Description
What it is
Daily UV Defense is innisfree’s everyday face sunscreen. The current Broad Spectrum SPF 50+ version replaces the brand’s well-known SPF 36 lotion, which innisfree says it has made lighter and stronger. It uses chemical (organic) UV filters rather than zinc oxide, so it goes on clear with no white cast across skin tones.
The texture is a light lotion meant to sit comfortably under makeup, and the brand describes the finish as invisible with a hydrating glow. Green tea, centella asiatica, jojoba and sunflower seed oils round out the formula. It comes in a 50 mL tube, with 25 mL and 100 mL sizes in some markets.
Key ingredients
- Avobenzone (2.5%): a UVA filter that helps protect against the rays linked to premature skin aging
- Homosalate (7.0%) and octisalate (4.3%): UVB filters that help prevent sunburn
- Ethylhexyl methoxycrylene: a stabilizer that helps keep avobenzone effective in sunlight
- Camellia sinensis (green tea) leaf extract: the brand’s signature antioxidant ingredient
- Centella asiatica extract: a calming botanical often used in Korean skincare
- Glycerin, jojoba seed oil and sunflower seed oil: hydrating and softening ingredients that give the dewy feel
Product details
| Brand | innisfree (Amorepacific group), South Korea |
|---|---|
| Line | Daily UV |
| Size | 50 mL (also 25 mL and 100 mL in some markets) |
| Format | Lightweight lotion in a tube |
| Main concerns | Daily UVA and UVB protection, sunburn prevention |
| Skin types | Normal, combination, dry; oily skin may prefer a matte formula |
| When to use | Every morning as the last skincare step, before makeup |
| Fragrance | Contains fragrance (parfum), limonene and linalool |
| Amazon ASIN | B0H3WMPTQP |
How to use
- Finish your morning skincare and let your moisturizer settle.
- Apply a generous, even layer to the face and neck at least 15 minutes before sun exposure.
- Use it alone or under makeup.
- Reapply at least every two hours, and right after swimming, sweating or towel drying.
Most people under-apply sunscreen. For the face and neck, a common guideline is about two finger-lengths of product. Too little gives you far less protection than the label number.
Who it suits
It suits anyone who wants a no-cast daily sunscreen that feels more like a light moisturizer, especially normal, combination and dry skin. It is a good morning partner for treatments that increase sun sensitivity, such as the Retinol Cica Moisture Recovery Serum. Our Korean skincare routine for beginners explains why SPF is the step not to skip.
Who should be careful
Because it contains fragrance and chemical filters, people with very reactive skin or a known sensitivity to avobenzone or salicylate filters may do better with a mineral sunscreen. Keep it away from the eyes. In Canada, sunscreens are regulated by Health Canada, so the label on the box sold here may differ from the US label above; check yours.
Patch test first. Apply a small amount to the inner forearm or behind the ear and wait 24 to 48 hours before using it on the face.
Full ingredient list
Active ingredients: Avobenzone 2.5%, Homosalate 7.0%, Octisalate 4.3%. Inactive ingredients: Water / Aqua / Eau, Butyloctyl Salicylate, Dipropylene Glycol, Ethylhexyl Methoxycrylene, Glycerin, Silica, 1,2-Hexanediol, Arachidyl Alcohol, Behenyl Alcohol, Cetyl Alcohol, Pentylene Glycol, Arachidyl Glucoside, Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Fragrance / Parfum, Ethylhexylglycerin, Limonene, T-Butyl Alcohol, Linalool, Tocopherol, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil, Hamamelis Virginiana (Witch Hazel) Flower Water, Butylene Glycol, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Centella Asiatica Extract, Caprylyl Glycol.
This is the US-labelled list published by innisfree. It contains fragrance plus the fragrance allergens limonene and linalool. The fatty alcohols (cetyl, behenyl, arachidyl) are not drying alcohols.
Frequently asked questions
Is Innisfree Daily UV Defense SPF 50 a chemical or mineral sunscreen?
It is a chemical sunscreen, using avobenzone, homosalate and octisalate. innisfree sells a separate mineral version for people who prefer zinc oxide.
Does it leave a white cast?
The brand says no, and because it does not use mineral filters it generally goes on clear.
What happened to the SPF 36 version?
innisfree presents the SPF 50+ formula as the new and improved successor to its Daily UV SPF 36 lotion, with a lighter texture and higher protection.
Can I wear it under makeup?
Yes. It is designed as the last skincare step and the brand says it can be worn alone or under makeup. Give it a few minutes to set first.
Learn more
Compare this sunscreen with other picks in our best Korean skincare products in Canada guide, and see our best Korean skincare for sensitive skin guide if fragrance tends to bother your skin.
Ingredient lists can change between batches and markets. Always check the box you receive. This page is an independent guide; melaxin.ca does not sell products directly.
