Beauty of Joseon literally makes a worse sunscreen formula for the US market because the FDA won't approve the good filters
Why I only use Asian sunscreens...
The FDA hasn't approved a new UV filter since 1999.
1999!! Korea, Japan, the EU, Australia have all approved 8+ newer ones since then.
I went through the ingredient lists on 8 sunscreens to compare what UV filters are actually inside them.
The 5 Korean ones (all SPF50+, $13-17 range) averaged about 4 modern filters each. Photostable, broad spectrum, nothing controversial.
The 3 US ones ($17 to $130)? Zero modern filters. Avobenzone from 1988. Homosalate from 1972. Octocrylene from 1997.
La Mer charges $130 for a sunscreen using the same filter tech as $17 Sun Bum. And it still has Oxybenzone.
The part that really got me was Beauty of Joseon. They sell a US version with old filters because that's all the FDA lets them use here. The Korean version has 4 modern filters. Same company, they literally have to make a worse formula for the American market.
Rumor: Olive Young is launching a separate US platform on May 29 and it looks like they gonna make us create a new US account. So yeah we're probably losing access to Korean formulations from OY.
Posted May 2, 2026, 4:18 AM UTC