Bioré UV Aqua Rich Watery Essence SPF 50+ PA+++ Review

I think I originally bought this in June of this summer... I've really been slacking on the blogging lately ): Please forgive me everyone! I have some really exciting reviews coming up, including some sponsored ones. I appreciate everyone's patience and support, and I fully intend to get back into blogging- it just might be a gradual process. 

Anyway, this sunscreen is amazing- if you don't know the ingredients. Despite how great it is, I just can't get past that. More details after the jump break.

Where to buy:

sasa.com - $12.90
imomoko.com - $17.99
Ebay Seller AlphaBeautyUK - $12.95

Description: Biore SPF 50+ PA+++ Watery Essence Water Base contains of hyaluronic and citrus extracts, both ingredients are highly moisturizing and they can keep your skin with moist and glossy. The unique sense of water technology, which can form a layer of water film on your skin surface. The water film could help you reduce the effect of moisture loss caused by sun. This product could also used as a makeup base, it can help your foundation to keep long lasting. (from Sasa.com)

Ingredients: Water, Alcohol, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Lauryl Methacrylate/Sodium Methacrylate Crosspolymer, Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate, Dimethicone, Acrylates/C10-30 Acrylate Crosspolymer, Glyceryl Stearate, Agar, Polyvinyl Alcohol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Citrus Grandis, Citrus Medica Limonum, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis, Xylitol, Butylene Glycol, Propylene Glycol, Sodium Hydroxide, Potassium Hydroxide, Phenoxyethanol, Disodium EDTA, BHT, Fragrance

Unfortunately, I cannot hope to write an ingredients breakdown nearly as well as the lovely and clever Kerry on her blog Skin & Tonics. It's a goldmine of information and reviews, and it's the best beauty blog I know of, period. Check it out if you want to know more about the ingredients. 

There are definitely some ingredients to watch out for though, including lots of alcohol and some potential irritants (lye being one of them).

Scent: Mild and citrus-y. Pretty unoffensive. It dissipates quite quickly after application, but does lend a nice feeling of freshness when using it.

Packaging: The sunscreen is packaged in a thinner opaque plastic tube with a screw on cap. The thinness of the plastic allows you to get every last bit of sunscreen out, which I appreciate. As far as design goes, it's pretty plain, but that's OK with me. It does its job. I've never had any issues with squeezing out too much or too little.

Swatch: Initially, it comes out of the tube as a watery, lightly green tinted white. As soon as you spread it, you see little white bits of something (I think it's one of the sunscreen ingredients). It spreads super easily, which means you don't need a lot to cover all of your face. As you rub it in the little white bits disappear, and I oftentimes get a slight white cast that needs a bit more rubbing to fully absorb. Once it's rubbed in however, it dries quite quickly thanks to the alcohol, and leaves a very soft and matte finish that's a perfect base for 

Immediately after application.

A couple of minutes after application.

Results: This is a really, really good sunscreen- ignoring the ingredients. However, I'm paranoid about maintaining my skin (and my health!) and I simply can't ignore the potential damage the ingredients might cause. I am still undecided about the place alcohol has in my skincare routine, but I think I would prefer not to risk it. I do like that it has good broad spectrum protection (which is very important!), and its ease of application makes it great for when you're in a rush. The price isn't too bad in my opinion, as you get a full month of applying it once or twice a day. Given that it dries to a nice matte finish, it would probably be great for those with oily skin. Unfortunately, I just can't get over the ingredients list and will not be repurchasing.  :(

Conclusion: Final Score: 4/5

Pros:

• good price
• dries quickly
• matte, powdery finish
• smells nice
• white cast disappears quickly
• good broad spectrum protection

Cons:

• high alcohol content :(
• some irritating ingredients that might not be the best for you