Beauty Protector Finishing Powder SPF50+ PA+++

Last of my new sun powder discovery is this 17g jar of Beauty Protector Finishing Powder SPF50+ PA+++. Being a translucent finishing powder, there's no color choice, but it's available in a smaller 6g jar for those who wants to sample first before committing.

All pictures taken in natural light without flash.

When I received the package in the mail, I took one look at this mother-load of a jar and immediately regretted my purchase. However many packaging praises I had for Panna Kiss is as many rants I have for this Beauty Protector. See all that empty space at the bottom of the container, and see how the puff fits so loosely inside the jar? There's tons of empty space everywhere, not to mention there's about 2cm gap between the puff and the lid. Why?!?

And why is this so bad? Here's the obvious--there's no way anyone could carry this thing anywhere. Sure, I could argue this 17g jar is meant to stay on the vanity table and there's a smaller 6g version.

Here's the less obvious--check out the dispenser below. It's not a plastic lid with several big holes but a stretchy net with big holes. I'll give the maker the benefit of the doubt. I'm sure they meant well, that I should be able to tap the net with the puff and get some powder. However, a stretchy net also means tossing the powder everywhere when I tap the puff. So when I dust my face with the powder, I'm also producing a huge dust cloud that would soon settle on my table surface.

Even worse is that tapping alone doesn't actually dispense much powder at all onto my puff. Because the puff is smaller than the jar itself so all the powder went out the edge, hence the huge dust cloud. What a waste of product! 

And god forbids, if I were to get frustrated enough to tip the jar over just briefly to get some powder onto the puff (been there), I'd spill the stuff everywhere thanks to that stupid 2cm gap between the puff and the lid (done that). Think: tip jar over, puff falls to lid, powder falls out. So if the 6g jar is anything like this 17g one, carrying it in my bag would still result in a disaster every use. What horrifically dumb packaging this is! Shame on Beauty Protector!

The worst part is that it's kind of pricey depends on where you buy it. This 17g jar goes for about 2,800yen on Amazon JP but is a whopping 4,000yen on Rakuten JP! Same with the 6g jar, about 900yen on Amazon JP but is 2,000yen on Rakuten JP. Not sure why there's such a big difference in prices...

Phew. Okay, now that that's off of my chest, let's talk about the actual powder. It's a physical sunblock powder with 80% mineral content and active ingredients of titanium dioxide (酸化チタン) and zinc oxide (酸化亜鉛). I'm guessing concentration must be low enough to keep the powder translucent with just a touch of coverage, which probably explains why it's only PA+++.

When I first swatched this unscented powder, I literally rolled my eyes. It's a matte powder with scattered shimmers. Argh! These people, not only they f*cked up the packaging but the actual product too?!? Then I tried the powder on my face and--what the--it was actually nice, like really nice! I was incredulous. It brightens up my face, weightless, all that silly shimmers don't really show (why did they even bother??), and best of all it stays that way all day without any creasing or settling into lines.

Turns out I absolutely hate the packaging but love the stuff inside! Will I buy it again? Yes, but I'm definitely transferring the powder into a different jar as to not tear out my hair in rage every time I use it.