The Beauty of Joseon Relief Sun Aqua-Fresh: Rice + B5 is a lightweight gel sunscreen offering SPF50+ PA++++ broad-spectrum protection. It pairs rice seed water with panthenol (vitamin B5) to hydrate and calm while it protects.

This is the lighter of the two Relief Sun sunscreens. The texture is a fresh, water-light gel rather than a cream, and it absorbs quickly to a natural finish with no white cast. It was formulated for people who found the original too rich, or who live somewhere hot enough that a cream sunscreen becomes uncomfortable by mid-morning.

It suits oily, combination, acne-prone and sensitive skin. 50 mL. Part of the Beauty of Joseon range and one of our most recommended sunscreens for South African summers.

Which Relief Sun Should You Buy?

Beauty of Joseon makes two Relief Sun sunscreens and they are easy to confuse. They are not the same product in different packaging. Here is the short version.

Choose Aqua-Fresh Rice + B5 (this one) if you have oily or combination skin, you live somewhere hot and humid, you want the lightest possible texture, or you found the original too rich. The panthenol also makes it the better option for sensitive and easily irritated skin. It sits particularly well under makeup in heat.

Choose Rice + Probiotics if you have normal or dry skin, you want your sunscreen to double as a hydrating step, and you like a dewy, glowing finish. It carries 30% rice extract plus a probiotic ferment complex, niacinamide and adenosine, making it the more nourishing of the two.

Both are SPF50+ PA++++ and both use the same broad-spectrum chemical filter approach. The difference is texture and supporting ingredients, not protection level. If you are buying your first Korean sunscreen and have oily skin, start here.

What Do SPF50+ and PA++++ Actually Mean?

SPF measures protection against UVB, the rays that cause burning and directly damage skin cell DNA. SPF50+ is the highest rating issued under Korean and European labelling, and it filters roughly 98% of UVB when applied at the correct thickness.

PA++++ measures protection against UVA, the deeper-penetrating rays responsible for photoageing, collagen breakdown and the worsening of pigmentation. Four plus signs is the highest grade on the Asian PA scale. UVA passes through cloud cover and window glass, which is why daily year-round use matters and why a high SPF number alone is not enough.

This one rates at the top of both scales. A lightweight texture is not a compromise on protection here, which is the point of the Aqua-Fresh reformulation.

How to Use: Your Seoul Guide

Sunscreen is the final step of your morning routine. Application amount is the single biggest factor in whether you get the protection on the label, so read step 3 carefully.

Step 1: Complete your morning skincare first

Cleanse, tone, apply serums and moisturiser as usual. Sunscreen goes on last, over everything. This is a lighter formula than the original, so oily skin can often go straight from serum to sunscreen, while drier skin will want a moisturiser underneath.

Step 2: Let the previous layer settle

Wait about a minute after your moisturiser. Applying sunscreen onto a still-wet layer is the most common cause of pilling.

Step 3: Use two fingers’ worth

This is the step almost everyone gets wrong. The correct amount for face and neck is roughly a two-finger length, or about a third of a teaspoon. Applying half that gives you closer to SPF20 than SPF50. The gel texture makes the full amount easier to apply than a cream would.

Step 4: Apply in sections

Dot across forehead, cheeks, nose and chin, then spread each area. Working in sections gives more even coverage than spreading one blob across the whole face.

Step 5: Do not forget the neck, ears and hairline

These are the areas people miss, and they show ageing and pigmentation just as readily. Extend down the neck and behind the ears.

Step 6: Let it set before makeup

Two to three minutes. This formula is a strong makeup base once settled, but rushing causes patchiness.

Step 7: Reapply every two hours

Sunscreen degrades under UV and rubs off through the day. Reapply every two hours outdoors, and immediately after swimming or heavy sweating. For reapplication over makeup, a sunscreen stick or cushion is more practical than a gel.

Frequency: Every morning, all year round. UVA levels stay high through winter and on overcast days. At the correct application amount, a 50 mL tube lasts roughly six to eight weeks with daily use.

Why We Like It

The texture solves the real problem with sunscreen. Nobody stops wearing sunscreen because it does not work. They stop because it feels heavy, greasy or hot on the skin. This is a water-light gel that absorbs in seconds and leaves almost nothing behind. If you have abandoned sunscreens before because of how they felt, this is the format worth trying.

Panthenol is the right supporting active for a daily sunscreen. Panthenol (provitamin B5) hydrates, calms irritation and supports barrier repair. In a product you wear every single day on skin that is being exposed to UV, an ingredient that reduces inflammation and strengthens the barrier is doing more useful work than a headline brightening claim would.

