etude Soonjung Director’s Tone-up Correcting Sun Cream SPF50+ Pa++++
90/100 overall score
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About this sunscreen
Etude Soonjung Director's Tone-up Correcting Sun Cream is an SPF50 product blending Titanium Dioxide with modern organic filters such as Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate, Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine, and Ethylhexyl Triazone. It stays lightweight with a balanced finish and low white cast despite the tone-up effect, is low on pore-clogging risk, and does not commonly sting. It sits okay under makeup. With excellent protection and an 89.7/100 score, it is a top-tier high-SPF cream.
Ingredient & SPF scores
☀️
UV protection
Excellent
97
- +31.4 Titanium Dioxide at #6, UV filter (UVA1 +4.8)
- +28.8 Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate at #10, UV filter (UVA1 +17.6)
- +28.8 Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine at #15, UV filter (UVA1 +9.6)
- +13.2 Ethylhexyl Triazone at #16, UV filter
- +7.2 Polysilicone-15 at #17, UV filter
- +16.8 Terephthalylidene Dicamphor Sulfonic Acid at #18, UV filter (UVA1 +6)
- −14.4 UVB coverage saturated
- −18.8 UVA2 coverage saturated
- +4 Label claims (SPF 50, PA rating)
👻
White cast
Low
70
- +100 Starting score
- −35 Titanium Dioxide at #6
- −5 Titanium Dioxide as pigment (CI 77891) at #11
- +4 Tone-up product, visible whitening is the point
- +3.6 PHSA dispersant, fights agglomeration
- +2.3 Coated minerals (Aluminum Hydroxide)
🍄
Fungal acne
Medium
53
- +100 Starting score
- −45 5 long-chain (C12+) esters that feed Malassezia (Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate, Polyglyceryl-6 Stearate, Polyglyceryl-4 Isostearate)
- −2 1 ubiquitous fatty ingredients (Stearic Acid), weak Malassezia signal
👕
Fabric stains
Medium
35
- +100 Starting score
- −15 Uvinul A Plus (DHHB) at #10, oil-soluble UVA filter, fabric stains
- −40 Iron-oxide pigments at #34, makeup-like collar marks (washable)
- −10 Titanium Dioxide at #6, white marks, worst on dark fabric (washable)
💧
Moisture
Balanced
LightNourishing
- ← 1.5 1 sebum-absorbing powders (Polymethylsilsesquioxane)
- ← 1 Volatile carriers flash off, leaving a dry finish
- → 1 Glycerin at #14, the anchor humectant
- → 1 1 strong humectants (Panthenol)
- → 1 Humectant polyols
✨
Finish
Balanced
MatteDewy
- ← 1 1 sebum-absorbing powders (Polymethylsilsesquioxane)
- ← 1 Volatile carriers flash off, leaving a dry finish
- ← 6 3 dry-touch emollients reduce greasy shine (Dibutyl Adipate, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Isononyl Isononanoate)
- → 9 1 emollient lipids (C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate)
💄
Makeup base
Okay
PillsPrimer
- → 6 Dry-touch esters, smooth fast-absorbing base
- ← 2 Gel polymers prone to pilling under friction (Poly C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, …)
- ← 3 High mineral load at #6 greys under foundation (tinted)
🌊
Water resistance
Not resistant
Non-water-resistantWater-resistant
Nothing flagged in the ingredient list.
How we rate water resistance →Skincare extras
Beneficial actives this formula contains. Informational only, not part of the rating: their effect depends on a concentration the label does not disclose.
- ✨ Niacinamide
Full ingredient list (46)
What each ingredient does and how it moves each rating: green helps, red hurts, ↑ / ↓ give the direction, and ← / → shift a slider toward its ends (finish, moisture, makeup base). Auto-derived from our scoring rules and the ingredient's position.
-
1 Water
Solvent base, the water phase
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- matte ← 3 dry-touch emollient, anti-shine
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- 9 → dewy emollient lipid
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
- 1 → nourishing humectant polyol
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- matte ← 2 dry-touch emollient, anti-shine
-
Mineral UV filter (Titanium Dioxide)
- ↑ 31.4 UV protection, incl. long-UVA (UVA1)
- ↑ 10 white marks, worst on dark fabric (washable)
- pills ← 3 High mineral load greys under foundation (tinted)
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- matte ← 2 dry-touch emollient, anti-shine
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
-
Soothing, skin-conditioning active
-
Modern UV filter, broad-spectrum and photostable (Uvinul A Plus), low in the list, likely a minor contributor
- ↑ 28.8 UV protection, incl. long-UVA (UVA1)
- ↑ 15 oil-soluble UVA filter, fabric stains
-
Colorant or pigment
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
-
14 Glycerin
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
- 1 → nourishing the anchor humectant
-
Modern UV filter, broad-spectrum and photostable (Tinosorb S), low in the list, likely a minor contributor
- ↑ 28.8 UV protection, incl. long-UVA (UVA1)
-
Modern UV filter, broad-spectrum and photostable (Uvinul T 150), low in the list, likely a minor contributor
- ↑ 13.2 UV protection
-
Modern UV filter, broad-spectrum and photostable (Polysilicone-15), low in the list, likely a minor contributor
- ↑ 7.2 UV protection
-
Modern UV filter, broad-spectrum and photostable (Mexoryl SX), low in the list, likely a minor contributor
- ↑ 16.8 UV protection, incl. long-UVA (UVA1)
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- ↑ 9 feeds malassezia
-
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
-
Fatty alcohol, an emollient and thickener, not the drying kind
-
Mattifying powder, absorbs oil and blurs the finish
- light ← 1.5 sebum-absorbing powder
- matte ← 1 sebum-absorbing powder
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
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25 Tromethamine
pH adjuster
-
26 Isododecane
Volatile hydrocarbon, flashes off for a light finish
- light ← 1 volatile carrier, flashes off
- matte ← 1 volatile carrier, flashes off
-
Fatty alcohol, an emollient and thickener, not the drying kind
-
Supporting ingredient
-
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
-
30 Panthenol
Soothing, skin-conditioning active
- 1 → nourishing humectant
-
31 Stearic Acid
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- ↑ 2 minor malassezia feeder
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- ↑ 9 feeds malassezia
-
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
-
34 Ci 77492
Colorant or pigment
- ↑ 40 makeup-like collar marks (washable)
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- ↑ 9 feeds malassezia
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- ↑ 9 feeds malassezia
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
-
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
-
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
-
41 Adenosine
Soothing, skin-conditioning active
-
Chelator, binds stray metal ions to keep the formula stable
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- ↑ 9 feeds malassezia
-
44 Xanthan Gum
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
-
45 Ci 77491
Colorant or pigment
-
46 Tocopherol
Antioxidant, protects the formula and skin
Does Etude Soonjung Tone-up Sun Cream leave a white cast?
No, it keeps a low white cast despite the tone-up effect. It blends Titanium Dioxide with modern organic filters that help it wear evenly.
Is the etude Soonjung Director’s Tone-up Correcting Sun Cream SPF50+ Pa++++ mineral or chemical?
It is a hybrid. It pairs the mineral Titanium Dioxide with modern chemical filters such as Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate and Ethylhexyl Triazone.
Is Etude Soonjung Tone-up Sun Cream SPF50 any good?
Yes, it scores 89.7/100 with excellent protection. It is lightweight with a balanced finish and low pore-clogging risk, making it a top-tier high-SPF cream.