Are Asian Sunscreens Really More Superior?

The first time I found a sunscreen I truly adored happened only a couple weeks ago. I was at a dinner to celebrate the U.S. launch of Sophistance, a Japanese skin care brand whose products are rooted in two main ingredients (yuzu extract and rice fermentation), when the founder covertly handed me a tube of the brand’s sunscreen, like it was contraband. Serum-like in texture and lightly fragrant, it didn’t feel or smell or look like the countless sunscreens I’ve tried. It melted into my skin, so there wasn’t a weird whitish cast; it softened my complexion, leaving me with a dewy finish; and it cooperated underneath my makeup, which meant there was zero evidence of pilling.

I’ve been rationing my one precious tube of Sophistance sunscreen ever since, because I know that what I have in my possession, in so many ways, kind of is like contraband: It’s not available in the U.S. — in that, it cannot be sold in the states, per the Modernization of Cosmetics Regulation Act, because it has yet to be approved by the FDA. And the recent enforcement of this act has led to many international brands pulling their sunscreens outright or scrambling to reformulate so that they comply with FDA regulations.

This has, understandably, sparked panic among Asian sunscreen loyalists, particularly on TikTok. One content creator warns his viewers from buying the American version of the beloved sunscreen from South Korean brand Beauty of Joseon. Another one explains the difference between the two: “The U.S. version is 45 SPF, it stings your eyes, it’ll make your face greasy, it’ll make your skin break out, and it leaves behind a white cast. The Korean version, however, absorbs into your skin and is part of your skin care routine as a daily moisturizer.”

Asian sunscreens — particularly those from Japan and Korea — are hailed as superior, holy grail, game-changing products because they’ve done the unthinkable: turning sunscreen — the bane of the beauty industry’s existence — from a product that’s long been tolerated into one that’s coveted. I’ve been told that these sunscreens are so innovative, so advanced, their formulas are lightyears ahead compared with the U.S. But when it comes down to brass tacks, beyond anecdotally, are they actually better? And if so, then why is the U.S. so behind?

“The key differentiators lie in advanced formulation technology and multifunctionality,” says Johanna Kim, CEO of Korean skin care brand Mediheal, who describes many American sunscreens as being known to leave a white cast, and to feel heavy or sticky, while Korean ones are designed to feel like skin care: lightweight, hydrating, smooth, and skin-soothing. “Korean consumers aren’t simply trying to avoid sunburn — they’re highly proactive about preventing pigmentation, dark spots, and loss of elasticity caused by UV damage, otherwise known as photoaging. Sunscreen is widely used not only for protection, but also to help maintain an even skin tone and preserve a radiant, clear complexion, making sun care one of the most consistently high-demand categories in Korea’s beauty market.”

There are more than 30 UV-blocking ingredients approved for use in Korea, including Ethylhexyl Triazone, Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine (Tinosorb S), and Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate (Uvinul A Plus), which Kim touts as “next-generation, highly effective filters” that are “widely used in Europe and Asia but not yet approved in the U.S. These ingredients offer high UV protection, low irritation, and strong stability in formulation.”

“Another key advantage in Korea is the ability to blend various filters and design formulas that not only protect the skin but also enhance the texture and overall experience of the product,” continues Kim, who shouts out Mediheal’s new Hydrating Sun Serum as one shining example of the brand’s ability to combine sun protection and skin care: a UV-shielding, second-skin serum that features 79% moisture essence to deliver intense hydration and madecassoide to calm and repair post-sun effects.

“In the U.S., the FDA only allows a small group of UV filters, which makes it harder to get that same texture people love in Korean sunscreens,” says Jay Lee, president of Korean skin care brand Dearcloud. (In fact, the FDA has only approved eight commonly used UV filters — the last one was approved in 1999 — but is currently reviewing bemotrizinol, a broad-spectrum filter.) “The biggest reason why it’s harder to get Asian sunscreens approved in the U.S. is that the U.S. treats sunscreen very differently — it’s regulated as an over-the-counter drug (since it blocks UV rays and protects against skin cancer), not just skin care.”

It’d be incredibly misleading — and wholly incorrect — to infer that U.S. sunscreens are inferior if Asian and/or European Union (EU) sunscreens are deemed “superior.” Like in Asia, there are more approved filters in the EU. And this is a point that Stewart Long, scientific advisor for U.K. skin care brand Byoma, wants to underscore: “All sunscreens made and developed in the U.S. are tested rigorously to the highest safety standards, so it’s important to understand that sunscreen products in the U.S. provide high levels of protection for consumers; they are not inferior to products available elsewhere.”

