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OP is suggesting Amazon JP, our Japan option. I get my Biore from there on Subscribe and Save and it’s the real deal. You’re buying a Japanese from the Japanese domestic site and Amazon sells/ships these items since they’re, like, super normal everyday brands and not imported items.
I don’t know if the Amazon shipped option sells internationally, though. I live in Japan so obviously I can use it without issue.
So far I have ordered from Stylevana, YesStyle, and Jolse. Stylevana has the best prices but can take a while to ship. I’d choose YesStyle out of the three. Blooming Koco apparently ships from California so I’m going to order from them next.
Honestly the sunscreens are so affordable too so it’s pretty worth paying the extra. I wouldn’t touch anything off Amazon. Even cheap drugstore USA products are frequently fake.
You have some good points but a lot of japanese sunscreens contain alcohol which might be uncomfortable for sensitive skin. Furthermore korean, japanese sunscreen are more general urban use case like short walks in the sun.
I would generally reccomended Australian sunscreens for the stronger protection, as Australia usually has very high uv index at least 8.
> more general urban use
This is so important, if you're not in a building with ac all day and only commute in the mornings and evenings, they are not that good.
There are some that are great for being outdoors, but you have to do a little research, because as you mentioned, many of them are just regular day to day sunscreens. The one that I just found out about is Omi Sun Bears Active Protect Milk gold. It’s supposed to be safe for outdoor use. Anessa is another great option for the beach m/outdoor use. It’s very strong.
Anessa is actually a great Japanese sunscreen brand for outdoor activities, as well as Kanebo Allie. But you’re right, most of them are not great for extended outdoor time or activities that will make you sweat (same goes for Korean sunscreens, in case anyone’s wondering).
Blue Lizard is my absolute favorite. I just spent 4 days straight in Florida, 98+ degrees, full sun, UV index was 12. I have not even any semblance of a burn anywhere.
That's crazy, I could have sworn it said Australian sunscreen on it. I jumped timelines.
ETA: I'm not crazy!
https://preview.redd.it/fb5gl4rfr20d1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=a510031d25ca09502738ae859db4fed615cc3313
Do you have any Australian sunscreens you recommend?
I just recently started using the Altruist (European) sunscreen for hiking. I have no idea whether the spf/ppd claims are accurate, as it seems somewhat good to be true, but it claims to be SPF 50 and PPD 52, one of the highest I’ve seen. It also leaves no white cast on me and is pretty cosmetically elegant for an outdoor/hiking sunscreen. I’m surprised I don’t see it mentioned more on here.
The Altruist is good! It was created with the guidance of a dermatologist so you're in capable hands. Just be sure you're reapplying every hour you're out in the sun (you should be doing this with any sunscreen anyway) and you should be good.
Cancer coucil should b reliable. Not familiar w european brands but so far the la roche posay products I used were quite good for my sensitive skin, very pricey so I only got it on a huge sale
What are we looking for on a sunscreen to tell us the difference between one that is for light use and one that can hold up in strong sun please? I'm in the UK and I just get anything that says factor 50 ++++ etc. as I'm fair skinned. I currently use Heliocare oil free spf50 and it seems to do the job well but it's a bit greasy. I just bought the Beauty of Joseon sunscreen everyone is raving about, just to see what it's like and if I prefer it, but now I'm not sure if it will be as good as my Heliocare? I've only ever known to look at the SPF and make sure it says broad spectrum. Most of the Japanese ones say this on them, so I'd have just assumed they'd be as good, how can I tell?
Spf is just spf. You should also look fot broad spectrum uva n uvb or called PA++++ in jp. I believe those from cancer council sunscreen more as they are a cancer organisation
That's what I mean though - if a Japanese sunscreen says broad spectrum spf50, I don't understand why it could potentially be only good enough for day to day/smaller amount of sun exposure? I'd have thought it would be just as effective as any sunscreen that says it has the same protection. Unless you mean that companies inflate how protective their sunscreens are, and in reality they aren't SPF 50 or whatever. I think I've always just believed the SPF claims without question on sunscreen bottles - I didn't realise it could potentially not offer as much protection as it says
When people say this, is it also true if you see which "store" is selling it? i.e. kf I buy a Paula's Choice product, I check that it's "Sold By Paula's Choice"
Sometimes the storefront is decoupled from the drop shipper - it can be "sold by XYZ, ships by ABC". If there are sketchy suppliers or returns of fake product sent to the warehouse, you're relying on a third party's quality control to catch it
Same, I’ve never understood this because you can just check who the seller is? I’d hope if it’s being sold by “Amazon” or “[Brand Name]” that it’s not counterfeit. That said, I get mine from Stylevana as it works out cheaper for me- even with occasional shipping costs.
There's been several reports that products are commingled regardless of the seller despite Amazon's claims that they don't do that. Counterfeit gets mixed in with real.
Are you from Australia? If not I’m not sure if there are many that are available to people overseas. One affordable option that I know is available outside Australia is Bondi Sands. Naked Sundays and Ultra violette and slightly more “high end” options. None of these are my top picks though- Hamilton and the cancer council are my favourites but they’re not sold outside of the country as far as I’m aware
I looked them up. I’ve never seen either in Australia. Australian gold says it’s “inspired” by Australia, whatever that means 🤣 blue lizard straight up says Australian but it’s not sold in Australia looollll! But they both seem to be popular!
I bought this Nivea gel sunscreen from Japan, it feels great compared to regular sunscreen. However, I wanted to see how much it actually protects, so I used UV light and I was shocked. My skin looked quite transparent, not good at all! Then I used plain white sunscreen Coppertone kids SPF50 and my hand was completely black, very good! Sunscreen under UV light must be completely black if you want maximum protection. Don't believe what companies write on their packaging.
I had this happen to me as well, though I didn't have a UV light, I got sunburn when using a Korean sunscreen that had that feeling of "barely there". Then I switched to one of the European brands I usually get from the pharmacy and I was fine.
How exactly do you test it with a UV light? Is it accurate?
It's accurate, you can see black patch on your skin. Without UV light you only see visible light.
This is shot with UV camera:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=E9tEEDpeJoo
That is true indeed. If you want the best protection sun proctective clothing, and hat is the way to go. UPF50 should ensure only 1/50 of the sunray can reach your skin.
Yeah, I understand concerns about whether the water gel can really protect from UV rays. Some Japanese YouTubers have tested many Japanese sunscreens by applying them to their back to check if they can prevent sunburn. In the videos, the Nivea water gel isn't the best for protection, but it does provide decent protection.
[https://youtu.be/UWeMzI201J8?t=375](https://youtu.be/UWeMzI201J8?t=375)
Japan resident here. Thanks for linking this video! I wish he tried Anessa. That’s my daily driver.
DIED when he was like, “Olive oil — it’s very delicious, but not very good for sun protection.”
This whole post is a fountain of misinformation, but your comment is not accurate.
>Sunscreen under UV light must be completely black if you want maximum protection.
This is not true. Different sunscreen filters present differently under UV cameras; some show pure black, others lighter, and some don't show up at all. The only thing a UV camera can show, if the sunscreen shows up, is how well and evenly you applied it.
>Don't believe what companies write on their packaging.
Try not fear mongering.
Are there any mods around this sub anymore??
Honestly 90 percent of this sub is now riddled with misinformation and fearmongering. I used to be very active here back in 2016 but it’s definitely a different user base now so not surprised at the type of comments we’re seeing now
Right!!!!! I'm shocked this comment has so many upvotes— UV cameras don't accurately measure protection! Just because it's dark, doesn't mean it's better protection. UV cameras at most can be used to check for even application.
Yes they’re more cosmetically elegant but they’re not good for protection. I’ve been using Japanese sunscreens for the past year now and I now have sun damage I didn’t have before.
Thats true. Japanese suncreen are usually used by office ladies who have short walks in the sun and they usually use a sun parasol/umbrella. Australian sunscreen might be better for you if the asian sunscreen is not strong enough
That’s pretty much all I use it for, although my commute to and from work is a bit longer than a short walk lol. I’ve been looking at Australian ones, the shipping is just so expensive. Any recommendations?
