Shiseido Senka Aging Care UV Sunscreen SPF50+ PA++++

10 Reviews

1. 

   panickyWeaver4

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   just started using this, so far so good, the consistency is good and I do not get oily on the T zone either or too dry under the eyes..

2. 

   zestyChile6

   Reply

   I had such high hopes for this sunscreen. The bottle is a pretty and classy shade of orange, and will look nice on your counter, but it didn’t work for me at all. It’s a goopy cream that leaves an oily and filmy layer on the skin that just never seems to dissipate. The texture made me dread putting it on. It’s not resistant to water, sweat, or sebum either (according to Ratzillacosme’s website), so what’s the point of wearing such a filmy sunscreen if it won’t hold its own against the elements?

   With 6 chemical filters (Octinoxate, Parsol SLX, Octocrylene, Tinosorb S, Uvinul A Plus, Avobenzone), it does protect well, but there are many other Japanese sunscreens with an impressive array of filters that are far more cosmetically elegant than this one.

   The most egregious thing about this sunscreen, however, is its capacity to sting and irritate the eyes. This is the most irritating sunscreen I have ever tried, bar none. It made my eyes water relentlessly for hours on end. It’s almost as if this sunscreen is constantly emitting irritating fumes that keep going into your eyes.

   I have no idea why it does this. Could it be the Avobenzone? I’m not sensitive to chemical sunscreens – my HG sunscreens are from LRP and Skin Aqua and one of them has Avobenzone, but it doesn’t sting my eyes. It could be that the Avobenzone in the Senka is uncoated or just unstable, or perhaps it’s another ingredient. Either way, I guess I’ll never know.

   If you have combination or oily skin, if you live in a hot and humid climate, if you’re prone to breakouts, or if you want your skin to look good with just sunscreen on… steer clear of this one.

   Also, the name is wrong: This is the Senka Mineral Water UV Essence, there’s no sunscreen in the Senka line-up by the name of ‘Aging Care’.

3. 

   sugaryLlama3

   Reply

   I bought this from a review from Stephanie Nichole who is pretty much the best YouTuber when it comes to info and I really like her stuff and trust her. I had previously used the Biore Watery Essence, but idk, something about it was off and I couldn’t tell if it was breaking me out or I was just breaking out from other stuff. It also was SO light I didn’t feel super protected. Plus, they change the ingredients so much it’s hard to know what you’re getting and I react to certain things so that was pretty risky for me.

   This one is also light and also chemical, but it feels a bit more creamy. It’s white but doesn’t leave a cast or feel heavy. In theory I don’t mind heavier physical sun screens, but I get clogged so easily that I tend to avoid them on my face. I have a great moisturizer with SS (though Steph would say that’s not enough) but it’s discontinued so I HAD to find something else. I use this on top of that when I go out and hike and I live in the desert and so far I haven’t gotten burned when others who don’t wear SS have. I also like that the consistency of this is similar to the moisturizer I’m used to. I was considering an EltaMD one, but they’re SO expensive and have mixed reviews so I’m really glad I found this. I got it for about $7 which isn’t super affordable for what small amount you get, but I’ll take it.

4. 

   culturedPear2

   Reply

   This review is for Shiseido Sanka Anti-Aging SPF 50+++:

   Pros:
   -Very moisturizing
   -Sets clear
   -Squeeze packaging with small nozzle is easy to use and helps prevent product waste.

   Cons:
   -A little pricey; I purchase a 2-pack on Amazon for around $18US with free Prime shipping.
   -Very moisturizing, so not great for summer unless you have super-dry skin
   -Only goes up to SPF 50

   This is a great winter sunblock. It’s very emollient to help protect against dry winter air, especially if you use retinoid products and chemical exfoliants. A tube usually lasts about six-eight weeks of daily use for me. I’m on my third tube, with a fourth already purchased, and expect that I’ll be using this throughout the winter until the humidity picks up again.

5. 

   somberOrange5

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   I’ve tried a few different Japanese sunscreens over the past couple years, including the famous Biore Watery Essence one (which I did not like). I have combination skin that is leaning more and more dry with age, so I like something that feels a bit more creamy and moisturizing.

   I’d recommend the Shiseido Senka Aging Care sunscreen to others who struggle with dryness. It has a nice, slightly velvety, cream texture and feels moisturizing without being oily or leaving your skin shiny. I apply it before makeup and I don’t find I need to use powder after, like with some sunscreens.

   For reference, my previous HG sunscreen (which I still like) was Nivea Sun Protect Plus Milky Essence, which is about $2 cheaper ($15), also for a 50g tube. The Nivea is a bit more on the oily side (though not terribly so). The Shiseido Senka is slightly better for this reason, but I’d still happily repurchase the Nivea if Shiseido weren’t available.

6. 

   murkyLion2

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   I’m pretty happy with this sunscreen. I’m part way through my second tube and have been using it every day on its own or under makeup.
   I always put fractionated coconut oil on first, then sunscreen. I found if I tried putting oil, face cream, then sunscreen it was one too many products. Coconut oil is my main moisturiser, the rest are extras, so shiseido sunscreen has become my day cream.
   I’ve noticed that the sun damage freckling that generally gets darker and more noticeable in the summer, is looking a lot lighter than it usually does.
   I’ve used it under bb cream and powder foundation and it doesn’t interfere with either. I prefer using bb cream though.
   I have rosacea and it doesn’t cause any stinging, it also has a nice texture, feels like a silky moisturiser, no stickiness, or horrible smell.

7. 

   soreAntelope0

   Reply

   I am 35 with very dry yet also acne prone skin and this sunscreen is my absolute favorite for daily use for face. I find it to be somewhat moisturizing and far less drying than the other Asian sunscreens I have tried which may be a con if you are oily. I still need an extra moisturizer in the winter but in summer it is generally sufficient for moisture. It will need reapplication if you are in water or outdoors for very long, but for daily use under makeup it is perfect.

8. 

   madTacos2

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   I have a love-hate relationship with this sunscreen. Some days it is really really good. It goes from creamy to matte , and the finish is flattering. Some days the product does not absorb into my skin and it sits there oily and unflattering. I have used this for 2 months and i still have not figured out why it has different results on different days even though i would cleanse my face before applying it each time. Though i truly love this sunscreen when it is working well, i will not be repurchasing.

9. 

   vengefulCockatoo2

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   I have just finished using my tube of the sunscreen. First off starting with the the pro’s. Similar to other Japanese sunscreens, the consistency is light and does not feel heavy on the face. It also contains CoQ10 and hyaluronic acid, both great ingredients that made me want to try the sunscreen in the first place.

   With the initial application, I loved it. It was the right consistency to feel light enough to wear daily but also thick enough to feel moisturizing. It made my skin feel and look great. However, within a few hours, it started to dry out my skin. It would cause my skin to flake horribly and it’d settle into the flakes. If I put it on in the morning, by the afternoon, my skin had become a dry, flaky mess, even in my oilier t-zone.

   I really wanted to love this sunscreen and tried it a few more times to make sure it was not other products reacting with my skin. I tried it without any other products, after serum, after lotion, and after serum & lotion. I still had the flakiness in varying degrees.

   Overall:
   Pros:
   – High SPF
   – Nice consistency
   – No white cast
   – No irritation

   Cons:
   – Drying on skin
   – Caused flaky patches

10. 

    jealousPear6

    Reply

    Update 6/9/2016: I still love this SS. A few (meaning 2+) people have PMed me asking how this compares to Biore Watery Essence which is a gel formula. I find that the Senka formula is a lot more hydrating and better primer than the Biore Watery Essence. Even though I am oily/acne prone, I still prefer the Senka. (Please do not confuse the Watery Essence with Perfect Face Milk…they’re very different).

    Update 4/19/2016: I’ve been using this daily for over a month. Honestly I do love this sunscreen. It’s definitely one of my favorites. The biggest downside unfortunately is that it contains avobenzone. If they could remove/replace that I might be willing to say I like this more than the Biore Perfect Face Milk. But as is, Senka Anti Aging Care is a close 2nd favorite. It’s very emollient and makes a great foundation primer yet it lasts on my pizzaface. I like it more than the Replenix mentioned below (even when my skin is dried out from over exfoliation).

    —————-

    Background on my skin: very acne-prone, oily, rosacea, photosensitive, & living in a hot/humid state. Typically my holy grail sunscreens out of the many I’ve tried are Biore’s most recent formulation of Perfect Face Milk or Replenix Sheer Physical SS Spray (Replenix is only for drier days when my skin is compromised from too much exfoliation).

    I have heard good things about this sunscreen for a while in terms of UVA protection and it being suitable for my skintype. So far I really like it. I wouldn’t say I like it more than my holy grail Biore, but I do really like it.

    Shiseido Senka Aging Care UV Sunscreen SPF50+ PA++++ feels more emollient & heavier than Biore’s option. I expected this as the Senka contains actual anti-aging ingredients (such as coq10). It does eventually dry down to a natural satin finish. I think I’ll stick to my holy grail (Biore) during the summer time but reach for this on drier days. One thing I liked about this is how smoothly it made my foundation application. I use a very matte foundation and this made it glide on like butter. [Edited to add: I’d rec this sunscreen to any skintype but if you are super oily or super dry, you’ll probably need a niche product.]

    The big difference between asian brands and brands you’d find in US drugstores is the asian brands are typically better formulated. Most of the SS I’ve tried from local Walmarts are disgusting, I can NOT deal with thick greasy formulas on my face! The Senka has a very liquid-y formula and is lighter in comparison.

    There is no artificial frag in the ingredients list but I do smell a chemical-y sweet scent. If your skin is sensitive to alcohol you might not like this (nor most of asian SS) because it does contain a rather high level. My troublesome skin seems to fare okay with the alcohol. However this is the only product containing alcohol that I’ll allow in my skincare routine. If my overnight products had it, my skin’s barrier would probably get dried out.

    Senka Aging Care UV Sunscreen SPF50+ PA++++ plays nicely with my foundation. That’s a huge plus, as there’s plenty of sunscreens out there that ball up when I go to apply face products over. If anything Senka Aging Care UV Sunscreen SPF50+ PA++++ serves nicely as a primer. I will have to update after a month of daily use. The only cons thus far is that, like many other asian SS on the market, the size of this is quite small (50ml). I don’t know WHY asian brands do this. Also this contains Avobenzone. YES THE UV FILTERS ARE STABLE. Don’t worry about that. I just would rather avoid Avobenzone if possible due to all the controversy behind it.