Beauty of Joseon Daily Tinted Fluid Sunscreen SPF 40 Versus Colorescience Sunforgettable Total Protection Face Shield Flex SPF 50

Beauty of Joseon Daily Tinted Fluid Sunscreen SPF 40 Versus Colorescience Sunforgettable Total Protection Face Shield Flex SPF 50

This hybrid sunscreen covers the full UV range and blocks ~98% of UVB at SPF 40.

This hybrid sunscreen covers the full UV range and blocks ~98% of UVB at SPF 50.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Zinc Oxide

Water

Butyloctyl Salicylate

Isopropyl Myristate

Coco-Caprylate/Caprate

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

Neopentyl Glycol Diheptanoate

CI 77492

Ethylhexyl Isononanoate

Alcohol Denat.

Polyglyceryl-3 Polyricinoleate

Butylene Glycol

C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate

Propanediol

Silica

Methyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer

CI 77491

Stearic Acid

Polyglyceryl-6 Polyhydroxystearate

Hydrogenated Olive Oil Unsaponifiables

Artemisia Capillaris Extract

Polyglyceryl-4 Diisostearate/Polyhydroxystearate/Sebacate

Stearalkonium Hectorite

Undecane

1,2-Hexanediol

Polyglyceryl-6 Polyricinoleate

Hydroxyacetophenone

Tridecane

Isopropyl Titanium Triisostearate

Polyglycerin-6

Tocopherol

Ascorbyl Palmitate

CI 77499

Zinc Oxide, Water, Butyloctyl Salicylate, Isopropyl Myristate, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Neopentyl Glycol Diheptanoate, CI 77492, Ethylhexyl Isononanoate, Alcohol Denat., Polyglyceryl-3 Polyricinoleate, Butylene Glycol, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Propanediol, Silica, Methyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer, CI 77491, Stearic Acid, Polyglyceryl-6 Polyhydroxystearate, Hydrogenated Olive Oil Unsaponifiables, Artemisia Capillaris Extract, Polyglyceryl-4 Diisostearate/Polyhydroxystearate/Sebacate, Stearalkonium Hectorite, Undecane, 1,2-Hexanediol, Polyglyceryl-6 Polyricinoleate, Hydroxyacetophenone, Tridecane, Isopropyl Titanium Triisostearate, Polyglycerin-6, Tocopherol, Ascorbyl Palmitate, CI 77499

Zinc Oxide 12%

Lauryl PEG-8 Dimethicone

Isododecane

Caprylyl Methicone

Dimethicone

Niacinamide

Tridecyl Salicylate

Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer

Trilaureth-4 Phosphate

Dimethiconol

Lauryl PEG-10 Tris(Trimethylsiloxy)Silylethyl Dimethicone

Mica

Polyester-1

Maltodextrin

Sodium Chloride

Bisabolol

Disodium Lauriminodipropionate Tocopheryl Phosphates

Ethylhexylglycerin

Tremella Fuciformis Sporocarp Extract

Allantoin

Silica Dimethyl Silylate

Caprylyl Glycol

Isoceteth-10

Zein

Hexylene Glycol

Dimethylmethoxy Chromanol

Synthetic Fluorphlogopite

Zea Mays Starch

Caesalpinia Spinosa Fruit Pod Extract

Hydrogenated Lecithin

Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate

Helianthus Annuus Sprout Extract

Phenoxyethanol

Sodium Benzoate

Benzoic Acid

Dehydroacetic Acid

Sodium Hydroxide

Sodium Myristoyl Glutamate

Aluminum Hydroxide

CI 77891

Iron Oxides

Zinc Oxide 12%, Water, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Butyloctyl Salicylate, Lauryl PEG-8 Dimethicone, Isododecane, Propanediol, Caprylyl Methicone, Dimethicone, Niacinamide, Tridecyl Salicylate, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Trilaureth-4 Phosphate, Dimethiconol, Lauryl PEG-10 Tris(Trimethylsiloxy)Silylethyl Dimethicone, Mica, Polyester-1, Maltodextrin, Sodium Chloride, Bisabolol, Disodium Lauriminodipropionate Tocopheryl Phosphates, Ethylhexylglycerin, Tremella Fuciformis Sporocarp Extract, Allantoin, Silica Dimethyl Silylate, Caprylyl Glycol, Isoceteth-10, Zein, Hexylene Glycol, Dimethylmethoxy Chromanol, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Zea Mays Starch, Silica, Caesalpinia Spinosa Fruit Pod Extract, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Helianthus Annuus Sprout Extract, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Benzoate, Benzoic Acid, Dehydroacetic Acid, Sodium Hydroxide, Sodium Myristoyl Glutamate, Aluminum Hydroxide, CI 77891, Iron Oxides

Reviews

Alternatives

Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.

Butyloctyl Salicylate is a chemical UV filter structurally similar to octisalate. It is a photostabilizer, SPF booster, emollient and solvent. This ingredient helps evenly spread out ingredients.

According to a manufacturer, it is suitable for pairing with micro Titanium Dioxide, Zinc Oxide, and pigments.

Photostabilizers help stabilize UV-filters and prevents them from degrading quickly.

C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate is a lightweight emollient made by combinig benzoic acid with fatty alcohols that are 12-15 carbons long.

In cosmetics, it plays several roles:

The Cosmetic Review Expert Panel has concluded the alkyl benzoate group to be safe as used in cosmetics; it wasn't found to be a skin irritant and unlikely to be absorbed due to its low water solubility.

This report recorded almost 1000 reported uses with concentrations up to 59% in leave-on products but your cosmetics will typically use 0.5-15% depending on the product.

It's often called a "SPF booster": this is because it keeps UV filters properly dissolved and evenly distributed to support a sunscreen's performance. It doesn't actually raise SPF on its own.

Overall, this ingredient is well tolerated.

This ingredient is fungal acne safe because it is an ester of benzoic acid.

Think of this ingredient as two parts stuck together: an oily part and an acid part. Malassezia only gets a meal when it can snip off a fatty acid to eat. With C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, the acid part is benzoic acid, which isn't a fatty acid and which the yeast can't use as food.

Benzoic acid is actually used as a preservative to stop yeast from growing.

The oily part is a blend of C12-15 fatty alcohols but fatty alcohols in this size range can support only a little Malassezia growth (mostly for one species of Malassezia as well).

In the ingredient, those alcohols stay locked inside the molecule. The yeast can only reach them by snipping the benzoate bond, and that type of bond is harder for it to cut than a normal fatty bond.

So not much gets released. And whatever does get snipped comes packaged with benzoic acid, which discourages yeast growth.

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride (aka MCT Oil) is a lightweight emollient, solvent, and texture enhancer. It is considered a skin-softener by helping to prevent moisture loss.

Though it behaves like an oil, it is not technically one due to its chemical composition. One perk of this ingredient is that it is very stable, resistant to oxidation, and unlikely to go rancid.

In practice, that translates to a long shelf life and a consistently elegant skin feel.

While there is an assumption Caprylic Triglyceride can clog pores due to it being derived from coconut oil, there is no research supporting this. Just patch test if you have concerns.

Fractionated coconut oil and MCT Oil are both listed as Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride according to INCI. This is because INCI names are based on the ingredient’s final chemical composition and not its marketing name or source.

This ingredient is treated as the gold standard fungal acne safe oil. Even though it is coconut derived, the problematic lauric acid is stripped out.

This leaves just caprylic (C8) and capric (C10) acid. These chain lengths actually trend antifungal; a 2020 study found caprylic acid was enough to disrupt Malassezia furfur cell membrane, with a caprylic acid derivative damaging membrane structures at concentrations as low as 0.2%.

Propanediol is an all-star ingredient. It softens, hydrates, and smooths the skin.

It’s often used to:

Propanediol is not likely to cause sensitivity and considered safe to use. It is derived from corn or petroleum with a clear color and no scent.

Silica, also known as silicon dioxide, is a naturally occurring mineral. It is used as a fine, spherical, and porous powder in cosmetics.

Though it has exfoliant properties, the function of silica varies depending on the product.

The unique structure of silica enhances the spreadability and adds smoothness, making it a great texture enhancer.

It is also used as an active carrier, emulsifier, and mattifier due to its ability to absorb excess oil.

In some products, tiny microneedles called spicules are made from silica or hydrolyzed sponge. When you rub them in, they lightly polish away dead skin layers and enhance the penetration of active ingredients.

Water. It's the most common cosmetic ingredient of all. You'll usually see it at the top of ingredient lists, meaning that it makes up the largest part of the product.

So why is it so popular? Water most often acts as a solvent - this means that it helps dissolve other ingredients into the formulation.

You'll also recognize water as that liquid we all need to stay alive. If you see this, drink a glass of water. Remember to stay hydrated!

Zinc Oxide (ZO) is a mineral broad-spectrum UV filter and the broadest-spectrum filter recognized by the FDA. It covers everything from UVB through to long-wave UVA.

On top of sun protection, it has skin protectant and skin-soothing properties too.

Here's a myth worth busting: mineral filters are usually described as working by "reflecting" or "bouncing" UV off your skin.

That's mostly not true: when researchers actually measured it, ZO and Titanium Dioxide reflect only about 4-5% of UV (less than SPF 2 worth of protection).

The vast majority of the work (~95%) is done by absorption, similar to chemical UV filters. ZO is a semiconductor that absorbs UV photos through its energy band gap.

So the old "physical blocker vs. chemical absorber" framing is really an oversimplification.

Zinc Oxide is one of the most effective broad-spectrum UV filters out there. It protects across UVB, UVA2, and UVA1 with a flat, even absorption curve across the whole UVA-UVB range.

That uniform UVA coverage is its standout feature; titanium dioxide skews more toward UVB as its particle size drops so ZO gives more consistent and extended UVA protection.

It's also very photostable. As an inorganic oxide, ZO doesn't break down in sunlight the way some organic filters can, so it holds up over a day of wear.

This ingredient is gentle and soothing, making it go-to for sunscreens aimed at sensitive skin, rosacea, or ecezma-prone skin, babies, and children.

It's also unlikely to cause the "eye sting" that some sunscreen ingredients are known for, and regulatory agencies broadly consider it non-toxic and safe for topical use.

Beyond sun protection, ZO is also a recognized OTC skin protectant. It forms a breathable barrier that shields skin from moisture and irritation while supporting healing. This is why you'll see it as a classic active in diaper rash creams.

The only downside to ZO is that it can leave a visible white cast, especially on deeper skin tones. This is the main reason mineral sunscreens have historically felt less cosmetically elegant than chemical or hybrid formulas.

Zinc Oxide comes in both non-nano and nano forms. The dividing line is 100nm and anything under is classified as a nanomaterial by the EU.

The nano version scatters less visible light which cuts down white case and gives a lighter, more wearable texture.

Another thing worth understanding about formulation:

Uncoated ZO has some inherent photocatalytic activity. This just means it can generate reactive oxygen species under UV. It's exactly why cosmetic-grade ZO is almost always surface-coated; this coating suppresses that reactivity and improves how the powder disperses and feels.

A well-formulated coated ZO largely sidesteps this issue.

Zinc Oxide is commonly used anywhere from 10% up to the regulatory maximum in sunscreens (25%).

Mineral-only broad-spectrum products often land in the 15-25% range to hit higher SPF and UVA values. Keep in mind SPF performance depends heavily on particle size, dispersion, and the rest of the formula, and not just the percentage.

As an OTC skin protectant like diaper creams, ZO typically runs higher at roughly 10-40%.

This ingredient is generally easy to work with and doesn't photodegrade.

The only thing to know is that uncoated ZO can be a bit reactive in a formula.

Under UV, it can break down sensitive ingredients like other actives or UV filters. This is another reason coated versions are standard. ZO can also react with very acidic ingredients or throw off stability of some creams. A good formula will get around this with the right coatings and dispersion.

The EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety has concluded that ZO nanoparticles "can be considered to not pose any risk of adverse effects in humans after application on healthy, intact or sunburnt skin".

You might hear that ZO is "toxic"; this is because an in-vitro (test tube) study suggested micronized ZO had potential phototoxicity. In vivo (human) investigations have disputed this and the results have come back reassuring.

So does ZO penetrate skin? The short answer is no, not in any way that matters.

The most relevant evidence comes from real-world human studies: in one, volunteers applied ZO nanoparticle sunscreen hourly for six hours and daily for five days. The advanced imaging showed the particles stayed on the surface and never reached the living epidermis, and no cellular toxicity was found.

Other in-vivo and ex-vivo work agree; ZO nanoparticles don't cross the stratum corneum, even on flexed, massaged, or barrier-impaired skin.

A small amount of solubilized zinc ions can dissolve off the particles and enter the upper skin. But the quantities are tiny compared to the zinc already naturally present in your body, and studies haven't found this to cause local toxicity.

The sunscreen bans you've heard of (like Hawaii's) are aimed at two chemical filters, Oxybenzone and Octinoxate. ZO itself it not banned and is often recommended instead.

So far, there's no solid evidence that any form of ZO harms reefs. It is an ongoing and active area of study, and worth keeping an eye on.

If you're traveling somewhere with these rules, a non-nano mineral sunscreen is the safe bet.

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