Korean Sunscreen Filters, Explained (Tinosorb, Uvinul, and More)
You flip a Korean sunscreen over, and the ingredient list reads like a chemistry exam. Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine. Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate. It looks intimidating, but almost all of it comes down to a short list of modern UV filters, most of which your US sunscreen is not even allowed to use. Here is a plain-language field guide to the korean sunscreen filters you keep seeing, what each one blocks, and why they matter.
TL;DR: Most Korean sunscreens are built from a handful of newer UV filters: Tinosorb S and Tinosorb M (both cover UVB and the full UVA range, 280 to 400 nm), Uvinul A Plus / DHHB (a dedicated UVA filter, 320 to 400 nm), Uvinul T 150 / ethylhexyl triazone (a strong UVB filter), and Iscotrizinol (UVB plus the shorter UVA II range). Zinc oxide and titanium dioxide are the two mineral filters. The reason your US sunscreen usually cannot match these: only one of them, Tinosorb S, is approved for US use, and only as of 2026. A good label pairs at least one UVB filter with at least one UVA filter.
First, what a UV filter even is
A UV filter is the active ingredient that actually protects your skin from the sun. Everything else in the bottle, the water, the moisturizers, the finish, is the delivery. Filters come in two families.
- Chemical (organic) filters absorb UV light and release it as a tiny amount of heat. Most modern Korean formulas are built mostly from these, which is why they can feel so light.
- Mineral (inorganic) filters, zinc oxide and titanium dioxide, sit as fine particles that mostly absorb and partly scatter UV. They tend to be gentler but can leave a white cast.
And two kinds of UV to block. UVB (about 280 to 320 nm) is the shorter, higher-energy range that burns skin. UVA (about 320 to 400 nm) is the longer range that goes deeper and drives aging. “Broad-spectrum” simply means a product covers both. No single filter covers everything, so formulators combine them, which is exactly why Korean ingredient lists look so long.
The korean sunscreen filters you will actually see
Here are the modern filters that show up again and again on Korean labels, with the tongue-twister INCI name you will find on the box and what each one blocks. All ranges below are from the ingredient database INCIDecoder.[1]
| Common name | On the label (INCI) | Protects | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tinosorb S (bemotrizinol) | Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine | UVB + UVA, 280 to 400 nm | Very photostable; peaks near 310 and 345 nm |
| Tinosorb M (bisoctrizole) | Methylene Bis-Benzotriazolyl Tetramethylbutylphenol | UVB + UVA, 280 to 400 nm | Micro-fine particles that absorb and scatter; can leave a slight cast |
| Uvinul A Plus (DHHB) | Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate | UVA, 320 to 400 nm | Peak near 354 nm; a dedicated UVA filter |
| Uvinul T 150 (ethylhexyl triazone) | Ethylhexyl Triazone | UVB, 280 to 320 nm | Peak near 314 nm; strong, photostable UVB absorber |
| Iscotrizinol | Diethylhexyl Butamido Triazone | UVB + UVA II | Peak near 310 nm; covers UVA II but not the longest UVA I |
| Zinc oxide | Zinc Oxide | UVB + UVA II + UVA I | Mineral; the broadest single filter; can leave a white cast |
| Titanium dioxide | Titanium Dioxide | UVB + UVA II | Mineral; weaker in long UVA I; white cast |
Tinosorb S and Tinosorb M: the broad-spectrum workhorses
Tinosorb S, also called bemotrizinol, is one filter that covers UVB and UVA alike, 280 to 400 nm, with peak protection near 310 and 345 nm.[1] It is very photostable, meaning it barely breaks down in sunlight, and it can even stabilize weaker filters like avobenzone.[1] You will find it in Round Lab Birch Juice Moisturizing Sunscreen, paired with Uvinul A Plus.[2]
Tinosorb M covers the same 280 to 400 nm range, with peaks near 305 and 360 nm.[1] The twist: it works partly as a suspension of micro-fine particles, so like a mineral filter it also scatters light, which is why it can leave a faint cast on deeper skin tones.[1] It falls between chemical and mineral. You will see it in SKIN1004 Madagascar Centella Hyalu-Cica Water-Fit Sun Serum.[3]
Uvinul A Plus (DHHB) and Uvinul T 150: the specialists
These two split the job. Uvinul A Plus, better known as DHHB, is a dedicated UVA filter covering 320 to 400 nm with a peak near 354 nm.[1] Uvinul T 150, or ethylhexyl triazone, is the opposite: a UVB-only filter (280 to 320 nm, peak near 314 nm) that INCIDecoder describes as having the highest photostable absorption of any UVB filter available.[1] Formulators pair a UVA specialist with a UVB specialist to reach broad-spectrum coverage, which is why you often see four or five filters together on one Korean label. The Beauty of Joseon Relief Sun, for example, uses DHHB, ethylhexyl triazone, Tinosorb M, and Iscotrizinol.[4]
Iscotrizinol: the one people mix up with DHHB
Here is the confusing part, so read it slowly. Iscotrizinol and DHHB are not the same filter, even though the names get swapped online. Iscotrizinol is written on a label as Diethylhexyl Butamido Triazone, and it protects across UVB and the shorter UVA II range with a peak near 310 nm, but it does not reach the longest UVA I range.[1] DHHB (Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate) is the UVA specialist that does reach that long end. So when a formula uses both, they are covering different parts of the spectrum, not doubling up. If you only remember one thing from this section: check the INCI name, because the marketing names sound almost identical and are easy to confuse.
