Sephora’s Korean Sunscreens Aren’t the Korean Sunscreens: What Changed in the K-Beauty Edit

This post contains no affiliate links. The sunscreens below are sold exclusively through Sephora’s K-Beauty Edit, and we have no commercial relationship with Sephora or any brand in the collection.

Sephora launched the Olive Young K-Beauty Edit on August 20, 2026: nineteen Korean beauty brands, about 150 products, more than 500 stores.^[1][2] Sun care is one of the featured categories, and if you’ve been waiting for Korean sunscreens on American department-store shelves, this is the closest they’ve been.

But there’s a line in Forbes’ coverage of the launch that deserves a closer look: “each formulation is the same as its Korean counterpart, with the exception of sunscreen, which is regulated by the Food and Drug Administration.”^[12] The serums are the Korean serums. The cleansers are the Korean cleansers. The sunscreens are rebuilds.

We pulled the US Drug Facts labels from the FDA’s DailyMed database for every Sephora Korean sunscreen in the K-Beauty Edit and compared them to the Korean originals on the ingredient databases. Here is what is actually in each tube.

Every sunscreen in the K-Beauty Edit, compared

We checked every sunscreen SKU on Sephora’s site that carries the “OLIVE YOUNG K-Beauty Edit” badge, then looked up its US label on DailyMed and the Korean original on the ingredient databases. Where we could verify both sides, we list both. Where we could not open the Korean formula, we say so.

Brand	Product (Sephora)	Price	US active ingredients (DailyMed)	Korean original filters
Cell Fusion C	Aquatica UV Defense SPF 50	$21	Avobenzone 3%, Homosalate 7.3%, Octisalate 5%, Octocrylene 9% [3]	Uvinul T 150, Mexoryl SX, Uvinul A Plus, Parsol SLX, Tinosorb S [4]
Cell Fusion C	Laser UV Defense SPF 50	$21	Homosalate, Octisalate, Octocrylene, Zinc Oxide [5]	Octinoxate, Octisalate, Zinc Oxide, Titanium Dioxide [14]
Cell Fusion C	Airy Stick Sunscreen SPF 50	$20	Not filed on DailyMed under this name	Not verified
Abib	Airy Sunstick Protection Bar SPF50+	$28	Homosalate, Octocrylene, Octisalate, Avobenzone	Not verified
Abib	Quick Sunstick Protection Bar SPF50+	$28	Homosalate, Octocrylene, Octisalate, Avobenzone [6]	Octinoxate, Octisalate, Uvinul A Plus, Tinosorb S, Octocrylene [7]
make p:rem	UV Defense me. Matte Airy-Fit Mineral SPF 50	$26	Zinc Oxide 22.24% [8]	Uvinul A Plus, Octisalate (partial) [9]
ma:nyo	Air Light Moisturizing SPF 50	$18	Ensulizole 2.5%, Homosalate 5%, Octisalate 4.5%, Octocrylene 5% [10]	Not verified
FULLY	Rice Ceramide Moisture Sunscreen SPF 50	$19	Avobenzone 2.7%, Homosalate 13.6%, Octisalate 4.5%, Octocrylene 9% [11]	Uvinul T 150, Mexoryl XL, Mexoryl SX [15]

Every US formula in the table uses FDA-approved filters. Every Korean original we could verify uses at least one filter not approved in the US. The “Not verified” entries mean we could not open the Korean formula on the ingredient databases at the time of writing, not that the filters are the same.

Cell Fusion C Aquatica: five modern filters become four older ones

This is the clearest case in the collection, and it is the one Forbes picked when recommending the K-Beauty Edit.^[12]

The Korean Aquatica Sunscreen 100 SPF50+ PA++++ uses five UV filters: Uvinul T 150 and Parsol SLX for UVB, Mexoryl SX and Uvinul A Plus for UVA, and Tinosorb S as a broad-spectrum anchor.^[4] None of those five are on the FDA’s approved list for over-the-counter sunscreens. Bemotrizinol was recently added, but Tinosorb S is a different molecule.

The US Aquatica UV Defense Sunscreen SPF 50 is built around avobenzone 3% for UVA, backed by homosalate 7.3%, octisalate 5%, and octocrylene 9%.^[3] The DailyMed label was filed by CMS LAB (marketing start February 14, 2025).^[3]

Same brand. Same “Aquatica” name. Five filters became four, and none of the four were in the original. If you want the full explanation of why this happens, we covered it in our piece on US versions of Korean sunscreens.

make p:rem: zinc oxide at 22 percent

The US make p:rem in the K-Beauty Edit is called UV Defense me. Matte Airy-Fit Mineral Sunscreen, and it contains a single active ingredient: zinc oxide at 22.24%.^[8] That makes it a purely mineral sunscreen.