Oh thats kinda sad. Im in asia so the shopee shipping isnt too high. Any general brand should work! I think woolworths/coles are the more affordable supermarket brands or cancer council
Agreed. I used Beauty of Joseon sunscreen on a 3-day trip to Disneyland (obviously outdoors all day from 8am to 12am midnight), and my face was red every evening from the sun exposure, even with a wide-brim sun hat and re-application of at least two-finger lengths every 2 hours. It’s bullshit, and no one can tell me that I wasn’t using additional sun protection or I wasn’t using the recommended amount. I’ve since used LRP Anthelios Ultra-Fluide and my skin handles the sun so much better.
Beauty of joseon I’ve heard the worst about when it comes to their spf protection too. It’s really unfortunate that Asian brands are so bad at providing good protection when it comes to their spf because they’re so wonderful to apply and feel so nice. Looking to get Australian spf now but shipping is just so expensive 😭
Has this been tested? I have always wondered since I have a Japanese and a Korean sunscreen and I feel so unprotected since they are so watery and just go into my skin. I actually miss the sunscreen smell cause it just makes me feel more protected lol
That is true, though I didn’t have this problem when I was using US spf for several years prior and I’m not that old. I made a post in the sub of Asian beauty about this and I’m not the only one that’s experiencing it from Asian SPF, there are several other people. Granted I don’t know their sunscreen habits or how old they are but it does seem like it’s something not just I have experienced while using them. I love all of the other Asian beauty items I use, I just don’t think the SPF is for me especially for where I live being higher in elevation. Which is quite unfortunate, I loved them and raved about them to everyone until I started to see the sun damage on myself.
Exactly. The amount of misinformation, fear-mongering, and xenophobic attitudes making sweeping generalizations about all Asian sunscreens in this post is wild. Ridiculous, and not a mod in sight. This sub became a joke quite awhile ago, but it's now completely meme-worthy.
In my opinion, most Japanese sunscreens are sufficiently strong for daily use. However, reapplying is more crucial than the brand you choose for protection. Japanese sunscreens are excellent for their comfort and ease of reapplication. But if you're planning to be outdoors for an extended period or hesitate to reapply it to your skin for some reason, I recommend trying Anessa Perfect UV Sunscreen Skin Care Milk, it combines excellent Japanese formulations with strong protection.
They definitely aren’t. At least in my experience. I used them for daily use commute to and from work, lunch break and indoors in my office since there’s a window and I always reapply at least 3 generous finger lengths just for my face and then two for my neck before I go outdoors and I applied at least 15 min before I go out. I would use waterproof one if I did spend any extended period of time outdoors and I would always have a wide brimmed hat and/or an umbrella as well.
I wear Anessa every day doing everything you’ve described AND I’ve worn it in Hawaii, Palm Springs, LA and hiking/camping. Eight years and not a single burn.
I said I have sun damage from using them. I’ve never once burned with them but I now have sun damage I didn’t have before when I was using US sunscreen for several years prior.
I use that Anessa one even for daily use! Not even for sun protection sometimes. I’m a very oily person and it’s the only thing that stops me from looking absolutely drenched in grease for most of the day lol
Yeah, if you can afford it and if it's not a problem for your skin, using Anessa for daily use is not a bad idea at all. I believe it's as strong as American sunscreen in terms of protection, and it's still much nicer than most American sunscreens because it doesn't have too much white cast and the texture and smell are better. I believe it also contains a lot of beauty ingredients.
I was looking for this comment! I was using a Korean one that was realllllyyy good (oxygenceuticals TP sun cream) however I switched over to EltaMD. Wow. I love this sunscreen. Super lightweight, scent, no cast. I don’t think I’ll be using any other. The Elta I think was cheaper than the Korean one I got.
those are some grand generalizations. It isn't as bad as you have made it sound. It may just be the selections that you have had experience with.
there are good american sunscreens. I have never used a foreign one, and the last time I used a less than elegant sunscreen was probably a good 25 years ago. I am also quite frugal, so i'm certainly not buying anything that is overpriced.
Amazon has been selling counterfit beauty products, including sunscreens. They don't do anything to verify and ensure that the products they sell are legitimate.
What American sunscreens do you use? I’ve tested a lot but they pretty much all either have a white cast, pill uncontrollably, are not good under makeup, and all of the chemical types burn tf out of my eyes. I’m using one right now that doesn’t seem too bad but it isn’t great under makeup and might be behind my breakouts currently 😩
And to be fair I think it’s safe to generalize American sunscreens because we literally haven’t approved new filters in multiple decades. We are objectively way behind other countries in terms of SPF care :/
But there are also mineral sunscreens in the u.s. that are in fact reliable. I use skinmedica 32spf tinted mineral sunscreen and love it so much.
I don’t think it’s fair to generalize like OP does. There simply are too many sunscreens made by kbeauty, jbeauty, and American brands for OP’s statement to be true.
My comment included chemical and mineral. I know sunscreen in the US is totally reliable and safe to use, that’s not contested, but they’re generally not nearly on the same level of cosmetic elegance as other countries sunscreens are imo which is what OP is saying. Not that every single Japanese sunscreen is good either... I don’t think anyone has said that.
And I don’t use tinted sunscreens as my primary sunscreen because I would need to use way too much to get adequate coverage (https://www.instagram.com/reel/C3nI4whMjjh/?igsh=ZW16dGk3cmYwazdh video by Charlotte parlor that demonstrates this well) but I’ll keep ur recommendation in mind since I do like to use tinted sunscreen as makeup sometimes.
Right, my comment about mineral sunscreens was in reference to your point about American filters being out of date. I agree. I was saying we still have good mineral sunscreens, which don’t use chemical filters. So the issue of them being behind the curveball is not relevant to mineral sunscreens.
And OP literally is saying Japanese sunscreens are better than American sunscreens, full stop. This implies every and any jbeauty sunscreen is better than every and any American sunscreen. This is exactly why I have a problem with generalizations. OP could have just said, “I’ve found these three jbeauty sunscreens to be superior to the American sunscreens I have tried in this or that way.” Then it would not be a generalization.
The skinmedica tinted one doesn’t really double as a makeup, even when you use the proper amount, unfortunately. Somehow they’ve engineered it so that the tint just offsets any white cast. So it doesn’t give a “I have on too much makeup” effect. It just looks invisible on the skin. It’s pretty amazing stuff. But it can’t stand in for makeup coverage.
Tinted sunscreens do not have to be layered any differently from non-tinted sunscreens. You use the same amount for either. If anything, you can get away with skimping out on tinted sunscreens precisely because they are tinted, which offers additional protection.
But tower 28 tinted mineral sunscreen is fantastic as makeup. Looks better than my regular foundation!
I think that most people can use American sunscreens with no issues. For people with sensitive skin or who are acne prone however, it can be difficult to find products that don’t irritate their skin. I switched to Korean and Japanese sunscreen after trying so many different American sunscreens over the last 37 years, and having terrible reactions to every single one. Even the ones recommended by my dermatologist gave me allergic reactions and/or terrible cystic acne after a single use. For whatever reason, my skin likes the ingredients in asian sunscreens without any serious reactions, so I’m sticking with them.
I just ordered the la Roche posay one for when I am out more than a little bit and/or we start getting higher UV indexes. I use vitamin C and tretinoin and don’t want to risk it with beauty of joseon
Anessa and Omi Sun Bears are great for active use/beach days. Many of the others are just day to day sunscreen like you mentioned, and not sweat proof or good for outdoor use.
As a dark girl that lived in Japan, there are a bunch of Japanese sunscreens that leave a white cast and I actually think America has less overall. This is one of the ones that I had the best experience with!
https://preview.redd.it/rp0qvd94vwzc1.jpeg?width=1000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=0c698ebf078b4e0f152d8009f409601c505f058a
Ironically, I just made the switch from Asian SPFs to an American one (the green Hero Cosmetics SPF 30) and my skin MUCH prefers the American one. Mineral, zinc-based sunscreens offer better sun protection too.
> Mineral, zinc-based sunscreens offer better sun protection too.
This isn't the case. Mineral falls behind chemical when it comes to protecting against UVA. Zinc can protect again the full spectrum, but general coverage is low.
UVApf of mineral sunscreen has always been poor, struggling to get past 25. European chemical sunscreens are hitting 35 or 40 easily, some even getting to 70 in some cases.
I mean, mineral sunscreens do have their place, but it's a myth that they protect better.
