Top 10 K-Beauty Sunscreens to Protect You This Summer

Summer is already here and it’s a hot one. If you are not already wearing a daily sunscreen, you really should be – no matter your age, gender, occupation or routine. It’s vital to be sun-safe, not just for your future health but also to maintain your skin goals for life. And with UV levels rising, you need to get your sun-safety locked down. Here's our guide to keeping your skin safe and your summer fabulous. 

Sun protection is the most important beauty tip ever invented. If you are wanting to glow, look youthful and keep your skin harmonious – extended sun exposure and tanning are the opposite of what you should be doing. The trend of tanning should well and truly be behind us, especially as Australia has the highest rates of skin cancer in the world. It’s more important than ever to distrust the sun, keep your suspicion up and be protecting every inch of your skin. 

To keep your skin clear and cute – always wear long sleeves and light, airy cover. Best materials include light silks, breathable cotton or reflective polyester as these will help keep the heat off you, whilst letting your skin breathe. Remember to keep to the shade, keep hydration up and keep an eye out on the wellbeing of little ones and older people (as they are most affected by the heat).

Always buy broad-spectrum (meaning UVA and UVB protection – requires SPF protection as well as PA ++++. SPF level should be at least +50 and PA ++++ is safest for Australia. Apply to your face, neck and ears (for facial sunscreen) and always be sure to cover areas that are visible on your body (wrists, ankles, arms). Apply a teaspoon for each limb on your body – one for face and neck, one for each arm and one for each leg. 
 
Commonly people forget their ears, back of the neck and patches of thin hair – so be sure to cover these areas too!

Sunscreen is best applied at least 30 minutes before going outside, giving it time to dry and should always be the last element of your skincare routine. If you’re applying make-up, wait for sunscreen to dry before applying foundation to prevent pilling or uneven patches. K-Beauty sunscreen is perfect for this, as it’s designed to be feather-light and blend perfectly with other skincare products.

SPF+50 / PA ++++

This is the best and brightest tone-up sunscreen in K-Beauty, beloved for its berry extracts and rich, rosy glow. It’s perfect for a base of make-up, to help brighten skin and provides a strong, ongoing protection throughout the day. It also has milk-extracted proteins to help boost fine lines and give your whole face a little lift.

Best: Fine Lines, Plumping, Make-up

SPF+50 / PA ++++ 
This sunscreen is a brand new release from Jumiso, as part of it’s Niacinamide skincare line. With 3% niacinamide, blended with glutathione and tranexamic acid – this sunscreen helps brighten your whole face and reduces the appearance of dark spots with each use. Perfect for evening skin tone and balanced with a centella complex to hydrate and soothe skin.

Best: Dark spots, even skin tone, sensitive skin

SPF+50 / PA ++++ 
In desperate need of hydration? This sunscreen in infused with bamboo extract, sea grape and refreshing panthenol. All this is backed with seaweed-based PDRN for a refreshing, natural glow which is perfect for even very dry skin. This sunscreen is one of the best available for dry skin; to soothe and moisturize all in one.

Best: dry skin, hydration, gentle glow.

SPF+50 / PA ++++ 
This light and gentle sunscreen is perfect for sensitive skin, balanced with vitamin E, tea tree extract, bamboo and vitamin C to help refresh skin and hydrate. It’s a perfect boost for dry and acne-prone skin, giving hydration and vitamins whilst also prevent breakouts. Famous for its light touch, it provides a perfect boost to your routine and long-standing protection.

Best: balancing acne-prone skin, dry skin, vitamin C glow

SPF+50 / PA ++++ 
This sun serum is a perfect balance for oily skin. Designed with neem tree extracts and eucalyptus, it helps tighten pores whilst hydrating with 10 weights of hyaluronic acid. This is perfect for a glassy finish and a refreshing balance for oily skin. This is the perfect choice for a pick you’ll want to put on everyday.

Best: oily skin, poreless finish, every day use.

SPF+50 / PA ++++

It’s important to remember that sun sticks are not the equivalent of sunscreen or sun serums but having an on-the-go top up sun stick is a great way to maintain sun protection. This sun stick is incredibly creamy and doesn’t leave a powdery finish on skin, whilst helping to tone down redness and acne spots. It’s incredibly lightweight and perfect for any oily/acne-prone skin to deliver the best matte finish every time.

Best: oily skin, acne-prone skin, touch-ups, travel

SPF+50 / PA ++++ 
This is our favourite (and best pick) for a sensitive-skin friendly and mineral sunscreen. With protective Zinc Oxide to keep your skin protected from sunlight, it’s safe for pregnancy and younger users, with a protective layer that doesn’t absorb into skin cells. Balanced with nourishing heartleaf and rice bran, it provides a soft hydration and long-lasting protection.
 

Best: sensitive skincare, pregnancy, mineral sunscreen

SPF+50 / PA ++++ 
A beloved of K-beauty, this hydrating classic not only gives you a brighter and more even skin tone (with its different rice extracts), it also is enriched with probiotics to help rebuild and strengthen your natural skin biome. It’s gentle enough for sensitive skin, but powerful enough to keep you safe from the sun. It absorbs quickly, with a light finish and almost zero cast.

Best: gentle hydration, brightening, all skin types

SPF+50 / PA ++++ 
This enriching protection bar scores incredibly highly due to its ability to act as a literal salve for dry and deeply irritated skin. Infused with calming green tea, centella, aloe extracts and cucumber juice – it's a gentle cocktail of soothing ingredients that relieve dry skin and forms a protective barrier. It’s a massive favourite of K-beauty fans and is perfectly formulated to heal dry and damaged skin, whilst providing strong UV protection.

Best: dry skincare, on-the-go touch up, healing damaged skin.

SPF+50 / PA ++++ 
Nourish and relieve your skin with this deeply moisturizing and refreshing sun serum. With a golden ratio blend of centella asciatica infused with hyaluronic acid, it is incredibly lightweight and feels like an airy moisturizer (that actually provides deep protection). Balanced with green tea and broccoli extracts, it helps physically cool your skin and reduce redness for a perfect finish every time. This serum is a best seller in Australia and its obvious to see why.  

It’s light and refreshing nature, mixed with strong UV protection means this is a sun serum that has your back, no matter the skin type. 

Best: Sunscreen of 2025, light hydration, soothing

It's growing more and more important every year to be sun conscious and keep yourself out of damaging UV rays. Make daily sunscreen a habit and you'll find it the best treatment for fine lines possible; keeping you youthful and healthy.

Check out more of the best of Korean skincare available on Arktastic! From big brands to the newest releases - we have all the best of Seoul, right here.

Curious about the world of K-Beauty? Check out our guide to keeping your skin cool and protected over the summer. Or check out our guide to Pogi (your personalized skincare assistant).

Guide to Summer Skincare 

Who is Pogi? Your Skincare Guide