Kiehl's Ultra Light Daily UV Defense SPF 50+ Versus Beauty of Joseon Relief Sun : Rice + Probiotics SPF 50+ PA++++

Kiehl's Ultra Light Daily UV Defense SPF 50+ Versus Beauty of Joseon Relief Sun : Rice + Probiotics SPF 50+ PA++++

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

This chemical 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

Water

Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate

Dimethicone

Glycerin

Drometrizole Trisiloxane

Terephthalylidene Dicamphor Sulfonic Acid

Propylene Glycol

Titanium Dioxide

Alcohol Denat.

Triethanolamine

Stearic Acid

Potassium Cetyl Phosphate

Nylon-12

Palmitic Acid

PEG-100 Stearate

Glyceryl Stearate

Phenoxyethanol

Cetyl Alcohol

Cellulose

Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine

Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate

Citric Acid

Aluminum Hydroxide

Caprylyl Glycol

Sodium Cocoyl Sarcosinate

Carbomer

Tocopherol

Tromethamine

Scutellaria Baicalensis Extract

Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract

Acrylamide/Sodium Acryloyldimethyltaurate Copolymer

Isohexadecane

Xanthan Gum

Myristic Acid

Disodium EDTA

Adenosine

Polysorbate 80

Arginine

Mannitol

Disodium Adenosine Triphosphate

Rna

Pyridoxine Hcl

Sorbitan Oleate

Sorbitol

Pentylene Glycol

BHT

Histidine Hcl

Zea Mays Kernel Extract

Sodium Chloride

Yeast Extract

Phenylalanine

Mentha Piperita Extract

Rosa Gallica Flower Extract

Tyrosine

Sorbic Acid

Water, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Dimethicone, Glycerin, Drometrizole Trisiloxane, Terephthalylidene Dicamphor Sulfonic Acid, Propylene Glycol, Titanium Dioxide, Alcohol Denat., Triethanolamine, Stearic Acid, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Nylon-12, Palmitic Acid, PEG-100 Stearate, Glyceryl Stearate, Phenoxyethanol, Cetyl Alcohol, Cellulose, Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine, Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate, Citric Acid, Aluminum Hydroxide, Caprylyl Glycol, Sodium Cocoyl Sarcosinate, Carbomer, Tocopherol, Tromethamine, Scutellaria Baicalensis Extract, Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract, Acrylamide/Sodium Acryloyldimethyltaurate Copolymer, Isohexadecane, Xanthan Gum, Myristic Acid, Disodium EDTA, Adenosine, Polysorbate 80, Arginine, Mannitol, Disodium Adenosine Triphosphate, Rna, Pyridoxine Hcl, Sorbitan Oleate, Sorbitol, Pentylene Glycol, BHT, Histidine Hcl, Zea Mays Kernel Extract, Sodium Chloride, Yeast Extract, Phenylalanine, Mentha Piperita Extract, Rosa Gallica Flower Extract, Tyrosine, Sorbic Acid

Dibutyl Adipate

Propanediol

Polymethylsilsesquioxane

Ethylhexyl Triazone

Niacinamide

Methylene Bis-Benzotriazolyl Tetramethylbutylphenol

Coco-Caprylate/Caprate

Caprylyl Methicone

Diethylhexyl Butamido Triazone

1,2-Hexanediol

Butylene Glycol

Oryza Sativa Extract

Oryza Sativa Germ Extract

Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract

Lactobacillus/Pumpkin Ferment Extract

Bacillus/Soybean Ferment Extract

Saccharum Officinarum Extract

Macrocystis Pyrifera Extract

Cocos Nucifera Fruit Extract

Panax Ginseng Root Extract

Monascus/Rice Ferment

Behenyl Alcohol

Poly C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate

Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate

Decyl Glucoside

Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer

Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate

Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6

T-Butyl Alcohol

Lactobacillus/Rice Ferment

Aspergillus Ferment

Saccharomyces/Rice Ferment Filtrate

Ethylhexylglycerin

Water, Dibutyl Adipate, Propanediol, Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Ethylhexyl Triazone, Niacinamide, Methylene Bis-Benzotriazolyl Tetramethylbutylphenol, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Caprylyl Methicone, Diethylhexyl Butamido Triazone, Glycerin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Butylene Glycol, Oryza Sativa Extract, Oryza Sativa Germ Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Lactobacillus/Pumpkin Ferment Extract, Bacillus/Soybean Ferment Extract, Saccharum Officinarum Extract, Macrocystis Pyrifera Extract, Cocos Nucifera Fruit Extract, Panax Ginseng Root Extract, Monascus/Rice Ferment, Behenyl Alcohol, Poly C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate, Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate, Decyl Glucoside, Tromethamine, Carbomer, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Adenosine, Xanthan Gum, T-Butyl Alcohol, Tocopherol, Lactobacillus/Rice Ferment, Aspergillus Ferment, Saccharomyces/Rice Ferment Filtrate, Pentylene Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin

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.