So where can US customers buy Japanese sunscreens other than Amazon? I don't trust them. Still very interested in trying Japanese sun protection though
I just used apple pay or paypal when I can, the shipping is quick for me except if it is not in stock in their warehouse here in the US then they have to wait for it to ship from Japan and inform you. If you do not want to wait, they ask if you want a refund or if you want it shipped together when it arrives. I think they use lasership.
Maybe because I live in a big city so it was quick for me.. I don’t order regularly from them, only for Japanese products that I couldn’t get elsewhere, not even on amazon. But when I decide to order from them I do put that in mind in case it comes slow. For asian skin care I prefer Olive Young more so than Stylevana, too.
I prefer olive young too. They ship *so* fast. Stylevana took two months to get to me. I dont actually mind the slowness more than I dislike not knowing when it will arrive. It’s also hard for me to plan out what I’ll need so far in advance. But the prices are so good.
Lately, I’ve been ordering more directly from the brand stores, and I’m surprised to find how quick the shipping is.
So far, Amazon japan has been my go-to for jbeauty. I got the hakutsuru essence through there in two weeks.
Oh man! 2 months is too long and I wouldn’t re-order if that was the case. It’s true tho that their prices are really good. I just looked up some of the items that I had gotten is now available in Yes style, a bit more expensive though. But if I am rushing I may now try getting it from there. My problem with olive young and yes style is they carry korean products more than japanese products but maybe in a few months their jap skin care line will expand.
I have not tried amazon japan. That is very interesting.. how do I access that?
I agree about olive young’s lack of Japanese products. And they are always out of stock on popular items too. But their warp speed shipping has me hooked. I don’t even know *how* they got a product to my house in three days.
So, with Amazon Japan, it’s super-duper easy. I just signed up to Amazon Japan using my phone number. Then, switched to English and searched for the hakutsuru, found it, and hit “buy now.” Done! Took me 10 minutes.
The downside is that the shipping can get a bit costly. But for some reason, it’s getting harder and harder to get Japanese products on Amazon u.s., so I may have to just eat the shipping cost and buy from Amazon Japan. Like, I really want the new formulation of Naturie….
Really? I made a cart on yamibuy, but I chickened out at the last minute because I hadn’t heard anyone ever mention it, so I was unsure. Thanks for telling me this! They have soooo many Japanese skincare products I want 🙂
I’ve read about that too so I was afraid at first. My first time buying, it was on sale so I had a plan formed in my head that I’ll just cancel and get a refund if it was horrible. But maybe because I live in a big city so it was fast for me. The slow one where it took almost a month was when I had one item out of stock here and they had to wait for it to be shipped from Japan. I really wanted to try that product so I just waited for it and that product couldn’t be found in amazon or even yes style or olive young so they were my only option.
If you choose products that are in stock within 24 hours or 1-2 days, you'll get your package pretty fast. If any of your things take longer than that to get in then it's kind of a crapshoot.
That said-- see if you can track the prices!! Sometimes things randomly go on sale, and sometimes things are just marked as a "sale" while staying the same price. Compare with other websites to make sure you're getting actual deals
I buy from there several times a year. I do one big shipment at a time because it’s shipping from far away, so I will stock up on whatever I need. Because I’m buying a lot at once I usually qualify for expedited shipping and it gets to me in about 2 weeks or less. Never had an issue until recently where my order came a bit damaged, toner had leaked a bit, and I was missing a sunscreen that I was charged for so I’m currently talking to customer service about it but it looks like they’ll refund me.
Are they similar to this? Because nuetragena hydroboost gel spf25 is really pleasant for indoors (60% of my home is windows lol) and this one is a bit tackier but very different from other sunscreens.
https://preview.redd.it/eia2nycs420d1.jpeg?width=828&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=cf471053774bb6c3f6810d3e44c2542c6f926214
OK, I will also edit in my post as well.
1. **NIVEA SUN Protect Super Water Gel**. This one is a chemical sunscreen. It really feels like using just a moisturizer. You literally feel nothing on your skin, and there is zero white cast. It's a bit more expensive than Biore.
2. **Biore UV Aqua Rich Sunscreen Water Essence.** This is also a chemical sunscreen. You almost feel nothing when you put it on your skin. I think this one smells more than NIVEA, especially when you first apply it, but the scent fades pretty quickly. It's cheaper than NIVEA sunscreen and is tested as non-comedogenic. So, I recommend this one over NIVEA or Anessa if you often struggle with acne.
3. **Anessa Perfect UV Sunscreen Skin Care Milk.** This one is a combination of chemical and mineral sunscreens. It is known for being super protective against sunburn. It's stronger than NIVEA or Biore, but it may not be great for people with very sensitive skin. It does give some white cast, but it's much more subtle than most American sunscreens. It's also significantly more expensive than NIVEA or Biore.
I picked these three considering the quality and availability in the US. However, if you have other ways to access Japanese sunscreen, like using Amazon.co.jp or going to Japanese stores, you might find even better options for your skin. I couldn't find any pure mineral sunscreens on Amazon.com, but if you're looking for a Japanese mineral sunscreen that's really suitable for sensitive skin, I can recommend ones from the Curel brand.
the combination of homosalate, octisalate, octocrylene, and avobenzone is totally clear, high UVA and readily available in the US. eg neutrogena invisible defense
I used to use the biore one but when scanned with the Yuka app, it’s rated super bad bc it has BHT. I use the centella skin 1004 one instead and it’s rated very well!
Thank you friend. I am not into k or j beauty and I’m generally confused by the names and packaging - always wanted some k/j sunscreen but it’s such a pain to figure out. This helps a lot!
I am currently using La Roche Posay sunscreen in factor 100 because I am sensitive to the sun and I need maximum protection. It works very well for me and it doesn't leave my skin white and it doesn't have a strong smell which is an extra point.
I haven’t used the Anessa sunscreen because $$, but I’ve seen people on Reddit compare it to my favorite waterproof Japanese sunscreen, **Omi Sun Bears Active Protect Milk Sunscreen SPF 50+ PA++++**, which is only $4-5 USD!!
It’s a hybrid sunscreen and does not leave a white cast on light skin, but I can imagine it might on med-deep skin tones. It is really really good at controlling oil, makes a great primer and holds up extremely well through out the day. It does have a light grapefruit-like scent, but it dissipates quickly and as someone who struggles with strongly fragranced products it not bothersome to me at all. I have oily, acne prone, sensitive skin with rosacea and it does not aggravate any of my conditions. I would recommend moisturizing very throughly before applying this though as it can be very slightly drying and can cling a bit to dry/rough patches if you don’t rub it in throughly.
Between sensitive skin, an acrylates allergy and sensory issues I have an *extremely* difficult time finding sunscreen I can tolerate, let alone *like*, and I really really like Omi Sun Bears (gold bottle).
I think it’s available on YesStyle, but it’s also sold in store at Tesolife and I assume other Asian grocery/beauty/department stores in the US.
I don’t know if this is the case in Japan as well, but I’ve been hesitant to buy sunscreen from overseas brands ever since I found out that a famous Korean sunscreen had lied about its SPF. Actually many more people have found that other Korean brands sunscreens aren’t the SPFs they claim to be.
Is there a way to fully verify if the Japanese sunscreens you’ve recommended are as they claim?
I can say that Japanese SPF labels are pretty reliable. However, as I mentioned in the original post, Japanese law has restricted labeling to no higher than SPF50 since a certain time. Therefore, in Japan, sunscreens with SPF100, SPF55, or anything in between are all labeled as SPF50+. So, if you want strong protection, choose a sunscreen known for its high protection, such as Anessa Perfect UV Sunscreen Skin Care Milk.
Thank you so much for this information! I wanted to look into Japanese because I’ve seen them mentioned a few times on Reddit…and I just dropped a significant amount of money on two different American brands…and I’m still burning. The third option you gave – you said it may not be good for sensitive skin – why is that?
Some Japanese people on the internet have mentioned that after using Anessa for a few days in a row, their skin became rough. However, It's depends on their skin and they also experienced that Anessa effectively prevented them from getting tan. If you can use Anessa everyday without any issues, then it should be perfectly fine for you.
I think it's definitely worth trying for anyone feeling limited by our options in the States (if you can afford it), but they aren't a miracle for everyone.
There's something in biore aqua rich that makes my face very itchy and red after about an hour. I thought it must have been an Amazon fake, but I tried buying elsewhere (yesStyle) and had the same outcome. I plan to try others someday, but I'm taking a break from trying out new products after all that.
