Korean skincare
11 April 2024
Another day, another viral TikTok product? One of them seems to have stood the test of 2022 to emerge as one of the most popular sunscreens- Round Lab Birch Juice Moisturising Sunscreen. Round Lab Birch Juice Moisturising Sunscreen is another Korean sunscreen that quickly went viral and was sold out in many Olive Young Korea stores in Seoul. (Olive Young Korea is the Korean equivalent of Sephora. )
If you’ve used some of these popular K-beauty sunscreens, you might notice that these sunscreens such as those by Beauty of Joseon, Round Lab and Isntree, have very similar textures and formulas. All 3 brands of sunscreen (and many more) are manufactured by Kolmar Korea, a skincare manufacturer that provides original design manufacturing (ODM) or private label manufacturing for many K-beauty companies.
Related blogpost:
Based on 2022’s beauty trends, Korean sunscreens and stick sunscreen look set to be immensely popular. In this blogpost, I’ll be sharing my review of Round Lab Birch Juice Moisturising Sunscreen; and the differences between Round Lab Birch Juice Moisturising Sunscreen VS Beauty of Joseon Relief Sun: Rice + Probiotics sunscreen, another popular Korean sunscreen.
Related blogposts:
Review: Beauty of Joseon Relief Sun: Rice + Probiotics sunscreen
8 Skincare Trends that Will Take Over 2023
Round Lab is a K-beauty brand that was founded in 2017. This clean beauty brand’s original and most popular skincare line is named after the dispute over the Dokdo islands between South Korea and Japan.
The brand’s sunscreen was one of the most popular sunscreens of 2022; and it is still trending on social media, especially on TikTok. The current version of Round Lab Birch Juice Moisturising Sunscreen is an updated version of the original formulation; which was withdrawn from the market in 2020. The manufacturer of the original version of Round Lab Birch Juice Moisturising Sunscreen, Green Cos, was found to have falsified the SPF ratings of its sunscreens. As Green Cos also manufactured the sunscreens of many Korean beauty brands; the reputation of K-beauty sunscreens took a hit. You can read more about this controversy in Can Asian Sunscreens Be Trusted? The Purito Controversy Explained.
This new version of Round Lab Birch Juice Moisturising Sunscreen has had its SPF and PA ratings verified by an independent laboratory, the Korea Institute of Dermatological Sciences, in January 2021. Based on tests on 10 people (mix of male and female),Round Lab Birch Juice Moisturising Sunscreen provided sunscreen protection of SPF 55 and from UVA of 19.8 (PA ++++).
Sunscreen coverage of Round Lab Birch Juice Moisturising Sunscreen
• UVB: SPF 50+
• UVA: PA ++++
Sunscreen filters in Round Lab Birch Juice Moisturising Sunscreen
• Chemical filters: Uvinul A Plus, Uvinul T 150, Tinosorb M, Iscotrizinol
Notable ingredients or features in Round Lab Birch Juice Moisturising Sunscreen
• Niacinamide- An antioxidant with several benefits including improving skin barrier and hydration. Learn more about niacinamide and how to choose a product for your skin in Niacinamide: A Versatile Antioxidant Your Skin Will Thank You For.
• Allantoin– An extract from plants such comfrey plant and chamomile. Has moisturising and soothing benefits to the skin.
• Betula Platyphylla Japonica Juice (Birch sap juice)/ Birch juice extract- may offer anti-inflammatory benefits to the skin. Data on birch juice extract in dermatology is currently very limited
• Portulaca Oleracea Extract AKA purslane extract; this plant extract contains several types of antioxidants (e.g. vitamin Cs and A) and fatty acids (e.g. omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids). May offer anti-aging, anti-inflammatory and moisturising benefits to the skin.
• Pinus Sylvestris Leaf Extract -Extract from the leaves of Scotch pine. It contains linoleic and linolenic acid which are essential components of the skin barrier and help to stimulate cell turnover
• Chamomilla Recutita Flower Oil-an essential oil from the chamomile flowers. It contains antioxidants; and anti-inflammatory components such as bisabolol. However, it can cause allergic contact dermatitis.
