Beet The Sun SPF 50 Sunscreen

There is a certain kind of product launch that feels less like marketing and more like an apology. When KraveBeauty released the reformulated Beet The Sun SPF 50 PA++++ for international markets in 2024, every aspect of the formula read like a response to specific criticism — as if Liah Yoo had taken every comment from the 2021 SPF controversy, every complaint about the original Beet Shield, and every limitation of the interim SPF 40, and used them as a brief.

The UV filter system is the most immediately impressive change. The original Beet Shield used three next-gen filters. This version uses five. The core Tinosorb S (Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine) and Uvinul A Plus (Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate) remain, joined by Ethylhexyl Triazone for UVB. But the two additions are significant: Terephthalylidene Dicamphor Sulfonic Acid — better known as Mexoryl SX — brings a water-soluble UVA filter that distributes differently on the skin surface than the oil-soluble filters, providing a more even protection profile. Polysilicone-15 adds UVB coverage through a silicone-bound cinnamate. Five filters from four different chemical classes, covering UVA and UVB through multiple mechanisms with overlapping absorption spectra. This is not a budget filter system.

The base formula has been rebuilt entirely around hydration rather than the original's alcohol-antioxidant philosophy. The EGCG, resveratrol, and sodium ascorbyl phosphate trio is gone, replaced by a different approach: eight forms of hyaluronic acid spanning different molecular weights and modifications. Standard sodium hyaluronate and hyaluronic acid handle surface hydration. Hydrolyzed sodium hyaluronate and hydrolyzed hyaluronic acid penetrate deeper. Potassium hyaluronate and sodium acetylated hyaluronate provide sustained-release moisture. Dimethylsilanol hyaluronate and hydroxypropyltrimonium hyaluronate bind to skin proteins for lasting hydration even through environmental stress. It is, by any measure, one of the most thorough hyaluronic acid complexes found in a sunscreen.

The supporting cast has been thoughtfully chosen. Avena Sativa oat kernel extract — an ingredient with well-documented soothing and barrier-supporting properties — provides the calming base that the original's alcohol undermined. Beta-glucan adds anti-inflammatory and wound-healing support. Cynara Scolymus artichoke leaf extract contributes antioxidant activity, and Camellia Sinensis leaf water (green tea) carries over a trace of the original's antioxidant identity. Biosaccharide Gum-1 provides prebiotic support for the skin microbiome. Every addition addresses a specific need rather than padding the ingredient list.

Texturally, this is the best version KraveBeauty has produced. Without alcohol driving rapid evaporation, the formula relies on its emulsion system — Polyglyceryl-3 Distearate, Glyceryl Stearate, and Caprylyl Methicone — to deliver a silk-soft, lightweight feel that absorbs quickly and sets into a genuinely invisible finish. It looks like skin, not sunscreen. Multiple reviewers on Cult Beauty describe it as moisturizing without heaviness, and several note they skip their separate moisturizer entirely when using this product. No white cast, no greasiness, no pilling.

The beetroot extract is still there — because it would not be a Beet The Sun without it — though positioned more modestly in the formula than in previous versions. Its betalain antioxidants provide supplementary photoprotection, but this formula is no longer asking one ingredient to carry the antioxidant load. The burden has been distributed across oat, beta-glucan, green tea water, artichoke, and vitamin E (tocopherol).

The significant limitation is geographic: this formula is available only in international markets. The UV filters — particularly Mexoryl SX, Tinosorb S, and Uvinul A Plus — are not FDA-approved for sunscreen use in the United States. US consumers are limited to the SPF 40 version, which uses an entirely different filter system. This is a regulatory reality, not a brand choice, but it means the best KraveBeauty sunscreen is not available to the brand's home market.

At approximately $21 for 50 mL, this competes favorably with European pharmacy sunscreens that use similar filter technology but typically cost more. For a five-filter system with an eight-form hyaluronic acid complex, the pricing is generous — reflecting KraveBeauty's commitment to accessibility even as the formulation has become significantly more sophisticated.

The Beet The Sun SPF 50 PA++++ represents what responsible brand evolution looks like. A product was found wanting, the brand took accountability, and three years of reformulation produced something measurably better in every dimension — better filters, better base, better skin benefits, better comfort. It is too new to have a long-term track record, and the review count is still growing, but the formula itself suggests that KraveBeauty's hardest years produced its best work.