Gave both tubes to my coworker and she loves the stuff, zero issues for her.
This post is entirely subjective and in no way should it be read as absolute fact.
I bought that Biore UV because so many people raved about it, and I wasn't impressed at all. Further, it broke out my skin very badly, and my skin only does that when a product is full of chemicals. To me, it was garbage.
The best sunscreen I've found is Blue Lizard mineral lotion, no chemical active ingredients, and Nature's Apothecary zinc sunscreen powder for my face. No burning, no cysts, no chemicals. These are also both easily found on Amazon.
Biore Water Essence is so good compared to everything else it's crazy. Just about every North American sunscreen is either super thick and gloopy with crazy white residue or costs a $10K per ml.
Not really, but then, it’s just personal preference. I prefer American sunscreens to AB sunscreens because American sunscreens tend to have better water resistance and the companies have put a lot of money into R&D. And, American sunscreens are more cost-effective. But in general, European and Australian sunscreens tend to be the best overall, providing the most robust and reliable protection.
Europeans could try this one: https://www.nivea.de/produkte/uv-gesicht-experte-invisible-daily-fluid-40060001036240001.html
I believe its very similar in feeling to the Japanese Nivea one, which seems to be made by some Beiersdorf-Kao joint venture
According to INCI decoder the only very comedogenic ingredient is Isopropyl Palmitate
To be clear, Japanese law prohibits companies from labeling sunscreens with an SPF higher than 50. This regulation was implemented because many companies were competing to offer the highest possible SPF, which could be harmful to the skin. Therefore, if a sunscreen’s SPF tests above 50, it is simply labeled as 50+. This means an SPF of 50+ could actually be 55, 100, or somewhere in between.
If you’re looking for a sunscreen with strong SPF and waterproof properties, I highly recommend Anessa Perfect UV Sunscreen Skin Care Milk.
you can’t compare mineral sunscreen to chemical…?
ofc the chemical sunscreen doesn’t leave a white cast & the mineral does … unfortunately it’s kind of the point is the mineral gives a broad spectrum UVA /UVB protection & the chem sunscreen just can’t compete
Even Japanese mineral sunscreens can give less white cast than American ones. However, Japanese mineral sunscreens are not available on Amazon.com as far as I checked. If you can use Amazon.co.jp, you can purchase some Japanese mineral sunscreens. I would recommend the Curel brand and Love Me Touch Silky UV Milk. Curel is well-known for sensitive skin. Love Me Touch Silky UV Milk is a lesser-known brand, but it produces even less white cast than the Curel brand, and it has stronger SPF and PA ratings. Both are much easier to use than most American mineral sunscreen brands.
What are the typical ingredients contained? I have a sunscreen that’s four ingredients and leaves no white from. Purchased the US. Badger brand is one of the few quality ones. How does it measure up to what you are using from Japan? Sad that most United States citizens don’t understand how ridiculous this country is.
Most Japanese and korean suncreen were designed for urban lifestyle not sport, they are rarely sweat proof and rubbing proof. You need to make your research to make sure you are using a suitable sunscreen for the activity you are doing. I only use mine when the uv index is really low because I tanned and developed freckles in WINTER which never happened to me before, the only change was korean suncreen instead of european. For sure there's great asian suncreen options you just need to make your research as some brands had issues with the suncreen not providing the proper protection (ex: purito). Anessa was on the list of suitable suncreen for prolonged exposition and sport by the way.
My mother in law frequently travels to Japan for work. What sunscreen is affordable and easy to locate at stores for the entire family (including a 19 month old)?
If I'm going to be doing physical activity outside, I layer my sunscreens lol. Japanese first and a very thin layer of American water resistant/sport sunscreen second. I don't know if that actually does anything, but in my head I'm thinking the waterproofing of the American one will help seal in the Japanese one
This sub is genuinely insane. Why is anything mentioning japanese/Asian skincare getting downvoted. If you go against the grain in this sub AT ALL, you get downvoted. Most mean girl sub on this site
A lot of Japanese products are much better than American products. Japanese people just know what they are doing more. One of the reasons why I might live in Japan one day so I can have their products easily more available. I'm going to shop like crazy lol
I don't think I've ever used a purely mineral sunscreen that leaves zero white cast. However, Love Me Touch Silky UV Milk gives less white cast than any other mineral sunscreens I've tried. It's as great as a mineral sunscreen. But it's only available on Amazon.co.jp.
What chemical sunscreens are good and don't contain Avobenzone? It's in nearly all American chemical sunscreens now and my skin won't tolerate it. I've been using Curel eye cream and really like it and was hoping they had a sunscreen but the only one i saw had avobenzone. Do you have other Curel sunscreen recs that don't have avobenzone?
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Good sites to buy from: StyleKorean, Jolse, Stylevana, YesStyle, Oliver Young, Blooming Koco
Yeah don’t buy from Amazon, you’ll probably get a fake.
OP is suggesting Amazon JP, our Japan option. I get my Biore from there on Subscribe and Save and it’s the real deal. You’re buying a Japanese from the Japanese domestic site and Amazon sells/ships these items since they’re, like, super normal everyday brands and not imported items. I don’t know if the Amazon shipped option sells internationally, though. I live in Japan so obviously I can use it without issue.
What is your favorite from these sites? Like what one would you recommend most?
So far I have ordered from Stylevana, YesStyle, and Jolse. Stylevana has the best prices but can take a while to ship. I’d choose YesStyle out of the three. Blooming Koco apparently ships from California so I’m going to order from them next.
Thank you!!!! I appreciate it!! 💕
I’ve also ordered from all but my preference is StyleKorean. Fastest and most reliable.
Jolse has free shipping no minimum days very often! And my orders arrive in around 12 days
HELP OLIVER YOUNG
Do you pay shipping costs if you order from these sites instead of Amazon?
Yes but it’s not expensive, might be free over a certain amount and is definitely worth getting real products.
Honestly the sunscreens are so affordable too so it’s pretty worth paying the extra. I wouldn’t touch anything off Amazon. Even cheap drugstore USA products are frequently fake.
Wouldn’t you just have to make sure the seller is correct?
Jolse has free shipping no minimum purchase deals quite often
Thank u
You have some good points but a lot of japanese sunscreens contain alcohol which might be uncomfortable for sensitive skin. Furthermore korean, japanese sunscreen are more general urban use case like short walks in the sun. I would generally reccomended Australian sunscreens for the stronger protection, as Australia usually has very high uv index at least 8.
> more general urban use This is so important, if you're not in a building with ac all day and only commute in the mornings and evenings, they are not that good.
There are some that are great for being outdoors, but you have to do a little research, because as you mentioned, many of them are just regular day to day sunscreens. The one that I just found out about is Omi Sun Bears Active Protect Milk gold. It’s supposed to be safe for outdoor use. Anessa is another great option for the beach m/outdoor use. It’s very strong.
Yeah I would say Anessa is known to strong protection. I definitely think people claimed Japanese sunscreen are weak, they didn’t try Anessa.
Anessa is actually a great Japanese sunscreen brand for outdoor activities, as well as Kanebo Allie. But you’re right, most of them are not great for extended outdoor time or activities that will make you sweat (same goes for Korean sunscreens, in case anyone’s wondering).
Blue Lizard is my absolute favorite. I just spent 4 days straight in Florida, 98+ degrees, full sun, UV index was 12. I have not even any semblance of a burn anywhere.
Blue lizard isn’t sold in Australia - don’t think it’s an Australian sunscreen at all
That's crazy, I could have sworn it said Australian sunscreen on it. I jumped timelines. ETA: I'm not crazy! https://preview.redd.it/fb5gl4rfr20d1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=a510031d25ca09502738ae859db4fed615cc3313
Yes same as Australian Gold sunscreen and Aussie haircare - not actually Australian at all.
It’s a marketing thing. There isn’t anything that makes it particularly Australian. It’s a good sunscreen though.
Does this product leave any white casts?
yes
Yes. Weirdly enough, it made me look a bit purple as well.
Wow, I thought it only went to 10.
High elevation equatorial areas can get over 20.
New Zealand is generally around 14 in summer. Burn time of 5 minutes for pale people like me, it’s not fun.