Rice seed water leads the formula. Oryza sativa seed water sits second on the ingredient list, ahead of the filters. Rice has been used in Korean skincare for centuries for brightening and softening, and it carries here without adding weight. Browse the full rice range.

Top-tier UVA protection in a lightweight base. PA++++ is the highest UVA grade available, and getting it into a gel this light is the achievement. UVA drives photoageing and worsens pigmentation, so if you are treating dark marks with anything, this is the layer that protects the work.

No white cast, and it works under makeup. Modern chemical filters rather than mineral ones, which is why there is no cast across skin tones. The fast-absorbing finish means it sets quickly and gives foundation something to grip rather than sliding off it.

Green tea and oat support the barrier quietly. Green tea leaf water provides polyphenol antioxidant protection against UV-generated free radicals, while avena sativa (oat) kernel extract and artichoke leaf extract soothe. Combined with sodium hyaluronate for hydration, the supporting cast is well chosen for daily wear on reactive skin.

It is the better first Korean sunscreen for oily skin. Our customer feedback is consistent on this. One reviewer with acne-prone and sensitive skin called it one of the best sunscreens they have used, singling out the texture and the fresh finish. For oily skin in a South African summer, this is where we would start.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between Relief Sun Rice + B5 and Rice + Probiotics?

Both are SPF50+ PA++++ with identical protection levels. This Aqua-Fresh Rice + B5 version is a lighter gel that absorbs faster, better suited to oily, combination and sensitive skin and to hot, humid conditions. Rice + Probiotics is a richer cream with 30% rice extract and a probiotic complex, better suited to normal and dry skin wanting a dewy finish.

Is this one better for oily skin?

Yes. The gel texture is significantly lighter than the original cream and absorbs faster, which makes a real difference on oily skin and in heat. It is the version we recommend first for oily and combination skin.

Does it leave a white cast?

No. It uses modern chemical filters rather than zinc oxide or titanium dioxide, so there is no mineral cast across skin tones.

Is it a chemical or physical sunscreen?

Chemical. Organic UV filters absorb UV radiation rather than sitting on the skin surface to reflect it. This is what allows the lightweight texture and the absence of white cast.

How much should I apply?

Roughly a two-finger length, or about a third of a teaspoon, for face and neck. This is more than most people use. Under-applying is the most common reason sunscreen underperforms its stated SPF.

Is it suitable for sensitive skin?

Yes. The panthenol, oat kernel extract and green tea are all included to calm and support the barrier, and the formula is lightweight and non-occlusive. Patch test first if you have a history of reacting to sunscreens.

Is it suitable for acne-prone skin?

Yes, and it is our first recommendation for acne-prone skin among the Beauty of Joseon sunscreens. The gel texture is non-heavy and absorbs cleanly. One of our verified reviewers with acne-prone and sensitive skin rated it five stars.

Do I need a moisturiser underneath?

Oily and combination skin can usually go straight from serum to this sunscreen. Dry skin, or anyone in winter, will want a moisturiser underneath since this is the lighter of the two formulas.

Does it work under makeup?

Yes, and this is one of its strengths. The fast-absorbing finish sets quickly and gives foundation grip. Allow two to three minutes before applying makeup.

How often should I reapply?

Every two hours outdoors, and immediately after swimming or heavy sweating. For reapplication over makeup, a sunscreen stick or cushion is more practical.

What does PA++++ mean?

It is the highest grade on the Asian UVA protection scale. UVA causes photoageing and worsens pigmentation, and it passes through cloud and glass. High SPF alone does not cover this.

Can I use it in winter?

Yes, and you should. UVA levels remain significant through winter and on overcast days. Daily year-round use is the recommendation.

How long does one tube last?

At the correct application amount, roughly six to eight weeks of daily use on face and neck. The tube is 50 mL.

Where does it go in my routine?

Last step of your morning routine, after moisturiser and before makeup.

Key Ingredients

Rice (Oryza Sativa) Seed Water: Second on the ingredient list, ahead of the filters. Brightens, softens and hydrates without adding weight. Browse the rice range.

Panthenol (Vitamin B5): Hydrates, calms irritation and supports barrier repair. The reason this version suits sensitive and reactive skin better than the original. See more panthenol products.

Green Tea (Camellia Sinensis) Leaf Water: Polyphenol antioxidant protection against UV-generated free radicals, supporting the UV filters through the day. Browse the green tea range.

Sodium Hyaluronate: The salt form of hyaluronic acid, drawing water into the skin for lasting hydration in a lightweight base.

Oat (Avena Sativa) Kernel Extract and Artichoke Leaf Extract: Soothing botanicals that reduce irritation and support the skin through daily UV exposure.

Rice Amino Acids and Rice Sh-Oligopeptide-1: Rice-derived amino acids and a peptide that support barrier function and skin conditioning.