This sunscreen seems to be many people’s holy grail Japanese sunscreen for years now, even after it’s continuous reformulation. I purchased this 2017 version while living in Osaka Japan at the time and it really was one of the most popular sunscreens sold at all the Daikoku Drugstores. In 2019 there has been another upgrade to the formulation and packaging and now it’s difficult to find accurate information/ product details for the 2017 version, however, I will try my best in this post. I’ve used this sunscreen the most out of all the other sunscreens I have and it’s pretty much finished but I was able to squeeze some out and take pics for this post.
As always, I’ll first talk about the product description and ingredients but you can skip down towards the ‘My Thoughts’ section to read my personal review of this product.
Description
Here’s the info from the company website:
A wonderfully light sensation no matter how often it is reapplied. – A watery essence with a transparent texture that blends effortlessly with the skin. – A translucent finish that hugs the skin with no flaking. – Also usable as a foundation primer for a perfectly smooth foundation finish.
Ingredients
Water, Alcohol, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Lauryl Methacrylate/Sodium Methacrylate Crosspolymer, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Bisethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine, Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate, Dimethicone, Ethylhexyl Triazone, Silica Dimethyl Silylate, Dipropylene Glycol, Xylitol, Dextrin Palmitate, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Polysilicone-9, Glyceryl Stearate, Aminomethyl Propanol, Vinyl Dimethicone/Methicone Silsesquioxane Crosspolymer, Agar, Isoceteth-20, C30-45 Alkyl Methicone, Polyvinyl Alcohol, C30-45 Olefin, Sodium Hydroxide, Butylene Glycol, Propylene Glycol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Royal Jelly Extract, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis (Orange) Fruit Extract, Citrus Grandis (Grapefruit) Fruit Extract, Citrus Limon (Lemon) Fruit Extract, Phenoxyethanol, EDTA 2Na, BHT (Butylated Hydroxy Toluene), Fragrance
* red flag ingredients that I do not like to use and would not recommend to anyone who has sensitive skin.
(I’m not quite sure if this is the updated 2019 ingredient list or the 2017 one as it’s quite difficult to find an accurate list for this product online and I threw away the packaging a long time ago.)
My Thoughts
Quantity & Packaging
The product comes in a blue gradient plastic squeezable tube with a white twisted cap. There is only 50g of product so that’s 40g less than the watery gel version, however, I actually prefer this one so I wish they would increase the size.
Texture/ Consistency
It looks like a light, smooth, creamy almost translucent gel essence with a pale green-yellow tinge. It isn’t runny and holds its form well until massaged in.
Scent
This sunscreen has a strong citrus & alcohol scent.
Results
It feels really smooth, light, refreshing, and does not contain any white particles like the watery gel version, so it does not leave a white cast at all. The refreshing/ cooling feeling makes this sunscreen great for the summer, however one thing I did notice is that on a really hot humid day, if I apply too much and don’t wait for this to absorb in enough, I can really feel it melting/ sweating off my face, and constantly find myself having to dab my face – bare in mind that I have a combo skin type that is not too oily so I don’t usually experience this on a bare face. What I realised is that on days with no makeup I have to wait for this to absorb really well before going out, otherwise with makeup and powder I’m good to go. In the winter, however, this sunscreen sat and absorbed perfectly in my skin with no melting feeling with or without makeup.
I haven’t experienced any skin irritation or breakouts although I would still prefer it if this didn’t contain alcohol (ethanol) – it’s crazy that it’s second in the ingredients list, but I presume this is what gives it the light texture and cooling/ refreshing sensation – sometimes my eyes burn a little because of this too but it is temporary and bare-able. Luckily this product contains a whole lot of moisturising ingredients to counter any drying effects of the alcohol.
You might be wondering, why I still reach for this sunscreen more often than others even though there are a few occasional negatives to it, and my reason is purely because I like the general texture of it, especially on my cheeks, and I like that it does not leave a white cast on my skin.
I can’t wait to try the upgraded 2019 version of this – so far many people seem to like it.
If you’ve used this sunscreen before, I’d love to know what you think of it and if there are any other sunscreens you recommend please do share in the comments section. Also If you’d like to mini-reviews of other sunscreens I have tried, please check out my previous post Testing 12 Sunscreens from Asian & Western Beauty Brands.