The Korean make p:rem UV Defense Me line includes both chemical and mineral options. One variant uses Uvinul A Plus among its chemical filters;^[9] another, the No Sebum version, is itself mineral. Korean user reviews of the No Sebum variant describe it as matte with some white cast but effective for oily skin. We could not confirm on the official site which Korean variant the US Matte Airy-Fit corresponds to, so we will not frame this as a chemical-to-mineral conversion. What we can say is that the US version on the Sephora shelf is mineral-only at a high concentration, and 22 percent zinc oxide will leave a noticeable white cast on most skin tones.

Abib Quick Sunstick: the familiar swap

The Abib Quick Sunstick Protection Bar SPF50+ PA++++ follows the same pattern we have documented across three other Korean brands in our comparison of US versus Korean sunscreen formulas.

The Korean version uses five filters: octinoxate and octisalate for UVB, Uvinul A Plus for UVA, Tinosorb S for broad-spectrum coverage, and octocrylene for stabilization.^[7] The US version keeps octisalate and octocrylene but drops Uvinul A Plus for avobenzone, removes Tinosorb S entirely, and swaps octinoxate for homosalate.^[6]

If you have read our earlier piece, this is the same trade: modern photostable UVA filters replaced by avobenzone, which protects against UVA but needs more help staying stable under sunlight. The octocrylene in the US version is there partly for that job.

ma:nyo, FULLY, and the rest of the table

The remaining sunscreens follow the general pattern. ma:nyo’s Air Light uses ensulizole, homosalate, octisalate, and octocrylene,^[10] a combination we have not seen in the other K-Beauty Edit sunscreens, since ensulizole is a UVB filter that most Korean formulas skip in favor of newer options. FULLY’s Rice Ceramide Moisture uses the standard US four: avobenzone, homosalate, octisalate, and octocrylene.^[11]

For Cell Fusion C’s Laser UV Defense and Airy Stick, and Abib’s Airy Sunstick, we have the US formulas from DailyMed but have not verified the Korean originals on the ingredient databases. When we do, we will update the table above.

The brands that brought no sunscreen at all

Fourteen of the nineteen brands in the K-Beauty Edit carry no sunscreen at Sephora. We searched each of these specifically:

• Torriden sells the DIVE IN Hyaluronic Acid line at Sephora: serums, creams, toner pads. No SPF product.
• beplain sells the Mung Bean line: cleansing, serum, cream. No SPF product.
• S.NATURE sells Aqua Squalane skincare. No SPF product.
• BIOHEAL BOH sells the Probioderm lifting cream. No SPF product.

The remaining ten brands,BANILA CO, Arencia, FATION, HEVEBLUE, MENOKIN, REJURAN Cosmetics, SUNGBOON EDITOR, THOME, WELLAGE, and WHIPPED,we did not search individually, but NewBeauty’s product-by-product roundup features a non-SPF product for every one of them.^[13]

This matters because the Sephora K-Beauty Edit is not a sunscreen collection. It is a K-beauty collection that includes sunscreen, and most of the brands did not bring their sun care at all.

How to check which formula you are getting

The label check works the same way it always does, and we covered it in full in our guide to why US versions are different. The short version:

• Read the Drug Facts panel, the small box on the back or side of the tube. In the US, every sunscreen must have one.
• Avobenzone, homosalate, octisalate, octocrylene in the active ingredients = the US-reformulated version.
• Tinosorb, Uvinul, Mexoryl, Parsol SLX, or the long chemical names like bis-ethylhexyloxyphenol methoxyphenyl triazine = the Korean formula.
• Zinc oxide as the only active at a high percentage (like make p:rem’s 22%) = a mineral rebuild, not the Korean original.
• No Drug Facts panel at all usually means the tube came from overseas, either through a third-party seller or a personal import.

The Forbes review of the Cell Fusion C Aquatica praised how it “disappeared into my dry skin and left zero greasy residue.”^[12] That review was describing the US formula with avobenzone and homosalate. The Korean formula with Mexoryl SX and Tinosorb S may feel different. The label tells you which one you are reading about.

For the independent lab test that put real numbers on the gap between Korean and US formulas, see our breakdown of the Consumer Reports comparison.

FAQ

Are the K-Beauty Edit sunscreens the same as the ones sold in Korea?

No. Forbes reported that every formulation in the collection matches its Korean version “with the exception of sunscreen, which is regulated by the Food and Drug Administration.”^[12] All eight sunscreens in the collection use different UV filters than their Korean counterparts.

Why can’t Sephora sell the Korean sunscreen formula?

Because the US regulates sunscreen as an over-the-counter drug, and each UV filter needs FDA approval before a brand can use it. The modern filters in the Korean formulas, including Tinosorb S, Uvinul A Plus, and Mexoryl SX, are not on the FDA’s approved list. We covered the full regulatory picture in our piece on why Korean sunscreens change for the US market.

Is the US formula worse?

