Olive Young Best-Selling Sunscreens
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Forget what went viral on TikTok for a week. Olive Young is Korea’s biggest health-and-beauty chain, and its annual awards are based on real purchase data across roughly 100 million transactions. We pulled the official rankings. For the other half of the picture we set Hwahae’s top ten beside the Reddit and TikTok top ten, which is where Korean buying and overseas hype stop agreeing.
TL;DR: The reliable #1 is the Round Lab Birch Juice sunscreen, which topped the Sun Care category at the 2025 Olive Young Awards.
How does Olive Young’s data actually work?
Its year-end awards are based on real sales data across around 100 million transactions. That is the whole appeal here: it filters out the one-week viral spike. Rankings shift over time, so treat any “best-seller” as a snapshot, current as of mid-2026.
The picks
1. Round Lab Birch Juice Moisturizing Sun Cream
The one to beat. Round Lab’s Birch Juice sunscreen took the #1 spot in the Sun Care category at the 2025 Olive Young Awards [1][2], and according to Round Lab and Korean media reports, it has led that category for several years. It uses modern chemical filters (Uvinul A Plus, Uvinul T 150, Tinosorb M, and Uvasorb HEB) with birch sap, hyaluronic acid, and niacinamide [3].
Just know that it is on the hydrating side, so if you have very oily skin and want a dry matte finish, this is not that.
2. Beauty of Joseon Relief Sun: Rice + Probiotics
It uses the same next-generation filter family as the Round Lab (Uvinul A Plus, Uvinul T 150, Tinosorb M, Uvasorb HEB), plus rice extract and grain-ferment probiotics [4].
One trade-off: right after you apply it, it can feel slightly slick before it settles, and the light scent is a personal preference. If you want one safe, cheap, do-everything sunscreen, this is still it. We compared its two versions in our Beauty of Joseon comparison.
3. AESTURA Derma UV365
AESTURA is a dermatology-cosmetic brand (from Amorepacific).
One thing to remember: the Derma UV365 line has very different versions. The Barrier Hydro Mineral one is 100% zinc oxide with ceramides and hyaluronic acid, made for reactive skin. The Red Calming Tone-Up one is a hybrid: six filters including Tinosorb S and titanium dioxide, for redness and a light tone-up [5]. Pick by which job you want, and check the exact name before you buy.
4. Dr.G Green Mild Up Sun+
The mineral pick here. Green Mild Up Sun+ is its signature, and the listing we read gives zinc oxide as its only regulated UV filter, with centella, ectoin, and houttuynia to calm irritated skin [6].
Where it falls short: as a mineral sunscreen it can leave a very slight cast and a bit of a tone-up right after you apply, and Dr.G’s lineup is large, so make sure you are getting the Green Mild Up and not one of its siblings. If you want the gentlest, low-irritation option, this is the one.
5. Goodal Green Tangerine Vita C Tone Up
The vitamin C tone-up. This one is a tone-up cream with SPF, so it gives a light glow along with sun protection.
A thing to note: this tone-up cream uses an older-style filter mix (including octinoxate and octocrylene), not the newest filters, so it is not reef-safe like the Round Lab or Beauty of Joseon [7]. The vitamin C here is a small amount of a stable derivative, not a treatment dose. And whether a tone-up comes across as “glow” or “slightly pale” depends on your skin, so go easy. If you want that fresh, tone-up finish, it is a fun daily. Check price
Viral vs steady: how to tell
A viral sunscreen and a proven seller are not the same thing, and the gap is easy to spot once you know what to look for. A viral pick spikes on TikTok, then fades. A proven seller keeps its ranking across a full year of real purchase data, the way the Round Lab has held the Olive Young Sun Care top spot.
Where to buy
Check the current price:
FAQ
What is Olive Young?
It is Korea’s largest health-and-beauty retailer. Its year-end awards are based on real sales data.
Are the Olive Young Awards trustworthy?
They are based on actual purchase data across around 100 million transactions. Rankings still change year to year, so read them as a snapshot.
How is this different from a viral sunscreen?
A viral product spikes briefly on social media. A proven seller holds its ranking across a full year of purchases. This list is about the second kind.
Do the Korean and global versions have the same ingredients?
Not always. Some Korean sunscreens use different filters in their US versions, so check the ingredient list on the exact product page before you buy.
Sources
Olive Young Awards and rankings:
[1] Round Lab Birch Juice, #1 in Sun Care at the 2025 Olive Young Awards (as reported by Korean media, citing Round Lab), Sisa Magazine: link
[2] Olive Young 2025 Awards (official): link
Ingredient and filter breakdowns (INCIDecoder):
[3] Round Lab Birch Juice Moisturizing Sun Cream: link
[4] Beauty of Joseon Relief Sun: Rice + Probiotics: link
[5] AESTURA Derma UV365 Barrier Hydro Mineral: link · Red Calming Tone-Up: link
[6] Dr.G Green Mild Up Sun+: link
[7] Goodal Green Tangerine Vita C Tone Up Cream: link
Topics: AESTURA · Beauty of Joseon · Dr.G · Goodal · Olive Young · Round Lab · Tinosorb · Where to Buy · All topics
