When I was in my teens, maybe 15-16 years old, someone told me that I need to be applying a sunscreen daily after moisturizing – I’m not someone who listens to reason usually, but for some reason I did start using sunscreens, and it’s only now, some 15 years later that I understand why it is so important!
Growing up, reasonably priced sunscreens available in India were a joke, with most of them giving you the well known white cast, leaving many people to opt to go without sunscreen – my go to was the Lotus SPF 40, it was tinted and was matte, the only option that made sense for me (and I continue to use it for my body till date).
Today, the scenario is so different, with a number of homegrown Indian brands providing good sunscreen as well as the influx of K-Beauty sunscreens that have formulated magical sunscreens that neither leave a white cast, nor are greasy and cakey.
The product we’re reviewing today is the cult classic Bioré UV – Aqua Rich | Watery Essence – SPF 50+ PA++++.
I picked this up during my trip to Japan, and honestly I did not even know how popular it was till much later. This is so popular in Japan that the Japan Tennis Association has adopted Biore’ UV as its official sunscreen.
Bioré products are not available in India, however, these can be purchased via YesStyle, Instagram resellers as well as certain stores that ship globally (Don Quijote or Donki – one of the largest discount stores in Japan)
I personally think you could get a better deal trying to shop through the Donki global platform.
The sunscreen retails for 798 Yen + Shipping for a 50 gm tube (INR 550 + Shipping) on Donki.
(YesStyle is currently not delivering to India due to the borders being closed, but the price mentioned is INR 831)
Bioré | Kao Corporation
Bioré is one of the numerous brands that come under Kao Corporation, a company that has been around since 1887.
A trip to any department store in Japan will make you understand how large they are as they have expanded to almost every segment there is and have a long list of local as well as international brands under their belt.
Kao started as a small face-care company, and Kao (pronounced as cow) is pronounced the same way the Japanese word “face”.
Staying true to their roots in the skin-care world, they dominate predominantly is the skin-care, hair-care and personal-care affects.
They do have an extensive R&D, and I believe it is probably this that gives them an edge in the market – they constantly innovate new products and ensure they are catering to all types of customers, with various skin types, and varied skin needs.
Bioré is neither cruelty-free nor is vegan, however, their western counterparts – which manufacture in their respective countries – claim to be cruelty-free.
If you do prefer cruelty-free products, and are interested in trying out Biore’ products, I would recommend you check which country the product is manufactured in before purchasing.
What’s in my product?
Ingredients: Water, Alcohol, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Ethylhexyl Triazone, Isopropyl Palmitate, Lauryl Methacrylate/Sodium Methacrylate Crosspolymer, Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine, Dextrin Palmitate, Butylene Glycol, Xylitol, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Dimethicone, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Glycerine, Glyceryl Stearate, Propanediol, Glyceryl Behenate, Vinyl Dimethicone/Methicone Silsesquioxane Crosspolymer, Cetyl Alcohol, Agar, Sorbitan Distearate, ISOCETETH – 20, Polyvinyl Alcohol, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Stearoyl Glutamic Acid, Arginine, Potassium Hydroxide, Sodium Hydroxide, Royal Jelly Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Phenoxyethanol, Di Sodium EDTA, BHT (Butylated Hydroxy Toluene), Parfum/Fragrance
Green - Yay!! Blue - Good/Fair Orange - Bleh! Red - Nope!
I don’t particularly like long ingredient lists, and with over 35 ingredients, I’m not too happy with this either. There are some ingredients that make me go “Woah, that’s amazing”, some I have a lot of questions about and some I even cringed at!
There are a lot of ingredients I have not highlighted, which are mostly support ingredients that work to enhance the sunscreen’s texture, make it watery and reduce greasiness, and emollients.
One of the things I love is that over 30% of the ingredients are humectants and moisturizers, helping keep the skin hydrated as well as moisturized, and this does translate in the product as well. Especially during summers, or when you’re going for a run, this is the perfect sunscreen as it acts as a moisturizer as well and cuts down how many layers you need to apply.
With that, let’s get into the crux of the ingredient review and try to understand the good, bad and ugly of the ingredients included in here –
1. Sunscreen Actives
Bioré UV is a product you will not find sold in the US, because the FDA doesn’t approve most sunscreen actives in this product. Before hyperventilating about this, the reason FDA hasn’t approved any of them is because these ingredients are new generation sunscreen actives, and getting FDA approval is nearly impossible due to their strict regulations (The rest of the world has approved their usage).
