iBeautyTips

Kiss Me Sunkiller Baby Milk SPF38 PA+++

From www.kissme.com.sg:
Contains SPF 38 PA+++;

Perfect for babies and for those with sensitive skin
Retains moisture on your skin

My Skin Type:
Actually very oily, but surpressed with BHA exfoliator. Results in generally ranging from very dry to normal/combo skin. Generally dehydrated, very sensitive, and acne prone.

Packaging:
Practical plastic tube with screw top and narrow opening. Easy to dispense right amount of product. Pleasant to travel with. And it’s pink!

Texture:
Typical Japanese sunscreen, which a lot of people enjoy. It’s a light, runny milk.

Sun Protection Level:
This sunscreen uses physical filters, so it is broad spectrum. But I heard some Micronized Zinc Oxide doesn’t cover the longest wave of UVA

Sunkiller Baby Milk SPF38/PA+++ Protection Spectrum

Still okay for activities behind windows, I guess. Or occasional uses. It has PA+++, which in Japanese standard indicates maximum UVA protection; but it only translates to PPD 8+. Generally speaking it’s as low as I’m willing to go.

My General Review:
This is my newest baby Read the review and ingredient list online and immediately ordered it after. How often is it that you find a Japanese sunscreen with mineral filters, is fragrance-free, alcohol-free and paraben-free, have PA+++ and matte? To top it off, as a drugstore product, the price is quite good!

So I have high expectations with this suncreen and it answers it nonchalantly. This product is the most oil controlling sunscreen I’ve ever tried. Yes, more oil controlling than UNT UV Ultra SPF50/PA+++. There’s a friend with dry skin who reported that this sunscreen seems to dry out her skin even more. And it’s rather matte. Never in life, before I stumbled upon this stuff, that I claimed a sunscreen to be matte. But this is the case here. The most non-shiny sunscreen I’ve ever found too.

The finish is slightly sticky, but it’s negligible. I can get away without powdering it, so it’s perfect for lazy weekends at home. For weekdays, I usually put on heavier, more protecting sunscreen before I go out. But some mornings I’m just too strung out, I put this on instead. It has SPF38 so I reckon it should provide adequate UVB protection, and the PA+++ may be acceptable since I basically just do my works indoor. I can directly top it off with loose powder, voila! Easy matte complexion.

I love that the mineral filters fills in my pores to make it look smoother, but please be informed that this sunscreen does leave white cast. It’s okay for me since I have light skin to begin with, but for you ladies with deeper skin tone, you may need to take it into consideration.

BTW, because this sunscreen is alcohol-less, it doesn’t absorb all that quickly. You’ll need to wait for a couple of minutes…but it’s no biggie for me.

The bigger issue I found is removing it….or so I think. The packaging is in Japanese so I don’t know its exact water-resistance power, but a reviewer in MakeupAlley has stated that this stuff is really stubborn. Initially it broke me out (I currently still use Biore Cleansing Oil), but now whenever I wear this I double-cleanse it with cleansing oil. Yes! I wash my face twice with cleansing oil just to make sure I’ve get everything off. And now it doesn’t break me out anymore.

Maybe it’s an indication that I need better cleansing oil? Oh well. But rest assured, friends who used Kose Softymo White Cleansing Oil or even MUJI Cleansing Oil can get it off with single washing only So there’s a probability that previously it was just my skin acting up.

What Else You Need To Know:
This sunscreen is silicone-based so if you’re avoiding silicone maybe this sunscreen is not your best option.

The ingredient list is interesting though. There are some beneficial element there, such as Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate as anti-irritant, and Scutellaria Baicalensis has anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory effect on skin

Availability:
It’s not available locally in Indonesia, but I think  in Singapore it’s available in drugstores such as Watsons or Sasa. Anyway you can always order it online from adambeauty or Sasa

Price:
Another cool part of the product. I get it for around US$10 shipped. Not the cheapest sunscreen around for 30ml, but it’s lower than most other sunscreen anyway.

Ingredients:
Cyclomethicone, Water, Zinc Oxide, Butylene Glycol, Titanium Dioxide, Squalane, Triethylhexanoin, Peg-9 Dimethicone, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Polymethyl Methacrylate, Dimethicone, Aluminum Hydroxide, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Tannic Acid, Daucus Carota Sativa (Carrot) Root Extract, Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract, Oryza Sativa (Rice) Bran Oil, Rice Bran Sphingoglycolipid, Stearic Acid, Isostearic Acid, Dimethicone/Methicone Copolymer, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Disodium Edta, Nylon-12, Zirconium Dioxide, Polyglyceryl-10 Oleate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Lecithin

Overall Rating:
5 out of 5. Fluid, matte, non-oily (oil controlling instead!), fragrance-free, alcohol-free, paraben-free sunscreen, rather cheap too. Great choice for normal to oily skin. It has made its way to one of my favorites as weekend or occasional light weekdays sunscreen! Nice to keep it in my stash, useful when I’m just not in the mood to put on heavier concoction on my face.

*This review will be cross posted in www.makeupalley.com under username Crescent_Shadow.

