When I saw the Innisfree daily defense sunscreen at Sephora, I knew I had to give it a try. I exclusively use Asian beauty sunscreens because of the lightweight affordable formulas so I wanted to find out if this Innisfree one matched the standard. I like Innisfree’s sheet masks and this was my first time trying out their full sized skincare products.

Consistency

While most K-beauty sunscreens are pretty lightweight, this Innisfree daily defense sunscreen is quite heavy in comparison. Innisfree describes this sunscreen as “lightweight”, but I disagree. The formula is very hydrating. I wouldn’t describe the sunscreen as “greasy”, but it does feel a little too thick for my taste. 

Since this sunscreen feels so hydrating, I decided to skip moisturizer one day to see how just the SPF felt on my skin. From my experiment, I found that this sunscreen is not hydrating enough to be used as a moisturizer, but still a bit too heavy with a moisturizer. I would only recommend this sunscreen to someone with severely dry skin. I have dry skin myself and found it to be too thick.

Type of Sunscreen

The innisfree daily defense sunscreen is a chemical sunscreen with an SPF of 36. Chemical sunscreens absorb UV rays so that they don’t damage the skin. Because this sunscreen is a chemical sunscreen, it leaves no white cast on the skin. You can read more about the difference between mineral and chemical sunscreens in my post “A Complete Guide to Sunscreen”. Since most dermatologists recommend an SPF between 30-50, this sunscreen fits in this range.

Ingredients

Green tea- to hydrate and nurture the skin

Cica- (AKA centella asiatica) to soothe skin and reduce irritation

Sunflower Seed Oil- to moisturize

*This sunscreen is sulfate and paraben free

*This sunscreen is reef safe

Scent

This sunscreen has a very mild scent. It has a hint of a tangy smell that sunscreens tend to have. The scent really didn’t bother me at all. I didn’t love the smell, but it faded within minutes of application. I don’t think this sunscreen’s scent would bother anyone who is sensitive to fragrances. 

How does it perform under makeup?

Even though I dislike the thickness of this sunscreen, it performs quite well under makeup. I had no problems with any pilling. I did find that my makeup application applied better if I allowed the sunscreen to fully dry on my face 20-30 minutes beforehand. If I applied too soon after putting the sunscreen on, it sheered out my foundation and concealer. I don’t mind sheered out foundation, but most days, I simply spot conceal without foundation and I want full coverage from my concealer. 

Price

The Innisfree daily defense sunscreen is $15 at Sephora. Most k-beauty brand sunscreens fall in the $10-$25 price range so this one fits right in. I definitely wouldn’t buy this sunscreen again for my face, BUT I would consider buying it for my hands. Your hands get exposed to a lot of UV rays while driving. I think this sunscreen would work great as a hand cream because the thick formula is hydrating for dry hands, I just wouldn’t buy it for my face again…

Overall, I wasn’t a huge fan of the Innisfree daily UV defense sunscreen. I didn’t hate it, I just think there are better, more lightweight Korean sunscreens out there. I would rather use the Bioré watery essence or the Purito centella green level sunscreen I am currently using.

Have you ever tried any Innisfree products before?