Price of Round Lab Birch Juice Moisturising Sunscreen
I paid SGD$23 for a 50ml tube on Round Lab’s official e-commerce shop on Shoppee.
The good about Round Lab Birch Juice Moisturising Sunscreen
Round Lab Birch Juice Moisturising Sunscreen is broad spectrum sunscreen with adequate protection against UVA and UVB rays. The SPF and PA ratings have been verified by independent laboratories; making it more reassuring for users.
The ingredient list contains a number of active ingredients that provide calming and antioxidant benefits, such as niacinamide, allantoin and birch juice. Users who have sensitive skin may find this sunscreen to be soothing on their skin.
Round Lab Birch Juice Moisturising Sunscreen is a lotion with a very lightweight texture. It dries fairly quickly to leave a weightless feel on my skin. The finish is matte with no white cast and no cosmetic coverage. Round Lab Birch Juice Moisturising Sunscreen also does not feel tacky and does not transfer to face masks.
I did not experience any piling or irritation with Round Lab Birch Juice Moisturising Sunscreen. The sunscreen does not feel occlusive; and I did not get any comedones or pimples from using Round Lab Birch Juice Moisturising Sunscreen
Related blogpost:
How to Prevent Your Sunscreen from Pilling
The bad about Round Lab Birch Juice Moisturising Sunscreen
Despite what its name suggests, Round Lab Birch Juice Moisturising Sunscreen does not feel moisturising at all. Using Round Lab Birch Juice Moisturising Sunscreen did not make my skin feel any more moisturised than usual. Users with normal to dry skin might find Round Lab Birch Juice Moisturising Sunscreen to be dry on their skin; and will benefit from layering this sunscreen on top of their moisturisers.
Related blogpost:
How to Layer in the Correct Order
I did not experience any redness or irritation with Round Lab Birch Juice Moisturising Sunscreen. However, the presence of chamomile oil in Round Lab Birch Juice Moisturising Sunscreen may also cause allergic contact dermatitis in users who are predisposed to this condition.
Although Round Lab Birch Juice Moisturising Sunscreen did not leave a white cast on my skin, the presence of Tinosorb M may cause a white cast on some users due to its white colour.
Verdict on Round Lab Birch Juice Moisturising Sunscreen
Round Lab Birch Juice Moisturising Sunscreen is broad spectrum sunscreen with adequate protection against UVA & UVB rays. It has a very lightweight texture; and it is better suited for users with oily or acne prone skin. Users with dry skin will benefit from using a moisturiser and then layering this sunscreen on.
There is no cosmetic coverage with Round Lab Birch Juice Moisturising Sunscreen. Overall, Round Lab Birch Juice Moisturising Sunscreen is an affordable basic and functional sunscreen.
Both Round Lab Birch Juice Moisturising Sunscreen and Beauty of Joseon Relief Sun: Rice + Probiotics sunscreen are Korean sunscreens that are very similar. Why is this so and what are the differences between them? Which one should I choose?
Why are both sunscreens very similar?
Both sunscreens from Round Lab and Beauty of Joseon are manufactured by the same company, Kolmar Korea. They also contain the exact same UV filters; but the combination of antioxidants and plant extracts are different. I’ve reviewed Beauty of Joseon Relief Sun: Rice + Probiotics sunscreen in detail in this post.
What are the differences between Round Lab VS Beauty of Joseon’s sunscreens?
Beauty of Joseon’s sunscreen contains probiotics which may be beneficial for users with acne and sensitive skin. Although both sunscreens have the same sunscreen filters, Round Lab’s sunscreen did not leave a white cast on my skin, however, Beauty of Joseon’s sunscreen had a white cast on me.
Beauty of Joseon’s sunscreen was more moisturising than Round Lab’s sunscreen. I could use Beauty of Joseon’s sunscreen on its own without a moisturiser. All in all, I preferred Beauty of Joseon’s sunscreen formula, but I preferred the finish of Round Lab sunscreen on my skin. Have you tried both sunscreens? What are your thoughts?
