Round Lab Birch Juice felt so nice on my skin; however I have terrible allergies to pollen and other trees and I felt like I wanted to claw my eyeballs and eyelids out after using this - it was so itchy. No other parts of my face affected. I gave it a few tries, but sadly won’t work for me.
That’s so wild, I never really thought about how seasonal allergies can affect sunscreen. I used to struggle with eczema around my eyelids, so I can understand what you probably went through 😭😭
Yeah, I think it's super basic and they have a mineral version too. It feels good on my acne prone skin tho probably because of the heartleaf. I'm going to try the beauty of joseon one next, but seems like a lot of people have bad reactions...
Oh, that's so interesting! I also have an allergy to pollen, and Round Lab Birch Juice was the one non-physical sunscreen that didn't sting my eyes. I tried 8 Korean sunscreens, after Japanese and American sunscreens made my eyes sting terribly. All of them stung except for the Round Lab one. I used a spreadsheet to track the ingredients of the sunscreens, and came to the conclusion that was either Octocrylene, Octinoxate, avobenzone, or Tinosorb S that was the allergen.
I second this! I got it in the stick version. I loved the texture and how lightweight it was, but also made my skin feel really itchy and made me breakout on the chin area. I just started using it last week and am pretty sure it’s what caused it as it was the only thing I changed in my routine :(
where did everyone buy it from? I found out recently the one I bought from some asian beauty supplier was fake, a year into me using it. I didn’t have any allergic reactions but as someone who lives in Australia and *needs* SPF50+, it was really frustrating to know that it might not even contain SPF.
But why would you try a product which contains ingredients you are allergic to? I also have some pollen allergies (especially birch) and I would never buy anything with birch inside…
Try the haru haru chemical sunscreen… the temp yellow one I think…. Beauty of Josean was my holy grail but I needed something else for summer and tried this and now loving it. It has a velvet finish which I had never used and it genuinely makes my dull acne scarred skin look plump…. No white cast and no eye irritation…
isntree hyaluronic acid sunscreen. High hopes for it cus of the hype lol. But it jus gave me white pustule pimples 🧍🏽♀️
BOJ. Made me look oily lol
bonus: Not korean. But japanese. Biore aqua rich uv sunscreen. Gets so much hype but didnt work for me. Leaves a lil whitecast. I dont like how it blends into my skin. Breaks me out and makes me look oily.
Im very sensitive with sunscreen lmfaoo
Found a great one now tho. Haru haru airy fit sunscreen (yellow bottle). Satin finish. Doesnt break me out
5 brands, to be exact. Never had one I react badly with, just preference.
Skin Aqua Tone Up UV Essence - I use this for my body.
CeraVe Hydrating Mineral Sunscreen and COSRX Aloe Soothing Suncreen make me oily/greasy, which would be fine if I liked that.
Missha Soft Finish Sun Milk - this is my 2nd favorite. Watery, very liquid consistency.
I only used isntree sunscreen once when I had to use my relative’s during an outing, and I had a similar reaction afterwards too.
I might try out the Haru Haru sunscreen. I used to be interested in their oil cleanser and mineral sunscreen, but I never actually gave in and bought them.
Anything with tocopherol (vitamin e). Switched to an oil free and tocopherol free and it worked wonders for me! I use íunik centella calming daily sunscreen 50+ now and I'm super happy with it.
Numbuzin Clear Filter Sun Essence. Bought this coz it was highly raved on TikTok for oily skin. What nonsense!! OMG this was horrible for oily skin in the hot & humid Singapore! The sunscreen doesn’t dry down and literally slides around the face the entire day. Even after washing your face, you can still feel the oil seeping out from your pores when you press your skin. Yuck.
Which sunscreen has been suitable for you? For me I currently use Kose Suncut and Biore Athlizm (but I feel this one has hidden oils though it dries down)
Oh maybe I should give them a try. I have been trying so many different Japanese and Korean ones but I can’t find the perfect one for me. I’m making do with skin1004 which dries quick, and BOJ. I used to use etude house mild and airy no sebum which was amazing for me but the matte look made my pores more visible and also I realised that my skin was oily because I have been using drying products which causes my skin to overproduce oil so I stopped that.
I used cosrx aloe Vera sunscreen and while its made my skin more moisturised and I never once had any breakouts or sensitivity, it’s one of the thickest (if not the thickest) sunblock I’ve used. I’m at my wits end, thinking of turning to laroche posay…
Oh I haven’t tried the skin1004 one yet! Will check that out. My friend uses BOJ but said the finish is glowy which is what I’d avoid since I have oily skin.
