Skin Aqua UV Super Moisture Milk Pink SPF50+ PA++++

Over the colder months, when Biore UV Perfect Bright Milk (2017 version, although I'm linking to 2015 version) proved too drying even as a 1/3 addition to my main sunscreens Nivea Sun Strong Fit Care UV Milky Gel and Nivea Men UV Protector, I busted out this 40mL bottle of Skin Aqua UV Super Moisture Milk Pink SPF50+ PA++++ to use with its sister sunscreen, the UV Super Moisture Milk (2017 version, gold bottle).

I think this isn't official, but based on appearances of the packaging and of the sunscreen milk itself, I'm guessing this UV Super Moisture Milk Pink was the replacement for Skin Aqua UV Sara Sara Milk that was discontinued in 2014. Either way, this UV Super Moisture Milk Pink was the 2019 version, and it too had been discontinued as of earlier this year, January 2022. Yes, it's frustrating that they keep discontinuing stuff I like, and it's even more exhausting to have to keep up with replacement and/or new products, but that's just how the Japanese sunscreen market works.

Skin Aqua UV Super Moisture Milk SPF50+ PA++++

Woops. Finished with this 40mL bottle of Skin Aqua UV Super Moisture Milk SPF50+ PA++++ a few weeks ago but forgot the post in the draft folder. This was the 2017 version--the gold bottle--that had been discontinued since 2019, replaced by the blue bottle. 

And if this blue bottle looks familiar to you, that's because this UV Super Moisture Milk line was the replacement when Rohto discontinued Skin Aqua UV Moisture Milk SPF50+ PA+++ in 2017. 

Mentholatum Lip Fondue

Aside from Kiss Cream Sheer Rouge and Rohto Lip The Color, yet a third hit from Julia's enormous care package last fall was this Mentholatum Lip Fondue in Marmalade Orange.

All pictures taken in natural light without flash.

Skin Aqua Tone Up UV Essence SPF50+ PA++++

For over a year I'd resisted these cotton candy-colored tubes and bottles of sunscreens that supposedly color-correct, but alas in the end my curiosity got the better of me and I picked up two 80g tubes of Skin Aqua Tone Up UV Essence SPF50+ PA++++ in the "regular" Lavender tint as well as the 2019 limited edition Mint Green.

It's worth noting that the Lavender tube I have is the old formula with alcohol from 2018, versus the Mint Green being the newer 2019 formula without alcohol.

All pictures taken in natural lighting without flash.

Skin Aqua SaraFit UV Sara Sara Essence SPF50+ PA++++

Boy is this review so very late. Good thing this sunscreen is still available. Despite the repackaging in 2017, the formulation hasn't changed as far as I know.

Anyway, back in 2016 when hubby and I were still in Tokyo, I gave this 50g tube of Skin Aqua SaraFit UV Sara Sara Essence PSF50+ PA++++ to him after he poo-pooed Nivea Sun Protect Plus UV Creamy UV Essence, disliking its soft matte finish and how it felt "waterproof" (it wasn't...).

SunPlay Clear Water SPF50+ PA++++

Some time last fall I started browsing Rakuten Global in English, finally. I've known about it for years, and I'd stayed away for just as long because, truth be told, the site sucks balls. Rakuten basically cranks its whole Japanese website through a translation engine, and a sh*tty one at that (to be fair, Japanese isn't exactly an easy language to translate). This sh*tty translation engine then goes on to trash the whole search function, because it translates Japanese product names into gibberish English and vice versa, often with some kana still intact.

Take this disaster, for example: erhhh...UV what now? O.o

***Screencap courtesy of Rakuten Global in US English. Feel free to replicate your own search if you're skeptical. The actual victim product, Biore UV Athlizm Skin Protect Essence, was well-reviewed by Citrine.

With the search engine rendered unusable, the only option left is to browse by category and the wade through the thousands and thousands of products listed page by page. They don't make it easy for you (or me!) for sure. Perhaps the interweb user-friendliness hasn't gone mainstream in Japan yet. Ha.

Anyway, knowing I'd have to restock my sunscreen supply for use this summer, I started browsing early, just to get acquainted with the website and its kinks (pun intended :P). That was when I started seeing these "tinted" sunscreens, and by tinted I meant blue or lavender and often with micro-shimmers. Since I've used and liked Biore SaraSara UV Perfect Bright Milk which was tinted pink, I was open to the idea of blue and lavender and ended up with two 26mL/30g bottles of SunPlay Clear Water SPF50+ PA++++ (and its sister Skin Aqua Tone Up UV Essence too, will review later).