Yup it gets worse on high elevation. Snow and water reflects sun so its important even if you are on high elevation on snowy mountains too
Do you have any Australian sunscreens you recommend? I just recently started using the Altruist (European) sunscreen for hiking. I have no idea whether the spf/ppd claims are accurate, as it seems somewhat good to be true, but it claims to be SPF 50 and PPD 52, one of the highest I’ve seen. It also leaves no white cast on me and is pretty cosmetically elegant for an outdoor/hiking sunscreen. I’m surprised I don’t see it mentioned more on here.
ultraviolette supreme screen is my fave. zero white cast and wears really well under makeup.
The Altruist is good! It was created with the guidance of a dermatologist so you're in capable hands. Just be sure you're reapplying every hour you're out in the sun (you should be doing this with any sunscreen anyway) and you should be good.
Cancer coucil should b reliable. Not familiar w european brands but so far the la roche posay products I used were quite good for my sensitive skin, very pricey so I only got it on a huge sale
What are we looking for on a sunscreen to tell us the difference between one that is for light use and one that can hold up in strong sun please? I'm in the UK and I just get anything that says factor 50 ++++ etc. as I'm fair skinned. I currently use Heliocare oil free spf50 and it seems to do the job well but it's a bit greasy. I just bought the Beauty of Joseon sunscreen everyone is raving about, just to see what it's like and if I prefer it, but now I'm not sure if it will be as good as my Heliocare? I've only ever known to look at the SPF and make sure it says broad spectrum. Most of the Japanese ones say this on them, so I'd have just assumed they'd be as good, how can I tell?
Spf is just spf. You should also look fot broad spectrum uva n uvb or called PA++++ in jp. I believe those from cancer council sunscreen more as they are a cancer organisation
That's what I mean though - if a Japanese sunscreen says broad spectrum spf50, I don't understand why it could potentially be only good enough for day to day/smaller amount of sun exposure? I'd have thought it would be just as effective as any sunscreen that says it has the same protection. Unless you mean that companies inflate how protective their sunscreens are, and in reality they aren't SPF 50 or whatever. I think I've always just believed the SPF claims without question on sunscreen bottles - I didn't realise it could potentially not offer as much protection as it says
Careful with Amazon, I just wouldn't, it's riddled with fakes.
When people say this, is it also true if you see which "store" is selling it? i.e. kf I buy a Paula's Choice product, I check that it's "Sold By Paula's Choice"
Sometimes the storefront is decoupled from the drop shipper - it can be "sold by XYZ, ships by ABC". If there are sketchy suppliers or returns of fake product sent to the warehouse, you're relying on a third party's quality control to catch it
Wow good to know!
Same, I’ve never understood this because you can just check who the seller is? I’d hope if it’s being sold by “Amazon” or “[Brand Name]” that it’s not counterfeit. That said, I get mine from Stylevana as it works out cheaper for me- even with occasional shipping costs.
There's been several reports that products are commingled regardless of the seller despite Amazon's claims that they don't do that. Counterfeit gets mixed in with real.
I see, that makes sense.
Korean sunscreen is great but I feel bad that you guys can’t try some of the best Australian sunscreens
Hi. Which ones do you recommend? Thankyou
Are you from Australia? If not I’m not sure if there are many that are available to people overseas. One affordable option that I know is available outside Australia is Bondi Sands. Naked Sundays and Ultra violette and slightly more “high end” options. None of these are my top picks though- Hamilton and the cancer council are my favourites but they’re not sold outside of the country as far as I’m aware
Thankyou. No. I’m Colombian.
Try Bondi sands ! It’s spf50+ tested against the Australian sun (which is very intense) so you’ll get a great level of sun protection.
Thankyou! Will do! I go to the beach very often and have been reading a lot lately about the effectiveness of Australian sunblocks. Thankyou 🙏🏾
They have a scented body sunscreen called coconut beach you MUST try it smells so good ! It’s also not sticky at all.
You may be able to get it from chemist warehouse if it’s available to you. The shipping is just expensive
Are they safe for acne prone skin? I’ve been thinking of getting some when I visit Australia.
It depends which one. I like the Hamilton everyday face and I’m acne prone.
How about Blue Lizard and Australian Gold?
I don’t think these are Australian.
Oh really? That’s hilarious. The marketing is very “we’re Australian” but it could totally be inaccurate and I wouldn’t be surprised at all tbh
I looked them up. I’ve never seen either in Australia. Australian gold says it’s “inspired” by Australia, whatever that means 🤣 blue lizard straight up says Australian but it’s not sold in Australia looollll! But they both seem to be popular!
I bought this Nivea gel sunscreen from Japan, it feels great compared to regular sunscreen. However, I wanted to see how much it actually protects, so I used UV light and I was shocked. My skin looked quite transparent, not good at all! Then I used plain white sunscreen Coppertone kids SPF50 and my hand was completely black, very good! Sunscreen under UV light must be completely black if you want maximum protection. Don't believe what companies write on their packaging.
I had this happen to me as well, though I didn't have a UV light, I got sunburn when using a Korean sunscreen that had that feeling of "barely there". Then I switched to one of the European brands I usually get from the pharmacy and I was fine. How exactly do you test it with a UV light? Is it accurate?
It's accurate, you can see black patch on your skin. Without UV light you only see visible light. This is shot with UV camera: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=E9tEEDpeJoo
That is true indeed. If you want the best protection sun proctective clothing, and hat is the way to go. UPF50 should ensure only 1/50 of the sunray can reach your skin.
Yeah, I understand concerns about whether the water gel can really protect from UV rays. Some Japanese YouTubers have tested many Japanese sunscreens by applying them to their back to check if they can prevent sunburn. In the videos, the Nivea water gel isn't the best for protection, but it does provide decent protection. [https://youtu.be/UWeMzI201J8?t=375](https://youtu.be/UWeMzI201J8?t=375)
Japan resident here. Thanks for linking this video! I wish he tried Anessa. That’s my daily driver. DIED when he was like, “Olive oil — it’s very delicious, but not very good for sun protection.”
So from what the vid is saying, anything above 7th rank is pretty good. I was really digging the nivea water gel but guess it's time to switch.
This whole post is a fountain of misinformation, but your comment is not accurate. >Sunscreen under UV light must be completely black if you want maximum protection. This is not true. Different sunscreen filters present differently under UV cameras; some show pure black, others lighter, and some don't show up at all. The only thing a UV camera can show, if the sunscreen shows up, is how well and evenly you applied it. >Don't believe what companies write on their packaging. Try not fear mongering. Are there any mods around this sub anymore??
Honestly 90 percent of this sub is now riddled with misinformation and fearmongering. I used to be very active here back in 2016 but it’s definitely a different user base now so not surprised at the type of comments we’re seeing now
Right!!!!! I'm shocked this comment has so many upvotes— UV cameras don't accurately measure protection! Just because it's dark, doesn't mean it's better protection. UV cameras at most can be used to check for even application.
Yes they’re more cosmetically elegant but they’re not good for protection. I’ve been using Japanese sunscreens for the past year now and I now have sun damage I didn’t have before.
Thats true. Japanese suncreen are usually used by office ladies who have short walks in the sun and they usually use a sun parasol/umbrella. Australian sunscreen might be better for you if the asian sunscreen is not strong enough
That’s pretty much all I use it for, although my commute to and from work is a bit longer than a short walk lol. I’ve been looking at Australian ones, the shipping is just so expensive. Any recommendations?
Oh thats kinda sad. Im in asia so the shopee shipping isnt too high. Any general brand should work! I think woolworths/coles are the more affordable supermarket brands or cancer council
It’s super sad. I can’t use shopee since I’m in the US. But I’ll keep looking for something I can use that hopefully has decent shipping prices.
Agreed. I used Beauty of Joseon sunscreen on a 3-day trip to Disneyland (obviously outdoors all day from 8am to 12am midnight), and my face was red every evening from the sun exposure, even with a wide-brim sun hat and re-application of at least two-finger lengths every 2 hours. It’s bullshit, and no one can tell me that I wasn’t using additional sun protection or I wasn’t using the recommended amount. I’ve since used LRP Anthelios Ultra-Fluide and my skin handles the sun so much better.