There has been a huge conversation going on regarding how sunscreen actives from chemical sunscreens can enter your blood stream and affect production of hormones. New generation sunscreens, apart from being effective are said to have larger molecular sizes reducing the risk of being absorbed by the skin and into the blood streams. There are 4 sunscreen actives in this product:
a. Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate – Most commonly used chemical sunscreen that provides protection from UVB rays. Is not stable when exposed to sunlight, and there are some in-vitro studies showing possible hormonal effects – FDA Approved
b. Ethylhexyl Triazone - New generation sunscreen that gives the highest photo-stable absorption of all available UVB filters – Not approved by FDA
c. Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate – New generation chemical sunscreen that has been designed to provide high UVA protection as well as has high photo-stability – Not Approved by FDA
d. Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine – Recognized as one of the best sunscreen actives known today, provides broad spectrum protection and is extremely photo – stable. This ingredient in itself can provide SPF 20! It stays on the surface of the skin and has been shown not to affect the production of hormones. Unfortunately, even this sunscreen active is not approved by the FDA, but there are multiple studies in the EU that show that this ingredient has one of the best SPF protection.
2. Xylitol
This is a sugar alcohol that can be derived from plants or might be synthetically derived, that is known to be similar to glycerine.
Xylitol plays an important role in normalizing skin and the natural processes of the skin, in turn hydrating the skin, help repair as well as strengthening the skin barrier, which would then help in reducing trans-epidermal water loss.
Xylitol when combined with Glucose, forms a part of Aquaxyl, which is considered to be a very good moisturizer and can help the skin’s flow of hydration. This is achieved in a two-prong method – on one side it increases the synthesis of NMFs like Hyaluronic Acid, which increase the water reserves in the skin; the other aspect works by limiting trans-epidermal water loss by increasing lipid and protein synthesis (ceramides, cholesterol etc).
Xylitol is quite safe and is even considered to be a nutritious sweetener when added to foods. Xylitol is also known to have prebiotic action that have a positive impact on our gut microbiome. However, it is not clear as of yet if Xylitol when used topically, can provide similar prebiotic benefits to the skin.
3. Alcohol
Alcohol, the much loved item, pretty much everywhere but in your skincare, and with good reason too – alcohol though it gives a quick drying feel (amazing in toners), leads to drying out of your skin in the long run making your skin age faster!
However, many skincare companies do use alcohol in their products still – ever wonder why?
a. One of the most common reasons you’d see alcohol in your skincare is when they come into the formulation as a by-product of natural ingredient extracts – the most effective way to get natural extracts is by using ethanol or alcohol, which then evaporates post extraction. However, trace amounts do get left behind, and you might see it in your skincare product’s ingredient list. If this is the case, you’ll see alcohol somewhere in the fag end (under the 1% line), and you really do not have to worry too much.
b. Used to help give skincare products that are essentially greasy and oily, like sunscreens, a lighter texture. It will essentially help spread the product well, and as it easily evapourates, would not create many issues as well. As long as the concentration is less than 3% there isn’t anything to necessarily worry about as well.
c. Alcohol is a penetration enhancer and can help the key actives penetrate your skin better. However, some studies have shown that it does this by damaging the top layer of the skin and damaging the skin’s natural barrier.
In this formulation, alcohol is the second ingredient after water! Though it is not clear what concentration of ethanol is being used in the formulation, it is a key ingredient in the formulation – and that bothers me.
I am pretty lenient when it comes to adding nasties in skincare, but alcohol as the second ingredient is a tad bit too scary for me to digest.
The saving grace with regards to the formulation is that it is absolutely loaded with hydrating, moisturizing, occlusive, skin restoring and skin conditioning ingredients that can counter whatever nasty effects the alcohol might have.
Also, I do have a lot of respect for Japanese products, they do put quality first and take their skincare extremely seriously – and if this product is one of the most popular products out there, and from seeing how it has been working for me, I’m not going to be to be too worried about it.
