Beauty of Joseon Rice Sunscreen: we tested the SPF obsessing TikTok
Three million tubes sold in 2025, a hydrating luminous finish, but a US availability question. Our honest review.
TikTok hasn't stopped talking about it for six months: Beauty of Joseon Relief Sun Rice + Probiotics, a Korean SPF50+ infused with rice water and probiotics. Three million tubes sold worldwide in 2025. The promise is simple — a hydrating, luminous finish with zero white cast — and the beauty community seems unanimous. We tested it, and we'll tell you what we really think.
Why a Korean sunscreen has people queuing at Sephora
Asian sunscreens are twenty years ahead of their Western counterparts for one simple regulatory reason: Korea and Japan approved next-generation organic filters much earlier — filters that combine high UV protection with cosmetic comfort. The result: lighter textures, more invisible finishes, and they fold into a makeup look without weighing it down. Beauty of Joseon Rice + Probiotics is the culmination of that philosophy — it wears like a moisturiser, and that's exactly what makes it so addictive.
“The right sunscreen isn't the one you can tolerate — it's the one you want to reapply.”
Our test, in real conditions
Four weeks of daily wear, two complexions (fair-cool and golden-beige), Paris summer and Atlantic beach day conditions. Results: zero white cast even on pale skin, slightly satin finish that doubles as a base for a no-makeup look, no blue cast on camera, and real water resistance for 40 minutes. The catch — there is one — is the subtle fermented rice scent that surprises during the first days. You get used to it.
The availability question
Here it gets complicated: Beauty of Joseon isn't widely distributed on Amazon — you'll occasionally find it through third-party resellers, but without the authenticity guarantee of a direct brand shipment. For reliable purchase in the US, you're better off going through Sephora, Yesstyle, or Stylevana. That's why we can't offer you a direct Amazon affiliate link — we don't recommend buying this product on Amazon in its current state.
The equivalent we recommend in the meantime
If you can't get your hands on Beauty of Joseon, the closest Western equivalent in our selection is La Roche-Posay Anthelios UVMUNE 400 — invisible fluid texture, Mexoryl 400 technology that protects against ultra-long UVA rays (responsible for pigmentation spots), and a format that applies without leaving any white trace. It's what we recommend to every reader looking for a no-compromise daily face sunscreen.
La Roche-Posay Anthelios UVMUNE 400 SPF50
Invisible non-greasy fluid, Mexoryl 400 technology: ultra-high SPF50+ that melts into skin and holds under makeup.
Final verdict
Is Beauty of Joseon Rice + Probiotics worth the hype? Largely yes. But it's also a product that draws attention to a simpler truth: a good sunscreen changes everything, regardless of which brand formulates it. Investing in an SPF you actually want to wear is the best anti-aging move you can build into your routine — well before retinol, well before vitamin C, well before anything else.
