This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases, at no extra cost to you. No brand paid me or sent me anything for this post.
I’m Karen, a licensed esthetician living in Seoul. In Korea, sun sticks are everywhere. Walk into any Olive Young, Korea’s biggest beauty store, and there’s a whole wall of them, because people here reapply sunscreen over makeup all day long.
You don’t have to fly to Seoul to try them. In this post I’ll show you the sun sticks Koreans actually buy, which one I use, which one I’m switching to, and how to find them on Amazon from wherever you are.
About my skin
Licensed esthetician. Combination skin, and pores are my biggest worry. I use a sun stick to reapply over makeup when I’m outside for a long time, so the thing I care about most is whether it moves my makeup.
If you only read one part, read this:
- What I use (3rd one): Dr.G R.E.D Blemish Soothing Up Sun Stick. Easy and clean, but the round shape misses the sides of my nose.
- What I’m switching to: OBgE Pore-Zero Oil Control Sun Stick. Matte, not sticky, and No.1 in Olive Young’s sun stick ranking when I checked.
- Best for your body, not your face: CURE Water Splash Cooling Sun Stick. Instant cooling.
- Look at the shape before you buy. Flat, oval sticks reach the sides of your nose. Round ones don’t.
Jump to
- Why Koreans love sun sticks
- Dr.G Sun Stick (what I use)
- OBgE Pore-Zero (what I’m switching to)
- More sun sticks Koreans buy
- How to reapply over makeup · Buying from abroad · FAQ
Why Koreans love sun sticks
In Korea, sunscreen isn’t a beach thing. It’s an every-day, all-day thing, and people reapply it like lip balm. Most of us put on a cream sunscreen in the morning, but by lunch the makeup is on, and spreading cream sunscreen over it wrecks your base.
That’s where the sun stick comes in. Twist it up, swipe it over your face, done. Your hands stay clean, and it fits in any bag. Honestly, the sun stick wall at Olive Young is so big that it feels like every brand has to have one, and they keep competing over who can make the most matte, the most cooling, or the least sticky stick.
If you live somewhere sunny and wear makeup, this is one Korean habit that’s really worth stealing.
How I tested these
I went to a large Olive Young in Seoul in mid-October 2026 and swatched the TRY ME testers on my hand. The Dr.G stick is the only one I’ve used for a long time, so it’s the only long-term review. For the rest, I’m sharing my in-store impression, and I’ll tell you which is which.
A tip from my own use: look at the shape. Round sticks are hard to use on small areas like the sides of your nose. A flat, oval stick reaches those spots more easily.
Honestly, a few of the sticks I tried felt slippery and left my skin shiny, and some pilled when I swiped them over makeup. Sun sticks are not all the same, so texture really matters.
1. Dr.G R.E.D Blemish Soothing Up Sun Stick: what I use
This is the stick in my bag, and I’m on my third one. I didn’t really shop around for it: it’s the stick version of the Dr.G cream sunscreen I already use every morning, so buying it was a no-brainer. (Here’s why I picked the Dr.G cream.)
I use it most in summer, when my makeup is already on and I want to add more sun protection on top.
What I like: I don’t have to touch it, so my hands stay clean, and most of the time it glides over my base without wrecking it.
What I don’t: the stick is round. That makes it hard to get into small spots like the sides of my nose. And sometimes a little makeup comes off onto the stick. That’s why, honestly, I’m planning to try OBgE next.
Karen’s notes
| Size | 21g |
|---|---|
| How long I’ve used it | I’m on my 3rd stick |
| When I use it | Mostly summer, over makeup |
| What I like | Hands stay clean. Matches my Dr.G cream |
| What I don’t | Round shape is hard to use beside the nose. Sometimes picks up a little makeup |
| Best for | People who already like Dr.G sunscreen |
| Would I buy it again? | I’m on my 3rd, but I’m trying OBgE next |
2. OBgE Pore-Zero Oil Control Sun Stick: what I’m switching to
Of all the sticks I swatched that day, this was the one I liked. It isn’t sticky at all. It feels soft and matte (보송보송, bo-song bo-song), which I love. The display calls it a “clear, matte oil-blotting-paper sun stick,” and it had a 2025 Olive Young Awards badge.
When I checked, it was No.1 in the sun stick ranking on the Olive Young app, and the reviews there overwhelmingly say the same thing: true to its “oil-blotting paper” nickname, it really takes care of shine and leaves skin matte. Summer is when I reapply the most, so a stick this matte is exactly the one I’d keep reaching for.
It’s also flat and oval, not round, so it should reach the sides of my nose better than my Dr.G. I’ve only tried it in store so far, but it’s the one I’m buying next.
