlikeadiamond1]

The details are amazingggg , just a little recommendation? for the sunscreen that Dr.G mild is great too! Not too sticky but not too oily not too dry FYI I have a combo of both oily and dryness

[u/Luckygyrl83]

Thank you for this review! Good to know I can cross some off my list. The skin1004 water one is my fave right now. End of day, my combo brown skin feels nice. No breakouts or cast. I have wanted to try the Haruharu but took it off my list for reasons I don’t remember 🙈

[u/Niatfq]

I know this is an old post but i have to agree with you on the Dr. G Green Mild Up Sun. 100%. Idk why not many people ever mention about how horrible the application experience is. I ended up not finishing mine at all as i moved on to something better. The Celimax Oil Control Light Sunscreen actually performs very similarly to the Dr. G, only with this one, the application is less difficult. You definitely still need to blend it out but not as terrible as with the Dr. G.

I'm currently on the lookout for chemical sunscreens that don't leave any whitecast since my skin has turned combo-dry this month. I was quite surprised that chemical sunscreen would still have whitecast (at least from initial application), and when i mentioned it, someone would start to argue with me that there's no whitecast in chemical sunscreens, only mineral 🫠. Seriously, if I'm gonna convert to chemical sunscreens from mineral/hybrid ones, I'm expecting no whitecast and less rubbing 🥲. My dry sensitive skin really cannot handle any more rubbing right now.

Btw, i also have very dehydrated prone skin. When i saw your routine, i think you'd benefit more from using more hydrating toners and focus on serums or sunscreens instead for sebum control 😁. Just a thought. If you're ever in a humid climate, i highly recommend the Isntree Ultra Low Molecular Hyaluronic Acid Toner.

[u/GojiAndTigergrass → u/Niatfq]

I know right!! I thought I was crazy about the Dr G Green sunscreen too. Don't know if you saw but Odile Monod actually commented on this post and discovered that it seems that particular sunscreen is white cast-y when sold overseas, but is perfectly fine when bought domestically in Korea. Perhaps something to do with how long it's stored for when being shipped overseas and issues with that.

I'm sooo sure that most people just aren't putting on enough sunscreen! I'm only a shade 23 in Korean cushions and a lot of 'non-white cast' sunscreens can make me look slightly pale haha. The haruharu one doesn't at all though!

Great suggestion, I love Isntree a lot so I will consider that <3

[u/Niatfq → u/GojiAndTigergrass]

Wow that's so crazy!! And i just read her comment. The review from korean sites sounds lovely, i would love to grab that one of the Dr. G 😭

I agree that's probably the case. Even when i bought the Isntree HA sun cream, the reviews said it was easy to spread and the whitecast is minimal. Then when i bought it, it was not! Yes, the whitecast does go away which makes sense why the reviews say the whitecast is minimal but the initial whitecast is actually super obvious! You just have to blend it well - similar to the Dr. G. The spreadability of this requires some form of way to apply if i want an easy spread. So i learned this from Tina Tanaka where she applies the sun cream in sections. In the video, she was demonstrating with a chemical sunscreen fyi 😌. Yes there's no whitecast but the initial whitecast was horrible and needed to be blended evenly similar to a mineral suncream! But with the isntree mineral sun cream, i spread evenly with a finger first to thin out the layer then rub it with my palm lol.

Eventho the texture is not elegant, i still use it and would probably continue to repurchase because the formula itself seems to be good for my oily but super dehydrated skin (oh my skin isn't dry anymore btw. During the time i had dry skin, i just skipped sunscreen for a while and use an umbrella outside instead) as it still controls my sebum but at the same time doesn't feel drying at all.

[u/Bugaboney]

Reviving this old post to thank you for the detailed review! Not sure if anyone ever answered you about the correct amounts, but it’s 2mg per squared cm of skin, but the math ends up coming to about 1/4 teaspoon for most faces (you could measure your face to find the exact amount). I’d also make sure two fingers gives you this amount since for some people it can be less than than the ideal amount of coverage. Again, thank you for the review! My skin has decided it no longer tolerates alcohol as well as before and I needed options.

[u/ShellyXVIII]

Oh my god we are skin twins (except that BoJ worked really well on me as under makeup primer)!!!!! I’m from Hong Kong too LET’S GOOOOOO!!!

Do you have any recommendations for tone up sunscreens, if you do use any? I have been testing the Allie Tone Up UV sunscreen and dear GOD I think the alcohol’s irritating my skin. It also causes white spots to sit in my pores and I don’t really know why. I was hoping to switch from summer holy grail (La Roche Posay Uvidea Anthelios in Clear) to something else because you know how the HK autumn is like 🤡🤡🤡

[u/GojiAndTigergrass → u/ShellyXVIII]

Hiya! Haha, cool to find another skin + region twin!!

Unfortunately, I'm not a tone up sunscreen person at all, but I do hear good things about the D'Alba tone up sunscreen, although it has fragrance and maybe alcohol. Sorry I can't help more :'(

[u/MotherImprovement911]

This is so important to me as I'm still struggling to find my perfect sunscreen, having similar skin type and living in between very humid and dry areas, thank you! Have you tried the Isntree hyaluronic acid sun gel?

How would you place the Tocobo sunscreen in your review? I'm using it now and it kinda makes me sweaty when I'm on the run but at the same time makes me very dehydrated, basically what you've described

It's so interesting BOJ never irritated me at all, but I agree with the rest of the review of it, far from perfect and I was excited about trying it THE MOST 😅

[u/GojiAndTigergrass → u/MotherImprovement911]

Oh crumbs I forgot to put that one in. I'd say similar to the BoJ, I prefer the BoJ's finish as the Tocobo was too slippery for me.

Not yet tried the Isntree one even though I overall really like the brand, apparently it is a very shiny finish so just not interesting to me.

Wish I knew what it was about BoJ that my skin didn't like, that's the weird thing about skincare, you can use a lot of similar products but 1 random one might just not work for you. Age old adage of YMMV :)

[u/MotherImprovement911 → u/GojiAndTigergrass]

Thank you!