This post contains affiliate links. Product provided by Stylevana.
Sunscreens are my favorite products to test. I never skip SPF, not even if I’m sick or plan to stay home all day, because if you can see the sun, it can see you. Naturally, I go through quite a bit of sunscreen and like to try different brands and formulas. I’ve been mostly sticking to Korean SPF, but have recently branched out into Japanese ones and I’m loving them.
Shiseido Anessa Perfect UV Sunscreen Skincare Milk SPF 50+ PA++++ features Auto Booster Technology and a “milky smooth texture” to protect the skin without stickiness or a white cast. The formula is marketed as waterproof and sweat resistant, but remember that testing standards (for example, what % of the original SPF protection has to remain after being in the water) vary by country. The Auto Booster Technology is meant to strengthen the film of sunscreen when it comes in contact with water, but If in doubt - reapply. Anessa is available on Amazon, YesStyle (reward code KBHOBBIT), and Stylevana (code INF10KBH).
How to use
Shake well before each use
Apply at the end of your skincare routine (before makeup, if using)
Reapply as necessary
Anessa Perfect UV has a lovely liquid texture that’s very easy to spread and dries down quickly. It leaves no white cast on me and has my preferred finish - pretty natural, somewhat on the matte side. The scent is noticeable and is a mix of florals and alcohol, but it doesn’t bother me and isn’t a big deal. However, if you are sensitive to scents or prefer fragrance free formulas, that is something to consider.
My impressions
I love this sunscreen. It was the first one I opened out of 5 or so Japanese formulas I recently received, and it made me want to get into everything else right away (watch the reel with the others here). There’s no white cast, it’s not greasy, my skin feels like velvet to the touch, it didn’t irritate my eyes and didn’t bother the scratch I have next to my eye (thanks, toddler, love ya too). Totally unedited picture so enjoy puffiness, dark circles, and all the other joys of motherhood…
My skin is combination with some dry and some oily areas. In the Summer, I typically don’t use any moisturizers in the morning and just stick to SPF. Shiseido Anessa is definitely lighter than most SPF formulas, which is lovely for my skin (and oily skin, I would imagine), but might not provide enough moisture for dryer types. Despite having ethanol in the ingredients, which is most likely there for texture reasons, this sunscreen doesn’t dry my skin out, not even the areas that are prone to dryness. Again, someone with very dry skin might have a different experience.
For me, this is a total win. In a couple of days I’m heading out for a girls' weekend with my friend, which involves pools, a spa, and a fair amount of outdoor time. This is the sunscreen I’m bringing (well, I’ll likely pack more than one bottle because there can never be too much sunscreen, but this is my main one). I would happily get this again.
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Shiseido - Anessa Perfect UV Sunscreen Skincare Milk ingredients: Dimethicone, water, zinc oxide, ethanol, talc, isododecane, diisopropyl sebacate, octocrylene, ethylhexyl salicylate, alkyl benzoate (C12-15), PEG / PPG-9 / 2 dimethyl ether, corn starch, silica, isopropyl myristate, diethylamino hydroxy Hexyl benzoyl benzoate, titanium oxide, PEG-9 polydimethylsiloxyethyl dimethicone, dextrin palmitate, glycerin, homosalate, polysilicone-15, bis ethylhexyloxyphenol methoxyphenyl triazine, Na chloride, PEG / PPG-14 / 7 dimethyl ether, Isomerized sugar, glycyrrhetinic acid 2K, cha extract, tormentilla root extract, sodium acetyl hyaluronate, water-soluble collagen, ethylhexyl triazone, PEG-10 dimethicone, isostearic acid, triethoxycaprylylsilane, disteardimonium hectorite, hydroxylated Al, stearic acid, EDTA-3Na, PEG-6, tocopherol, BHT, BG, Na pyrosulfate, citric acid, Na citrate, triethoxysilyl ethyl polydimethylsiloxyethyl dimethicone, phenoxyethanol, fragrance, synthetic gold mica