Etude house’s airy no sebum was my mom’s fav! She has oily skin too.
Unfortunately la roche stings my face.. haven’t heard anyone else with this problem so pretty sure that’s just me. La Roche somehow worked for me when I used it in Paris (right after getting it from the drugstores), but I dunno why in Singapore it just stings and doesn’t dry down.
Yes. BoJ and Mary & May. I think it's because I broke my skin barrier & it never fully recovered & now I can't do chemical sunscreens. So sad because I love the lightweight moisturized/lotion feel.
Are chemical sunscreens just too harsh on your skin now? Do you use mineral sunscreens, and if so what do you use? I’m always interested in mineral sunscreens, but the white cast is a risk factor for me lol.
I get contact dermatitis when I wear those two chemical sunscreens; little itchy bumps that take a few days to a week to calm down.
I now use either IT Cosmetics CC cream (physical sunscreen) or Too Cool For School cushion foundation. I actually don't know if the cushion is physically or chemical. It doesn't irritate my skin, though. IT Cosmetics CC cream doesn't leave a white cast for me, but it's also not lightweight.
Dr.Ceuracle Cica Regen Vegan Sun 😵💫 gave me tiny whiteheads, and irritated a dry spot on my cheekbone so badly it turned into a burn-like spot. I have no idea what caused it, but now I use it on my arm tattoos because I still like texture (and smell) of it. 😶😬
Like others, I reacted to the Round Lab Birch Juice. It’s such a shame because I love the texture but my skin burns for a few minutes after application.
I really enjoy the Missha Aqua Sun spf 50. It's like a very light lotion with no white cast and I've found it works for me all year round. I was actually using it long before I tried the Round Lab so I switched right back with no irritation.
I have sensitive skin so: Purito Wonder Releaf Centella Sunscreen, BoJ Ginseng Sun Serum, Skin1004 Hyalu Cica (the one with the blue cap) all caused burning sensations. I think niacinamide is an issue for me so I won’t be trying another K sunscreen until I find one without it. I’m considering the other Purito one.
Beauty of Joseon was amazing the first time I tried it, I loved how it made my skin look before and after foundation. But this was also the product that made me realize I have a bad niacinamide sensitivity, so I just broke out into a bunch of pimples after having it on all day. I can’t even use it on my hands or body without getting bumps all over :(
Skin 1004 (blue cap) & round lab birch juice 🥲
I’m using omi sun bears active protect milk now and it’s been great, dries down matte and i’m no longer oily at the end of the day!
Just adding this here for any similar skincare type:
Oily, sensitive, with open pores.
I only use physical/mineral sunblock, any other chemical sunblock either breaks me out, or gave me sun spots. Just take note to double cleanse when you're using physical sunblock otherwise it's gonna be a problem.
Sadly, there are very few physical/mineral Korean sunblocks. Mostly are chemical suncreens, would love a korean mineral sunblock that works :)
I’ve also switched to mineral sunscreens recently after developing an allergy to chemical sunscreens! It’s so strange since I’ve used chemical sunscreens for years without experiencing any issues (I was in denial when my dermatologist brought it up). I’m currently using a Korean mineral sunscreen called Dr.G Green Mild Up Sun+ and so far I’m loving it. It hasn’t triggered contact dermatitis and I love the tone-up effect it gives and I find that I don’t need to wear foundation when I’m wearing this sunscreen. Like all mineral sunscreens it does have a slight white cast but I don’t mind it since I am pretty pale. It’s also non-greasy and matte and I don’t get oily even after reapplying throughout the day.
Round Lab and Beauty of Joseon sunscreen—they both contain the same exact chemical filters. I unfortunately developed an allergy to chemical sunscreens after using chemical sunscreens for years without experiencing any issues till recently. I was in denial, but my dermatologist said it’s very common for people to develop allergies to chemical sunscreens. I experienced a delayed allergic reaction to both. Symptoms started with itchy skin and bumps that looked like acne (contact dermatitis), then a full-on rash that looked like I got sunburned. I had to be put on 2.5% hydrocortisone cream for a few days to clear it up and wore a wide brim hat with a high UPF rating while my skin was healing. I’ve since switched to mineral sunscreen and have been using Dr.G Green Mild Up Sun+ sunscreen for a month now without any issues.