All below pictures taken in natural light without flash.

Skin Aqua Perfect UV Stick SPF50+ PA++++

My curiosity didn't stop once I've secured some sunscreen sticks for my little one. Upon some more digging, I found a few Japanese ones and a boat load of Korean ones--apparently they're all the rage in South Korea these days. And better named too, if I may say. There's zero confusion for me what a UV stick or sun stick is, regardless whether it contains physical blockers or chemical filters :P

I'll start with Skin Aqua Perfect UV Stick SPF50+ PA++++. This stick contains 10g of product and retails for 1,000yen each, but you can often find it on Rakuten JP (or Global) for around 700yen, which is already a 30% discount. Sometimes, the shop runs a promotion for 10x points or gives extra coupons on top of that. I got mine for 715yen.

Skin Aqua Super Moisture Gel SPF50+ PA++++

Just finished this 110g bottle of Skin Aqua Super Moisture Gel SPF50+ PA++++ so here's a quick review. This is a stronger version of the UV Moisture Gel that's still available in SPF35 PA+++ and SPF30 PA+++.

Hand Veil Rich Cream

After the odd Hand Veil Moist Cream, I was a bit wary with this 70g tube of Rich Cream. So I tried it on my feet first ^.^" The reason being my feet are drier than my hands, and this cream is supposed to be "rich."

Hand Veil Moist Cream

So I had a hand cream panic a couple of months ago, as in I realized I was on my last tube and went on a hand cream rampage at the local drugstore. This 70g tube of Hand Veil Moist Cream was part of the haul. The blue tube is the Rich Cream, which I'll review next.

There was a bit of confusion trying to determine the correct product name, but a quick search online found that the Hand Veil is a line under the Mentholatum sub-brand under the Rohto mother-brand ^.^ And there are more of these tubes too, a total of 5 to be exact. In addition to these red and blue tubes, there are also a Moist Gel in a green tube, a Rough Hand Remedy Cream(?) in a gold tube, and a Whitening UV Cut Cream in a white tube.

Skin Aqua SaraFit UV Sara Sara Milk SPF50+ PA++++

I wasn't too surprised to learn Skin Aqua UV Sara Sara Milk SPF50+ PA+++ was discontinued as of last year. Japanese cosmetic makers discontinue products all the time, customer favorite or not. I had struggled a bit with this sunscreen a few years (it had on/off seasons...) but game to give its reincarnation a try anyway, which is kind of nutty considering it's winter and my skin is at its driest. Now named Skin Aqua SaraFit UV Sara Sara Milk SPF50+ PA++++, it comes in a blue 40mL bottle.

Skin Aqua UV Sara Sara Milk SPF50+ PA+++

Update Tuesday, December 4, 2012

Revisited this Skin Aqua UV Sara Sara Milk SPF50+ PA+++ after SunPlay Super Block failed me and I grew tired of having to take second measures around the eye area when using Skin Aqua UV Sara Sara Essence. I mean, putting on sunscreen every day is one thing, but having to put on two different sunscreens, one for the face and one for around the eyes? What a pain in the a$$!

So I dared another experiment with this dreadfully drying UV Sara Sara Milk, though this time I'd learned my lesson (or not, after all here I am trying this stuff again...) and was being super careful about layering adequately underneath it (Caudalie VinoSource S.O.S Thirst-Quenching Serum, will review next). Interestingly enough, I can't seem to find this UV Sara Sara Milk in Taipei! I've seen plenty of its alcohol-free sister Skin Aqua UV Moisture Milk in the blue bottle at Watson's, but not Sara Sara Milk in the pink bottle. Not sure why. 

Anyway, this was totally unexpected, but this Sara Sara Milk turns out to be just perfect for the crazy humid Taipei weather! Even better is that together with SK-II Facial Treatment Clear Lotion, it's been really helping with my pore clogging problem ever since I came to Taipei, perhaps because it's just that drying and it gives my skin no chance to get oily and clogged. Also, there is a reason I gave this sunscreen and SK-II Clear Lotion the credit for helping to clear up my skin and not Avene TriAcneal, but I'm not going to get into it until I actually review that product. 

So there, I brought my partially, well, more like 2/3 used bottle from Japan to Taiwan  on a hunch and it rewarded me handsomely. In fact, it worked out so well that when my sister came to visit in late October-early November, I asked her to bring me an extra bottle from my stash. Even then, I doubted this extra bottle. At the time, I was only about 2 weeks into the trial and I, nah, I probably won't even touch the new bottle because it would deep fry my skin before I finish up the current bottle. Well, I'm so so glad I was wrong, and that I have this new bottle to use, because it's been almost 7 weeks now and my skin thanks me for it!

