Beauty of Joseon Relief Sun vs SKIN1004: SKIN1004 for oily skin, Relief Sun for dry skin
Updated October 22, 2026
Pick SKIN1004's Hyalu-Cica Water-Fit Sun Serum if you want the lighter, cheaper daily sunscreen for oily or combination skin. Pick Beauty of Joseon Relief Sun if your skin runs dry or normal and you'd like a creamier layer that can stand in for a light moisturizer. Both are labeled SPF50+ PA++++, both use the same four UV filters, and neither carries a water-resistance rating, so the choice comes down to feel, finish and price rather than protection.
Put the two ingredient lists side by side and, apart from Relief Sun's 30% rice extract near the top, they share the same base in nearly the same order. What differs is the care layer and the texture each brand describes.
This is a researched comparison of current US brand and retailer information, checked October 2026. We haven't worn or tested either sunscreen; texture and finish descriptions are the brands', and the buying advice comes from comparing formulas, directions, sizes and prices.
What is the difference between Beauty of Joseon Relief Sun and SKIN1004 sunscreen?
Both continue with dibutyl adipate, a light emollient that dissolves the UV filters, and propanediol, a humectant. Then come the four filters: diethylamino hydroxybenzoyl hexyl benzoate, a UVA filter; ethylhexyl triazone and diethylhexyl butamido triazone, two UVB filters; and methylene bis-benzotriazolyl tetramethylbutylphenol, which covers both UVA and UVB. Polymethylsilsesquioxane (a silicone powder that gives a smooth, soft feel), niacinamide, coco-caprylate/caprate, caprylyl methicone and glycerin sit between them in both lists. Neither label prints a niacinamide percentage. Both lists also include green tea (camellia sinensis leaf extract) further down.
The care ingredients are where they part ways:
Relief Sun adds rice germ extract, ginseng root, sugarcane, kelp and coconut fruit extracts, plus six ferment ingredients such as Lactobacillus/Rice Ferment and Saccharomyces/Rice Ferment Filtrate. The ferments are the closest match to the probiotics in the name; they appear on the label as ferment ingredients, and the brand doesn't describe them as live cultures.
SKIN1004 adds centella asiatica extract, three forms of hyaluronic acid and a run of plant extracts such as ginkgo, broccoli sprout and birch bark. Its label prints the amounts: centella at 100 ppm (0.01%) and sodium hyaluronate at 10 ppm. Read Hyalu-Cica as a theme rather than a dose.
Texture is the other difference, as each brand tells it. Beauty of Joseon calls Relief Sun a creamy, moisturizer-like texture that stays lightweight and non-sticky. SKIN1004 calls its version an ultra-light, serum-like texture that absorbs quickly without a greasy or sticky feel. Despite the name, the sun serum is a sunscreen, not a serum step.
On protection labels they tie. PA is the Korean and Japanese grade for UVA protection, and PA++++ is the top grade, but it doesn't let you rank two PA++++ products against each other. The Relief Sun product page shows lab figures for the older-name tube (SPF 52.5 in Korean testing and 63.1 in Spanish testing); SKIN1004's product page doesn't print comparable numbers. Both are Korean-market formulas, and their four filters aren't among the active ingredients used in US over-the-counter sunscreens, so don't expect the Drug Facts panel a US-made sunscreen carries.
Which is better for oily skin?
SKIN1004 is the better of the two for oily skin, because SKIN1004 describes a thinner, serum-like layer and its 50 ml and 100 ml sizes make generous reapplication cheaper. SKIN1004 lists the sun serum for sensitive, normal, dry and combination skin, and its page speaks to people who find greasy or sticky sunscreen hard to wear every day.
Relief Sun leans the other way. Beauty of Joseon says it suits all skin types and is especially well matched to skin that could use a moisture boost, and its directions say oily skin may skip moisturizer underneath.
If you're oily and want to stay with Beauty of Joseon, the closer match is Relief Sun Aqua-Fresh: Rice + B5, 50 ml. The brand describes it as an ultra-light, fast-absorbing fluid and recommends it especially for oily and combination skin. It's a different formula, not a thinner Relief Sun: 30% rice seed water, panthenol (vitamin B5), ceramide NP and five UV filters, including bis-ethylhexyloxyphenol methoxyphenyl triazine and terephthalylidene dicamphor sulfonic acid. Beauty of Joseon calls it fragrance-free and alcohol-free.
