A lightweight, gel-textured Korean sunscreen with SPF 50+ and PA++++ UVA protection, formulated with rice extract and panthenol (B5) for daily use on the face.
Feels like nothing on your skin: that's the line gurus keep coming back to with this gel-textured sunscreen, which sits light without the grease ball finish, so oily skin and humid days are where it shines. The one catch is pilling chatter and a camp who'd rather have the richer, more hydrating sibling for drier months. Layering under makeup worked for those who tried it, as long as you don't scratch at the film.
Synthesized from 17 expert reviews · most recent take October 2026
"It feels like when I get pilling with this, it is when I put makeup on top, but it's also a couple hours later. It's almost like moving my face is contributing to the pilling and that's very concerning because faces are meant to move. I feel like this is the saddest product in the video because this has the potential to be such a great sunscreen. It's so lightweight and so non glowy looking, which [...] is really nice. But yeah, if it pills on you, I don't think you're going to like it."
All 2 takes from AliceintheRabbitHole
Ranking NEW K-Beauty Sunscreens (2024 Releases!)
"Even when [...] my moisture barrier isn't feeling great, this doesn't irritate my skin, and it is so fast, it is so cosmetically elegant to apply. The only catch, and the reason I've knocked it down to number two, is that I've seen a lot of people talk about pilling with this one. [...] I haven't experienced that problem myself, other than when I've disrupted the film by scratching at my skin, and I've been able to wear it under a lot of makeup."
Trying Hyped FLOP K-Beauty Products :(
"It feels like when I get pilling with this, it is when I put makeup on top, but it's also a couple hours later. It's almost like moving my face is contributing to the pilling and that's very concerning because faces are meant to move. I feel like this is the saddest product in the video because this has the potential to be such a great sunscreen. It's so lightweight and so non glowy looking, which [...] is really nice. But yeah, if it pills on you, I don't think you're going to like it."
"Now, there are different brands that have very nice sunscreens. But the one that I really, really like a lot, especially in the past 2 years, that outside of not making my face feel like a grease ball, is also very light and sits very light on my skin, is the Beauty of Joseon Aqua sunscreen. I love it so much. I think that it's done so much for my skin in the past two years."
"I'll be honest, I do like this sunscreen, the Beauty of Joseon Relief Sun Aqua Rich sunscreen. [...] I feel like it's a more lightweight consistency compared to the Beauty of Joseon Rice and Probiotics sunscreen, albeit the ingredient list is a little bit lackluster compared to that one. However, I do like this one as a base for more hot and humid days, especially under the secondary sunscreen that I use. It's a nice hydrating sunscreen that doesn't feel too heavy on the skin."
"The other lightweight sunscreen I have on rotation is the Beauty of Joseon Relief Sun Aqua Fresh Rice Plus B5. There's another version without the Aqua Fresh that's more hydrating and that I prefer for the rest of the year, but this one is really lightweight and feels like nothing on the skin."
"It gives me a hydrated glow finish and the texture applies so easily. Honestly, if I had to choose between both of these, for melanin rich skin specifically, I'd lean towards the Aquaresh because the panthenol edition is so good for our skin, it's such an upgrade with an excellent formula. My final ranking is that this is the best overall finish, it's beautiful."
"If you have oily skin, you're a teenager, live somewhere hot, or hate any greasy feeling, get this one. It's lightweight, cooling, and has almost no residue. It's affordable and performs great. This is an easy S tier."
All 2 takes from CYoung
I Tested 20 Korean Sunscreens on 4 Hikes. Here’s the Truth.
"If you have oily skin, you're a teenager, live somewhere hot, or hate any greasy feeling, get this one. It's lightweight, cooling, and has almost no residue. It's affordable and performs great. This is an easy S tier."
Don’t BUY viral Korean Sunscreens BEFORE Watching THIS💀 | Recommendations for All Skin Types
"Beauty of Joseon came out with a new fresh version. It's definitely lightweight, much more watery, and has a less oily finish than the original, so you guys can try this one out."
"The Beauty of Joseon Aquaresh, this one's great."