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Update Wednesday, July 25, 2012

Okay, so after 3 weeks of continuous use of this Skin Aqua UV Sara Sara Milk SPF50+ PA+++ sans moisturizer underneath, it totally dried out my skin. Damn, I was so convinced I would get away with it given how hot and humid it is outside! Guess not :( The alcohol is probably too much for my skin to handle and I've been getting dry and flaky patches on both cheeks, chin, and on the area around the mouth T.T

Time for damage control, and after spending more than 10 days layering moisturizer underneath (Mamonde Moisture Emulsion or HABA Lift Up Serum - finally ran out of both and currently using Caudalie Pulpe Vitaminee Anti-Wrinkle Fluid, will review soon), the dry and flaky patches improved but haven't gone away completely. So unfortunately, this sunscreen is definitely a big no-no for me during the winter. I mean, shoot, it's already giving me dry flakes now when my dry-combination skin requires only light to no moisturizer. What havoc will it wreck during the colder months when my skin goes into crazy dry mode? Eeeps!!! I guess there's no replacing my trusty all-star year round Allie after all. Ha.

This Sara Sara Milk is strictly for summer use, I concluded, and with adequate moisturizer underneath for sure. If your skin is super oily, that's an entirely different story, but if your skin is just plain dry, really, stay away! 

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Original post Sunday, July 15, 2012

Having decided to put away Allie Extra UV Gel Mineral Moist N, I was eager to give this Skin Aqua UV Sara Sara Milk SPF50+ PA+++ a try. There are 2 sunscreens available in the Skin Aqua UV Milk range, a Moisture Milk I tried a few years ago that's alcohol-free, aiming to maintain moisture as most Japanese sunscreen are full of alcohol and can be drying, and this Sara Sara Milk released spring of last year that contains powder for a smooth finish. I ignored it then, thinking powder is rather an unnecessary ingredient, only to change my mind in the spirit of trying new things and gave it a chance recently. And besides, trying a different product from the same brand/range is not really that "new" or particularly adventurous in anyway. 

SunPlay Super Block SPF50+ PA+++

Update Friday October 26, 2012

After moving home from Japan, I've experimented with this SunPlay Super Block again in the super dry weather while visiting my folks in the US of A. I have to say this sunscreen worked extremely well in a drier environment! It became very light and weightless in addition to making my makeup look pretty much flawless. The slight downer was that the slight white cast also became more noticeable due to the dryness of the weather and the brightness of the sun. Nothing a few fluff of setting powder couldn't correct though, and if you are living in a dry environment, this would make an excellent substitute for Allie at a fraction of the price. Really, it was no wonder why my mum loved this little red cap bottle so much!

With this confidence, I brought a few bottles with me to Taiwan, not being certain whether I would be able to find a supply of it here in Taipei. Well, turns out I was wrong on the former and correct on the latter. I was correct in that this sunscreen cannot be found here at all! I tried looking everywhere, Sasa included and still couldn't find even one bottle! 

However, I was unexpectedly wrong in that the humid Taiwanese weather (more humid than Japan, eeps!) turned this Mentholatum SunPlay Super Block super thick and heavy on my skin. Even after I skipped moisturizer altogether, Hadanomy AquaPlacenta Concentrated Mist included(!), it still felt as though I was walking around with a mask on. And yet with no moisturizers underneath and set with translucent powder, my t-zone still shined like an oil spill when I got to school! Through classes, I had to blot constantly to keep my nose shine-free. Not sure what happened there! :( So yeah, I had to stop using this and switched over to the Skin Aqua UV Sara Sara Essence, which I'd reviewed recently after having tested it in 3 different countries, Japan, US, and Taiwan ^.^

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Original post Friday, August 10, 2012

A year or so after my first Allie sunscreen, I made a convert out of my mum and she loved Allie's texture and finish after Lancome and Estee Lauder, among other things, failed her (and stung her eyes badly). Late last year, having had my sister lugged home several bottles on her move back, mum started to complain about how much they cost. So I went online and found this post recommending the Top 5 Japanese Sunscreens for Summer 2011. Since mum's concern was affordability, I decided to get her a couple of bottles of SunPlay Super Block SPF50+ PA+++ to try, after all, its retail price is a mere 398yen for a 27mL bottle (versus Allie's 1,470yen for 25mL or 2,940yen for 60mL) and I've seen it sold for even less, 298yen(!) at certain drugstores. 