Both brands say there's no white cast, and neither sunscreen is the low-shine choice. Both ingredient lists rely on chemical (organic) UV filters with no zinc oxide or titanium dioxide, the mineral filters most associated with a white cast.
On shine, both brands describe a dewy finish: Beauty of Joseon says natural dewy radiance, and SKIN1004 says a dewy, glowy finish. With bases this close, we wouldn't expect a large gap in sheen; the clearer difference is weight, where SKIN1004 describes the lighter layer. If dewy turns greasy by midday, Beauty of Joseon describes Aqua-Fresh's finish as a subtle natural glow, and a light dusting of powder works over any of them.
Which is better under makeup?
SKIN1004's thinner layer is the easier base for oily or combination skin and for long-wear foundation and powder; Relief Sun suits dry or normal skin under makeup. Relief Sun's creamier, moisturizer-like texture can do double duty there, so a lighter moisturizer underneath may be enough.
Both brands speak to makeup use. Beauty of Joseon says Relief Sun's non-greasy feel layers well under makeup. SKIN1004's twin-pack directions say to let the sunscreen absorb fully before applying makeup or going outside, which is good practice with either.
The directions are short. Beauty of Joseon says to use moisturizer first if your skin needs it, apply Relief Sun generously as the final morning step to your face, neck and other sun-exposed areas, and reapply at least every two hours. SKIN1004 says to apply evenly as the last skincare step to your face, neck, arms and legs. Give either one a few minutes before makeup, and don't use less sunscreen just to make foundation sit smoother.
Which is cheaper per ml?
SKIN1004 is cheaper per ml in its 100 ml, 50 ml and twin-pack sizes; only the 15 ml travel size costs more per ml than Relief Sun. Prices at Sleepy Hello, checked October 2026:
Two things stand out. At these prices, two single 50 ml SKIN1004 tubes ($19.38) cost less than the twin pack, so compare before adding the bundle. And the 15 ml is the most expensive per ml; it's a travel or trial size, not a saving.
For a sense of how long a tube lasts, about a quarter teaspoon (roughly 1.25 ml) covers the face once. That's around 40 mornings from a 50 ml tube before any reapplication. At that rate, a month of face-only use costs about $10 for Relief Sun and, for SKIN1004, about $6 from the 100 ml, about $7.25 from the 50 ml, about $8.25 from the twin pack and about $11.25 from the 15 ml.
Pick Relief Sun if, pick SKIN1004 if
Pick Beauty of Joseon Relief Sun if:
your skin is dry or normal and you like sunscreen that feels like the last layer of moisturizer
you want the rice extract and ferment care layer and don't mind paying about a third more per ml than SKIN1004's 50 ml
Pick SKIN1004 Hyalu-Cica Water-Fit Sun Serum if:
your skin is oily or combination and you want the lighter layer of the two
you wear foundation most days and want a thin base under it
you also cover arms and legs; SKIN1004's directions include them, and the 100 ml is the cheapest per ml here
Pick Relief Sun Aqua-Fresh if you want Beauty of Joseon but find the original too rich. If none of these sounds right, our Korean sunscreen buying guide compares more textures and finishes.
No. Neither product page lists a water-resistance rating. Beauty of Joseon's own Relief Sun directions say to use a water-resistant sunscreen if you'll be swimming or sweating, and SKIN1004's twin-pack directions say to reapply sooner when swimming or sweating. For the beach or a workout, choose a sunscreen labeled water resistant.
Is Relief Sun Rice + Probiotics the same as Rice + Niacinamide?
Yes. Beauty of Joseon renamed it Relief Sun: Rice + Niacinamide, and the product page says the formula, ingredients and 50 ml size stayed the same, so either box is the same sunscreen.
Do they contain fragrance or alcohol?
Neither ingredient list includes fragrance or parfum, and Beauty of Joseon labels Relief Sun fragrance-free. Neither lists ethanol. Both include behenyl alcohol, a fatty alcohol used for texture, and SKIN1004's list also includes t-butyl alcohol, a solvent that appears near the end.
How often should you reapply?
At least every two hours. Beauty of Joseon says to reapply Relief Sun at least every two hours, and SKIN1004's twin-pack page says every two hours, or sooner with swimming or sweating.
Which one is stronger?
On the label they're equal: both are SPF50+ PA++++ with the same four UV filters. What you get in practice depends on applying enough and reapplying on time.
Identify Relief Sun, Aqua-Fresh and US Day Dew. Compare current labels, finish, water resistance and review evidence before buying Beauty of Joseon sunscreen.