All 20 takes from No BS Beauty
Beauty of Joseon New! 🆕🌞 Relief Sun Aqua Fresh Version Sunscreen SPF 50+ PA++++ Review
"I grew to love this sunscreen. It is definitely on the hydrating side, and it's geared more towards dry skin, so maybe when winter comes I'll try it more and like it even more. It feels nice on my skin. I didn't have any issues using it in Europe, with no sunburn, redness, or freckling."
"This is the Beauty of Joseon Relief Sun Aqua Fresh, the new version of it. Normally I would put my sunscreen on and then do some makeup, but if you can put your sunscreen on over it, that's better. The later you use it in your routine, the better."
No BS Beauty Award Show - 7th Annual Awards - Best In Skincare and Beauty
"The winner for best sunscreen of the year is Beauty of Joseon. Their Beauty of Joseon Relief Sun Aqua Fresh Rice + B5 SPF 50+ PA++++ is great. I love using it every day. No greasiness, no white cast, no smell. Just wonderful sunscreen coverage."
Beauty of Joseon New! Relief Sun Aqua-fresh First Impressions & Comparison to Original SPF Sunscreen
"I have a feeling this has pretty good UVA protection, probably better than almost any American sunscreen no matter what they put in, because these filters are going to be much better. So I'm impressed with it, and I'm happy with it. It feels nice on my skin. The newest version uses Tinosorb S. Tinosorb M tends to have a little bit of a white cast, which is in the original version, but you don't see any white cast here."
How to Scientifically Reduce Hyperpigmentation, Dark Spots, PIH & Melasma Step By Step
"One I'm loving is Beauty of Joseon."
Prequel Skincare Multi Quench Plumping Hydration Face Serum Review, How to Use, and Dupes
"It pilled a little bit, not a ton, but a few days I used it, it did pill, mostly around my forehead. It might not actually have anything to do with this. It could be the sunscreen or my moisturizer, but I just thought I'd mention that. Once it soaks in, it sets to a radiant finish that is just slightly tacky, but it definitely has a radiant finish to it. You're going to apply moisturizer over it anyway, so it's not going to be a terrible issue."
My K-Beauty Skincare Favorites 🙌🏆💖 Best Korean Beauty Products Currently in My Routine
"This sunscreen is really nice. It's just a chemical sunscreen with no scent to it, and it has a really nice texture. I'm really loving it. It just sinks right into your skin. In addition to those filters, it's got some good ingredients: we've got rice, oat, artichoke, and green tea. And it's only $6, hands down. I will repurchase this, no doubt. I really am happy with it. I love it."
Empties! 🎉 Skincare & Beauty Products I Finished This Month
"I love the Beauty of Joseon Relief Sun Aqua Fresh sunscreen. I have my backup, and I actually have a couple backups of it now, and it's really nice. When I was in South Korea and Japan, I picked up a couple tubes of this to have on hand because I really do enjoy it. So yeah, I really like this stuff. If you haven't tried it, check it out."
"I really like the feel of chemical sunscreens, and I've gotten used to them. I'm wearing their Aqua Fresh sunscreen as we speak, and it's just so nice."
Ranking My Top 10 Favorite K-Beauty Brands - Which KBeauty Brands Do I Love The Most?!?
"It's owned by Good Eye Global, which also owns Tier Tier, which has done some shady influencer things that I don't love, but I still love their sunscreens. Their Aqua Fresh sunscreen is great. Pretty much all of their products are fragrance-free, and they're pretty affordable as well, so we like that."
Top Sunscreens For Fall That Work For All Skin Types 🌞 Affordable & Perfect For Sensitive Skin
"It soaks in pretty nicely. There's no fragrance and no alcohol in it, and it feels nice on the skin. It takes a minute to soak in, but once it does, it feels really nice and absorbs nicely on your skin. So in here we've got five chemical filters. We've also got oat kernel, vitamin E, ferulic acid, and beta glucan in here. This stuff has become one of my favorites pretty quickly. I really am loving it, so it's worth checking out, because it's quite nice."
If I Could Only Pick 5 Products to Use for the Rest of My Life - My Picks for Top 5 Skincare
"It's their original sunscreen, with rice and probiotics, and this was their newest version. I absolutely love it. I think I'm on my third tube of it now. It's really amazing. It's alcohol-free and fragrance-free, so for very sensitive skin, it's nice. It's hydrating, but not greasy or sticky or anything like that. It's very nice. It contains five chemical filters as well as some soothing ingredients. I really like how it works underneath my makeup or with no makeup."
