Beauty of Joseon Relief Sun: Rice + Probiotics SPF50+ PA++++ is a popular daily sunscreen built around modern UV filters, a moisturizer-like base, 30% rice extract, niacinamide, and no added fragrance. This review focuses on what the formula and available evidence can support, where the marketing is stronger than the science, and which skin types the product is most likely to suit.
Important: this is a formula- and evidence-based review, not a controlled long-term wear test by Stylishandhealthy. Texture, white-cast, finish, and makeup-compatibility statements are attributed to official product information or discussed as formula-based expectations unless explicitly stated otherwise.
This article is based on official product information, the ingredient information reviewed in the product dossier, and accessible peer-reviewed or regulatory sources. It is a research-based product analysis rather than a controlled wear test. It is not medical advice. Sunscreen needs are personal, especially if you have melasma, rosacea, a history of allergic reactions, or recently treated skin.
Table of Contents.
What Is This Product?
Relief Sun: Rice + Probiotics SPF50+ PA++++
Beauty of Joseon
On paper, this is a strong daily sunscreen formula with modern UV filters, a hydrating base, rice extract, niacinamide, and no added fragrance. It appears best suited to normal, dry, dehydrated, and many combination skin types. It is less aligned with people who specifically need water resistance, a very matte finish, or visible-light protection from a tinted formula.
Buy on AmazonThe brand positions this as a daily chemical sunscreen with SPF50+ PA++++, 30% rice extract, fermented grain extracts, a hydrating moisturizer-like finish, and no white cast. The official product information also emphasizes a comfortable, non-sticky texture that works under makeup.
It is not just popular because it protects. It is popular because people are willing to wear it.
And that matters for real sunscreen consistencyBrand Claims vs. the Science.
| Claim | Honest read |
|---|---|
| SPF50+ PA++++ | Strong daily protection claim. The reviewed dossier also notes disclosed lab values from Korean and Spanish labs, which is better than a bare marketing claim. |
| 30% rice extract | Credible as a supporting moisturizing and antioxidant story. Rice-derived skincare ingredients have published evidence for moisturizing, barrier, antioxidant, and brightening potential, but results depend heavily on extract type and formula. |
| Probiotics or fermented grain extracts | Interesting support ingredients, but not the main reason to buy it. Ferments can be useful in skincare, but the exact clinical evidence for each specific ferment in this sunscreen is limited. |
| No white cast | Very plausible for most users because the formula uses organic UV filters rather than zinc oxide or titanium dioxide as the main protection system. |
| Hydrating, moisturizer-like feel | Well supported by the formula style. Glycerin, propanediol, butylene glycol, multiple emollients, rice extract, and niacinamide all help explain the comfortable finish. |
| Sensitive and acne-prone skin friendly | Reasonable for many people because it is fragrance-free and not loaded with classic heavy occlusives. Still, acne and sensitivity are personal, so patch testing matters. |
The best sunscreen is not always the most matte, the most expensive, or the most hyped. It is the one you can apply enough of and reapply without hating your life.
The UV Filter System.
This formula uses a modern four-filter system: Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate, Ethylhexyl Triazone, Methylene Bis-Benzotriazolyl Tetramethylbutylphenol, and Diethylhexyl Butamido Triazone.
A modern UVA filter, often used to strengthen long-wave UVA coverage. This matters because UVA contributes to photoaging, pigmentation, and deeper skin damage.
A very efficient UVB filter that helps the product reach high SPF. UVB is strongly linked with sunburn, so this is one of the protection workhorses.
Also known as MBBT or bisoctrizole. It helps cover both UVA and UVB. Regulatory reviews consider nano MBBT safe for dermal use up to allowed levels in sunscreen creams.
A photostable filter that supports the overall protection system. In a daily facial sunscreen, this type of filter package is a real strength.
The takeaway is simple: this is not a weak "skincare first, SPF second" formula. The UV filter system is one of the strongest parts of the product.
Key Ingredients, Honestly Assessed.
Outside the UV filters, the product is built like a hydrating moisturizer. That is exactly why it became so wearable.
Rice extract gives the formula its brand story, but it is not just decoration. Rice-derived skincare ingredients have evidence for moisturizing, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and brightening potential. It is best viewed as a supportive skin-conditioning ingredient, not a replacement for sunscreen filters or pigment treatments.
One of the most useful supporting ingredients here. Niacinamide has clinical and mechanistic support for barrier function, uneven tone, sebum regulation, and signs of photoaging. In this sunscreen, it helps make the product feel more like a skincare step.
This is the hydration stack. These ingredients pull water into the upper skin layers and help explain why the sunscreen feels comfortable rather than dry or chalky.
Mostly sensorial ingredients. They help dissolve filters, improve glide, reduce heaviness, and make the sunscreen easier to apply evenly.
Nice extras with antioxidant or soothing rationale, but not the main story. The strongest reasons to like this sunscreen are the filter system, fragrance-free design, hydration base, and niacinamide.
