Best Japanese Sunscreens for Face

Japanese beauty products are highly popular worldwide, and especially, sunscreens are one of the most categories of product as they are known for their quality, effectiveness and reasonable prices.

Another big reason why Japanese sunscreens are so popular is their variety. In Japan, there are hundreds of sunscreen products on the market in different price range and with various features and functions. So you can easily find the right sunscreen products that are suitable for your skin type or to use for particular purposes.

In Japan, many people use several sunscreen daily, depending on their body parts or situation. For example for face and body, people look for different effects and functions in sunscreens such as high skin care/makeup effects for face and a better strength for body. Especially for face, people wear sunscreen with makeup, so many products are designed to be lightweight, skin-nourishing and gentle-formula as key features. Also some products offer great makeup effects to fix your skin complexion and tone it up for a smooth look.

In this article, I’d like to share the list of the best Japanese sunscreens for face that protect the skin against UV rays as well as leaving it looking healthy and flawless. So let’s check them out 🙂

*Please note that this article contains affiliate links.

1. ANESSA Perfect UV Skin Care BB Foundation

ANESSA by Shiseido is one of the most popular Japanese sunscreen brands of all time. ANESSA sunscreen series offers powerful strength and high protection against UV as well as skin care effects. ANESSA Perfect UV Skin Care BB Foundation (アネッサ パーフェクトUV スキンケアBB ファンデーション) is a tinted sunscreen designed to use for base makeup and it acts both as a primer and foundation. It covers spots and pores naturally.

Like ANESSA’s original sunscreen products, it offers a strong UV protection with a water and sweat resistant effect, and also features the “Aqua Booster Technology” that enhances the UV protection ability with water or sweat exposure. It contains skin care powder that prevents skin roughness. Also formulated with selected beauty ingredients that protect the skin from dryness and UV damage. Despite its resistance to water and sweat, it can be washed off effortlessly with regular makeup remover. Available with 2 shades: Bright Natural and Healthy Natural.

SPF 50+/PA++++

Price: 2,200 yen

【Shop Online】
▷ ANESSA Perfect UV Skin Care BB Foundation (Bright Natural)
▷ ANESSA Perfect UV Skin Care BB Foundation (Healthy Natural)

2. ELIXIR REFLET Balancing Oshiroi Milk

ELIXIR REFLET Balancing Oshiroi Milk (エリクシール ルフレ バランシング おしろいミルク) is a daytime moisturizing milk with the effects of setting powder and sunscreen. It’s also recommended to use as a makeup primer.

The lightly tinted, lightweight milk blends to the skin smoothly, and conditions the sebum and moisture balance of the skin. It acts as a face powder and makes pores less visible and the skin smooth and matte. It also helps foundation to stay longer when you apply it as a primer. It has high UV protection rates (SPF50+/PA++++) to prevent skin-aging and dryness.

Besides the regular formula, the tinted version with higher coverage, ELIXIR REFLET Balancing Oshiroi Milk C is also available. It can be used as a foundation as it also covers skin dullness and uneven tone naturally.

SPF50+/PA++++

Price: 1,980 yen (35g)

【Shop Online】
▷ ELIXIR REFLET Balancing Oshiroi Milk
▷ ELIXIR REFLET Balancing Oshiroi Milk C

3. Curel UV Cream

Curel is a Japanese skin care brand offering a range of ceramide care products for dry, sensitive skin. If you have ever experienced skin roughness or dryness caused by UV ray or reaction to sunscreens, their products may help you. Curel UV Cream (キュレル 潤浸保湿 UVクリーム) is a face sunscreen/makeup primer with moisturizing effect. It contains anti-inflammatory agents and prevents the skin roughness and damage while protecting from UV rays and dryness.

The rich textured cream spreads on the skin smoothly. It can be used as a makeup primer and helps foundation to appear better. It’s blended with moisturizing ingredients (ceramide and eucalipt essence) that keep the skin smooth and moist all day. This gentle formula sunscreen is free of colorant, fragrance, alcohol and UV absorbing agents. The product is tested for non-comedogenic and allergy, so it’s recommended for acne-prone and sensitive skin type.

SPF30/PA+++

Price: Open Price 【Shop Online】

4. SEKKISEI Skin Care UV Tone Up

SEKKISEI is one of the most popular Japanese skin care brands and its skin care range is formulated with oriental herbs which help to brighten the skin tone and improve its clarity. SEKKISEI Skin Care UV Tone UP (雪肌精 スキンケア UV トーンアップ) is a face sunscreen with a skin tone-up effect and great product to use as a makeup primer. The lavender-coloured essence brightens up the skin complexion by sweeping away dullness and providing a natural glow.

It features the dry protect formula which prevents the skin from dryness, roughness and dark spots while protecting from UV ray. It contains 80% beauty serum (fermented Job’s Tears extract) which leads to clear and bright skin with each use. The lightweight and milky textured essence absorbs quickly and helps foundation to stay on longer. Can be removed easily with regular face wash. It’s chemical-free formula and allergy tested.

SPF30/PA+++

Price: 1,650 yen 【Shop Online】

5. Biore UV Face Milk

Biore UV series offers a wide range of sunscreen products that have amazing quality and great value for money. Biore UV Face Milk (ビオレ UV さらさらフェイスミルク) is a face sunscreen with a long lasting UV protection and super waterproof. You can use the product before applying makeup as a primer. It has a light and silky texture formulated with sebum-absorbing powder which prevents makeup from smudging and providing a mattifying effect.

