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SPF grades UVB protection while the PA plus signs grade UVA via PPD testing — here is what each mark on the label actually certifies.
A sunscreen label carries two independent measurements. The SPF number grades protection against UVB, the rays that burn. The PA rating — PA+ through PA++++ — grades protection against UVA, the rays behind tanning and deeper pigmentation, and it is derived from PPD (persistent pigment darkening) testing.
The PA conversion is fixed, so the plus signs can be read as numbers: PA+ corresponds to PPD 2-4, PA++ to 4-8, PA+++ to 8-16, and PA++++ to 16 or above. Korean sunscreens print the PA grade on the front of the pack, which makes comparing UVA protection across products straightforward.
On narrow screens, swipe or scroll the plate sideways.
Neither number suspends the clock. In sun, sunscreen is reapplied every 2 hours regardless of strength, because the film breaks down with time, sweat and contact. Water-resistance claims are tightly bounded: US labels are only permitted at 40 or 80 minutes, so a swim shortens the reapplication interval sharply.
A practical buying checklist follows from this: look for a high SPF number alongside PA++++ for the strongest UVA grade, treat any water-resistance claim as 40 or 80 minutes rather than all day, and set a 2-hour reapply timer before leaving the house.
Sunscreen is step 10 of the routine — the last layer of every morning, after moisturiser. The full sequence is laid out in the guide to the 10-step Korean routine in order, and the morning actives that sit under SPF are covered in the guide to active ingredient strengths.
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