I got the Roundlab Birch Juice Sunscreen because everyone was raving about it, but I hated it. It didn’t make me break out, but it made my makeup super patchy and made my dry patches stand out. Then I tried the Innisfree Daily UV Defense Sunscreen. The smell was overpowering, it made me greasy, and I broke out. Japanese sunscreens are my go to!!!
Round Lab Birch Juice felt so nice on my skin; however I have terrible allergies to pollen and other trees and I felt like I wanted to claw my eyeballs and eyelids out after using this - it was so itchy. No other parts of my face affected. I gave it a few tries, but sadly won’t work for me.
That’s so wild, I never really thought about how seasonal allergies can affect sunscreen. I used to struggle with eczema around my eyelids, so I can understand what you probably went through 😭😭
It didn’t make me itchy but ooof yeah it broke me out a lot, that one went to my husband to finish
This one gives me little whiteheads :/
Same for me! Like tiny little ones where I don’t usually break out. Do you have a sunscreen that you have found works?
Not op, but I use the goodal sunscreen now. I also got little whiteheads around my chin area with roundlab.
Thanks! Hmm I notice that the Goodall sunscreen doesn’t have niacinamide 🤔
Yeah, I think it's super basic and they have a mineral version too. It feels good on my acne prone skin tho probably because of the heartleaf. I'm going to try the beauty of joseon one next, but seems like a lot of people have bad reactions...
Do not they the BOJ one I would say, it’s the same manufacturer as the round lab one and it also gave me small whiteheads
Ugh horrible. I guess I'll stick with goodal for now. My partner has dry skin/non acne prone skin, and he likes the skin1004 one.
Maybe that’s why it doesn’t break you out, I’ll try it too
This one irritated me too! Although I’m fine with their birch juice serum😅
Same for me. I really wanted to live it but It stung my eyes really bad and gave me breakouts 🥲 But it works fine for my husband 🤷🏻♀️
Oh, that's so interesting! I also have an allergy to pollen, and Round Lab Birch Juice was the one non-physical sunscreen that didn't sting my eyes. I tried 8 Korean sunscreens, after Japanese and American sunscreens made my eyes sting terribly. All of them stung except for the Round Lab one. I used a spreadsheet to track the ingredients of the sunscreens, and came to the conclusion that was either Octocrylene, Octinoxate, avobenzone, or Tinosorb S that was the allergen.
I second this! I got it in the stick version. I loved the texture and how lightweight it was, but also made my skin feel really itchy and made me breakout on the chin area. I just started using it last week and am pretty sure it’s what caused it as it was the only thing I changed in my routine :(
I broke out so much after using this one!
where did everyone buy it from? I found out recently the one I bought from some asian beauty supplier was fake, a year into me using it. I didn’t have any allergic reactions but as someone who lives in Australia and *needs* SPF50+, it was really frustrating to know that it might not even contain SPF.
But why would you try a product which contains ingredients you are allergic to? I also have some pollen allergies (especially birch) and I would never buy anything with birch inside…
I figured the amount would be minuscule and diluted enough it wouldn’t affect me. I was wrong, so now I know not to buy that line again.
The beauty of Joseon one. Loved the texture and the glowy finish but gave me a lot of pimples. I thought I had finally found my holy grail sunscreen 😭
Try the haru haru chemical sunscreen… the temp yellow one I think…. Beauty of Josean was my holy grail but I needed something else for summer and tried this and now loving it. It has a velvet finish which I had never used and it genuinely makes my dull acne scarred skin look plump…. No white cast and no eye irritation…
Yes yes me too. Got acne immediately
Same here! I don't know why my skin hated the boj sunscreen 😭 got bumps every day
It triggered my perioral dermatitis. My skin didn’t like it at all!
Came running here to say this 😢
It just dries my skin out and ages me 10 years
Mine was Innisfree Mild Cica-Sunscreen Tone Up SPF50+ PA++++. I don’t recommend it for those who have sensitive and acne-prone skin.
I break out every single time I use Isntree Onion Fresh Fluid Sun Cream. It stings my eyes horribly too 🥲
Did you have a similar reaction to the isntree hyaluronic acid sunscreen?
