- I live in Singapore, a tropical country 85 miles north of the equator, and I never leave the house without sunscreen.
- Sunscreens in the US have a bad reputation, and I'll never touch anything from there.
Growing up in Singapore — a tropical country 85 miles north of the equator where the average daily UV index can go up to 8 and above on clear afternoons — there's no way I'd ever step out of the house without sun protection.
But Americans seem to have a love-hate relationship with sunscreen. They worry about the dreaded white cast or have misconceptions about how it can cause vitamin D deficiency.
US sunscreens also have a bad reputation, mostly because of strict regulations: While they're good at blocking the UVB rays that cause sunburn, sunscreen formulas in the US aren't as effective against UVA rays — which are known to cause cancer.
Even Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has called on the public to urge Congress members to push for looser sunscreen regulations and better research.
I'm a big fan of Korean skincare products, and that includes sunscreens. Although I'm not a health or beauty expert, here are my two favorite Korean sunscreen products that I use daily.
1. Round Lab Birch Juice Moisturizing Sun Cream SPF 50+
The Round Lab website describes the product as a "moisturizing sunscreen" that protects skin from UV rays including UVA, UVB, and blue light.
Personally, I use this sunscreen as the last step of my skincare routine in the morning — after my moisturizer, but before I apply any makeup.
The product has a lightweight texture and feels like a lotion. What I really like about it is that it blends easily into my skin without leaving any white cast or residue.
Some sunscreens leave me feeling like there's a heavy, sticky layer of product on my skin, but I don't have issues like that with the Round Lab sunscreen. I feel like it works as a great base for makeup as well.
It also has a very light scent that smells like chamomile flowers. I know some people aren't a fan of fragrances in skincare or beauty products, but I personally don't mind.
According to the Round Lab site, active ingredients in the product include niacinamide, which helps to lighten hyperpigmentation, as well as birch tree sap juice to hydrate skin.
2. Nature Republic California Aloe Fresh Powdery Sun Stick SPF 50+
Unlike the Round Lab sunscreen, this sunscreen from Nature Republic comes in a retractable stick form — making it super convenient to bring around and reapply. In fact, that's what I primarily use it for.
The compact size allows me to slip it into my bags or even my pocket, so there's really no excuse not to reapply my sunscreen throughout the day — even on top of my makeup.
Yes, you heard me right. The product glides easily onto my skin, and it's practically invisible, so I don't have to blend it out with my fingers after.
What I really like about this sunscreen stick is that it has a powdery, satin-like texture once it's applied. Personally, I feel like it has a slight mattifying effect on my oily skin, and that helps refresh how my makeup looks in the middle of the day.
The Nature Republic website states that the sunscreen stick has been formulated with aloe vera extract, which explains the light but refreshing aloe vera scent that the product has.
There's also a little dial at the bottom of the sunscreen stick that you can turn to expose or conceal the product, similar to how a lipstick tube works.
There's one downside though: If you're nitpicky about cleanliness like me, you'll probably have the urge to wipe the top part of the stick after each use, in case any dirt or dead skin gets stuck on it.
But the pros of having a sunscreen stick with me everywhere I go far outweigh the cons. I feel like I end up wearing more sunscreen in general since it's so convenient to reapply.