K-BeautyIntel
Honest ingredient research and real prices for Korean skincare.

Round Lab Birch vs. Isntree Sun Gel

A back-to-back Olive Young #1 winner with real vitamin C, though it contains fragrance, against a fragrance-free, lighter watery-gel texture with a shorter confirmed ingredient list.

Research-basedBy Nur → Last verified 9/25/2026
Criteria
Round Lab
Birch Juice Moisturizing Sunscreen SPF50+ PA++++
Isntree
Hyaluronic Acid Watery Sun Gel SPF50+ PA++++
Price$19.50$19.00
Price / unit$0.39/mL$0.38/mL
Size50 mL50 mL
Price checked9/27/20269/12/2026

Both are chemical sunscreens at nearly the same price, but a real award record and a real fragrance difference separate them.

Why compare these two specifically

Near-identical price, but genuinely different credentials and fragrance status, worth weighing directly rather than assuming similar chemical-filter sunscreens are interchangeable.

Price per milliliter

Round Lab runs $0.39 per milliliter ($19.50 for 50mL). Isntree runs $0.38 per milliliter ($19.00 for 50mL). Nearly identical.

Real vitamin C vs. lighter watery texture

Round Lab confirms niacinamide, hyaluronic acid, real ascorbic acid, and adenosine, four named actives beyond the birch-sap base. Isntree's confirmed list centers on hyaluronic acid and centella asiatica, a lighter, more watery-focused formula.

A genuine, repeated award vs. fragrance-free status

Round Lab ranked #1 in Olive Young's Sun Care category in both 2024 and 2025, a real, repeated credential, but it contains fragrance. Isntree is confirmed fragrance-free, though it has no comparable award data on file.

Our take

If a genuine, repeated award record and a real vitamin C addition matter most, and fragrance isn't a concern, Round Lab's credentials are hard to match. If fragrance-free status and a lighter, more watery texture are the priority, Isntree is the safer pick, even without the same award pedigree.

Round Lab Birch Juice Moisturizing Sunscreen: $0.39/mL. Back-to-back Olive Young #1 with real vitamin C added, though it contains fragrance.

Isntree Hyaluronic Acid Watery Sun Gel: $0.38/mL. Fragrance-free with a lighter, watery-gel texture, no comparable award data.

Browse the rest of our sunscreen coverage.

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Olive Young Awards 2025 · #1 Sun Care
Round Lab Birch Juice Moisturizing Sunscreen SPF50+ PA++++$0.39/mL

Price checked 9/27/2026

Isntree Hyaluronic Acid Watery Sun Gel SPF50+ PA++++$0.38/mL

Price checked 9/12/2026

Frequently asked

Is Round Lab Birch Sunscreen or Isntree Sun Gel fragrance-free?

Isntree is confirmed fragrance-free. Round Lab Birch Sunscreen contains fragrance.

Has Round Lab Birch Sunscreen won any awards?

Yes, ranked #1 in Olive Young's Sun Care category in both 2024 and 2025, a genuine, repeated credential. Isntree has no comparable award data on file.

Which is cheaper, Round Lab Birch or Isntree Sun Gel?

They're nearly identical: Round Lab runs $0.39 per milliliter, Isntree runs $0.38 per milliliter.