Adenosine is a purine nucleoside that your body already makes in every cell. In skincare, it acts mainly as a skin conditioning and anti-aging agent.

The way it works is fairly well mapped out:

Your skin has cells called fibroblasts that build collagen (the stuff that keeps skin firm and smooth). Adenosine basically flips a switch on these cells that tells them to get to work making more collagen and other proteins. These cells slow down on their own as skin ages, so Adenosine helps give them a little nudge to keep going.

The clinical backing is pretty solid too.

A blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial of 126 women aged 45-65 tested a 0.1% cream twice daily and found real improvements in crow's feet and frown lines using a precise 3D skin-mapping technique; these changes showed up by week 3 and held at 2 months.

A later study using Adenosine-loaded dissolving microneedle patches reported gains in wrinkle depth, dermal density, elasticity, and hydration.

On concentrations, South Korea's Ministry of Food and Drug Safety has set 0.04% as the approved functional anti-wrinkle level. You'll typically see this ingredient used somewhere in the 0.04-0.1% range since it works at low doses.

This ingredient has been found safe for cosmetics with the data showing no irritation or sensitization.

Overall, this is a great ingredient for any anti-aging routine and has no photosensitizing effect, so it suits both AM and PM use.

Carbomer is a synthetic thickening and gelling agent. It's basically the ingredient that gives a lot of serums, gels, creams, and sunscreens their smooth, non-sticky texture.

Although legally permitted at very high levels, carbomers are normally used at concentrations below 1%.

It also needs to be neutralized to actually thicken, and because it is a large molecule, it doesn't really penetrate the skin barrier.

Allergy-wise, the risk is very low. Clinical studies show carbomers have low potential for skin irritation/sensitization even at concentrations up to 100%.

A 2024 UK study patch-tested 1,302 patients and found true allergy to the parent group of carbomer to be rare with no confirmed relevant reactions.

Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate (DHHB) is a chemical UV-A absorber. It is formulated for high UVA protection (320-400 nm).

DHHB is well-liked for:

DHHB has been approved by the EU, Japan, Taiwan, and South America for use up to 10%. Unfortunately, it has not been approved for use in the US or Canada due to slow regulatory processes.

This ingredient is soluble in oils, fats, and lipids.

Glycerin (or glycerol) is a compound naturally found in your skin. It's a powerhouse humectant that pulls water into the stratum corneum.

Topically, glycerin does several things at once:

Your skin makes glycerin on its own (mostly from sebaceous oil breakdown) and shuttles it to your outermost layer of skin, or your epidermis, via aquaporin-3.

Aquaporin-3 is a transporter that is essential for normal skin hydration, elasticity, and repair. Interestingly, mice lacking in AQP3 have dry and less elastic skin that can be fully corrected with glycerin.

This ingredient is non-irritating, plays well with almost every ingredient, and works across all skin types. Typical use is anywhere between 3-10% but can go up to 79% in some leave-on products.

Just know very high concentrations (>40%) can feel tacky in low humidity.

Glycerin is the name for this ingredient in American English. British English uses Glycerol/Glycerine.

Pentylene Glycol (1,2-pentanediol) is a multitasking little diol with three main roles in a formula:

Research on alkanediols (the family pentylene glycol belongs to) show they work by disrupting microbial cell membranes. This disruption helps the primary preservative system in a product work more effectively at lower doses.

On the safety side, the Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has concluded this ingredient to be safe as used in current cosmetic practices + concentrations.

Typical use levels in a formula run about 1-5%.

Tocopherol is a fat-soluble antioxidant known as Vitamin E.

You'll find this ingredient in the vast majority of skincare (for good reason). It works to neutralize free radicals, or unstable molecules generated by UV exposure, pollution, and other environmental stressors, before they can cause oxidative damage to your skin cells.

Topically applied tocopherol has been shown to protect against UV damage by ramping up the skin's own natural defense enzymes.

It also acts as a skin conditioning agent; some studies show that regular topical use can improve the skin's water-binding capacity over 2-4 weeks.

This ingredient is especially loved for being a team player. When combined with Vitamin C, the photoprotective effect of both ingredients roughly doubles and the combo also helps reduce UV-induced DNA damage.

This ingredient has some brightening potential but it's more of a prevention ingredient than spot-fader. Cell studies show it can slow down melanin production but it's worth noting that it's not the most powerful brightener out there.

In formulations, it also serves as a stabilizer that helps protect other oxidation-prone ingredients from degrading.

Concentrations usually range from 0.1-1% in most leave-on products.

Tromethamine (aka THAM) is a synthetic amino acid that shows up in skincare as a helper ingredient.

It functions as a pH adjuster to help neutralize acidic ingredients and set a formula's pH to the right spot.

This matters a lot because a lot of actives (like vitamin C) needs a specific pH to work well and feel comfortable on skin.

Concentration use ranges from 0.1-1.0% depending on the formula.

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!

Xanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.

On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.

Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.

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