Beauty of Joseon's New Tinted Mineral Sunscreen Made Me Rethink Mineral SPF

5 min readI own more than 30 sunscreens, but none of them are 100% mineral-based because they’re not exactly the most shade-inclusive formulations. No matter how much hype each formula has, mineral SPFs somehow always leave behind a telltale white or purple cast on my face. Not exactly the look I’m going for this summer—or ever. However, when I found out Beauty of Joseon was launching its Tinted Mineral Dayscreen SPF 30 in 15 shades, I was curious.ProsMineral sunscreen doesn't leave a white castInstant broad-spectrum coverageFull coverage like a foundation with a lightweight feel15 flexible shadesNon-comedogenicBlends easily with a brushConsCan look a little patchy on dry skin—be sure to moisturizeWhat I LikeFull Coverage Like a FoundationNicole SaundersCoverageThe biggest surprise is the gorgeous full coverage it provides. I’ve genuinely never experienced such a pigmented tinted SPF before. During my initial test run I put down the foundation and re-read the website and product packaging to ensure it’s not a foundation. Its ability to conceal my imperfections reminds me of my holy grail Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Foundation, a product I’ve loved since it’s debut n July 2019.I’m dealing with hyperpigmentation related to my acne and I have large pores. I also have some occasional redness in the mornings. With this Beauty of Joseon sunscreen, I don’t need to wear any other complexion product over it first, including concealer. TBH, that’s ideal since it saves time in the busy weekday mornings or when I want to sleep in before heading to brunch on the weekends.ConsistencyNicole SaundersUnlike the Isdin SPF, this one isn’t super runny like a thin emulsion. It also doesn’t quite have that whipped cream-like texture of the EltaMD sunscreen. Instead, Dayscreen feels like a lightweight foundation that becomes runny when I concentrate it in one spot versus dotting it all over my face.SHOP BEAUTY OF JOSEON TINTED DAYSCREENHow Much Face SPF is NeededDermatologists previously told us we need to apply a total of two fingers worth of face sunscreen, so I aim for that, but work in light layers for the most natural finish. When I apply a large dollop to my face it looks a little mask-like and streaky.How I Like to ApplyI always prefer applying tinted SPFs with face brushes over my fingers. It’s cleaner and ensures I blend everything quickly and evenly. I rotate between two different brushes depending on which is clean at the moment. The ciele Cream Powder Blush brush in my video clip and the BK Beauty 101 Contoured Foundation Brush. (TBH, you can use any face brush to apply this, I just had the blush brush handy.) The ciele is dual-sided, so really it’s like working with two clean brushes in one which is great for me since I’m lazy about my makeup brush aftercare. While BK Beauty’s signature foundation brush is fluffy yet dense, allowing for concentrated stippling. Still, you can’t go wrong with either option and I’ve had both for over a year and confirm they’re durable.15 Flexible ShadesThe biggest surprise for me is that the 15 available shades aren’t slightly different variations of beige—a struggle I know all too well with foundations. My closest shade match is 33N, which is for medium complexions with neutral undertones. Typically, I’m in the tan or deep categories with tinted sunscreen, depending on the brand. 33N is right in the middle of shades 15C (Fair Cool) and 59N (Very Deep Neutral). I also have a tube of shade 35N for medium neutral to warm complexions, which is close to my summer color. Although my sun-kissed vacation tan is fading (boo!), I can help extend the warm look by using this slightly deeper shade.Key IngredientsDermatologist Divya Shokeen, MD, is a fan of mineral sunscreen because it offers instant broad-spectrum coverage and is safer for sensitive and acne-prone skin.How does mineral sunscreen, such as Beauty of Joseon protect my skin? Tinted Mineral Dayscreen SPF 30 uses active ingredients, like zinc oxide and titanium dioxide, to create a physical barrier that reflects and scatters UV rays away from the skin’s surface, Dr. Shokeen told us in our guide to physical sunscreens.It also contains ceramide to help support my skin’s moisture barrier. The ingredient is naturally found in the outer protective layer of our skin, but I’ll take any extra help for my skin where I can since entering a new decade.Who It’s Best ForBeauty of Joseon suggests this SPF for combination skin types, but it’s also compatible with oily skin like mine. Since it's non-comedogenic, it’s unlikely to cause breakouts. It has a soft-matte finish that’s ideal for me, especially during the hot, humid East Coast summer days. It takes several hours for my natural oils to seep through, whereas with most face SPFs, it normally happens within an hour.I like to reapply the sunscreen every two hours to maintain SPF protection. FWIW, the pigment lasts over 12 hours, especially when I spritz Charlotte Tilbury's setting spray. A second layer of sunscreen doesn’t look cakey or feel flaky. When I’m wearing blush and bronzer, I’ll simply dust on a powder sunscreen instead.I was also curious how it performs on dry skin, so I applied it to my freshly cleansed skin without any moisturizer or serum. I noticed it looked very matte—it reminds me of well-powdered beauty looks from the ‘90s. Be sure to prime your skin with one of my editor-tested face creams, such as Olay Regenerist Micro-Sculpt Cream, SkinMedica HA5 Hydra Collagen Cream, or Dr. Few Moisture Complete.The Final WordI’ve covered all things beauty since 2016, and it takes a lot for new beauty products to impress me. As our self-admitted picky beauty editor, I always want to ensure every single featured item we share is worthy of your precious time, money, and energy. Beauty of Joseon completely surprised me with its incredible full coverage, 15 flexible shades, and broad-spectrum SPF 30 coverage. It’s replaced my need for a foundation during the day, and it’s my new TSA-approved beauty essential. The wearability is also impressive and I found the foundation-like finish lasts up to 16 hours when I use setting spray. At just $20, it’s hard to go wrong with this new release.SHOP BEAUTY OF JOSEON TINTED DAYSCREENOther Tinted SPFs I TrustLove the idea of a tinted sunscreen, but are curious about what else I recommend? Check out my three favorites from EltaMD, Tower 28, and Isdin.EltaMD UV Clear Face Sunscreen SPF 46Five dermatologists recently told me they like EltaMD Clear for acne-prone, oily skin like mine—and I agree. The lightweight and non-comedogenic formula doesn’t cause breakouts. It’s also packed with vitamin E for antioxidant protection and hyaluronic acid for hydration.Tower 28 SunnyDays Tinted SPFSunnyDays covers acne with ease—no concealer necessary for a natural finish. It’s so weightless on my face that I often forget that I'm wearing foundation until I look at a mirror and notice how even and dewy my complexion looks.Isdin Eryfotona Ageless Tinted Mineral Sunscreen SPF 50Isdin stands out for it’s DNA enzymes that repair sun damage, said dermatologist Hadley King, MD, in our guide to the best face sunscreens. I applied this when I had a mini sunburn and within two days my red face was noticeably less flushed.Nicole Saunders is the beauty editor at Women's Health and has nine years of experience researching, writing, and editing lifestyle content. She specializes in breaking down complicated topics, like red light therapy for hair growth and LED face masks, into easy-to-understand guides. Saunders takes great pride in heavily researching and testing featured beauty products, such as strengthening shampoos and body washes for dry skin on our site. Previously, she was the beauty editor at Best Products where she tested quite literally thousands of launches for her quarterly column and the Best New Beauty Awards package. She also launched the beauty and wellness coverage at NBC News and contributed to CNN, Cosmopolitan, Billboard, The Hollywood Reporter, and Harper's BAZAAR. You can follow her on Instagram to stay in the loop on her product testing adventures.