Same brand, different SPF: Why Korean sunscreens outperform US versions
com. Even when sold under the same K-beauty brand name, sunscreens marketed in Korea and those sold in the United States may offer different levels of ultraviolet light protection. A comparison test by U.S. nonprofit consumer organization Consumer Reports found that, among three leading K-beauty brands, the Korean versions provided stronger protection…
Despite sharing the same brand name, sunscreens marketed in South Korea and those sold in the United States can exhibit varying degrees of ultraviolet light protection. According to a comparison test conducted by the U.S. consumer organization Consumer Reports, Korean versions of three prominent K-beauty sunscreen brands—Beauty of Joseon, Innisfree, and Round Lab—offered superior defense against UVB rays, responsible for causing sunburns.
The findings were unveiled by Trisha Calvo, deputy editor responsible for health and food coverage at Consumer Reports, and published in the U.S. consumer magazine Consumer Reports. To conduct the tests, the research team chose three K-beauty brands that have gained traction on social media platforms. Given that the brands employ distinct formulations in Korea and the United States, the team opted for a direct comparison between three Korean-market products and their U.S. counterparts.
The tests evaluated the sunscreens' protection against both UVA and UVB rays. For measuring UVB protection, researchers applied a consistent quantity of sunscreen to participants' backs, subsequently exposing their skin to artificial UV radiation of varying intensities.
Written by urgent.news from The Korea Times's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
