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The last time I was close to the ocean was 2016. While packing for a recent family cruise, sunscreen was definitely high on my must have list. More specifically, water resistant sunscreen. I decided to try Kao Biore UV Aqua Rich Aqua Protect Lotion SPF 50+ PA++++, available on YesStyle (reward code KBHOBBIT) and Stylevana (code INF10KBH). It’s advertised as a water resistant, non-sticky formula without a white cast. In addition to UV filters, the product features royal jelly, hyaluronic acid, and glycerin to hydrate the skin.
How to use
Shake well
Apply to all exposed areas
Reapply as needed
The instructions warn not to let the UV Aqua Rich fluid come in contact with clothes until it’s totally dry. I definitely had this all over my stuff at some point reapplying on the beach and noticed no issues. But if you have fancy clothing, keep this in mind.
The texture is very liquid and runny, but not hard to apply if squeezed into the palm first. The finish is a bit shinier than I like, which is easily remedied by a dusting of translucent powder. I don’t see a white cast and neither does my husband (his skin is a little darker than mine).
My impressions
I bought this specifically for a family vacation to the Bahamas since it involved swimming in the ocean and the pool (and by “swimming” I mean sitting in the sand with a small child trying to make sure he doesn’t eat the said sand too much…). It didn’t disappoint! I’m very fair and burn quickly, but most of my usual daily sunscreens are not water resistant. I
Kao Biore UV Aqua Rich worked just fine, didn’t irritate the eyes, and protected the skin - I didn’t burn on my face or neck at all. My husband used it as well and had no sunburn on his face. He did burn the back of his neck, but that’s due to user error and not the product - he didn’t reapply as much as I did, and even when reminded, he didn’t do a super thorough job.
It’s not a holy grail sunscreen for me, because it feels like it could irritate or dry out the skin, perhaps from the ethanol in the ingredients. Contrary to the marketing claims, Kao Biore isn’t hydrating or moisturizing at all. My skin did fine, but I didn’t love the strong smell of fragrance and alcohol. Someone with dry or sensitive skin should probably keep looking at other options or use a good occlusive moisturizer first. The runny texture is also not the most convenient thing, but not a deal breaker. A sunscreen that’s similar but much better, in my opinion, is Shiseido Anessa. It’s also nearly three times the cost of Biore and some people find it drying.
Still, I would buy it again if I needed water resistant vacation sunscreen, because I’ve never had a formula that’s better than this one for that purpose and for such a good price. For non-water days, I prefer other products.
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Kao Biore UV Aqua Rich Aqua Protect Lotion ingredients: Water, ethanol, ethylhexyl methoxycinnamate, glycerin, ethylhexyltriazone, silica, hexyl diethylaminohydroxybenzoylbenzoate, glyceryl stearate, bisethylhexyloxyphenol methoxyphenyltriazine, dextrin palmitate, canten, cellulose, polyvinyl alcohol, (Acrylates / Alkyl acrylate (C10-30)) Crosspolymer, Polysilicone-9, Na Hydroxide, Royal Jelly Extract, Na Hyaluronate, Phenoxyethanol, EDTA-2Na, BHT, Fragrance