Formula

The Science

This reformulation deploys five UV filters from four distinct chemical classes, creating a protection system with significant spectral redundancy. Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine (Tinosorb S) provides the broadest individual coverage at 280-400nm with 98.4% photostability after 50 MEDs per BASF data. Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate (Uvinul A Plus) concentrates UVA protection in the 320-400nm range. Ethylhexyl Triazone delivers potent UVB absorption. The key addition is Terephthalylidene Dicamphor Sulfonic Acid (Mexoryl SX) — a water-soluble UVA filter patented by L'Oréal that absorbs in the 290-390nm range. Its water solubility means it occupies the aqueous phase of the emulsion, complementing the oil-soluble Tinosorb S and Uvinul A Plus and creating a more uniform protection layer across the skin surface.

The eight-form hyaluronic acid complex reflects current dermatological understanding that molecular weight determines skin penetration depth. Standard sodium hyaluronate (high molecular weight) provides surface film hydration and barrier function. Hydrolyzed forms penetrate deeper, with low-molecular-weight HA reaching the viable epidermis. Sodium acetylated hyaluronate has enhanced skin affinity due to its acetyl group, providing longer-lasting moisture retention. Hydroxypropyltrimonium hyaluronate is cationically modified to bind directly to the anionic skin surface, resisting wash-off. A study published in the Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology (2020) demonstrated that multi-weight HA formulations provided superior hydration outcomes compared to single-weight preparations.

The botanical additions — oat kernel extract, beta-glucan, artichoke leaf extract — contribute anti-inflammatory activity via different mechanisms: oat through avenanthramides, beta-glucan through macrophage activation, and artichoke through cynarin-mediated antioxidant activity.

Dermatologist Perspective

Dermatologists who advocate for broader access to modern UV filters view this formulation as a model of what daily sunscreen should look like. Board-certified dermatologists note that the five-filter system with overlapping absorption spectra provides robust protection with built-in redundancy — if one filter partially degrades, the others maintain coverage. The alcohol-free base with oat and beta-glucan aligns with dermatological recommendations for patients with reactive skin or those on irritating topical treatments. Dermatologists specializing in cosmetic dermatology have noted that multi-weight hyaluronic acid in a sunscreen can address the dehydrating effects that daily sunscreen use can sometimes cause, making it easier for patients to comply with daily SPF recommendations.

Guidance

After the painful 2021 discontinuation of the original Beet Shield and subsequent launch of the US-only SPF 40, KraveBeauty went back to the lab to create a sunscreen worthy of the Beet The Sun name for international markets. The result uses five UV filters (adding Mexoryl SX to the Tinosorb/Uvinul foundation), swaps the original's alcohol-antioxidant base for a hydrating system built on eight forms of hyaluronic acid, and adds botanical soothers like oat extract and beta-glucan.

About Krave Beauty Emerging Brand (2–5 years)

KraveBeauty was founded in 2017 by Liah Yoo, a former AmorePacific strategist and skincare YouTuber with 1.2 million subscribers. The brand earned B Corp certification in 2024 and has rebuilt credibility after voluntarily addressing the 2021 SPF testing controversy with transparency.

Brand founded: 2017 · Product launched: 2024

Myth vs. Reality

Myth

This is the same formula as the discontinued original Beet Shield with new packaging.

Reality

This is a completely different formula. The UV filter system adds Mexoryl SX, the base is alcohol-free with eight forms of hyaluronic acid, and the antioxidant complex uses different ingredients (oat, artichoke, beta-glucan instead of EGCG and resveratrol).

Myth

More forms of hyaluronic acid means better hydration.

Reality

Multiple molecular weights of HA do provide hydration at different skin depths, which is beneficial. However, the total concentration matters more than the number of variants — this formula's approach is well-considered but is not automatically superior to a single high-quality HA at an appropriate concentration.

FAQ

Common Praise

"Silk-soft invisible finish with no white cast"

"Feels moisturizing without heaviness"

"Works beautifully under makeup"

"Noticeable hydration improvement throughout the day"

Common Complaints

"Only available internationally, not in the US market"

"Too few reviews to establish long-term consensus"

"Price slightly higher than the US SPF 40 version"

Appears In

best sunscreen for dry skin best hydrating sunscreen best korean sunscreen best sunscreen for no white cast

Related Conditions

sun damage aging hyperpigmentation dehydration dryness

Related Ingredients

tinosorb hyaluronic acid colloidal oatmeal vitamin e