Back in June, I promised in this post I was going to give you a full review of the new Allie Comfortable Sunscreen EX Perfect SPF 50+ PA+++. I have never tried the old Allie sunscreen formula, but recently, the brand revamped, reformulated, and repackaged its sunscreens to replace the older ones. The new Allie sunscreen comes in 3 formulas:
1. Allie Comfortable Sunscreen EX Watertouch SPF 50+ PA+++: a daily sunscreen that does not need a separate oil cleanser to remove because it is not waterproof.
2. Allie Comfortable Sunscreen EX Perfect SPF 50+ PA+++: a waterproof sunscreen that needs a separate oil cleanser to remove.
3. Allie Comfortable Sunscreen EX Whitening SPF 50+ PA+++: self explanatory, in addition to being waterproof and needing a separate oil cleanser to remove.
The one is use is the "EX Perfect" version, and after a good 3 months trial, I am happily reporting that all hype with this brand new Allie reinvention is indeed well deserving! I don't know about the other 2 versions, but this Allie EX Perfect sunscreen truly is all it promises to be, and it is the one and only sunscreen for me now, replacing my all time favorite Sofina Perfect UV SPF 50 PA+++ Lucent! Unbelievable, huh?
Allie Comfortable Sunscreen EX Perfect SPF 50+ PA+++ (although they all look pretty much the same, save for the labeling). See the ingredients list translated from Japanese.
Before you go, "Hmm...," let me assure you that I didn't come to this conclusion after a week or even a month of use! In fact, my first couple of weeks with this Allie sunscreen was full of disappointment:
- The texture was different in than what I was used to with Sofina. It felt slippery upon application, and it took forever and a half for me to rub it in! I can't accurately describe it, but it felt more like a cushy bouncy milk, where as the Sofina sunscreen was more of a watery milk. I guess the silicone content must be much higher in the Allie sunscreen. If your skin are sensitive to silicone, stay away!
- Although it is supposed to dry to a matte finish, it left an odd sheen on my face. No, it wasn't shiny or tacky, it was just plain odd.
- By mid day, my face was oily and greasy. Ick!
Then something dawn on me. Before, when using the Sofina sunscreen I had always applied moisturizers first. Lots of it. This was a practice left over from my days of the Shiseido Ultimate Sun Protection Lotion & Cream SPF 55 PA+++. Yes, the Shiseido sunscreen had traumatized my skin so badly that when I started the Sofina sunscreen, I didn't dare to stop layering moisturizers! And while the Sofina sunscreen didn't deep fry my skin, I still needed moisturizers with it. I did try to go a few days without and the dryness came back, so I decided I better stick with the moisturizers. When I switched over to the Allie sunscreen, I kept that same mentality and I really shouldn't have.
Yes, my skin is dry, but only around the cheek, mouth, and chin area. My t-zones and else where are oily. So after the first couple of weeks struggling with the Allie sunscreen, I resorted to the trial and error principle: I went a few days without any moisturizers again. This time though, my trial arrived at a new revelation - that I didn't need ANY moisturizers with Allie!!! I had a really hard time believing it myself, but my current morning routine now includes just a light cleanser, a light eye cream, and then the Allie sunscreen onto bare, unmoisturized skin. I'll have to update my morning and night routines soon for you to see, but I kid you not. When I have allergies and blow my nose too much it hurts, then I'd dab a tiny bit of the lovely Cetaphil Moisturizing Cream above my lips, but other than that, nothing. NOTHING. Did the Allie sunscreen fry my skin in the absence of the moisturizer buffer? After 3 months of use, I'm very happy to report: NOPE! :D
And what do you know, all the problems I encountered during my first couple of weeks solved themselves when I skipped moisturizers and applied the stuff directly onto my bare skin! It still felt slippery going on, but it was more of a breeze to rub in, much like the Sofina sunscreen. And it dried to a semi-matte finish that turned more dewy as the day wore by. Even after the gym, my face still looked dewy fresh and glowing instead of the yucky oil slick it was when I was still piling on moisturizers.
Last but not least, this Allie sunscreen is actually cheaper than its Sofina counterpart. All 3 Allie formulas (EX Watertouch, EX Perfect, and EX Whitening) come in 2 sizes: 60 mL and 25 mL. The 60 mL is $24-28 depending on sources, versus Sofina's $28-34 for the exact same size. So it's not that hard to understand why Allie is now THE sunscreen for me, right? I even got hubby, my sister and my mum to use it :D
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