By the way, there is also a Top 5 for Spring 2011 edition too and I have actually reviewed a few from both lists: obviously Allie (been using since 2008), Nivea Sun Protect Water Gel SPF30 PA++ (started using at my sister's recommendation since she's been using the Cool version on her face for a few years), most recently Allie Extra UV Gel Mineral Moist N SPF50+ PA+++ (best for winter use I decided), Skin Aqua UV Sara Sara Milk SPF50+ PA+++ (summer use only, definitely with moisturizer underneath as it is very drying with strong alcohol content, that said it's still much better than its alcohol-free sister UV Moisture Milk I tried a few years ago), and now this Mentholatum SunPlay Super Block SPF50+ PA+++. After this, I will probably move on to another item on the list, the Biore UV Aqua Rich Watery Essence SPF50 PA+++, so check back later ^.^

Mentholatum SunPlay Super Block SPF50+ PA+++

Skin Aqua UV Sara Sara Essence SPF50+ PA+++

It has been quite an interesting experiment with this Skin Aqua UV Sara Sara Essence SPF50+ PA+++. I bought it back in May and started testing it along with several other sunscreens, Biore UV Aqua Rich Watery Essence SPF50+ PA+++, SunPlay Super Block SPF50+ PA+++, Skin Aqua UV Sara Sara Milk SPF50+ PA+++, and Allie Extra UV Gel Mineral Moist N SPF50+ PA+++ for the face, and Skin Aqua UV Moisture Gel SPF32 PA+++ and Nivea Sun Protect Water Gel SPF30 PA++ for the body.

This Sara Sara Essence is a newer release and I picked it because according to what I read, it has stronger UVA protection (indicated by PA) with Tinosorb S, an ingredient common in European sunscreens known for much stronger UVA protection than American sunscreens, which focuses on UVB (indicated by SPF) and pretty much ambivalent when it comes to UVA. 

Skin Aqua UV Moisture Gel SPF32 PA+++

I ran out of the 80g Nivea Sun Protect Water Gel SPF30 PA++ bottle a couple of weeks ago and moved on to this 2012 reformulation of the Skin Aqua UV Moisture Gel I started using in 2009. 

This new formula marks an important change in the sunscreen, making it photostable in addition to offering slightly better protection with SPF32 and PA+++ (the old formula had SPF27 and PA++). Supposedly, the feel of the sunscreen changed as well, and the big round sticker on the lower half of the outer packaging gasps, "It's just like lotion!" By lotion they meant toner, and remember that Asian made toners are seldom runny water but instead more viscous like a runny gel. The hygienic and nicely sized 150g pump bottle supposedly retails for 1,260yen and the 130g refill pouch 1,050yen, but you can get it for cheaper. I got mine for 945yen and 745yen, respectively, and I'm sure some places have them for even cheaper.

Skin Aqua UV Moisture Gel SPF32 PA+++ 150g pump bottle and 130g refill pouch

Skin Aqua UV Moisture Milk SPF50+ PA+++

This Skin Aqua UV Moisture Milk SPF50+ PA+++ is waaaaay overdue for a review! I've been using it daily since more than a month ago, after I ran out of my Allie Comfortable Sunscreen EX WaterTouch.

Skin Aqua is a fairly new line of sun screen products, introduced only about a year or two ago. I've been dying to get my hands on these, but my usual online sources didn't carry them for the longest time. Sasa.com only started stocking them recently, albeit under the wrong name. The product page calls it SunPlay (another Mentholatum sun screen product line), but the accompanying picture shows Skin Aqua instead and the descriptions says "UV Mosture Milk SPF50 PA+++." Whatever, my sister brought me this bottle on her trip home this past summer, but I will probably get it from Sasa.com next time. Someone's clearly confused and Sasa.com needs to fix either the picture or the product page/description, but for $10.80 for 40 mL, I think I'd buy it anyway and hope I'll end up with the right product :)

See the list of ingredients translated from Japanese.

Skin Aqua UV Moisture Gel SPF27 PA++

On her visit my sister brought me this Skin Aqua UV Moisture Gel SPF27 PA++. Okay fine, I sent her a picture of it, and she was so sweet to indulge me :) More like she totally spoiled me rotten, and I'm the big sister LOL

This Skin Aqua line is relatively new, introduced in spring 2008 (the other older line is Sun Play). But up until now, I was still trying out different sunscreens out there, starting with Sofina Perfect UV, then Allie Comfortable Sunscreen EX (both Perfect and WaterTouch). So I guess I'm totally ready to try something new.

See the list of ingredients translated from Japanese.