Skin-Nomad's Take — At a Glance
- The lighter Relief Sun, rebuilt for oily and breakout-prone skin
- Five photostable filters with Panthenol, Ceramide NP and beta-glucan
- Serum-weight texture that disappears in seconds
The original Relief Sun earned its reputation on texture, and its emollience is exactly what oily skin struggles with by lunchtime. This Aqua-fresh version keeps photostable protection in a watery base and adds Panthenol to settle the barrier stress that daily sunscreen wear causes breakout-prone skin. Beauty of Joseon works out of Seoul, building modern formulas on Hanbang ingredients.
Key Benefits
- Five photostable filters resist breaking down in sunlight. Ethylhexyl Triazone, Drometrizole Trisiloxane, Terephthalidene Dicamphor Sulfonic Acid, Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate and Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine hold their SPF50+ PA++++ coverage through the day rather than degrading the way older filter combinations do. Drometrizole Trisiloxane and Terephthalidene Dicamphor Sulfonic Acid in particular are both strong UVA filters and neither appears in the original Relief Sun.
- Panthenol repairs the barrier that daily SPF wears down. It converts to pantothenic acid in the skin, where it calms inflammation and speeds barrier recovery, which matters most for acne-prone skin already dealing with actives. Ceramide NP and phytosphingosine sit behind it replacing barrier lipids directly.
- Rice covers the oxidative gap, and it is here three times over. Rice seed water sits second on the list, with rice bran oil, rice amino acids and a rice peptide further down, alongside ferulic acid and beta-glucan. Filters block exposure; antioxidants deal with the free radicals from whatever gets through, which is a job no filter performs.
- The watery base absorbs without adding shine. Stripping out the emollience that suits normal and dry skin is what makes this workable as a standalone morning step on oily skin, with oat kernel and artichoke leaf extracts calming underneath.
Texture & Finish
Genuinely watery, closer to an essence than a cream, sinking in within seconds to a soft matte finish with no cast and no tack. It sits under makeup cleanly and does not turn shiny through the day.
Ideal For
- Skin types: Oily, combination, and breakout-prone skin, and normal skin in summer.
- Skin concerns: Daily UV protection, shine and congestion, and barrier sensitivity from wearing sunscreen every day.
- Best used by: People who loved the original Relief Sun until July, and anyone whose skin is already working hard on actives and needs the SPF step to be the calm one.
FAQ
Q: How is this different from the original Relief Sun?
A: A different base and a different filter system. The original carries more emollience and a four-filter blend, which suits normal to dry skin and can feel rich on oily skin. This one strips the base back to a watery texture, runs five filters including two strong UVA ones the original does not have, and adds Panthenol and Ceramide NP for barrier support. Neither is better; they are built for different skin.
Q: Will a watery sunscreen protect as well as a richer one?
A: Yes. Texture and protection are separate variables, decided by the filter system rather than the base. Both formulas carry SPF50+ PA++++, and this one reaches it by a slightly different route.
Q: Can it work as my only morning step?
A: On oily and combination skin, usually yes. Dry skin will want a moisturiser underneath, and would probably be happier with the original formula anyway.
A reformulation is usually a compromise. This one is closer to an admission that one texture was never going to suit every face.
Explore more
Browse more sunscreens, explore Panthenol (B5), or see more from Beauty of Joseon.
Skin-Nomad's Take — At a Glance
- The lighter Relief Sun, rebuilt for oily and breakout-prone skin
- Five photostable filters with Panthenol, Ceramide NP and beta-glucan
- Serum-weight texture that disappears in seconds
The original Relief Sun earned its reputation on texture, and its emollience is exactly what oily skin struggles with by lunchtime. This Aqua-fresh version keeps photostable protection in a watery base and adds Panthenol to settle the barrier stress that daily sunscreen wear causes breakout-prone skin. Beauty of Joseon works out of Seoul, building modern formulas on Hanbang ingredients.
Key Benefits
- Five photostable filters resist breaking down in sunlight. Ethylhexyl Triazone, Drometrizole Trisiloxane, Terephthalidene Dicamphor Sulfonic Acid, Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate and Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine hold their SPF50+ PA++++ coverage through the day rather than degrading the way older filter combinations do. Drometrizole Trisiloxane and Terephthalidene Dicamphor Sulfonic Acid in particular are both strong UVA filters and neither appears in the original Relief Sun.
- Panthenol repairs the barrier that daily SPF wears down. It converts to pantothenic acid in the skin, where it calms inflammation and speeds barrier recovery, which matters most for acne-prone skin already dealing with actives. Ceramide NP and phytosphingosine sit behind it replacing barrier lipids directly.
- Rice covers the oxidative gap, and it is here three times over. Rice seed water sits second on the list, with rice bran oil, rice amino acids and a rice peptide further down, alongside ferulic acid and beta-glucan. Filters block exposure; antioxidants deal with the free radicals from whatever gets through, which is a job no filter performs.
- The watery base absorbs without adding shine. Stripping out the emollience that suits normal and dry skin is what makes this workable as a standalone morning step on oily skin, with oat kernel and artichoke leaf extracts calming underneath.
Texture & Finish
Genuinely watery, closer to an essence than a cream, sinking in within seconds to a soft matte finish with no cast and no tack. It sits under makeup cleanly and does not turn shiny through the day.
Ideal For
- Skin types: Oily, combination, and breakout-prone skin, and normal skin in summer.
- Skin concerns: Daily UV protection, shine and congestion, and barrier sensitivity from wearing sunscreen every day.
- Best used by: People who loved the original Relief Sun until July, and anyone whose skin is already working hard on actives and needs the SPF step to be the calm one.
FAQ
Q: How is this different from the original Relief Sun?
A: A different base and a different filter system. The original carries more emollience and a four-filter blend, which suits normal to dry skin and can feel rich on oily skin. This one strips the base back to a watery texture, runs five filters including two strong UVA ones the original does not have, and adds Panthenol and Ceramide NP for barrier support. Neither is better; they are built for different skin.
Q: Will a watery sunscreen protect as well as a richer one?
A: Yes. Texture and protection are separate variables, decided by the filter system rather than the base. Both formulas carry SPF50+ PA++++, and this one reaches it by a slightly different route.
Q: Can it work as my only morning step?
A: On oily and combination skin, usually yes. Dry skin will want a moisturiser underneath, and would probably be happier with the original formula anyway.
A reformulation is usually a compromise. This one is closer to an admission that one texture was never going to suit every face.
Explore more
Browse more sunscreens, explore Panthenol (B5), or see more from Beauty of Joseon.
