CYoung has worked through more than 20 sunscreens, and her record shows someone who thinks hard about how a sunscreen actually feels to wear. Texture, how fast it sinks in, whether it plays nicely with makeup, how it holds up in heat and humidity: these details come up again and again. Her approval rate sits at 67%, with most products landing in the yes pile, a few getting a mixed reception, and a small number skipped.
What does CYoung recommend in sunscreen?
What she keeps coming back to is ease of wear. The TOCOBO Bio Watery Sun Cream SPF 50+ PA++++ earned her highest rating partly because, as she put it, 'it rubs in so fast, one, two, three and it's gone,' and it stayed lightweight even in a tropical climate. She gave the same top marks to the Anua Heartleaf Silky Moisture Sun Cream, calling it lighter and easier to absorb than older favourites. Makeup compatibility matters to her too. She noted that the TOCOBO Bio Watery Sun Cream SPF 50+ PA++++ had 'amazing' makeup pairing. She also picks up the Skin&Lab Ectoin Sunscreen partly because its half-mineral, half-chemical formula is gentler for people who react to pure chemical filters. Skin type shapes how she frames her recommendations. She flags the Biore UV Aqua Rich Watery Essence SPF 50+ PA++++ as one for dry or mature skin, and warns that oily skin types may find it too greasy. That kind of practical note runs through her best-rated takes.
In her words
"This goes to my S tier. It rubs in so fast, one, two, three and it's gone. This is the sunscreen I've been looking for, because I always wear makeup, so the makeup pairing has to be amazing, and even living somewhere tropical and humid, it's still not sticky. It's just so lightweight and easy. This is the ideal sunscreen."
"There's a very new sunscreen out from Skin&Lab that mixes a chemical filter and a mineral filter together, half and half. Oh my god, I love it so much. Nobody here really knows about it, I found out about it because a beauty YouTuber from Korea mentioned it. It's just so soft, if I didn't say anything you'd think it was a regular chemical sunscreen, but it's actually part mineral. If you're really sensitive to chemical sunscreens, try this instead."
"This one goes to my S tier. It has a little green color, but whenever you apply it, it just disappears. It's a brand new sunscreen that's a lot lighter and easier to absorb than Round Lab and Beauty of Joseon. This new version of sunscreen is one I actually really prefer, so please try it out."
"Dr. Jart is a premium BB cream, and I'm actually using this a lot at my classes because compared to all the other BB creams here, it's one of the most moisturizing and it doesn't show up wrinkles that much. If I have a guest coming who's in their fifties or sixties with more pigmentation, I mix in a little foundation, because the color alone looks a little pinkish gray, like sweet potato, which doesn't look that good on my warm skin."
"This one isn't as greasy as the other sunstick, it has a great texture, is so easy to use, and it's a little bigger than the usual small sunsticks. So, I love it. One of my close friends went to Rome after getting laser hair removal and didn't want any pigmentation to come out, so she reapplied this a lot and got no tan at all. I believe it works, so try it out."
"A few years ago this was S tier, but now it's down to an A tier. It's a chemical sunscreen and it will sting your eyes, and as I get older my eyes get even more sensitive, and tons of reviews agree. It's around six bucks and the texture feels exactly like a lightweight lotion. I highly recommend it for dry or mature skin, but oily skin types might feel too greasy. It costs almost double at Olive Young in Korea, so if you're in Japan it's definitely worth picking up."
How many sunscreens has CYoung reviewed?
CYoung has reviewed 27 sunscreens, for an approval rate of 67%. 18 approved, 4 mixed, and 5 skipped.
What has CYoung skipped in sunscreen?
The skips each had their own reason. The Purito Daily Soft Touch Sunscreen SPF 50+ PA++++ she found too heavy and slow to rub in, saying it felt like a sunscreen from a decade ago with no reason to choose it over newer formulas. The Skin1004 Helika Sun Stick SPF 50 PA++++ she skipped for different reasons: weak coverage, a dragging texture she compared to rubbing a bar of soap on your face, and the way it shifted the skincare underneath when reapplied. She was direct that it should not be used as a main sunscreen, and that the Abib Quick Sunstick Protection Bar SPF 50+ PA++++ beats it on every measure. The Fwee Spa Glowing UV Tone-Up Prep she passed on for a purpose problem rather than a texture one: she could not see the point of a tone-up base you would cover with foundation anyway. The Luna Concealer SPF 34 she found too close to a comparison product to recommend on its own, unless someone wanted it strictly as a highlighter.
