Compare formulas
Korean sunscreen under makeup: compare exact formulas
Popkr editorial · Sources checked September 7, 2026
The short answer
For a US-market comparison, Day Dew SPF 50 and Round Lab Birch UVLock SPF 45 are two different daily sunscreens—not interchangeable versions of the viral Korean Relief Sun. Choose a candidate by its label and your constraints, then trial it with your actual makeup. Keeping your current sunscreen is a valid result.
Two same-job options, with different constraints
Both candidates are Korean-brand, US-market daily face sunscreens. This is not a comparison of every Korean sunscreen, and neither is crowned the best. The table separates label facts from the brand’s description of the finish.
Swipe the table sideways to read every option →
| Check | Beauty of Joseon Day Dew | Round Lab Birch UVLock |
|---|---|---|
| Exact label | Day Dew Sunscreen, SPF 50 broad spectrum, 50 mL. | Birch Moisturizing Sunscreen UVLock, SPF 45 broad spectrum, 50 mL. |
| Listed sunscreen actives | Avobenzone 3%, homosalate 7%, octisalate 5%, octocrylene 5%. | Avobenzone, homosalate and octisalate. Verify percentages on the Drug Facts panel. |
| Finish: brand description | Dewy; marketed for wearing under makeup. | Moisturizing, soft/dewy; marketed for wearing under makeup. |
| Water exposure | The brand lists 80-minute water resistance. Follow the label’s reapplication directions. | The listing directs shoppers to use a water-resistant sunscreen for swimming or sweating. |
| Formula screen | The published list includes niacinamide and dimethicone. | The published list includes niacinamide, chamomile flower oil and pine leaf oil. |
| Reason not to choose it | You want a reliably matte result, or need to avoid something on its full label. | You need verified water resistance, or need to avoid something on its full label. |
Sources: Beauty of Joseon: Day Dew US formula · Round Lab: Birch UVLock SPF 45 formula
Choose a trial, not a guaranteed winner
Our interpretation: if water resistance is part of the job, the Day Dew label gives you a clearer match among these two candidates. If it is not, that feature alone does not make Day Dew better for your makeup. Check the complete label and any ingredients you already know you must avoid.
If your goal is a matte finish, neither brand description promises the result you are looking for. If your current sunscreen works after removing an optional layer, keep it. If you cannot obtain an exact, trustworthy listing for the candidate, wait rather than accepting a vaguely similar substitute.
Use the same makeup trial for either formula
This is a proposed personal comparison method, not a completed Popkr experiment. First establish that the product is appropriate for you and follow its directions. Keep sun protection adequate throughout; do not run a low-dose SPF trial outdoors.
On separate, comparable days, hold the cleanser, moisturizer, primer, foundation, application tool and approximate conditions steady. Use the sunscreen’s full instructed amount, allow its instructed settling time, then apply makeup in the same way. Change only the sunscreen in that comparison.
Record the exact bottle, trial date, steps underneath, makeup, approximate time between layers, visible rolling, finish and comfort. Check at application and later during ordinary wear. If discomfort or a reaction appears, stop the trial rather than pushing through to collect a result.
You can conclude that one combination worked better for your routine on those days. You cannot conclude that its SPF is higher than the label, that it never pills, or that everyone with the same skin description should buy it.
Swipe the table sideways to read every option →
| Record | What makes it useful |
|---|---|
| Bottle identity | Full name, SPF, market label, size and batch if visible. |
| Routine and makeup | The exact products and application method, not just ‘skincare + foundation’. |
| Application | Label amount followed, sequence and time between layers. |
| Observed result | Where and when rolling, shine or discomfort appeared; separate observation from suspected cause. |
Looking for the viral Relief Sun instead?
Relief Sun SPF50+ PA++++ is a separate identity to check. Beauty of Joseon now uses the name Rice + Niacinamide and says its former Rice + Probiotics name changed without a formula or size change. That does not make Day Dew the same sunscreen in a US tube.
Read the version guide before following a Relief Sun offer. The country on a store selector, a familiar product photo and a US-dollar price do not establish which market’s label will arrive.
Your next step
Match the full name and label to the candidate you chose. A similar tube or brand name is not enough.
Check the market version before you buy →Source record and commercial context
- Beauty of Joseon: Day Dew US formula
Brand source · checked 2026-09-07. Brand descriptions are not independent wear tests.
- Round Lab: Birch UVLock SPF 45 formula
Brand source · checked 2026-09-07. Brand descriptions are not independent wear tests.
- Beauty of Joseon: Relief Sun label and rename FAQ
Brand source · checked 2026-09-07. Brand descriptions are not independent wear tests.
No hands-on product trial is claimed here. Product pages label merchant links and affiliate uncertainty separately. Read the affiliate disclosure.