Dr. Sheila Farhang, M.D., a Tucson-based board-certified dermatologist and skin cancer surgeon, echoes that sentiment and wholeheartedly believes that this type of regulation for something as important as sunscreen is absolutely needed — even if the FDA is behind on introducing new filters. But to compare U.S. sunscreens with ones from other countries “isn’t apples to apples, but rather apples to oranges, so it’s always hard to gauge the sun protection level.”

Farhang is referring to the way every country has different testing and measuring systems in place, like Japan’s PA rating — Protection Grade of UVA, which measures a product’s ability to block UVA rays — for one. The number of plus signs you find on the label (from PA+ to PA++++) indicates the level of protection from UVA rays, which differ from UVB rays in that they’re longer and can cause long-term damage, like wrinkles and photoaging. UVB rays, on the other hand, are shorter and more intense: They damage skin cells that can lead to melanoma and skin cancer. (In the U.S., the SPF value on a sunscreen product only indicates the level of UVB protection provided, which is why it’s crucial that you look for one that’s broad-spectrum because it offers both UVA and UVB protection.)

“The U.S. and Japan have SPF, broad-spectrum, and water-resistance tests, but the specific methods, requirements, and durations may be different,” says Kyoko Getz, director of education at Shiko Beauty Collective. “That’s not to say it’s easy to make sunscreen in Japan — it’s quite difficult as well, since they have their own regulations and testing — but the U.S. just takes longer.”

For the FDA to approve a new filter, it requires extensive testing and trials in addition to the already considerable number of sunscreen testing, clinical trials, and compliance reviews needed (these steps include everything from UV-exposure tests, to water resistance tests, to stability tests, to microbial tests, all of which must be supported by data).

“The cost and effort of approving a new sunscreen filter in the U.S. is extremely high and prohibitive — it’s very challenging to do and not many companies are able to do so,” Long says. “The research involves many years of testing and hundreds of millions (maybe even billions) of dollars. It’s really a matter of bureaucracy and legislation rather than a lack of innovation from brands.”

That also means any EU or Asian sunscreen with a non-FDA-approved ingredient cannot be sold in the U.S. by any U.S.-based distributor (the work-around here would be to purchase directly from a retailer in another country, like say Olive Young in Korea, and pay for international shipping, though with the possibility of impending tariffs, that might be more trouble than it’s worth). It’s for this reason that many international beauty brands make their U.S. launch by introducing their other bestsellers first, like Mediheal and its sheet masks and toner pads, or Sophistance and its serum toner and milk.

And it’s not as simple as taking that non-FDA-approved filter out of the formula and replacing it with an approved one, either. It calls for a complete formula overhaul. It essentially means starting from scratch. “It’s essential to develop localized formulations that fully comply with U.S. regulatory standards,” says Kim, who reveals that Mediheal is gearing up to launch sunscreen stateside in the near future. “This process goes far beyond minor ingredient adjustments — it requires a comprehensive redesign of the product, encompassing UV protection efficacy, texture, and the overall user experience. For any brand, this is a critical and strategic undertaking that requires thorough preparation and long-term planning.”

Yes, but it can be done. There’s Dr.Jart+, a Korean skin care brand available at Sephora and Ulta Beauty, that prides itself on innovative sunscreen formulas, like the Cicapair Camo Drops SPF 35 (a serum-like product that also neutralizes redness) or the Every Sun Day SPF 40 (a hyaluronic-infused sunscreen stick that acts as a primer). There’s Dearcloud, which went in with every intention to meet both Korean and FDA standards. The result: Tone Blur Essence SPF 50, a soothing broad-spectrum sunscreen with a blurring effect.

“Even though Korean labs can work with more modern filters and advanced technologies, making something that also fits U.S. regulations takes a lot of planning, testing, and reworking,” Lee says. “It’s still a complex process — almost a year of back and forth with testing and paperwork — especially when you’re bridging two very different regulatory systems. It wasn’t easy, but we’re proud of how it turned out.”

In other words, it’s possible to formulate a FDA-approved sunscreen without compromising on protection or how it feels. And hopefully — and especially given consumer demands for lightweight, effective, comfortable-to-wear sunscreens — this recent wave of advanced formulas will pave the way for a future of even more innovative sun care-meets-skin care products (along with, fingers crossed, updated FDA sunscreen regulations). “I’ve noticed brands are taking notes from [other countries] by combining sunscreen with skin care ingredients like hyaluronic acid and antioxidants,” Getz says. “Do I think sunscreens in the U.S. will catch up? Yes. Absolutely.”