Let me rephrase that. I’ve never been a Beauty of Joseon sunscreen fan. The original version was everywhere last year, and while the internet raved about it, it just didn’t work for me. It left my T-zone feeling greasy halfway through the day, and I couldn’t get past the rich texture. I wanted to love it… I really did. But after a single week of use, I gave it away and moved on.

So when I came across the Aqua-Fresh version at a beauty event recently, I wasn’t planning to try it. I swatched it half out of boredom, half out of curiosity — and then immediately blinked in surprise. The texture was nothing like what I remembered. Light, watery, almost serum-like. Before I knew it, I was back home, clicking “add to cart” on Olive Young.

And two weeks later, here I am, staring at an almost empty tube.

The first thing I noticed was how well it disappears. The formula feels hydrating as you spread it, but dries down quickly with a soft, skin-like finish. It doesn’t leave a film, doesn’t pill, and doesn’t fight with my makeup. 

It’s also genuinely invisible — no white cast, no weird flashback, no clinging to dry patches. Just that soft, slightly plumped look you get after a good toner-essence combo.

My skin is combination — oily in the T-zone, drier on the cheeks — and this wears beautifully across my entire face. I’ve tried it with different base products, over different moisturizers, under cushion foundations and even powder, and it just works.

It feels like a skincare-first sunscreen, the kind that doesn’t make you compromise between comfort and protection.

The only downside? I go through it way too fast. I’ve been using two fingers’ worth every morning and reapplying before my afternoon walks, and I’m already squeezing the tube flat. But honestly, if that’s the price I pay for a sunscreen that I actually want to wear every day, so be it.

It’s rare that a product changes my mind this completely, but this one did.

Consider me converted.