Biore Aqua Rich UV Watery Essence Review
Biore Aqua Rich UV Watery Essence SPF 50+ PA++++ is the sunscreen for people who hate putting sunscreen on. Find out why.
No matter how simple or complex your skincare routine is, using sunscreen is the one thing in your morning skincare regimen that you should not skip. Ever.
I’ve tried and tested so many brands — some better than others. I recently reviewed (and loved) Rovectin sunscreen and Klairs sunscreen but 90% of the time, this Biore sunscreen is the one I reach for.
Many consider Biore Aqua Rich UV Watery Essence as their holy grail sunscreen and for good reason. Hate the heaviness of sunscreen on your skin? Not a fan of that sticky feeling and that awful white cast?
Read on. Biore Aqua Rich Watery Essence might just make a sunscreen fan out of you.
Mục Lục
Biore Aqua Rich UV Watery Essence vs. Biore UV Aqua Rich Watery Gel
Biore Aqua Rich UV Watery Essence is made by Japanese company Kao. They’re a global company that manufactures products from skincare to cosmetics to home care.
Don’t confuse Biore Aqua Rich Watery Essence with the Biore UV Aqua Rich Watery Gel though. While they look and sound similar, they’re totally different products. The essence is primarily for the face while the gel is for the body.
Biore Aqua Rich UV Watery Essence ingredients
I’m a big fan of Japanese and Korean skincare products; I’ve tried so many of them and have proven that they work. My skin reacts to them better and, in most cases, they’re more affordable than the more popular skincare brands widely available here as well.
Some people are hesitant to try them because the packaging would usually only be in Korean or Japanese and they’re uncomfortable trying something they can’t read. Which is totally understandable.
That’s what I’m here for, y’all. I can’t read Korean and Japanese either but I’m very good at skincare research.
For example, here’s the major ingredient list for Biore UV Watery Essence:
Water, ethanol, ethylhexyl methoxycinnamate, ethylhexyl triazone, isopropyl palmitate, (lauryl methacrylate / Na methacrylate) crosspolymer, diethylaminohydroxybenzoylhexylbenzoate, hydrogenated polyisobutene, bisethylhexyl oxyphenol methoxyphenyl triazine, palmitic acid Dextrin, BG, xylitol, (acrylate / alkyl acrylate (C10-30)) crosspolymer, dimethicone, alkyl benzoate (C12-15), glycerin, glyceryl stearate, propanediol, glyceryl behenate, (vinyl dimethicone / methicone Silsesquioxane) crosspolymer, cetanol, agar, sorbitan distearate, isoceteth-20, polyvinyl alcohol, (dimethicone / vinyl dimethicone) Suporima, stearoyl glutamate, arginine, hydroxide K, hydroxide Na, royal jelly extract, hyaluronic acid Na, phenoxyethanol, EDTA-2Na, BHT, perfume
What this means is it’s a chemical sunscreen and if you’re wondering what that is, check out the post where I explain more about chemical sunscreens and how they’re different from physical sunscreens.
The world’s first-ever micro-defense formula
Biore UV Aqua Rich also has what they call the micro-defense formula. You can read the full press release here.
In simpler terms (or as I understand it), the old formulation, being water-based, tended to come off when we perspire; which would then lead to weaker UV protection.
Kao researchers solved the problem with the micro-defense formula because it enabled the sunscreen to stay on the skin surface and ensure “full, even coverage down to micro level crevices invisible to the naked eye”.
Despite this super-waterproof formulation though, the sunscreen rinses away easily with soap when you cleanse at the end of the day.
How I use this sunscreen
Like all sunscreens, I use this product as the last step in my daily morning skincare routine, after moisturizing. I use about half a teaspoon of product and spread it on my face, ears and neck.
Other things to know about this product
- Fragrance. Although Kao says this product has the gentle fragrance of white muguet (also called lily of the valley), I honestly don’t smell anything. And I consider myself very sensitive to smells.
- Texture and Consistency. This sunscreen is light, more watery than creamy, and very easy to apply.
- Broad spectrum. With an SPF of 50+ and PA++++, this product is broad spectrum which means it protects against both UVA and UVB rays.
- Packaging. This is available in a 50g squeeze tube. I’ve seen it sold as singles or a double pack.
- Availability. I haven’t been successful in finding this product locally. It’s widely available online though; I buy mine on Amazon
.
.What I like about Biore Aqua Rich Watery Essence
What do I like about this Biore SPF? So many things!
- Lightweight. It’s incredibly lightweight. As soon as you apply it to your face, it melts and disappears. It’s like you’re not wearing sunscreen at all.
- Non-greasy. And at no point during the day does my skin ever feel sticky or greasy. Other sunscreens buckle under the pressure of a hot, sunny, humid day but this one stays put. And I usually have combination oily skin in the summer. It’s not drying in the winter too, when my skin switches to combination dry.
- No white cast. There’s no white cast either. I prefer chemical sunscreens because of the white cast physical sunscreens tend to leave and Biore has zero white cast. Not when I’m applying it. Not after. Not upon re-application. It’s completely invisible on my tan skin.
- Great under make-up. Which makes it great under make-up. It leaves my skin smooth and silky so it works great as a make-up primer too.
- Good for sensitive skin. I’ve been using Biore sunscreen for a long time and my semi-sensitive skin has never had any bad reaction to it.
What I don’t like about it
If there’s one thing I don’t like about the product, it’s that it’s not widely available here (I’m in Canada). And while I can buy it from Amazon, shipping takes an incredibly long time.
I manage by buying enough product to last me several months, and re-purchasing early.
Do I recommend Biore essence sunscreen?
In a rating scale of 1 to 5 — 5 being awesome — this product is definitely a 5 for me.
This really is a great sunscreen and I cannot recommend it enough. Lightweight, zero white cast, non-greasy. It’s a joy to apply too. Try it!
As always, remember that every person’s skin and skin type is different so what might work for me might not work for you, and vice versa.
So before trying a new product, it pays to do a little bit of research first. Pay special attention to ingredients that you might have a reaction to.
And doing a patch-test is always a good idea. Unsure? Best to consult your dermatologist.
And practice good skincare habits always.
Happy skin experimenting!
Have you tried Biore essence sunscreen? Did it work for you? Will you recommend it? Would love to hear from you in the comments section below!
And let’s get social — follow me on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook where we can get a little bit more personal and talk about skincare in real time!