Karen’s notes
| Size | 18g |
|---|---|
| Type | Oil control, matte finish |
| Shape | Flat and oval |
| My take | Matte, not sticky. My next stick (tried in store so far) |
| Best for | Combination and oily skin, summer |
3. More sun sticks Koreans buy: TOCOBO, Dewytree, CURE
These are other popular sticks from the same Olive Young wall. I tested them on my hand in store but didn’t wear them for a full day, so these are first impressions, not rankings.
TOCOBO Cotton Soft Sun Stick (SPF50+ PA++++). One of the best-known Korean sun sticks abroad, and it surprised me when I tested it. It’s easy: pop the cap and swipe, done. It glides on so soft and matte that I honestly wondered if it went on at all. It’s that light, with no residue. It felt like it wiped away both oil and shine, but without feeling dry. My skin just felt soft and powdery-smooth.
Dewytree Urban Shade Cool Calming Sun Stick (SPF50+ PA++++). A cooling-type stick that promises to soothe sun-exposed skin.
CURE Water Splash Cooling Sun Stick. CURE is made by Kim Jeong Moon Aloe, a Korean brand known for cooling aloe products, and you can feel it: the cooling hits right away, and it feels great. But on my face it pilled, and like my Dr.G the stick is round, so it’s hard to get beside the nose. I’d use this one on my arms and body instead, where it would be perfect on a hot day.
What they look like inside. I opened the testers to compare. The stick shape and color are different for each one, so it’s worth checking which feels easiest to glide on.
Other sun sticks I saw on the shelf that you can also look for online: ROUND LAB Birch Juice Moisturizing Sun Stick, Goodal Heartleaf Calming Cooling Sun Stick, and Dr.Jart+ Every Sun Day Sun Stick.
How to reapply a sun stick over makeup
- Glide, don’t scrub. Swipe in one direction with light pressure. Rubbing back and forth is what moves your base.
- Test it over foundation first. When your stick arrives, put a little foundation on the back of your hand and swipe the stick over it. If it pills or slides, it’ll do the same on your face.
- Use enough. A quick swipe on the cheeks isn’t much protection. Go over each area a few times.
- Keep your morning sunscreen. A stick is for reapplying. Start the day with a proper layer of sunscreen.
Buying Korean sun sticks from abroad
- Check the exact name. Korean brands often have several sticks with similar names (Dr.G alone has a few). Match the full name, like “R.E.D Blemish Soothing Up,” before you buy.
- Look for SPF50+ PA++++. That’s the highest rating on Korean sunscreens, and most of the sticks in this post have it.
- Prices are higher than in Korea. That’s normal for imported K-beauty. Buy from the brand’s official store on Amazon when you can.
- Korean words on the label: 보송 (bo-song) means matte, 쿨링 (cooling) means cooling, 수분 (su-bun) means moisture.
More from my Olive Young trips
For your morning layer, here’s the sunscreen I use every day. For base makeup that holds up under a stick, see the cushions I tried for oily skin.
Frequently asked questions
Which Korean sun stick feels light, not waxy, over makeup?
In my in-store test, OBgE Pore-Zero and TOCOBO Cotton Soft felt the lightest: soft, matte and not sticky. A few other sticks felt slippery, left my skin shiny or pilled over makeup, so texture really matters. Swipe gently in one direction instead of rubbing back and forth.
Is the TOCOBO sun stick good?
It surprised me. It glides on so soft and matte that I wondered if it went on at all, with no residue, and it took away shine without feeling dry. I’ve only tried it in store, but it’s one of the nicest textures I swatched.
Can I use a sun stick at the beach?
Yes, but keep the cap on between uses and wipe sand off your skin before you swipe, or sand can stick to the stick. On a beach day, a cream or spray sunscreen for your body plus a stick for quick face touch-ups works well.
Can I use a sun stick over makeup?
Yes, that’s what I use mine for. Glide it on gently. Some sticks move makeup more than others, so test over foundation first.
What’s the best Korean sun stick?
I’m on my third Dr.G R.E.D Blemish Soothing Up Sun Stick. In store, I liked OBgE Pore-Zero the most: matte and not sticky, so it’s the one I’m trying next.
Can I buy Korean sun sticks outside Korea?
Yes. Most of the ones in this post are sold on Amazon. Check the full product name, since brands often have several similar sticks.
Is a sun stick enough on its own?
I treat it as a top-up. I still start the day with a cream sunscreen.
Why does my sun stick feel greasy?
Some sticks are oily by design. If you have oily skin, look for “oil control” or 보송 (matte) on the label.
My long-term opinion is only about the Dr.G sun stick, which I use. The others are based on in-store testing at Olive Young in Seoul, and what the display or app showed when I checked. Availability on Amazon can change. Everyone’s skin is different.