Best New K-Beauty Skincare Products of the Year 🙌 Korean Beauty Affordable Favorites 2024 Edition
"I'm wearing it right now underneath my foundation, and it's really nice. Aside from those chemical filters, it has beta glucan, rice extract, fulvic acid, and oat kernel. It's a really nice transparent sunscreen with literally no smell at all. If you're used to chemical UV sunscreens or that sunscreen smell, this has no scent at all, which makes it lovely. It applies very clear, so it's a really nice product and certainly worth checking out."
My Most Repurchased K-Beauty Skincare & Makeup Products So Far This Year 😍 KBeauty Faves
"I also love their Beauty of Joseon Relief Sun Aqua Fresh, which I need to repurchase. Both of them are wonderful. Order them from K-beauty brand websites and don't order them from Amazon or anywhere else, because you might get Beauty of Joseon's American sunscreen. I've heard that if you buy from a K-beauty site, you'll be getting the Korean one. I think their American sunscreen has a different name, though."
Beauty of Joseon 🆕🌞 New! Daily Relief Sunscreen SPF 40 First Impressions Review & Demo
"I just love this Beauty of Joseon Relief Sun Aqua Fresh. It's really nice, and I've been using a lot lately. It's very friendly, and it literally has no scent at all. It probably has much better UVA protection. It's sold at iHerb, which is where I picked it up, and it's not terribly expensive. It looks much more natural, and it literally has no smell. It still feels a little tacky and sticky. Typically you want to give it 15 minutes to soak in, so that shouldn't be as big of an issue."
Get Ready With Me - My Current Winter Morning Skincare & Makeup Routine - Dry Sensitive Skin
"I'm going to use a little bit of sunscreen. I've got the Beauty of Joseon Relief Sun Aqua Fresh, and I'm going to put this one on. It's currently my favorite. Usually I do this part and then I curl my hair so it soaks in, but we won't do that today. Okay, feels good."
Beauty of Joseon Shares Good & Bad News Regarding Their Sunscreens
"The Beauty of Joseon Relief Sun Aqua Fresh is one I really love."
July Skincare & Beauty Product Empties - What I Loved & Some Surprise Favorites!
"Now I like their Aqua Fresh version of this one better."
The One Anti-Aging Step That I Won't Ever Skip? 5 Skincare Steps to Never Miss for Anti-Aging
"This one's nice. The Beauty of Joseon Relief Sun Aqua Fresh Rice + B5 SPF 50+ PA++++ is really nice. It's a chemical sunscreen. It's K-beauty, has no fragrance, is non-drying, and has a very nice lotion texture. It applies very clear and even to the skin."
New Beauty of Joseon Stay Fresh Tone Up Sunscreens in Purple & Green First Impressions
"The Beauty of Joseon Aquaresh, this one's great."
"Right now, I have a few sunscreens that I'm kind of gravitating towards. One of them is the Beauty of Joseon Relief Sun Aqua Fresh. This is the one with the light blue on the end, that's the original one."
"No stickiness, no peeling under makeup, and no white cast. What I love about this is that it uses really advanced chemical sunscreen filters that are not available in the US. These filters [...] provide really broad UVA and UVB spectrum coverage, and they're just more cosmetically elegant. This one is SPF 50 plus PA++++ four pluses. It's formulated with 30% rice seed water, which helps to hydrate and brighten without irritation."
"And it feels so nice on the skin. It has ceramides and soothing ingredients. It does not contain niacinamide, which I know some of you are looking for. There's zero icing, and it blends in beautifully. I did feel this wasn't as glowy. It's more of a kind of soft matte. It is a really, really lovely product. And it's not further to the top only because, you probably guessed it, I prefer a more hydrating formula. You could love this though. Oily and combo skin will love this."
"The Aqua Fresh version is and I feel that this version is optimal for oily skin for acne prone girls for people who have hormonal acne I am telling you the Aqua Fresh version is absolute legend"
Translated from the guru's original language.
