athé | Vegan Relief Sun Essence & Vegan Relief Tone Up Sun Essence: Review and Swatches

Disclaimer: The products featured were purchased by me.

While browsing Olive Young in Korea, I came across the brand athé, which I've never encountered before on the North American market. Established in 2019, athé is a Korean vegan beauty brand best known for its Vegan Relief Sun Essence (~C$25 for 50 ml). I spotted the brand's recent collaboration with Naver Webtoon's Maru character and instantly fell in love with the packaging. I ended up picking up the original Vegan Relief Sun Essence and the Vegan Relief Tone Up Sun Essence (~C$25 for 50 ml). I actually couldn't find a whole lot of detailed reviews online about either product, so I thought I would share my thoughts with you today......

athé | Vegan Relief Sun Essence

athé | Vegan Relief Sun Essence SPF50+ Pa++++ (~C$25 for 50 ml):

Formulated with niacinamide, fermented soymilk, fermented rice, and hyaluronic acid, the Vegan Relief Sun Essence is a lightweight and hydrating sunscreen made with chemical sunscreen filters. With no discernible scent, the sunscreen has a very light, serum-like consistency. It applies smoothly and sets to a natural, non greasy finish. The finish has no white cast and stays fresh and weightless all day with no patching or pilling. I have absolutely no complaints about this sunscreen. I would repurchase it in a heartbeat if athé became more widely available in the North American market at a reasonable price.

athé | Vegan Relief Sun Essence

Please note, the price listed is the approximate amount I paid in Korea after conversion. Currently, the athé Vegan Relief Sun Essence is available on Olive Young Global for approximately C$41, not including taxes and duty. This is a great sunscreen, but I wouldn’t pay the marked-up price, so I would recommend grabbing this if you visit Korea.

Ingredients: Water, Propanediol, Cyclopentasiloxane, Ethylhexyl Salicylate, Homosalate, Dibutyl Adipate, Niacinamide, Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine, Methylene Bis-Benzotriazolyl Tetramethylbutylphenol, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Polysilicone-15, Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate, Caprylyl Methicone, Lactobacillus/Soymilk Ferment Filtrate, Lactobacillus/Rye Flour Ferment, Bacillus/Soybean Ferment Extract, Saponaria Pumila Callus Culture Extract, Wine, Arnica Montana Flower Extract, 1,2-Hexanediol, Pentylene Glycol, Glycerin, Behenyl Alcohol, Silica, Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate, Tromethamine, Decyl Glucoside, Carbomer, Butylene Glycol, Panthenol, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Sodium Polyacrylate, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Isomalt, Ethylhexylglycerin, Adenosine, Polyether-1, Propylene Glycol, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Hyaluronate, T-Butyl Alcohol, Caesalpinia Spinosa Gum, Lecithin, Maltodextrin, Tocopherol, Sodium Benzoate, Citric Acid, Fragrance.

athé | Vegan Relief Tone Up Sun Essence SPF50+ Pa++++ in "Light Beige" (~C$25 for 50 ml):

In addition to getting the original Vegan Relief Sun Essence, I also bought the athé Vegan Relief Tone Up Sun Essence. Available in "Light Beige" and "Light Pink," the Vegan Relief Tone Up Sun Essence is a tinted mineral sunscreen formulated with a combination of chemical and physical sun filters. For those unfamiliar, tone-up sunscreens in Korea are essentially mineral sunscreens with a brightening effect. However, what this really translates to is a sunscreen with a strong white cast, thanks to physical filters such as zinc oxide and titanium oxide.

athé | Vegan Relief Tone Up Sun Essence in "Light Beige"

When I swatched the Vegan Relief Tone Up Sun Essence in the store, it seemed like a nice, sheer tinted moisturizer with a slightly creamier consistency compared to the original Vegan Relief Sun Essence. It felt like it would be smooth and easy to blend, but when I actually applied it to my face, it was completely unworkable. Unless the tinted shade perfectly matches your natural skin tone, it shows up as super streaky and impossible to blend. I experienced instant creasing, and the finish is greasy and shiny, highlighting every pore and imperfection on my face. Overall, this product is a complete disappointment, which is surprising given how amazing the original Vegan Relief Sun Essence is. Frankly, I don’t think this product will work well for anyone, no matter their skin tone or type.

athé | Vegan Relief Tone Up Sun Essence in "Light Beige"

Well, there you have it, a giant hit and a humongous miss from athé. Although the Vegan Relief Tone Up Sun Essence really soured my impression of the brand, I still think the original Vegan Relief Tone Up Sun Essence is an amazing sunscreen that's worth trying.

Ingredients: Water, Titanium Dioxide, Propanediol, Butyloctyl Salicylate, Isononyl Isononanoate, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Dibutyl Adipate, Niacinamide, Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate, Diisopropyl Sebacate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Vincetoxicum Atratum Extract, Althaea Rosea Flower Extract, Eriobotrya Japonica Leaf Extract, Sparassis Crispa Extract, Mentha Viridis (Spearmint) Extract, Ethylhexyl Triazone, Polyhydroxystearic Acid, Isododecane, Octyldodecanol, Aluminum Hydroxide, Methylene Bis-Benzotriazolyl Tetramethylbutylphenol, Stearic Acid, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Hydroxyacetophenone, Poly C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate, Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate, Polyglyceryl-4 Isostearate, Isopropyl Titanium Triisostearate, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Polyglyceryl-2 Dipolyhydroxystearate, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Tromethamine, Decyl Glucoside, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Adenosine, Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose Stearoxy Ether, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Silica, Ethylhexylglycerin, Ectoin, Glutathione, Hydroxyethyl Urea, Beta-Glucan, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Polyglyceryl-10 Stearate, Panthenol, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Biotin, Pyridoxine, Cyanocobalamin, Tocopherol, Beta-Carotene, Riboflavin, Thiamine HCl, Behenyl Alcohol, Disodium EDTA, Xanthan Gum, Fragrance, Iron Oxide Yellow, Iron Oxide Red, Iron Oxide Black.

Availablity:

Athe is available in stores (in Korea) and online (internationally) at Olive Young.