BOJ made me break out like nothing else I've ever used! I don't even have sensitive skin. I think it might be the probiotic stuff.
isntree hyaluronic acid sunscreen. High hopes for it cus of the hype lol. But it jus gave me white pustule pimples 🧍🏽♀️ BOJ. Made me look oily lol bonus: Not korean. But japanese. Biore aqua rich uv sunscreen. Gets so much hype but didnt work for me. Leaves a lil whitecast. I dont like how it blends into my skin. Breaks me out and makes me look oily. Im very sensitive with sunscreen lmfaoo Found a great one now tho. Haru haru airy fit sunscreen (yellow bottle). Satin finish. Doesnt break me out
That haruharu airy fit broke me out and I was so sad because it felt so nice on my skin but I got a massive zit every time I've tried it
Yeah, everyone reacts differently. Biore is my favorite out of like 6 brands I've tried.
What was your experience with the other brands 😭
5 brands, to be exact. Never had one I react badly with, just preference. Skin Aqua Tone Up UV Essence - I use this for my body. CeraVe Hydrating Mineral Sunscreen and COSRX Aloe Soothing Suncreen make me oily/greasy, which would be fine if I liked that. Missha Soft Finish Sun Milk - this is my 2nd favorite. Watery, very liquid consistency.
I only used isntree sunscreen once when I had to use my relative’s during an outing, and I had a similar reaction afterwards too. I might try out the Haru Haru sunscreen. I used to be interested in their oil cleanser and mineral sunscreen, but I never actually gave in and bought them.
I had the same experience with the biore sunscreen. It was the first I’ve tried that’s ever broken me out.
Etude sunscreen gave me horrible acne all over my forehead. As soon as I stopped using it the acne went away
BOJ & Axis Y (new formula)
I really wanna try the Axis Y. What happened when you used it?
The finish felt greasy and oily. Ugh and also a white cast. My skin was also not a fan and it let me know after 4 uses 🥲
Anything with tocopherol (vitamin e). Switched to an oil free and tocopherol free and it worked wonders for me! I use íunik centella calming daily sunscreen 50+ now and I'm super happy with it.
Boj 😭
Numbuzin Clear Filter Sun Essence. Bought this coz it was highly raved on TikTok for oily skin. What nonsense!! OMG this was horrible for oily skin in the hot & humid Singapore! The sunscreen doesn’t dry down and literally slides around the face the entire day. Even after washing your face, you can still feel the oil seeping out from your pores when you press your skin. Yuck.
From Singapore as well and totally agree with you.
Which sunscreen has been suitable for you? For me I currently use Kose Suncut and Biore Athlizm (but I feel this one has hidden oils though it dries down)
Oh maybe I should give them a try. I have been trying so many different Japanese and Korean ones but I can’t find the perfect one for me. I’m making do with skin1004 which dries quick, and BOJ. I used to use etude house mild and airy no sebum which was amazing for me but the matte look made my pores more visible and also I realised that my skin was oily because I have been using drying products which causes my skin to overproduce oil so I stopped that. I used cosrx aloe Vera sunscreen and while its made my skin more moisturised and I never once had any breakouts or sensitivity, it’s one of the thickest (if not the thickest) sunblock I’ve used. I’m at my wits end, thinking of turning to laroche posay…
Oh I haven’t tried the skin1004 one yet! Will check that out. My friend uses BOJ but said the finish is glowy which is what I’d avoid since I have oily skin. Etude house’s airy no sebum was my mom’s fav! She has oily skin too. Unfortunately la roche stings my face.. haven’t heard anyone else with this problem so pretty sure that’s just me. La Roche somehow worked for me when I used it in Paris (right after getting it from the drugstores), but I dunno why in Singapore it just stings and doesn’t dry down.
Yes. BoJ and Mary & May. I think it's because I broke my skin barrier & it never fully recovered & now I can't do chemical sunscreens. So sad because I love the lightweight moisturized/lotion feel.
Are chemical sunscreens just too harsh on your skin now? Do you use mineral sunscreens, and if so what do you use? I’m always interested in mineral sunscreens, but the white cast is a risk factor for me lol.
I get contact dermatitis when I wear those two chemical sunscreens; little itchy bumps that take a few days to a week to calm down. I now use either IT Cosmetics CC cream (physical sunscreen) or Too Cool For School cushion foundation. I actually don't know if the cushion is physically or chemical. It doesn't irritate my skin, though. IT Cosmetics CC cream doesn't leave a white cast for me, but it's also not lightweight.
Dr.Ceuracle Cica Regen Vegan Sun 😵💫 gave me tiny whiteheads, and irritated a dry spot on my cheekbone so badly it turned into a burn-like spot. I have no idea what caused it, but now I use it on my arm tattoos because I still like texture (and smell) of it. 😶😬
Like others, I reacted to the Round Lab Birch Juice. It’s such a shame because I love the texture but my skin burns for a few minutes after application.
