My «For You» feed on YouTube is full of recommendations from the Japanese beauty bubble. We even have a few of them in our range. I ordered three frequently mentioned sun protection products to put them through their paces.
It’s no secret that Asian sunscreens are way ahead of European products when it comes to texture. That’s why I’ve spent the last two years testing my way through our Korean range. With success. I discovered numerous fantastic products – including those for my daily UV protection. Galaxus now also sells selected Japanese beauty products. I’ve decided to test these three popular sunscreens:
Perfect UV Sunscreen Skincare Gel by Anessa
Additional information from the manufacturer: Contains fifty per cent skin-caring ingredients and has a light citrus fragrance.
UV Aqua Rich Watery Gel by Bioré
Additional information from the manufacturer: Is free from colourants and contains hyaluronic acid and royal jelly extract.
UV Super Moisture Gel by Skin Aqua
Additional information from the manufacturer: Contains sodium hyaluronate and hyaluronic acid, which both have moisturising properties.
Verdict: it’s a question of personal preference
However, there is one J-Beauty recommendation I don’t want to withhold from you. Unfortunately, it's not (yet) available in our range: the Aqua Sensitive Skin Sunscreen by the Japanese brand Banana Boat. I bought it on a holiday in Thailand. It’s alcohol-free and definitely one of my favourite sun protection products.
My journey into the J-Beauty universe is only just beginning. Don’t want to miss any articles on this topic? Then follow my profile.
As a massive Disney fan, I see the world through rose-tinted glasses. I worship series from the 90s and consider mermaids a religion. When I’m not dancing in glitter rain, I’m either hanging out at pyjama parties or sitting at my make-up table. P.S. I love you, bacon, garlic and onions.
Some information before we start the test: All of the products are thoroughly packaged – two of them come in a plastic case, while the third is tightly sealed and stuck to a plasticised cardboard sheet. That’s quite a lot of plastic. But this also leaves plenty of space for additional information – in Japanese. However, the clever minds at our importer Little Japan have removed the language barrier for some of us by sticking a German label on the back of all three products. It contains the most important information. That’s great – if you speak German. According to the manufacturers, all three products are water-resistant, have a gel texture, a sun protection factor of 50+ and high UVA protection of PA++++.
On the back, I can up the key information in German. Source: Natalie Hemengül
If you print a sun, moon and stars on your packaging, you have me hooked. That’s how Anessa’s Perfect UV Sunscreen Skincare Gel scored its first sympathy points with me before I actually tried the cream. Its texture is like that of a regular, light day cream. It’s only when I apply it that I realise how rich it is – and how much alcohol it contains. The smell literally stings my nose, followed by a light fragrance that only comes through after the alcohol has evaporated. It takes a while until I’ve worked the last bit of white into my skin and there’s nothing left to see. Will it work on every skin tone?
This packaging speaks to me. Source: Source: Natalie Hemengül
My skin looks greasy at first, then the cream’s absorbed gradually. My face shines and feels as if it’s been covered with a velvet veil. The perfect base for my make-up. It’s great that the two go together. I keep touching my face throughout the day to check if it’s sticky. After an hour, I don’t notice that I’m wearing UV protection cream. But for the first few hours I can smell that typical sunscreen scent. As long as it’s not the fragrance, I can live with it. For people with oily skin, however, the cream might be too rich. At almost twice the price of the other two creams I tested, this one’s a disappointment.
The Bioré product is much more liquid. If you look closely, you’ll see white granules (see picture at the bottom). According to the label, these are water capsules containing UV-blocking ingredients, which dissolve when you rub the cream in. What doesn’t disappear, however, is the white film on my face. This product makes me look greyish, almost a little sickly and can clearly only be worn by people with very light skin tones. The finish and skin feel are similarly glowy and soft as with Anessa’s product, but a little less rich. Alcohol and perfume are also prominent with this cream, but a bit more subtle.
Unfortunately, Bioré’s product’s too white for my skin tone. Source: Natalie Hemengül
This cream has the lightest texture of all and is therefore suitable for people with oily skin. The UV Super Moisture Gel by Skin Aqua is easy to apply, absorbs quickly and doesn’t leave a white film on my skin. This means it can be applied in several layers. The product’s unscented but smells nice, with just a mild alcohol scent. That’s unsurprising, as ethanol is «only» listed in third place in the ingredients – not in second place as in the other two products. The higher up a substance is listed, the more of it the product contains.
The Skin Aqua bottle looks like a shower gel. Source: Natalie Hemengül
I just don’t like so much alcohol in my face cream. I know that alcohol in beauty and care products shouldn’t be demonised as such and that it’s beneficial in certain quantities and formulations. Among other things, because it stabilises the UV filters and evaporates quickly after application, which makes a cream feel lighter to wear. Oily skin types in particular benefit from this. For sensitive skin, however, a high alcohol content can cause a burning sensation and dry out the skin. Ultimately, it all comes down to personal preference and skin type. In my case, my skin can handle alcohol, but my nose can’t.
The textures get more liquid from left to right: Anessa, Bioré and Skin Aqua. Source: Natalie Hemengül
My favourite from this small selection is without doubt the UV Super Moisture Gel by Skin Aqua. It’s unscented, ultra-light, has a comparatively subtle alcohol scent and a buildable texture without leaving a white veil. Thanks to its liquid formula, it’s absorbed quickly. On top, it costs the least from all three sunscreens I tested. So is it a new favourite of mine? No. My favourites include plenty of alternatives that suit me better and contain little to no alcohol. Here are some of them:
