Update 31/03/2022: The product has been discontinued. You can read my review of the latest Allie’s sunscreen here.

This sunscreen is not the most cosmetically elegant product out there; there are certainly better options available. Despite that, I like this sunscreen, and I am willing to repurchase it next year and let me tell you why. 

This sunscreen contains a mixture of chemical filters and zinc oxide. Let me tell you upfront that the particles of the zinc oxide in this product are larger than in Rohto’s sunscreen. As you might have guessed, this sunscreen leaves a white cast. Perhaps it’s not very prominent with the first layer, but it is noticeable when you apply more layers. The formula includes hyaluronic acid and collagen which help to moisturise skin. The sunscreen is fragrance-free, but there’s alcohol. The product doesn’t have any alcohol scent (I couldn’t sense any), and it isn’t drying at all. I would say that even people with dry skin would like this sunscreen,  as it’s creamy and moisturising. 

The sunscreen reminds me of Biore’s Aqua Gel to a certain degree. But this one is much more pleasant to use. This sunscreen has a pretty strong film, which comes with the ‘Friction-Proof’ technology. By applying the ‘Friction-Proof’ technology, Kanebo made the product more resistant to unintentional removal due to friction, sweating, etc. Although Kanebo’s sunscreen feels a bit waxy, compared to Biore’s Gel, it’s much easier to use. You still need to do it quickly, as the film forms quite fast. But even if you put another layer of the sunscreen on a layer that already dried out, you won’t drag and smudge the product on your face; it will absorb. Whenever you reapply the sunscreen, the new layer sort of melts in with the old one, rather than repel each other, as it is the case with Biore’s product. Another reason why I like Kanebo’s formula more is because of its resistance to sweat. Biore’s sunscreen struggled to stay put on my face during sweating. If I sweated and wiped my face with a tissue, almost all of the product would go with it, whereas the Allie Gel remained (perhaps not entirely). I’ve used this sunscreen during two city trips with an entire day of sightseeing in the scorching sun of Italy. While sightseeing I sweated profusely, I was wiping my face constantly, of course, I also reapplied the sunscreen frequently. At the end of the day, when I was washing my face, my flannel had a white residue left by the product. Compared to the sunscreen which I used on my neck, Kanebo performed phenomenally, after an entire day of walking, I got no sunburns.

This sunscreen performs very well in humid and hot summer climates. It has no problem staying on my face. But, I am not a fan of the finish. With a very generous first layer and further reapplications, the sunscreen leaves a white cast. It looks sunscreenish on my face if you know what I mean. I have also noticed that if I sweat a lot, I get breakouts. Not too many, only in the zones where I exert too much sweat. 

Despite its downsides, I am pleased with this sunscreen.  I would say it’s suitable for all skin types. I wouldn’t recommend it for acne-prone skin on a daily basis, though. But if you need sunscreen when you are all day out, this is the way to go (don’t forget to reapply!). It also works with colourful stuff, such as BB creams, cushions, etc. Though don’t use much over a quarter of a teaspoon, as it may interfere with other products. Overall, it’s not an ideal product for day-to-day purposes, but it’s an excellent option when you are out all day in the sun. 

Ingredients: 

Water, zinc oxide, ethanol, ethylhexyl methoxycinnamate, glycerin, neopentyl glycol dicaprate, ethylhexyl triazone, diglycerin, bisethylhexyl oxyphenol methoxyphenyl triazine, diethylamino hydroxybenzoyl hexyl benzoate, BG, dimethicone, behenyl alcohol, behenes- 2, (Acrylic acid Na / Acryloyldimethyltaurine Na) copolymer, isohexadecane, methicone, triethoxycaprylylsilane, polysorbate 80, xanthan gum, sorbitan oleate, EDTA-2Na, sodium hyaluronate, hydrolyzed collagen, phenoxyethanol, chlorphene Thin (Yesstyle.com) 

Kanebo’s Allie Extra UV Facial Gel SPF 50+ retails for €35 (60g) on Yesstyle.com[aff].