Amazoners Are Raving About This $16 Korean SPF, So We Tried It!

Wearing (and reapplying) two fingers’ worth of sunscreen every day comes with a major downside: we run out of product pretty darn quickly (shocker). But on the bright side, it allows us to continue our quest for the most protective, silky-smooth, white-cast-free sunblock on the block. So, consider this sunscreen test 59,000! This month, we finally tried the COSRX Aloe Soothing Sun Cream SPF50 PA+++, $16; a mineral and chemical sunscreen that blew. us. away. In fact, we’re currently waiting for our next shipment to come in.

About CORSX: If you haven’t subscribed to beauty podcasts (here’s some to try), CORSX is a dope K-Beauty brand that offers minimal formulations for max glow-up results. Apart from some of our fave pimple patches and a mega-hydrating snail mucin essence, it’s time to add “drugstore sunscreen” to their long list of beauty-boosting gifts.

The Hero Product

Source: COSRX

What it is: A broad spectrum SPF 50 sunscreen that protects the skin using both chemical and mineral protection.

What it does: This soothing sunscreen guards skin against UVA/UVB rays with a) chemical filters that soak up harmful rays and b) titanium dioxide, which forms a physical barrier to absorb and scatter UV light. The formula also contains antioxidant-rich aloe vera to replenish and hydrate the skin, plus glycerin to restore your skin’s outer barrier.

Does it leave a white cast? No! Some Amazoners note that it can take a little bit of effort to work the formula into the skin but it doesn’t leave an ashy tint.

What we liked: The formula glides onto the skin and feels super lightweight but also mega hydrating. We trialed the formula on all skin types, from oily to dry and it held up across the board, which is hella-impressive. Plus, we didn’t experience that sticky feeling that we usually do with drugstore sunscreens. It also blends beautifully and wears well underneath makeup – no pilling here! Another win worth mentioning is that the formula held its ground (in Dubai’s makeup-melting weather).

What we didn’t like: It’s important to note that this isn’t a fragrance-free option. It smells like spring (think: citrus fresh), which worked in our favor because we’ve been vibing HARD with citrus-y notes this summer. Having said that, one of our besties reported that they found it overpowering, but that it didn’t last too long.

Does it sting eyes? If you’re familiar with stinging eyes when using sunscreen, this is usually down to the chemical sunscreen that migrates to the eye area causing watering and irritation. We didn’t have that problem with this formula, but if you sweat heavily or are doing water activities, be sure to apply further from your eye area than usual, as in those cases, those of us with sensitive eyes did experience some stinging.

Our verdict: We’re impressed! The formula checked off most of our SPF requirements: broad spectrum protection with zero white cast and a radiant finish. Oh, and we can’t help but love that $16 price tag.

Did you know your hair needs sunscreen too? Check our faves here.

Disclaimer: Every product we review has been independently selected and tested without bias by our editorial team. Although some brands allow affiliate links, we never take payment to review products, so we may earn a commission if you purchase a product by clicking on one of our links.