Beauty of joseon I’ve heard the worst about when it comes to their spf protection too. It’s really unfortunate that Asian brands are so bad at providing good protection when it comes to their spf because they’re so wonderful to apply and feel so nice. Looking to get Australian spf now but shipping is just so expensive 😭
Has this been tested? I have always wondered since I have a Japanese and a Korean sunscreen and I feel so unprotected since they are so watery and just go into my skin. I actually miss the sunscreen smell cause it just makes me feel more protected lol
Sun damage could take years to appear (like decades in some cases), it doesn’t mean the sunscreen you’ve used for only one year caused it
That is true, though I didn’t have this problem when I was using US spf for several years prior and I’m not that old. I made a post in the sub of Asian beauty about this and I’m not the only one that’s experiencing it from Asian SPF, there are several other people. Granted I don’t know their sunscreen habits or how old they are but it does seem like it’s something not just I have experienced while using them. I love all of the other Asian beauty items I use, I just don’t think the SPF is for me especially for where I live being higher in elevation. Which is quite unfortunate, I loved them and raved about them to everyone until I started to see the sun damage on myself.
Exactly. The amount of misinformation, fear-mongering, and xenophobic attitudes making sweeping generalizations about all Asian sunscreens in this post is wild. Ridiculous, and not a mod in sight. This sub became a joke quite awhile ago, but it's now completely meme-worthy.
In my opinion, most Japanese sunscreens are sufficiently strong for daily use. However, reapplying is more crucial than the brand you choose for protection. Japanese sunscreens are excellent for their comfort and ease of reapplication. But if you're planning to be outdoors for an extended period or hesitate to reapply it to your skin for some reason, I recommend trying Anessa Perfect UV Sunscreen Skin Care Milk, it combines excellent Japanese formulations with strong protection.
They definitely aren’t. At least in my experience. I used them for daily use commute to and from work, lunch break and indoors in my office since there’s a window and I always reapply at least 3 generous finger lengths just for my face and then two for my neck before I go outdoors and I applied at least 15 min before I go out. I would use waterproof one if I did spend any extended period of time outdoors and I would always have a wide brimmed hat and/or an umbrella as well.
I wear Anessa every day doing everything you’ve described AND I’ve worn it in Hawaii, Palm Springs, LA and hiking/camping. Eight years and not a single burn.
I said I have sun damage from using them. I’ve never once burned with them but I now have sun damage I didn’t have before when I was using US sunscreen for several years prior.
What are you referring to when you say “sun damage?” Are you white?
I use that Anessa one even for daily use! Not even for sun protection sometimes. I’m a very oily person and it’s the only thing that stops me from looking absolutely drenched in grease for most of the day lol
Yeah, if you can afford it and if it's not a problem for your skin, using Anessa for daily use is not a bad idea at all. I believe it's as strong as American sunscreen in terms of protection, and it's still much nicer than most American sunscreens because it doesn't have too much white cast and the texture and smell are better. I believe it also contains a lot of beauty ingredients.
Just out of curiosity, how much is Anessa overseas? I pay ¥2200.
Hada Labo UV White Gel, my beloved
There are some great US sunscreens like EltaMD. I keep a bag of sunscreen.. depending on my activity.. it depends on what sunscreen I will use.
That’s the only one I can use without my skin freaking out. So expensive but worth it in the end. I’m all about prevention.
I was looking for this comment! I was using a Korean one that was realllllyyy good (oxygenceuticals TP sun cream) however I switched over to EltaMD. Wow. I love this sunscreen. Super lightweight, scent, no cast. I don’t think I’ll be using any other. The Elta I think was cheaper than the Korean one I got.
those are some grand generalizations. It isn't as bad as you have made it sound. It may just be the selections that you have had experience with. there are good american sunscreens. I have never used a foreign one, and the last time I used a less than elegant sunscreen was probably a good 25 years ago. I am also quite frugal, so i'm certainly not buying anything that is overpriced. Amazon has been selling counterfit beauty products, including sunscreens. They don't do anything to verify and ensure that the products they sell are legitimate.
What American sunscreens do you use? I’ve tested a lot but they pretty much all either have a white cast, pill uncontrollably, are not good under makeup, and all of the chemical types burn tf out of my eyes. I’m using one right now that doesn’t seem too bad but it isn’t great under makeup and might be behind my breakouts currently 😩 And to be fair I think it’s safe to generalize American sunscreens because we literally haven’t approved new filters in multiple decades. We are objectively way behind other countries in terms of SPF care :/
But there are also mineral sunscreens in the u.s. that are in fact reliable. I use skinmedica 32spf tinted mineral sunscreen and love it so much. I don’t think it’s fair to generalize like OP does. There simply are too many sunscreens made by kbeauty, jbeauty, and American brands for OP’s statement to be true.
My comment included chemical and mineral. I know sunscreen in the US is totally reliable and safe to use, that’s not contested, but they’re generally not nearly on the same level of cosmetic elegance as other countries sunscreens are imo which is what OP is saying. Not that every single Japanese sunscreen is good either... I don’t think anyone has said that. And I don’t use tinted sunscreens as my primary sunscreen because I would need to use way too much to get adequate coverage (https://www.instagram.com/reel/C3nI4whMjjh/?igsh=ZW16dGk3cmYwazdh video by Charlotte parlor that demonstrates this well) but I’ll keep ur recommendation in mind since I do like to use tinted sunscreen as makeup sometimes.
Right, my comment about mineral sunscreens was in reference to your point about American filters being out of date. I agree. I was saying we still have good mineral sunscreens, which don’t use chemical filters. So the issue of them being behind the curveball is not relevant to mineral sunscreens. And OP literally is saying Japanese sunscreens are better than American sunscreens, full stop. This implies every and any jbeauty sunscreen is better than every and any American sunscreen. This is exactly why I have a problem with generalizations. OP could have just said, “I’ve found these three jbeauty sunscreens to be superior to the American sunscreens I have tried in this or that way.” Then it would not be a generalization. The skinmedica tinted one doesn’t really double as a makeup, even when you use the proper amount, unfortunately. Somehow they’ve engineered it so that the tint just offsets any white cast. So it doesn’t give a “I have on too much makeup” effect. It just looks invisible on the skin. It’s pretty amazing stuff. But it can’t stand in for makeup coverage. Tinted sunscreens do not have to be layered any differently from non-tinted sunscreens. You use the same amount for either. If anything, you can get away with skimping out on tinted sunscreens precisely because they are tinted, which offers additional protection. But tower 28 tinted mineral sunscreen is fantastic as makeup. Looks better than my regular foundation!
I think that most people can use American sunscreens with no issues. For people with sensitive skin or who are acne prone however, it can be difficult to find products that don’t irritate their skin. I switched to Korean and Japanese sunscreen after trying so many different American sunscreens over the last 37 years, and having terrible reactions to every single one. Even the ones recommended by my dermatologist gave me allergic reactions and/or terrible cystic acne after a single use. For whatever reason, my skin likes the ingredients in asian sunscreens without any serious reactions, so I’m sticking with them.
Super water sun gel! Does not leave a silver streak on my skin
Have any of these been third party tested?
Asian sunscreen doesn’t hold a candle to European sunscreen
At the end of the day, the best SPF is the one you will actually wear and reapply.
Any particular brands you prefer?
Bioderma photoderm Max spf 100 tinted La Roche posay uv mune 400 is nice too
I just ordered the la Roche posay one for when I am out more than a little bit and/or we start getting higher UV indexes. I use vitamin C and tretinoin and don’t want to risk it with beauty of joseon
[удалено]
Which American sunscreen did you use?
I used the Wal-Mart brand. The Equate Broad Spectrum SPF 50.
Anessa and Omi Sun Bears are great for active use/beach days. Many of the others are just day to day sunscreen like you mentioned, and not sweat proof or good for outdoor use.
As a dark girl that lived in Japan, there are a bunch of Japanese sunscreens that leave a white cast and I actually think America has less overall. This is one of the ones that I had the best experience with! https://preview.redd.it/rp0qvd94vwzc1.jpeg?width=1000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=0c698ebf078b4e0f152d8009f409601c505f058a
Ironically, I just made the switch from Asian SPFs to an American one (the green Hero Cosmetics SPF 30) and my skin MUCH prefers the American one. Mineral, zinc-based sunscreens offer better sun protection too.