4. Others
a. Royal Jelly Extract – I came across this ingredient for the very first time, and after I did a little bit of digging, realized that though this might be a great ingredient for your skin, it kind of is cringe worthy. Royal Jelly is essentially a secretion of nurse honeybees that is fed to bee larvae as well as the queen bee to extend her life! It is a potent antioxidant, however, knowing that the brand is not cruelty-free and having no idea how this secretion is extracted from the honeybees kind of worry me and make me think if I really do need this product!
b. Hydrators & Moisturizers – I’ve mentioned multiple times that this sunscreen includes a number of humectants and moisturizers, and if you’re using this product you could easily forego using a moisturizer underneath it. This is because, apart from Xylitol and Sodium Hyaluronate (Hyaluronic Acid), the product contains various ingredients like Glycerine, Propanediol, Butelene Glycol as well as silicones that help in hydrating the skin, moisturizing it, as well as acting as an occlusive to make sure the hydration stays in the skin.
c. BHT or Butylated Hydroxy Toluene - is essentially a preservative with some antioxidant properties as well. Though this ingredient is used in very small concentrations in skincare and cosmetics, it is commonly consumed as an antioxidant, and this where the contention arises. Some studies have shown that consumption of BHT regularly is carcinogenic, while some studies have claimed that they help get rid of cancer. As per studies, there is little to worry about topical application of BHT, but it still bothers me that I could be applying a known carcinogenic to my skin.
My thoughts on the product
As usual, we’ll break this down into packaging, touch & feel, how-to-use, and changes I’ve noticed in the time frame that I’ve been using the product.
1. Packaging
The packaging is very simplistic, it comes
attached to a carboard / paper sheet which mentions everything you’d possibly ever need to know about the product (All of which is in Japanese, and I have painstakingly translated)
The product in itself comes in a sturdy plastic tube (this is important as sunscreens can get affected by heat and sunlight and photo-protective packaging is preferred). It has a beautiful blue gradient colour scheme, and a plastic cap.
As it is in a tube format, you can take as much product as you need without ruining the product within, and the applicator works fine in my opinion.
I personally feel that they could have come up with larger option, as they only have a 50gm variant available, and you’d need to keep repurchasing the product often. (Could be a sales tactic too for all you know)
2. Touch & Feel
It has a very unique consistency, it is slightly
creamy in texture but more gel like and definitely has a watery component to it as well. It also might look slightly granulated, which the brand claims are sunscreen actives encapsulated with water that spread on application.
It spreads extremely well, and honestly, I feel using the prescribed amount is kind of like wasting it – but I use as prescribed – I follow the three-finger rule to make it easier.
Initially when I started using the product it has a yellowish tinge (like the slightest bit) but
now I notice that it is completely white. Some of the sunscreen actives come slightly yellowish, and this could be the reason why it has a slight yellow tinge.
On application, the first smell that hits you is that of the alcohol, which quickly evapourates and you can then get the fragrance of the product. It is a slightly chemically fragrance, but nothing that bothered me specifically – If you’re going to be applying make-up on top of this, it gets easily masked.
The product does not particularly absorb into the skin, and it does feel like a thick layer on top of your skin. Especially when layering it with make-up it can get quite heavy and suffocating especially during summers. I’ve also noticed that when I use this sunscreen to go out for a walk, I sweat much faster.
Personally, I feel this is great to use during winters and if you’re not going to be layering with a lot make-up post this.
During summers I would recommend skipping the moisturizing step under this if you’re using a lot of make-up or if you sweat a lot like me, picking up an alternative sunscreen if you know you’re going to be out and about!
I do have to mention that this might make oily skin types slightly oilier, however, I have never really faced a huge issue with this aspect. My oily T-zone doesn’t get specifically oilier if I use this product.
3. How-to-Use
The general rule of thumb while using any skincare products is to go from thinnest to thickest in terms of consistency. However, despite consistence sunscreen is always are the last step in your skincare routine and should be applied just before applying make-up.
The packaging recommends, “Apply an appropriate amount to the skin evenly. If the amount is too small, the sunscreen effect will not be sufficient. Be careful not to let the liquid come into contact with your clothes and let it dry (on your face) before wearing your clothes. To ensure effectiveness, re-apply frequently if you sweat. Wash it off thoroughly with a face wash and a body wash (if applied on the body)” – This is a rough translation of the How to use on the packaging.
The packaging also provides a few precautions to be kept in mind –
a. Do not use if you have particularly sensitive skin
b. Do not use immediately after hair removal, or on areas with abnormalities such as scratches, swelling or eczema
c. Be careful not to get this on your clothing. If you do, ensure you wash it away quickly with a detergent and do not use chlorine bleach as it might stain the cloth pink.
d. Do not place in high temperature places or in direct sunlight.