It also features the new “Smooth Water Repellent Veil” with better strength against water and sweat and keeps the skin smooth and shine-free. It also contains hyaluronic acid and glycerin as moisturizing ingredients. It’s suitable for all skin type under hot and humid weather, but specially recommended if you have oily skin.

SPF50+/PA++++

Price: Open Price 【Shop Online】

6. TRANSINO Whitening UV Protector

TRANSINO is a skin care brand by one of the biggest pharmaceutical companies in Japan, Daiichi Sankyo. The brand offers a range of medicated whitening cosmetics products containing tranexamic acid as an active whitening ingredient to achieve bright and translucent skin. TRANSINO Whitening UV Protector (トランシーノ®薬用 ホワイトニングUVプロテクター) is a 4 in 1 sunscreen product that acts as a skin whitening, emulsion, sunscreen and makeup primer.

This multi-functional sunscreen evens the skin complexion and smooths pores naturally white protecting the skin from UV rays and PM 2.5 with the highest SPF and PA factor. It contains beauty ingredients to provide whitening and moisturizing treatments. The “Multi-Dimension Powder” also helps to lead bright complexion skin by diffusing light. It has a light and non-greasy texture which is easy to spread and the skin feels smooth and comfortable.

SPF50+/PA++++

Price: 2,860 yen (30 ml) 【Shop Online】

7. SOFINA iP UV Resister Rich Milk

SOFINA iP by KAO is a popular mid-range skin care brands in Japan. The brand introduces “Double Serum System”, a new daily skin care routine with two types of serums without using toner or emulsion, which can be expected faster and stronger skin care effects.

SOFINA iP UV Resister Rich Cream (ソフィーナ iP UVレジスト リッチクリーム) is a UV protection serum containing the highest UV protection and the beauty ingredients. The product can be used as a makeup primer. It also protects skin from dryness caused by sunlight and leads to moisturized and translucent skin for all day.

Protection Rate: SPF50+/PA++++

Price: 3000 yen (30g)

8. Saborino All in One Milk UV

The popular time-saving cosmetics brand, Saborino released a multi-function skin care product that can complete the morning skin care routine with a single application after washing face.

Saborino All in One Milk UV (サボリーノ おはようるおいミルク UV) is a daytime moisturizer that can replace toner, beauty serum, emulsion and sunscreen. It keeps the skin hydrated while protecting against UV rays. The light diffusion effect covers visible pores and naturally brightens up the skin tone. It contains several beauty ingredients that tightens the skin and provides clarity and radiance to the skin. The sebum-absoring powder prevents makeup from smudging during day.

SPF50+/PA++++

Price: 1,650 yen (130ml)

9. SANA Nameraka Honpo Skin Care UV

SANA Nameraka Honpo is a top-selling drugstore skin care brand in Japan, offering a wide variety of effective yet affordable skin care products blended with soy isoflavones. The brand has two multi-functional makeup primers that acts as toner, beauty serum, emulsion, cream, sunscreen and makeup base.

SANA Nemeraka Honpo Skin Care UV Base (サナ なめらか本舗 スキンケアUV下地) is a low-irritant and non-chemical makeup primer that contains 82% beauty ingredients including highly moisturizing fermented soy milk essence. It also has skin colour-correcting effect and contains sebum absorbing powder to prevent makeup from smudging.

SANA Nameraka Honpo Medicated White Skin Care UV Base (サナ なめらか本舗 薬用美白スキンケアUV下地) is a skin-brightening makeup primer that contains arbutin (active whitening ingredient) and rough skin prevention ingredients in addition to the brand’s signature fermented soy milk essence. It features a tone-up effect to add clarity to the skin and sebum absorbing powder.

SPF40/PA+++

Price: 1,100 yen (50g)【Shop Online: Skin Care/White Skin Care】

10. PRIVACY UV Face Powder 50

Ideally, face sunscreen should be re-applied every 2–3 hours as it can fade with sweat or sebum, but it’s not easy when you wear makeup. PRIVACY UV Face Powder 50 (プライバシー UVフェイスパウダー50) is a powder type sunscreen that can be applied on top of your makeup.

The translucent powder sunscreen can be used for finish up or re-touch of makeup as a loose powder. It does not leave the skin too white nor cakey so you can apply it on top of your makeup over and over during a day. It has powerful SPF and PA factor and protects the skin from UV rays. The sebum-absorbing powder keeps skin smooth and non-greasy and prevents makeup smudging. It also contains some skin beautifying ingredients such as hyaluronic acid and collagen. You can also apply it on your body. It’s easy to carry as it comes in a compact with a thick and fluffy puff.

SPF50+/PA++++

Price: 1,200 yen 【Shop Online】

Thanks for reading! Which Japanese face sunscreen do you want to try?? There are a wide variety of sunscreens available on the market in Japan, so you can pick them according to your skin type and purpose!

If you are into Japanese beauty products, I’d recommend you to check out the online beauty store Kokoro which offers a wide selection of Japanese beauty products with worldwide shipping. Visit their website (Kokoro: http://bit.ly/32HfNbi) to check more Japanese cosmetics products! Free shipping is available when you spend over 40 USD 🙂

For more information about Japanese sunscreens, I have more articles introducing the best Japanese sunscreens!

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