Zinc oxide and titanium dioxide: the mineral pair
If a Korean sunscreen is labeled “mineral” or the Korean term for it, it is using one or both of these. Zinc oxide protects across UVB, UVA II, and UVA I almost uniformly, which INCIDecoder calls the broadest single filter available.[1] Titanium dioxide covers UVB and UVA II well (290 to 350 nm) but is weaker in the long UVA I range.[1] Both can leave a white cast, and both are gentle, which is why they show up in kids and sensitive-skin formulas. Our mineral sunscreen piece gets into where “mineral” does and does not mean what people think.
Why can’t you find most of these in US sunscreens?
The answer is regulatory, not about safety. The US treats sunscreen as an over-the-counter drug, so every filter needs full drug approval before it can ship, and that approved list sat almost frozen for decades. Of the modern filters above, only Tinosorb S (bemotrizinol) was added to the US approved list, and only in 2026, the first new filter there in over 20 years. We covered that decision in detail in our bemotrizinol explainer. Tinosorb M, DHHB, ethylhexyl triazone, and Iscotrizinol are still not approved for US sunscreens, so they remain mostly a Korean and European advantage. That gap is a big part of why people import Korean sunscreens in the first place.
How to actually read your Korean sunscreen’s filter list
You don’t need to memorize the table. You need one habit: make sure the filters together cover both UVB and UVA.
- Find the filters. They are usually the first few active ingredients, and they match the names in the table above.
- Check for both jobs. A pure UVB filter like ethylhexyl triazone needs a UVA partner like DHHB. A broad filter like Tinosorb S or zinc oxide can do both on its own, but is often combined for a higher rating.
- Use the PA rating as a shortcut. The PA rating (PA+ up to PA++++) signals UVA strength, so a high PA plus a high SPF is a quick sign the UVA side is covered without decoding every name.
If you want the bigger picture on how SPF, PA, and formula feel fit together, our complete Korean sunscreen guide ties it all up. The filters are the part worth understanding, because they are the actual reason a Korean sunscreen feels and protects the way it does.
FAQ
What are the main UV filters in Korean sunscreens?
The most common modern ones are Tinosorb S and Tinosorb M, which both cover UVB and UVA from 280 to 400 nm, Uvinul A Plus (DHHB) for UVA, Uvinul T 150 (ethylhexyl triazone) for UVB, and Iscotrizinol for UVB and shorter UVA. Zinc oxide and titanium dioxide are the two mineral filters. Most formulas combine several to reach broad-spectrum coverage.
What is the difference between Tinosorb S and Tinosorb M?
Both cover the full UVB and UVA range, 280 to 400 nm. Tinosorb S is a purely chemical filter and is very photostable. Tinosorb M works partly as micro-fine particles that also scatter light, like a mineral filter, so it can leave a faint cast on deeper skin tones. Many Korean sunscreens use both together.
Is Iscotrizinol the same as DHHB?
No, they are different filters that are easy to confuse. Iscotrizinol is written as Diethylhexyl Butamido Triazone and covers UVB and shorter UVA II, but not the longest UVA I. DHHB is written as Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate and is a dedicated UVA filter that does reach the long UVA range. Always check the INCI name.
Why are these filters not in most US sunscreens?
It is a regulatory gap, not a safety problem. The US approved-filter list had barely changed in decades. Only Tinosorb S was added, and only in 2026. Tinosorb M, DHHB, ethylhexyl triazone, and Iscotrizinol are still not approved for US sunscreens, which is why they remain mostly a Korean and European advantage.
Sources
Filter data (INCIDecoder ingredient pages, checked 2026-07-18):
[1] INCIDecoder UV filter ingredient pages, for wavelength ranges and photostability: Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine (Tinosorb S) link, Methylene Bis-Benzotriazolyl Tetramethylbutylphenol (Tinosorb M) link, Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate (Uvinul A Plus / DHHB) link, Ethylhexyl Triazone (Uvinul T 150) link, Diethylhexyl Butamido Triazone (Iscotrizinol) link, Zinc Oxide link, Titanium Dioxide link
[2] INCIDecoder, Round Lab Birch Juice Moisturizing Sunscreen (Tinosorb S and Uvinul A Plus): link
[3] INCIDecoder, SKIN1004 Madagascar Centella Hyalu-Cica Water-Fit Sun Serum (DHHB, Ethylhexyl Triazone, Tinosorb M, Iscotrizinol): link
[4] INCIDecoder, Beauty of Joseon Relief Sun: Rice + Probiotics (DHHB, Ethylhexyl Triazone, Tinosorb M, Iscotrizinol): link