I personally use the three-finger rule, wherein
I squeeze out sunscreen along the length of my fingers till the second finger joint (from the top) of the middle three fingers (index, middle and ring fingers). This much is adequate to cover your face and neck. This is especially good if you are not going to be following up with sunscreen as the day goes by (assuming that you would not be exposing yourself to the sun and are indoors with limited sun exposure). However, if you are not applying make-up I highly recommend re-applying sunscreen every 2 – 3 hours.
4. On using it for over a month
I have normal to combination skin (oily T-Zone), my skin doesn't breakout very often, but I do get very painful deep-seated pimples during my time of the month. My skin concerns are mostly unevenness of skin tone, dark spots/moles on my face - I lost count of how many of those I have, whiteheads on the nose, appearance of fine lines on my forehead and around my eyes, and a small degree of sensitivity. I also have dark circles that refuse to let go despite everything I do for them. My skin tolerates acids quite well, and I have not had any skin irritation or peeling even with higher concentrations of acids.
I have been using this sunscreen for nearly 6 – 7 months now, and I have absolutely no complaints. It isn’t as light as I would have wished it to be, especially for summer months, but I cannot really complain.
During this time frame, there have been times when I’ve gotten myself some serious sun time, and I am happy to report that I came back without burning my skin or a tan (I was also very careful to ensure I was wearing a cap as well as sunglasses to give my skin a fighting chance). However, in the heat, this does make you break into a sweat quicker and you might have to reapply more often.
What I really loved most of all is that fact is that it has zero white cast – you can apply and re-apply copious amounts and there wouldn’t be any white cast. It does over time make your skin look a little shiny as there is a layer / film on top of your skin, and re-application just makes it look shinier.
I personally did not have an issue with it as there are only limited times that I am exposed to that much sunlight on a daily basis, but if you’re someone who is out a lot, in the sun with an oily skin type, this might not be the best option.
Final Thoughts
I currently am almost down one of tube (the lockdown helped me to save some of this as I get little to no sunlight in my house) and have two back-ups of this.
There is no question, this is definitely a repurchase for me as this acts both as a moisturizer as well as a sunscreen. From the ingredients perspective, though it does have alcohol in it, the product is literally jam packed with ingredients that act as hydrators, moisturizers, emollients and occlusive, keeping my skin hydrated and moisturized while protecting it from the sun.
It works out to be roughly INR 800 or so post shipping for 50 gm, and is a little expensive, however, it still is cheaper than other sunscreens available that are equally as effective. In my opinion, this definitely is value for money.
Note – I use this only on my face and neck, and use other sunscreens for my arms and legs, and keep reapplying, as necessary. This way I can save more of this product, use it more efficiently and make the best out of it.
Overall Rating – 4.5 / 5
I recommend this for all skin types and can be a very good option for acne-prone skin as this is a non-comedogenic sunscreen, even though it feels like something that would be. A few points to be kept in mind for the various skin types -
a. Dry Skin Types – This has alcohol in a higher percentage, which could especially be more of an issue in the long run for those with dry skin. Though it has many moisturizing ingredients, please do consider if this is something that is okay for your skin before purchasing.
b. Oily Skin Types – If you have extremely oily skin, you might want to give this a pass. The sunscreen can give your skin a sheen and might make it look even more oily.
c. Sensitive Skin – This is an allergen free sunscreen, however, as prescribed and a good practice to keep in mind for any product is doing a patch test before applying it.
d. All skin types – If you’re going to be using make-up after, always look to use products especially foundation that has some SPF in it. This is because in the process of applying makeup, we might displace or dislodge some of the product, and using a product that has SPF in it can help to ensure that you’re not leaving parts of your skin susceptible to sun exposure and subsequently damage.
Disclaimer: I am not a dermatologist. The product review is my personal opinion on the product, and what I understand from articles available online. The overview on ingredients has been sourced from websites that specifically look to provide information on commonly used ingredients in skincare and make-up.
Wherever I have mentioned a specific fact or figure, these have been sourced from published Journals, Paula’s Choice Ingredient Dictionary or INCI Decoder, NCBI and Journal sources listed on these websites. Information gathered from specific websites will be referenced as well.
I neither take credit for this information, nor can I guarantee the accuracy of these facts and figures and do not take responsibility for the same.
My main aim is to help people understand the various ingredients in their skincare and how those ingredients work, to help make intelligent purchase decisions with regards to skincare. If I have made any error or mistake, please do let me know, and we can work together to make the necessary changes.
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