Why You Can’t Find Korean and Japanese Sunscreens in Canada: Explained

Looking for Korean and Japanese sunscreens like the Beauty of Joseon, SKIN1004 Hyalu-Cica Water-fit Sun Serum, Round Lab Birch Juice sunscreen, Biore Aqua Rich sunscreen and others? Reach out to us on our website or Instagram and we will help you source the best place to get your Asian sunscreens at the lowest prices, like we have done for hundreds of Canadians to protect them against harmful UV rays, 

If you’ve ever searched for Asian sunscreens in Canada, only to come up empty-handed or with very limited options that don't look like the ones that are going viral online, you’re not alone. Many Canadian skincare lovers wonder why the most popular Asian sunscreens aren’t officially available in Canada. The answer lies in strict Health Canada regulations, long approval timelines, and market barriers that prevent these cult-favorite Korean and Japanese sunscreens from hitting Canadian shelves.

1. Health Canada Treats Sunscreen as a Drug

Unlike many Asian countries where sunscreen is classified as a cosmetic, Canada regulates sunscreen as an over-the-counter drug. This means every sunscreen product must go through Health Canada’s rigorous review and approval process to be legally sold here. This includes detailed testing, ingredient disclosure, and an application for a Drug Identification Number (DIN) or Natural Product Number (NPN).

Korean and Japanese sunscreens often use innovative UV filters like Tinosorb S, Uvinul A Plus, and Mexoryl SX/XL, many of which are not approved in Canada. Even if these filters are proven safe and widely used in Europe and Asia, they’re not permitted until Health Canada completes its own safety evaluation. The list of approved chemical filters in Canada has not been updated in over a decade, leading to a shortage of effective options for Canadians. 

2. Lengthy and Costly Approval Process

The process to gain sunscreen approval in Canada is time-consuming and expensive. Many Korean and Japanese skincare brands, especially smaller ones like Beauty of Joseon, do not have the resources or motivation to undergo this regulatory burden for a relatively small market. This makes it financially unviable to officially launch their sunscreens in Canada even with a lot of demand.

Some sunscreens, like the Biore Aqua Rich sunscreen, have attempted to circumvent the regulation by releasing North American versions of their sunscreens that include the approved filters. However, consumers have reported the Biore Canadian and US formulations to be cosmetically inelegant, and consumers also feel misled and confused when they thought that they were getting the original Japanese formulation.

3. Discussing the "claim to protect consumers"

There have been many historical examples that have been pointed to for why Asian sunscreens that have not been approved in Canada should not be allowed to be sold - examples include the Purito sunscreen scandal and Krave Beet the Sun sunscreen scandal, where the sunscreen filters used did not meet the coverage that was claimed on the label. While companies should be held accountable for the claimed coverage of their sunscreens, the reason that Canada does not allow these sunscreens is not due to their lack of trust worthiness, but that the process is too slow and bureaucratic to be able to hold companies accountable. 80% of Canadians do not use sunscreen daily, most likely due to the severe limitation of options that are cosmetically elegant, creating greater health risks including skin cancer and pre-mature oxidization.

. The concern about the increased risk of skin cancer has significantly declined by 9 points, reaching a new all-time low of 54%. More Canadians now believe that the dangers of sun exposure are exaggerated (32%, +8 pts), there is no need to use sunscreen when it's cloudy (32%, +7 pts), sun protection in the winter is unnecessary (28%, +4 pts), and that getting a sunburn is the first step to a suntan (23%, +5 pts). All of these reflect a lack of proactive steps to educate and provide resources for Canadians to protect themselves against harmful effects of UV rays, where foreign sunscreens should be the least of their worries.

4. Grey Market and Importing Sunscreens 

Consumers are free to import Asian sunscreens from global distributors, often at a very high delivery cost, risking expensive custom charges, and benefiting international economies. However, Canadian companies are not allowed to market or distribute these sunscreens from within Canada. The one exception is sunscreens with approved physical filters like the Dr G Mild Green Up Sun Plus, Isntree Natural Sun Cream, and SKIN1004 Madagascar Centella Air-Fit Sun Cream Plus and that have registered an NPN number.   

Canada’s stricter drug classification, unapproved UV filters, and a complex approval process that discourages international brands from entering the market. Until regulations catch up with consumer interest, Canadians will have to continue relying on online imports to source their Korean and Japanese sunscreens. 

Looking for sunscreens like the Beauty of Joseon, SKIN1004 Hyalu-Cica Water-fit Sun Serum, Round Lab Birch Juice sunscreen, Biore Aqua Rich sunscreen and others? Reach out to us on our website or Instagram and we will help you source the best place to get your Asian sunscreens at the lowest prices, like we have done for hundreds of Canadians to protect them against harmful UV rays,