All 2 takes from Nipun Kapur
New Viral Sunscreens Review | Beauty of Josen Aqua Fresh & Garnier | Skin 1004 | Nipun Kapur
"I've been using this straight up for about a week now, and every time I've used it I've absolutely loved it. It's for everyone with combination to oily skin, or normal skin. Most of you don't need a separate moisturizer with this. You can just do your serums and then go straight in with your sunscreen, because it's so gentle and so hydrating, with such beautiful hydrating ingredients. If your skin is normal to dry, very, very dry and flaky, definitely apply a moisturizer."
Top 10 Summer Sunscreens | Best Indian Sunscreen | Best Korean Sunscreen | Nipun Kapur
"The Aqua Fresh version is and I feel that this version is optimal for oily skin for acne prone girls for people who have hormonal acne I am telling you the Aqua Fresh version is absolute legend"
"It has a much thinner, lightweight texture than its predecessor, and I've been really enjoying it. You can find it online from reliable vendors. YesStyle and Stylevana are the two websites I frequent to get my Asian beauty skincare products. It also has panthenol and colloidal oatmeal, so it's really hydrating and soothing for those with irritated skin, like in the winter when your skin feels quite impaired. This is a nice soothing sunscreen, so check this one out."
"Beauty of Joseon Relief Sun Aqua Fresh Rice + B5 SPF 50+ PA++++ is a new release from Beauty of Joseon, and it's really their lighter Aqua Fresh version, their answer to their original Relief Rice Plus Probiotics sunscreen. They've created a version that feels lighter, that is less shiny in the finish and less dewy, and a version that doesn't use the sunscreen filters that were causing that ashy, blue-purple cast."
All 4 takes from Kelly Driscoll
The Best Skincare of 2024!
"Beauty of Joseon Relief Sun Aqua Fresh Rice + B5 SPF 50+ PA++++ is a new release from Beauty of Joseon, and it's really their lighter Aqua Fresh version, their answer to their original Relief Rice Plus Probiotics sunscreen. They've created a version that feels lighter, that is less shiny in the finish and less dewy, and a version that doesn't use the sunscreen filters that were causing that ashy, blue-purple cast."
5 Best NEW Skincare Releases of 2024!
"I still think this is a fantastic sunscreen. There has been some criticism of it, though, because people are experiencing pilling. I haven't experienced it myself, so I can't give you much guidance beyond that. You need to trust people when they tell you about their experience, even if it's not your own, so this is something to take with a grain of salt. It could happen to you, and it may not, but it's something to be aware of. I'm not exactly sure what's causing the pilling."
Niacinamide Free K-Beauty Sunscreens
"I just think the texture performs really, really beautifully, and that semi-matte finish is fantastic. I think it's another sunscreen that can suit a lot of different skin types. If you have oily skin, I think you're going to like that it's not super duper shiny. If you have combination skin, I think you're going to like this as well, because it's not a greasy sunscreen. For dry skin, I don't think you have to be super duper concerned about this as far as the silica goes."
Beauty of Joseon has a New Aqua Fresh Sunscreen... Better Than the Original Relief Sun?!
"It definitely is. Yeah, it's definitely matte. I thought, this feels great, I love this. I was thinking in my head, I love this, and then I had to tell myself to calm down, because I needed to get it on my face a couple of times before I said I love something. I was being a little too excited. So then I started looking into the ingredients, because I was curious what had changed, and I noticed the silica. Silica is an ingredient used in sunscreens to take down some of the shine."
"This is amazing. It's designed to be the sister to the original Beauty of Joseon sunscreen, which was also viral, but this one is more lightweight. It has a gel base, so it works perfectly on oily and acne-prone skin, and it actually has a lot more hydrators. So if you're looking for a sunscreen that can act as a moisturizer and a sunscreen in one, this is a great option."
All 2 takes from Mad About Skin
Sunscreens In Trouble - 6 BEST SUNSCREENS 2024 ( Sunscreens You Can Trust )
"This is amazing. It's designed to be the sister to the original Beauty of Joseon sunscreen, which was also viral, but this one is more lightweight. It has a gel base, so it works perfectly on oily and acne-prone skin, and it actually has a lot more hydrators. So if you're looking for a sunscreen that can act as a moisturizer and a sunscreen in one, this is a great option."