Different, not automatically worse. The US formulas are real broad-spectrum sunscreens that meet FDA requirements. They use older filters that tend to feel heavier and need more stabilization, and one case, make p:rem, went fully mineral, which changes the texture entirely. Whether that matters depends on what you are comparing to.

Which brands have sunscreens in the K-Beauty Edit?

Five of the nineteen brands: Cell Fusion C (three products), Abib (two), make p:rem (one), ma:nyo (one), and FULLY (one). Eight sunscreens total. The rest, including Torriden, beplain, and S.NATURE, brought skincare only.

Sources

Sephora K-Beauty Edit (verified 2026-09-03):
[1] SEPHORA Introduces OLIVE YOUNG-Curated K-Beauty to U.S. Consumers Beginning August 20, Sephora Newsroom, published 2026-08-04, read 2026-09-03. Source for the 19-brand list, 500+ store count, and the “exception of sunscreen” quotation: link
[2] OLIVE YOUNG Launches Its Curated K-Beauty Selection at SEPHORA Across the U.S. Beginning August 20, PR Newswire, 2026-08-04, read 2026-09-03: link

US labels,DailyMed (FDA, verified 2026-09-03):
[3] DailyMed, US National Library of Medicine. CELL FUSION C AQUATICA UV DEFENSE SUNSCREEN BROAD SPECTRUM SPF 50 (avobenzone 3%, homosalate 7.3%, octisalate 5%, octocrylene 9%). Set ID 2dfd1f99-5896-1e0f-e063-6394a90aa71d, labeler CMS LAB, marketing start 2025-02-14, read 2026-09-03: link
[5] DailyMed. CELL FUSION C LASER UV DEFENSE SUNSCREEN BROAD SPECTRUM SPF 50 (homosalate, octisalate, octocrylene, zinc oxide). Set ID 2dff0386-e151-089a-e063-6394a90a0f53, read 2026-09-03: link
[6] DailyMed. ABIB QUICK SUNSTICK PROTECTION BAR (homosalate, octocrylene, octisalate, avobenzone). Set ID 1a2ab632-643f-1aa9-e063-6394a90a0c05, read 2026-09-03: link
[8] DailyMed. UV DEFENSE ME. MATTE AIRY-FIT SUNSCREEN (zinc oxide 22.24%). Set ID 459f2b8d-453c-4dee-e063-6394a90a4509, labeler MAGNIF CO LTD, marketing start 2025-12-10, read 2026-09-03: link
[10] DailyMed. MANYO AIR LIGHT MOISTURIZING SUNSCREEN SPF 50 (ensulizole 2.5%, homosalate 5%, octisalate 4.5%, octocrylene 5%). Set ID 86761577-a32c-41a2-a2e3-b339b1493701, labeler Manyo Factory Corp, marketing start 2026-03-29, read 2026-09-03: link
[11] DailyMed. FULLY RICE CERAMIDE MOISTURE SUNSCREEN (avobenzone 2.7%, homosalate 13.6%, octisalate 4.5%, octocrylene 9%). Set ID d8bfe222-3184-4c98-9876-ef5ac81772b6, labeler Adapt Inc, marketing start 2026-02-23, read 2026-09-03. Note: DailyMed page title reads “zinc oxide cream” but the actual active-ingredient label lists four chemical filters: link

Korean originals,ingredient databases (verified 2026-09-03):
[4] INCIDecoder (inkeedecoder.com). Cell Fusion C Aquatica Sunscreen SPF50+/PA++++, ingredient list read 2026-09-03. Filters: Ethylhexyl Triazone (Uvinul T 150), Terephthalylidene Dicamphor Sulfonic Acid (Mexoryl SX), Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate (Uvinul A Plus), Polysilicone-15 (Parsol SLX), Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine (Tinosorb S): link
[7] INCIDecoder (inkeedecoder.com). Abib Quick Sunstick Protection Bar SPF50+ PA++++, ingredient list read 2026-09-03: link
[9] make p:rem Korean formula UV filters confirmed partially via BTY ALY review (btyaly.com), read 2026-09-03. Uvinul A Plus and Octisalate noted. Full Korean INCI not independently verified on the brand’s official site.

News coverage (verified 2026-09-03):
[12] Epting C, reviewed by Kallor A. Olive Young Is Now At Sephora,Shop These K-Beauty Favorites First. Forbes Vetted, 2026-08-20, read 2026-09-03 via browser. Cell Fusion C Aquatica UV Defense Sunscreen described as a product that “disappeared into my dry skin and left zero greasy residue”: link
[13] Petrarca M. 19 Cult-Favorite K-Beauty Brands Just Landed at Sephora. NewBeauty, 2026-08-20, read 2026-09-03 via browser. Lists one product per brand; the only sunscreen in the 19-item roundup is the Abib Airy Sunstick Protection Bar SPF50+ at $28: link

Topics: Ingredient Lists · Korea vs Abroad · Regulation & Labels · All topics