"This one doesn't have water resistance, and honestly it feels like a sunscreen from 10 years ago, too heavy. I have to rub it in literally seven to ten times, so it's too heavy, too thick. There's no reason to use it when we have a lot better versions now. This goes to C tier."
"No, you don't need this. Compared to sunscreen this is not even close, the coverage feels weak and half the time you're wondering if you actually applied anything or if you're imagining it. It drags over the skin like rubbing a solid bar of soap on your face, and it also moves all the skin care underneath it when you reapply. As your main sunscreen, absolutely not. Compared to Abib sun sticks, in shape, size, and glide, Abib wins."
"This brand definitely has great products, like their pudding pot, but I just don't get why they made this into a tone up base. It's not really doing much, it's just making a little brightening, and I don't understand why you'd use it because you're just going to put foundation on afterward anyway, so there's no point in the tone up."
"Luna's concealer does have a lighter shade than the Sam, but unless you're using it strictly as a highlighter, you really don't need it. When I compared the color payoff and firmness to the Sam, they weren't that different, but the Sam blends better overall."
What should you take from CYoung's picks?
CYoung's sunscreen reviews are worth reading for the practical detail she brings to each one. She is clear about who a product suits and who it does not, and her skips come with real reasons rather than vague disappointment. If you are looking for a starting point, the products she named winners include the Beauty of Joseon Relief Sun: Rice + Probiotics SPF 50+ PA++++ (Korean formula), the Skin1004 Madagascar Centella Hyalu-Cica Water-Fit Sun Serum SPF 50+ PA++++, and the Round Lab Birch Juice Moisturizing Sunscreen SPF 50 PA++++ (Korean formula), among others.
Watch CYoung say it
Every verdict here comes from a video. These are the moments themselves, each one jumping straight to the bit about that product.
- Beauty of Joseon Relief Sun: Rice + Probiotics SPF 50+ PA++++ (Korean formula)Named a winnerWatch at 6:31
- Skin1004 Madagascar Centella Hyalu-Cica Water-Fit Sun Serum SPF 50+ PA++++Named a winnerWatch at 7:30
- Round Lab Birch Juice Moisturizing Sunscreen SPF 50 PA++++ (Korean formula)Named a winnerWatch at 10:31
- Beauty of Joseon Matte Sun Stick SPF 50Named a winnerWatch at 8:05
- Abib Quick Sunstick Protection Bar SPF 50+ PA++++Named a winnerWatch at 11:59
- Hera Black Cushion Compact SPF 34 PA++Named a winnerWatch at 5:44
- AHC Master's Icy Jelly SunstickNamed a winnerWatch at 15:05
- Purito Daily Soft Touch Sunscreen SPF 50+ PA++++Skipped itWatch at 14:19
- Skin1004 Helika Sun Stick SPF 50 PA++++Skipped itWatch at 9:29
- Fwee Spa Glowing UV Tone-Up PrepSkipped itWatch at 11:10
- Luna Concealer SPF 34Skipped itWatch at 12:18
- TOCOBO Bio Watery Sun Cream SPF 50+ PA++++Rated itWatch at 12:49
- Skin&Lab Ectoin SunscreenRated itWatch at 9:40
- Anua Heartleaf Silky Moisture Sun CreamRated itWatch at 8:59
- Dr. Jart+ Cicapair Tiger Grass Color Correcting Treatment SPF 30Rated itWatch at 11:11
- Biore UV Aqua Rich Watery Essence SPF 50+ PA++++Rated itWatch at 11:28
- Numbuzin No.1 Clear Filter Sun Essence SPF50+ PA++++Rated itWatch at 4:10
- Biore UV Aqua Rich Sunscreen Protective Mist SPF 50Rated itWatch at 12:10
- Isntree Hyaluronic Acid Watery Sun Gel SPF 50+ PA++++Rated itWatch at 8:10
- TOCOBO Cotton Soft Sun Stick SPF 50+ PA++++Rated itWatch at 8:25
- Goodal Heartleaf Calming Moisture Sun Cream SPF 50+ PA++++Rated itWatch at 11:47
- Dr.G Green Mild Up SunscreenRated itWatch at 5:08
- d'Alba Piedmont Waterfall UV Essence SPF 50Rated itWatch at 3:46
About this expert
See everything CYoung has reviewed
Related guides
This guide reflects what CYoung said across her videos about 27 products in sunscreen, aggregated by The Guru Index. Sponsored takes are excluded. The approval rate is the share of these products she approved. It is general information, not medical advice.