Worldwide Top 10 KOREAN SKINCARE - Bestselling K-Skincare 2025
"The rest of the world has a different formulation, and for the rest of the world this is a holy grail sunscreen. I'd recommend it for anyone who wants a super lightweight, acne-friendly sunscreen. If you're in the US, avoid it, it's just not worth it. So it depends where you're shopping from. It's a holy grail for the rest of the world, but a total fail for the US, unfortunately."
"So overall, this formula just solves a lot of problems that people had with Korean sunscreens. Sometimes I do see people say Beauty of Joseon isn't like real Korean skincare because it is more popular overseas than in Korea, and that it caters more to an overseas market. In this case, I really don't think that's a bad thing, because white cast and niacinamide are rising concerns outside of Korea. So we got our wish."
"The new sunscreen from Beauty of Joseon, the Relief Sun Aqua Fresh Rice + B5 with an SPF of 50 and PA++++, is a lighter weight version of the original Rice and Probiotics, which I also love. The difference between the two is not so extreme. It's just that the texture of this one is lighter, but on the skin it still makes the skin look really healthy and hydrated."
Sponsored
All 2 takes from Gothamista
2024 Skincare Faves!
"The new sunscreen from Beauty of Joseon, the Relief Sun Aqua Fresh Rice + B5 with an SPF of 50 and PA++++, is a lighter weight version of the original Rice and Probiotics, which I also love. The difference between the two is not so extreme. It's just that the texture of this one is lighter, but on the skin it still makes the skin look really healthy and hydrated."
Beauty of Joseon Picks and Deals for Amazon Prime Day
"It's almost like you're getting a splash of water that just gets sucked into your skin. It's really refreshing and soothing as you apply it, and I feel like it leaves a very smooth skin finish. It has 30% rice water in it, and it also has panthenol, or vitamin B5, which is super hydrating. This is great for anyone with an oilier skin type, or for anyone who finds heavier, creamier formulas too much, but it definitely doesn't alienate dry skin people either, because I love it."
"This is new, I literally got this in PR yesterday. This is Beauty of Joseon Relief Sun Aqua Fresh Rice + B5 SPF 50+ PA++++, and it's supposed to be a lot lighter and a lot more hydrating. I dare to say people are actually enjoying this a lot. It feels so watery, and it does have a slightly typical sunscreen smell. A lot of people are finding that this one really does leave nothing behind on the skin, no white cast, and of course that's because it uses chemical filters."
Sponsored
What the evidence says.
Independent of what the gurus think, this is what
the published research supports about the main active ingredients here.
Frequently asked.
What is Beauty of Joseon Relief Sun Aqua Fresh Rice + B5 SPF 50+ PA++++?
A lightweight, gel-textured Korean sunscreen with SPF 50+ and PA++++ UVA protection, formulated with rice extract and panthenol (B5) for daily use on the face.
Is Beauty of Joseon Relief Sun Aqua Fresh Rice + B5 SPF 50+ PA++++ worth it?
Mostly yes. 15 of the 17 gurus who reviewed it give it their stamp of approval, for a Guru Score of 87%.
What is Beauty of Joseon Relief Sun Aqua Fresh Rice + B5 SPF 50+ PA++++'s Guru Score?
Beauty of Joseon Relief Sun Aqua Fresh Rice + B5 SPF 50+ PA++++ holds a Guru Score of 87%. That is our read on how warmly the experts talk about it, based on the verdicts of 17 expert reviewers we have collected. It is also Guru Certified, our mark for products that hold broad approval across many expert reviewers.
What is Beauty of Joseon Relief Sun Aqua Fresh Rice + B5 SPF 50+ PA++++ good for, according to the experts?
In their reviews, experts say Beauty of Joseon Relief Sun Aqua Fresh Rice + B5 SPF 50+ PA++++ is good for excess oil and shine (2 experts).
Is Beauty of Joseon Relief Sun Aqua Fresh Rice + B5 SPF 50+ PA++++ good for excess oil and shine?
2 experts who reviewed Beauty of Joseon Relief Sun Aqua Fresh Rice + B5 SPF 50+ PA++++ say it is. CYoung put it this way: “If you have oily skin, you're a teenager, live somewhere hot, or hate any greasy feeling, get this one.”
Cheaper alternatives the gurus rate.
Lower-priced sunscreens the gurus still rate highly, versus this mid-range pick.
More from
Beauty of Joseon
→