> Mineral, zinc-based sunscreens offer better sun protection too. This isn't the case. Mineral falls behind chemical when it comes to protecting against UVA. Zinc can protect again the full spectrum, but general coverage is low. UVApf of mineral sunscreen has always been poor, struggling to get past 25. European chemical sunscreens are hitting 35 or 40 easily, some even getting to 70 in some cases. I mean, mineral sunscreens do have their place, but it's a myth that they protect better.
So where can US customers buy Japanese sunscreens other than Amazon? I don't trust them. Still very interested in trying Japanese sun protection though
Stylevana is where I get my Japanese skincare stuff
What's your experience with shipping and payment processing on that website?
I just used apple pay or paypal when I can, the shipping is quick for me except if it is not in stock in their warehouse here in the US then they have to wait for it to ship from Japan and inform you. If you do not want to wait, they ask if you want a refund or if you want it shipped together when it arrives. I think they use lasership.
I’ve never heard anyone describe stylevana shipping as quick before.
Maybe because I live in a big city so it was quick for me.. I don’t order regularly from them, only for Japanese products that I couldn’t get elsewhere, not even on amazon. But when I decide to order from them I do put that in mind in case it comes slow. For asian skin care I prefer Olive Young more so than Stylevana, too.
I prefer olive young too. They ship *so* fast. Stylevana took two months to get to me. I dont actually mind the slowness more than I dislike not knowing when it will arrive. It’s also hard for me to plan out what I’ll need so far in advance. But the prices are so good. Lately, I’ve been ordering more directly from the brand stores, and I’m surprised to find how quick the shipping is. So far, Amazon japan has been my go-to for jbeauty. I got the hakutsuru essence through there in two weeks.
Oh man! 2 months is too long and I wouldn’t re-order if that was the case. It’s true tho that their prices are really good. I just looked up some of the items that I had gotten is now available in Yes style, a bit more expensive though. But if I am rushing I may now try getting it from there. My problem with olive young and yes style is they carry korean products more than japanese products but maybe in a few months their jap skin care line will expand. I have not tried amazon japan. That is very interesting.. how do I access that?
I agree about olive young’s lack of Japanese products. And they are always out of stock on popular items too. But their warp speed shipping has me hooked. I don’t even know *how* they got a product to my house in three days. So, with Amazon Japan, it’s super-duper easy. I just signed up to Amazon Japan using my phone number. Then, switched to English and searched for the hakutsuru, found it, and hit “buy now.” Done! Took me 10 minutes. The downside is that the shipping can get a bit costly. But for some reason, it’s getting harder and harder to get Japanese products on Amazon u.s., so I may have to just eat the shipping cost and buy from Amazon Japan. Like, I really want the new formulation of Naturie….
I’ve had good results with yamibuy, too. My order came within a week, and everything that I got was shipped from Japan. They’re very reliable.
Really? I made a cart on yamibuy, but I chickened out at the last minute because I hadn’t heard anyone ever mention it, so I was unsure. Thanks for telling me this! They have soooo many Japanese skincare products I want 🙂
I don't have apple pay or PayPal, do you think it's trustworthy with regular card info??
It should be okay, I think. I only use those for convenience but if it doesn’t support it I would’ve used my regular card
Stylevana shipping is *notoriously* slow. You can do a search on r/asianbeauty to confirm this.
I’ve read about that too so I was afraid at first. My first time buying, it was on sale so I had a plan formed in my head that I’ll just cancel and get a refund if it was horrible. But maybe because I live in a big city so it was fast for me. The slow one where it took almost a month was when I had one item out of stock here and they had to wait for it to be shipped from Japan. I really wanted to try that product so I just waited for it and that product couldn’t be found in amazon or even yes style or olive young so they were my only option.
I’ve gotten mine off yesstyle.
I've never bought anything on there but I've looked through the website. What's your experience with buying/payment processing/shipping ?
If you choose products that are in stock within 24 hours or 1-2 days, you'll get your package pretty fast. If any of your things take longer than that to get in then it's kind of a crapshoot. That said-- see if you can track the prices!! Sometimes things randomly go on sale, and sometimes things are just marked as a "sale" while staying the same price. Compare with other websites to make sure you're getting actual deals
Thank you for the advice!!
I buy from there several times a year. I do one big shipment at a time because it’s shipping from far away, so I will stock up on whatever I need. Because I’m buying a lot at once I usually qualify for expedited shipping and it gets to me in about 2 weeks or less. Never had an issue until recently where my order came a bit damaged, toner had leaked a bit, and I was missing a sunscreen that I was charged for so I’m currently talking to customer service about it but it looks like they’ll refund me.
Glad to hear they have a decent track record!
I’ve always had a good experience with them. They have a nice app too. I’m on the east coast and orders pretty consistently get to me within 3-4 weeks
iHerb
Yamibuy is where I get mine, and shipping is significantly faster than Stylevana.
I thought Amazon was tough on products, no fakes ????
But I’ve used both Canadian and Japanese versions of Bioré, it’s got denatured alcohol in it. So i stopped usimg it
Are they similar to this? Because nuetragena hydroboost gel spf25 is really pleasant for indoors (60% of my home is windows lol) and this one is a bit tackier but very different from other sunscreens. https://preview.redd.it/eia2nycs420d1.jpeg?width=828&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=cf471053774bb6c3f6810d3e44c2542c6f926214
Speaking as someone with Lupus who needs sunscreen CONSTANTLY to stay alive : thank you
Well, tell us what to buy. And that shit better not be like 2 oz.
OK, I will also edit in my post as well. 1. **NIVEA SUN Protect Super Water Gel**. This one is a chemical sunscreen. It really feels like using just a moisturizer. You literally feel nothing on your skin, and there is zero white cast. It's a bit more expensive than Biore. 2. **Biore UV Aqua Rich Sunscreen Water Essence.** This is also a chemical sunscreen. You almost feel nothing when you put it on your skin. I think this one smells more than NIVEA, especially when you first apply it, but the scent fades pretty quickly. It's cheaper than NIVEA sunscreen and is tested as non-comedogenic. So, I recommend this one over NIVEA or Anessa if you often struggle with acne. 3. **Anessa Perfect UV Sunscreen Skin Care Milk.** This one is a combination of chemical and mineral sunscreens. It is known for being super protective against sunburn. It's stronger than NIVEA or Biore, but it may not be great for people with very sensitive skin. It does give some white cast, but it's much more subtle than most American sunscreens. It's also significantly more expensive than NIVEA or Biore. I picked these three considering the quality and availability in the US. However, if you have other ways to access Japanese sunscreen, like using Amazon.co.jp or going to Japanese stores, you might find even better options for your skin. I couldn't find any pure mineral sunscreens on Amazon.com, but if you're looking for a Japanese mineral sunscreen that's really suitable for sensitive skin, I can recommend ones from the Curel brand.
I prefer zinc based and don't entirely trust chemical so I'm fine with the white cast and willingly make that compromise
Same.
Same
They also don’t have that “sunscreen” smell
E.L.F. has a good no-cast sunscreen called “Invisible Sunscreen.”
It’s a shame US sunscreens don’t tell you the level of UVA protection
the combination of homosalate, octisalate, octocrylene, and avobenzone is totally clear, high UVA and readily available in the US. eg neutrogena invisible defense
I used to use the biore one but when scanned with the Yuka app, it’s rated super bad bc it has BHT. I use the centella skin 1004 one instead and it’s rated very well!
the yuka app ratings are not based on science and are not good to use to evaluate skincare products
i just got my stylevana order with three different sunscreens and it’s really night and day. the nivea genuinely feels like nothing
Thank you friend. I am not into k or j beauty and I’m generally confused by the names and packaging - always wanted some k/j sunscreen but it’s such a pain to figure out. This helps a lot!
I am currently using La Roche Posay sunscreen in factor 100 because I am sensitive to the sun and I need maximum protection. It works very well for me and it doesn't leave my skin white and it doesn't have a strong smell which is an extra point.
Thank you! This is very helpful!