Most people tolerate these, but they can be relevant allergens for a small group of sensitive users. If your skin reacts easily to sunscreens, patch test before making it your everyday SPF.
Who Is This Best For?
Normal, dry, dehydrated, and balanced combination skin that wants a soft, moisturizer-like sunscreen.
Many acne-prone users looking for a fragrance-free daily SPF with a moisturizer-like formula.
Very oily skin. A lighter gel or more matte sunscreen may fit your preferences better, especially in hot weather.
Highly reactive rosacea or allergy-prone skin. The formula is gentle for many, but not guaranteed bland enough for everyone.
Beach days, sports, heavy sweating, or swimming unless you use a separate water-resistant sunscreen.
Melasma routines that specifically need visible-light protection. A tinted sunscreen with iron oxides is usually the better option for that goal.
Transparency Notes.
The formula looks strong, but there are a few details worth saying clearly.
- Check your actual box. The reviewed dossier found that the official site ingredient list and the packaging panel were not perfectly identical. For sensitive users, the packaging on the exact unit you buy matters most.
- The "alcohol-free" language needs context. The reviewed sources noted a mismatch where the site labeled the product alcohol free while the website ingredient deck listed t-Butyl Alcohol. The packaging panel reviewed did not list it. That is a transparency issue, not automatically a safety issue.
- Ferments are not magic. They can support the formula, but the clinical evidence for the exact ferment ingredients is not as strong as the evidence for UV filters, niacinamide, and glycerin.
- Not all pigmentation needs are the same. For melasma and visible-light triggered pigmentation, a non-tinted sunscreen can be incomplete even when the UV protection is good.
How to Use It Properly.
Use it as the last step of your morning routine. Apply enough to cover your face and neck evenly. The practical rule many dermatologists and brands use is two full fingers for the face and neck, then reapply every 2 to 3 hours when you are outdoors, sweating, or getting strong daylight exposure.
If your skin is normal or dry, use moisturizer underneath when you need it. If your skin is oily, try it without moisturizer first. This sunscreen already has a hydrating base.
If you wear makeup, let the sunscreen set for a few minutes before layering products on top. The brand positions the formula as makeup-compatible, but pilling and finish can still vary with the rest of your routine.
This is not a substitute for water-resistant SPF when swimming, sweating heavily, or spending hours at the beach. For those days, choose a sunscreen that clearly says water resistant on the label.
If your skin feels oily but tight or dehydrated, read our guide to oily but dehydrated skin. If you need a lightweight moisturizer to pair with sunscreen, see our moisturizer guide for oily, acne-prone skin.
Final Verdict.
Beauty of Joseon Relief Sun has a strong formula on paper: modern broad-spectrum filters, a hydrating base, and no added fragrance. Its popularity is understandable, but this review separates those formulation strengths from claims that require individual wear testing.
The most convincing parts are the filter system, the glycerin-rich hydration base, niacinamide, and the lack of added fragrance. The brand's moisturizer-like texture claims are relevant to daily usability, but actual finish, pilling, eye comfort, and white cast can vary by user. The rice and ferment story is best treated as a supporting skincare bonus rather than the main reason to choose the product.
A strong daily sunscreen formula for normal, dry, dehydrated, and many combination skin types. The filter system and supporting formula make it a credible everyday option, but we would not position it as a sports sunscreen, a very matte oily-skin SPF, or a melasma-specific tinted sunscreen. The 8.5/10 score is an editorial formula-and-evidence rating, not a controlled wear-test score.
With love,
Stylishandhealthy
This post is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. If you have a skin disease, melasma, active irritation, post-procedure skin, pregnancy-related concerns, or a history of sunscreen allergy, speak with a qualified healthcare professional. Affiliate links on this site are always disclosed. We only recommend products we believe in.
Sources
- [1] Beauty of Joseon. Relief Sun: Rice + Probiotics SPF50+ PA++++. Official product information. beautyofjoseon.com
- [2] Zamil DH, Perez-Sanchez A, Katta R. Dermatological uses of rice products: Trend or true? J Cosmet Dermatol. PMID: 35587098. PubMed
- [3] Bissett DL, Oblong JE, Berge CA. Niacinamide: A B vitamin that improves aging facial skin appearance. Dermatol Surg. PMID: 16029679. PubMed
- [4] Boo YC. Mechanistic basis and clinical evidence for the applications of nicotinamide in skin aging control and pigmentation. Antioxidants. PMC full text
- [5] Fluhr JW et al. Glycerol accelerates recovery of barrier function in vivo. Acta Derm Venereol. PMID: 10598752. PubMed
- [6] European Commission SCCS. Revision of the opinion on Methylene Bis-Benzotriazolyl Tetramethylbutylphenol nano. SCCS publication
- [7] Lyons AB et al. Photoprotection beyond ultraviolet radiation: A review of tinted sunscreens. J Am Acad Dermatol. PMID: 32335182. PubMed
- [8] Dumbuya H et al. Impact of iron-oxide containing formulations against visible light-induced skin pigmentation. J Drugs Dermatol. PMID: 32726103. PubMed