Biore UV Aqua Rich Light Up Essence SPF50+ PA++++

Been using this Biore UV Aqua Rich Light Up Essence SPF50+ PA++++ (2021 version, now discontinued) off and on for months. No, not that a 70g tube would last me for months, but rather I don't use this sunscreen on a daily basis, and not by itself either. 

A'pieu Power Block Sun Stick SPF50+ PA++++

I've been carrying this 15g A'pieu Power Block Sun Stick SPF50+ PA++++ in my handbag since last summer so here's a review for it, finally. There are 2 types, Regular and Tone Up, and I'm using the Tone Up. Also, please note this stick is several years old now and there's of course a new version of it, which I don't have and don't plan on getting.

All pictures taken in natural light without flash.

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.

The Organic Pharmacy Radiant Day Shield SPF10

This is the next installment in my search for a moisturizing base to layer over my moisturizer but under my sunscreen, because my skin gets way too dry in the winter with sunscreen on.

Before this, I'd tried Bobbi Brown Extra Illuminating Moisture Balm Bare Glow. However, it was so moisturizing that it prevented my sunscreen to set, and it was way too "glowy" and pearly for my taste as well.

And before Bobbi Brown, I'd tried Paul & Joe La Tout Eclat Moisturizing Foundation Primer L SPF18 PA+, but it turned out to be full coverage, a completely opaque and pearly lavender base. Nope.

And before P&J La Tout Eclat, I was using 3 different Paul & Joe Pearl Foundation Primers which were actually working out OK until the weather got too cold and my skin got too dry.

So here I am now, with this 30mL/1fl. oz. dropper bottle of The Organic Pharmacy Radiant Day Shield SPF10 from the Day Plump & Glow Kit I bought over this past holidays season.

All pictures taken in natural light without flash.

Bobbi Brown Extra Illuminating Moisture Balm Bare Glow

Here's more to add to my on-going saga with sunscreen versus winter dry skin. 

 

Since the fall, I started layering Paul & Joe Pearl Foundation Primer over my daytime moisturizer and under sunscreen, until the weather got too cold and too dry, and these primers were no longer enough. So I tried Paul & Joe La Tout Eclat Moisturizing Foundation Primer L next, and while it was moisturizing indeed, it was also completely opaque with full coverage, which was not at all what I wanted. 

And recently I've been trying this 30mL/1fl. oz. pump bottle of Bobbi Brown Extra Illuminating Moisture Balm Bare Glow. This bottle was part of the Bobbi Brown Cleanse & Care Extra Skincare Set I bought over the past holidays.

All pictures taken in natural light without flash.

RMK x Taro Horiuchi FFFuture Cheek Stick

Along with RMK Powder Eyebrow N 01, I also picked up this RMK x Taro Horiuchi FFFuture Cheek Stick in TH-02 Future Red.

All pictures taken in natural light without flash.

Country & Stream UV Face Powder SPF50+ PA++++

Along with Kaena UV Powder SPF50+ PA++++, this Country & Stream UV Face Powder SPF50+ PA++++ was another new discovery last spring. 

By new, I meant I haven't seen it before. It wasn't a repackaged or reformulation of a powder I've tried. It also fell in what I considered reasonable price range, less than 3,500yen (I paid 1,320yen after tax). The jar contains 5.5g of product, but again this info wasn't listed anywhere on the package or online, which annoyed me to no end. Good thing the Rakuten JP shop had stated it clearly in their listing. Apparently it was a limited edition but I had no idea at the time of purchase.

All pictures taken in natural light without flash.

Kaena UV Powder SPF50+ PA++++

Last spring (yes, a year ago... =.="), while gearing up for a major sunscreen restock I found two new sunscreen powders, this Kaena UV Powder SPF50+ PA++++ and Country & Stream UV Face Powder SPF50+ PA++++, which I'll post next.

I haven't had much experience with Pola products outside of Three and Jurlique, and even then I haven't tried any Three skincare--one of these days I'll get to it! In the meantime, this sunscreen powder caught my eyes because it's Pola. Kaena is a "professional" brand, and I think that means it's marketed to salons and beauticians instead of end-users/consumers. Perhaps it's not on Cosme.net for the same reason? That said, I've also tried searching for a Kaena brand website and found nothing.

All pictures taken in natural light without flash.

Guerlain Meteorites Electric Pearl

I bought this Guerlain Meteorites Electric Pearl along with the Palette Electric Look, both apparently were 190 Years LE's released in the 2018 holiday collection.

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.

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.

Biore UV Perfect Bright Milk SPF50+ PA++++

After Biore UV Perfect Face Milk, I'm finally finally through with the last of the Biore UV Milk line with this 30mL (pink) bottle Perfect Bright Milk.

The one I'm using is the 2015 formula. The whole line was repackaged in 2017, and as of a couple of weeks ago, has again been reformulated and repackaged.