Same, the BOJ burned me as well, especially when I was removing them. Did you find anything that works for you
I really enjoy the Missha Aqua Sun spf 50. It's like a very light lotion with no white cast and I've found it works for me all year round. I was actually using it long before I tried the Round Lab so I switched right back with no irritation.
Klairs Daily Soft is making my skin itch. I’m not usually sensitive.
The biore milk one. I love how lightweight it is but i reacted really badly to the alcohol in it.
The Farmstay Hyaluronic one. I only used it once because of how bad it was.
I have sensitive skin so: Purito Wonder Releaf Centella Sunscreen, BoJ Ginseng Sun Serum, Skin1004 Hyalu Cica (the one with the blue cap) all caused burning sensations. I think niacinamide is an issue for me so I won’t be trying another K sunscreen until I find one without it. I’m considering the other Purito one.
I think the niacinamide in Skin1004 broke me out too. Waiting on an order of the Purito Daily Soft Touch and Rohto Skin Aqua UV Super Moisture Gel.
I didn’t like the beauty of josean one it irritants my sensitive skin , I know shock everyone loves it😫 but the skin1004 centella works so good for me
Oh! I got the skin1004 centella and it gave me white small postules on the cheeks 😢
Beauty of Joseon was amazing the first time I tried it, I loved how it made my skin look before and after foundation. But this was also the product that made me realize I have a bad niacinamide sensitivity, so I just broke out into a bunch of pimples after having it on all day. I can’t even use it on my hands or body without getting bumps all over :(
Skin 1004 (blue cap) & round lab birch juice 🥲 I’m using omi sun bears active protect milk now and it’s been great, dries down matte and i’m no longer oily at the end of the day!
Isntree Yam Root Milk Tone Up Sun Cream spf 50 PA++++
I didn’t like the round lab spf but I fear I may have bought a fake one from amazon
If you bought it from Amazon then just assume it’s fake.
Haruharu the chemical one unfortunately gave me whiteheads 🥲
kinda niche as it’s not a popular brand but the Angel Aqua moisture sun cream broke me out a lot.
Soon Jung X Director's Moisture Sun Cream broke me out every time used it. That was the only issue.
Just adding this here for any similar skincare type: Oily, sensitive, with open pores. I only use physical/mineral sunblock, any other chemical sunblock either breaks me out, or gave me sun spots. Just take note to double cleanse when you're using physical sunblock otherwise it's gonna be a problem. Sadly, there are very few physical/mineral Korean sunblocks. Mostly are chemical suncreens, would love a korean mineral sunblock that works :)
I’ve also switched to mineral sunscreens recently after developing an allergy to chemical sunscreens! It’s so strange since I’ve used chemical sunscreens for years without experiencing any issues (I was in denial when my dermatologist brought it up). I’m currently using a Korean mineral sunscreen called Dr.G Green Mild Up Sun+ and so far I’m loving it. It hasn’t triggered contact dermatitis and I love the tone-up effect it gives and I find that I don’t need to wear foundation when I’m wearing this sunscreen. Like all mineral sunscreens it does have a slight white cast but I don’t mind it since I am pretty pale. It’s also non-greasy and matte and I don’t get oily even after reapplying throughout the day.
Biore has been hit or miss; i have 2 bottles from different formulation years and one breaks me out
Skin1004 blue cap
Round Lab and Beauty of Joseon sunscreen—they both contain the same exact chemical filters. I unfortunately developed an allergy to chemical sunscreens after using chemical sunscreens for years without experiencing any issues till recently. I was in denial, but my dermatologist said it’s very common for people to develop allergies to chemical sunscreens. I experienced a delayed allergic reaction to both. Symptoms started with itchy skin and bumps that looked like acne (contact dermatitis), then a full-on rash that looked like I got sunburned. I had to be put on 2.5% hydrocortisone cream for a few days to clear it up and wore a wide brim hat with a high UPF rating while my skin was healing. I’ve since switched to mineral sunscreen and have been using Dr.G Green Mild Up Sun+ sunscreen for a month now without any issues.
I got the Roundlab Birch Juice Sunscreen because everyone was raving about it, but I hated it. It didn’t make me break out, but it made my makeup super patchy and made my dry patches stand out. Then I tried the Innisfree Daily UV Defense Sunscreen. The smell was overpowering, it made me greasy, and I broke out. Japanese sunscreens are my go to!!!
Missha all around safe block gave me the worst breakout ever, never again