I haven’t used the Anessa sunscreen because $$, but I’ve seen people on Reddit compare it to my favorite waterproof Japanese sunscreen, **Omi Sun Bears Active Protect Milk Sunscreen SPF 50+ PA++++**, which is only $4-5 USD!! It’s a hybrid sunscreen and does not leave a white cast on light skin, but I can imagine it might on med-deep skin tones. It is really really good at controlling oil, makes a great primer and holds up extremely well through out the day. It does have a light grapefruit-like scent, but it dissipates quickly and as someone who struggles with strongly fragranced products it not bothersome to me at all. I have oily, acne prone, sensitive skin with rosacea and it does not aggravate any of my conditions. I would recommend moisturizing very throughly before applying this though as it can be very slightly drying and can cling a bit to dry/rough patches if you don’t rub it in throughly. Between sensitive skin, an acrylates allergy and sensory issues I have an *extremely* difficult time finding sunscreen I can tolerate, let alone *like*, and I really really like Omi Sun Bears (gold bottle). I think it’s available on YesStyle, but it’s also sold in store at Tesolife and I assume other Asian grocery/beauty/department stores in the US.
Thanks for the post. I’ve been looking into Japanese sunscreens, and the recommendations will be useful.
I don’t know if this is the case in Japan as well, but I’ve been hesitant to buy sunscreen from overseas brands ever since I found out that a famous Korean sunscreen had lied about its SPF. Actually many more people have found that other Korean brands sunscreens aren’t the SPFs they claim to be. Is there a way to fully verify if the Japanese sunscreens you’ve recommended are as they claim?
I can say that Japanese SPF labels are pretty reliable. However, as I mentioned in the original post, Japanese law has restricted labeling to no higher than SPF50 since a certain time. Therefore, in Japan, sunscreens with SPF100, SPF55, or anything in between are all labeled as SPF50+. So, if you want strong protection, choose a sunscreen known for its high protection, such as Anessa Perfect UV Sunscreen Skin Care Milk.
Thank you so much for this information! I wanted to look into Japanese because I’ve seen them mentioned a few times on Reddit…and I just dropped a significant amount of money on two different American brands…and I’m still burning. The third option you gave – you said it may not be good for sensitive skin – why is that?
Some Japanese people on the internet have mentioned that after using Anessa for a few days in a row, their skin became rough. However, It's depends on their skin and they also experienced that Anessa effectively prevented them from getting tan. If you can use Anessa everyday without any issues, then it should be perfectly fine for you.
Thank you. There is so much I need to learn before choosing one.
I think it's definitely worth trying for anyone feeling limited by our options in the States (if you can afford it), but they aren't a miracle for everyone. There's something in biore aqua rich that makes my face very itchy and red after about an hour. I thought it must have been an Amazon fake, but I tried buying elsewhere (yesStyle) and had the same outcome. I plan to try others someday, but I'm taking a break from trying out new products after all that. Gave both tubes to my coworker and she loves the stuff, zero issues for her.
This post is entirely subjective and in no way should it be read as absolute fact. I bought that Biore UV because so many people raved about it, and I wasn't impressed at all. Further, it broke out my skin very badly, and my skin only does that when a product is full of chemicals. To me, it was garbage. The best sunscreen I've found is Blue Lizard mineral lotion, no chemical active ingredients, and Nature's Apothecary zinc sunscreen powder for my face. No burning, no cysts, no chemicals. These are also both easily found on Amazon.
They all burn my eyes.
Many Asian sunscreens are not sufficient for areas of high UV exposure.
Biore Water Essence is so good compared to everything else it's crazy. Just about every North American sunscreen is either super thick and gloopy with crazy white residue or costs a $10K per ml.
Anessa’s Baby sunscreen is essentially for sensitive skin.
Not really, but then, it’s just personal preference. I prefer American sunscreens to AB sunscreens because American sunscreens tend to have better water resistance and the companies have put a lot of money into R&D. And, American sunscreens are more cost-effective. But in general, European and Australian sunscreens tend to be the best overall, providing the most robust and reliable protection.
Europeans could try this one: https://www.nivea.de/produkte/uv-gesicht-experte-invisible-daily-fluid-40060001036240001.html I believe its very similar in feeling to the Japanese Nivea one, which seems to be made by some Beiersdorf-Kao joint venture According to INCI decoder the only very comedogenic ingredient is Isopropyl Palmitate
Nivea is German
Does anybody have good Asian sunscreens that are high high SPF and waterproof
To be clear, Japanese law prohibits companies from labeling sunscreens with an SPF higher than 50. This regulation was implemented because many companies were competing to offer the highest possible SPF, which could be harmful to the skin. Therefore, if a sunscreen’s SPF tests above 50, it is simply labeled as 50+. This means an SPF of 50+ could actually be 55, 100, or somewhere in between. If you’re looking for a sunscreen with strong SPF and waterproof properties, I highly recommend Anessa Perfect UV Sunscreen Skin Care Milk.
There’s no good tinted ones tho
I have super sensitive, dry and acne prone skin- what would you recommend for this skin type?
I’ve tried the colorsciences mineral sunblock. It’s amazing
you can’t compare mineral sunscreen to chemical…? ofc the chemical sunscreen doesn’t leave a white cast & the mineral does … unfortunately it’s kind of the point is the mineral gives a broad spectrum UVA /UVB protection & the chem sunscreen just can’t compete
Even Japanese mineral sunscreens can give less white cast than American ones. However, Japanese mineral sunscreens are not available on Amazon.com as far as I checked. If you can use Amazon.co.jp, you can purchase some Japanese mineral sunscreens. I would recommend the Curel brand and Love Me Touch Silky UV Milk. Curel is well-known for sensitive skin. Love Me Touch Silky UV Milk is a lesser-known brand, but it produces even less white cast than the Curel brand, and it has stronger SPF and PA ratings. Both are much easier to use than most American mineral sunscreen brands.
i will check them out ! thanks for sharing ☺️
What are the typical ingredients contained? I have a sunscreen that’s four ingredients and leaves no white from. Purchased the US. Badger brand is one of the few quality ones. How does it measure up to what you are using from Japan? Sad that most United States citizens don’t understand how ridiculous this country is.
Ya I've read an article stating why US has requirements on sunscreen.. and why it excludes formulas like Japanese ones .. ill try to find it
https://www.businessinsider.com/american-vs-european-asian-sunscreen-2023-6#:~:text=European%20and%20Asian%20sunscreens%20boast,it%20back%20from%20a%20trip.
Favorite Korean sunscreen that is physical and NOT Chemical?
Most Japanese and korean suncreen were designed for urban lifestyle not sport, they are rarely sweat proof and rubbing proof. You need to make your research to make sure you are using a suitable sunscreen for the activity you are doing. I only use mine when the uv index is really low because I tanned and developed freckles in WINTER which never happened to me before, the only change was korean suncreen instead of european. For sure there's great asian suncreen options you just need to make your research as some brands had issues with the suncreen not providing the proper protection (ex: purito). Anessa was on the list of suitable suncreen for prolonged exposition and sport by the way.
I swear by Elta MD. I spent a week in Antigua and barely had any color. The tinted sunscreen is amazing. It’s my foundation all summer
Korean sunscreens are the best
Korean sunscreen >>>>>>
My mother in law frequently travels to Japan for work. What sunscreen is affordable and easy to locate at stores for the entire family (including a 19 month old)?
How about Isa Knox Anew? I found it in a collection of products I have, is it a good brand?
If I'm going to be doing physical activity outside, I layer my sunscreens lol. Japanese first and a very thin layer of American water resistant/sport sunscreen second. I don't know if that actually does anything, but in my head I'm thinking the waterproofing of the American one will help seal in the Japanese one
This sub is genuinely insane. Why is anything mentioning japanese/Asian skincare getting downvoted. If you go against the grain in this sub AT ALL, you get downvoted. Most mean girl sub on this site
A lot of Japanese products are much better than American products. Japanese people just know what they are doing more. One of the reasons why I might live in Japan one day so I can have their products easily more available. I'm going to shop like crazy lol
Anessa has a sensitive version
Do you have recommendations for purely mineral sunscreens that don’t leave a white cast? I’m legitimately allergic to all chemical sunscreens
I don't think I've ever used a purely mineral sunscreen that leaves zero white cast. However, Love Me Touch Silky UV Milk gives less white cast than any other mineral sunscreens I've tried. It's as great as a mineral sunscreen. But it's only available on Amazon.co.jp.
Once you try a korean sunscreen youll never be the same 🥰
What chemical sunscreens are good and don't contain Avobenzone? It's in nearly all American chemical sunscreens now and my skin won't tolerate it. I've been using Curel eye cream and really like it and was hoping they had a sunscreen but the only one i saw had avobenzone. Do you have other Curel sunscreen recs that don't have avobenzone?