Clinique City Block Sheer SPF25

From www.clinique.com:
Sheer, broad-spectrum UVA/UVB daily sunscreen. Lightweight formula helps wick away perspiration and absorb excess oil. Perfect alone or as an invisible makeup primer. No chemical sunscreens. Appropriate for eye area and sensitive skins.

Skin Types: All

My Skin Type:
Actually very oily, but surpressed with BHA exfoliator. Results in generally ranging from very dry to normal/combo skin. Generally dehydrated, very sensitive, and acne prone.

Packaging:
Practical plastic tube with screw top. Flip top may be more practical though.

Texture:
Hmm. Not thin lotion, but not too thick.

Sun Protection Level:

Clinique City Block Sheer SPF25 Protection Spectrum

Utilizing pure mineral filters, this sunscreen provides broad spectrum protection, but usually Micronized Zinc Oxide leaves a gap in the higher portion of UVA, which I seem to be sensitive about (my skin darkens in a heartbeat). Heard that it’s not always the case for every micronized zinc though, but I’m just putting extra caution here. Generally speaking, the broadness is acceptable for occasional uses, or on lazy weekends at home.

The larger problem lies in the protection level of this sunscreen. In its Japanese website, Clinique claims that this sunscreen is PA+ only. Now THAT is troublesome for me….as it implies low UVA protection. PPD <4, if I’m not mistaken. Now THAT’s very low for me

My General Review:
This sunscreen reminds me a lot of Acnes UV Tint SPF30/PA++. It’s beige tinted, which makes my skin rather muddy. It’s pure mineral filter. Both of them are rather cakey on me, but Clinique is slightly better.

It’s a real shame that this product only provides PA+ UVA rating. Slight cakeyness aside (which I can handle when I’m using it at home with no makeup), it’s slightly sticky yes, but it’s non-greasy. It’s loaded with anti-inflammatory and anti-irritant (Gentian, Bisabolol), wound healing (Pantethine) and generous amounts of antioxidants (Vitamin E, Vitamin C, Barley, Rosemary, Linoleic Acid).

So for now I won’t repurchase. For at home use, I’m forced to opt for other light sunscreen with higher UVA protection. And always wear antioxidants serum underneath.

What Else You Need To Know:
Clinique offers several other sunscreens. In the City Block line, there’s a SPF40 version with mixed filters. It’s PA++. There’s also a sunscreen in the Derma White range, with SPF40 and PA+++.

Other than those products, Clinique has launch newer facial sunscreen line: Sun SPF30 and Sun SPF50. Both are PA+++. I’ve heard raves about the SPF30 though, so maybe I’ll try it next

Application:

• Apply to clean skin after using your 3-Step Skin Care System.
• Using fingertips, smooth evenly over cheeks, forehead, nose and chin. Blend.
• Follow with foundation, if desired.
• Remove with your favourite Clinique makeup remover.

I need to add that you’ll need to apply this liberally. Do your skin a favor and follow the FDA’s recommendation. Any SPF needs to be applied thickly.

Price:
Not too bad for a high end product, it’s US.50 for 40ml. I don’t remember the price in IDR, since I *very* rarely shop for Clinique in Indonesia. The prices are jacked way too much. I tend to CPed Clinique from my bf or brother when they have the chance to pass by a DFS

Availability:
Easily available in Clinique counters across the nation.

Ingredients:
Active: Titanium Dioxide (7.3%), Zinc Oxide (6.9%)

Other: Water, Trioctyldodecyl Citrate, Butylene Glycol, Cyclopentasiloxane, Dimethicone, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Steareth-2, Stearyl Heptanoate, Aluminum Stearate, Silica, Lecithin, Gentiana Lutea (Gentian) Root Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Extract, Hordeum Vulgare (Barley) Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Extract, Betula Alba (Birch) Bark Extract, Cucumis Sativus (Cucumber) Fruit Extract, Laminaria Saccharina Extract, Saccharomyces Lysate Extract, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seedcake, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sorbitan Tristearate, Linoleic Acid, Polyquaternium-51, Caprylyl Methicone, Sorbitol, Sodium Rna, Phospholipids, Peg-40 Stearate, Magnesium Aluminum Silicate, Caprylyl Glycol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Phytantriol, Stearic Acid, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Cellulose, Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Stearyl Dimethicone, Ascorbyl Tocopheryl Maleate, Nordihydroguaiaretic Acid, Linolenic Acid, Pantethine, Bisabolol, Hydroxyethyl Urea, Ceteth-2, Peg/Ppg-18/18 Dimethicone, Polyglyceryl-6 Polyricinoleate, Steareth-20, Isopropyl Titanium Triisostearate, Propylene Glycol Dicaprate, Sodium Stearate, Nylon-12, Citric Acid, Nylon-6, Hexylene Glycol, Xanthan Gum, Disodium Edta, Bht, Phenoxyethanol, Titanium Dioxide, Iron Oxides.

Overall Rating:
3 out of 5. Rather cakey (tipical for a mineral sunscreen for me), beige tint is not really suitable for my (very) fair skin. And UVA protection is too low for my taste. However, it’s loaded with beneficial ingredients like anti-inflammatory agents, wound healing, and lots of antioxidants.

*This review will be cross posted in www.makeupalley.com under username Crescent_Shadow.