I learned these lessons the hard way: not only did I not bring my #1 favorite physical sunblock with me to Vietnam, I also realized the chemical sunscreens I have irritate the heck out of my skin. On top of that, the extreme heat and humidity make things worse for me. A week into it and I was searching high and low for a reliable sunblock that (a) is not too moisturizing, (b) not irritating, and (c) contains zinc oxide and titanium dioxide.
- Lesson #1: bring your own sunscreens when you travel.
- Lesson #2: sunscreens formulated for the cold climate may clog your pores when used in a much, much warmer climate.
Lady Luck smiled at me during my last shopping spree. My eagle eyes found Sunplay Whitening UV SPF 50 PA+++ after reading the ingredients, I was more than delighted: it contains both zinc oxide and titanium dioxide, yay! After some hustling, I bought it and during my last trip to the beach, I got a chance to test it out.
Sunplay Whitening UV SPF 50 PA+++ by Rhoto-Mentholatum (a Japanese company.) |
First of all, although Sunplay has been available in the Vietnamese market for a long time, I did not have a chance to try it. I've heard a lot of nice things about Japanese sunblocks and sunscreens since a lot of my friends are fans of them. I know a few beauty bloggers swear by Shiseido sunscreens as they are light-weight and do not burn their delicate skins.
Unlike many other sunscreens I've tried, Sunplay is not a cream or a thick lotion. Instead, it is a watery milky white liquid. There is a small ball inside the bottle and you need to shake it before dispensing the liquid into your palm. It dries fast and does not leave a white cast, which is a bonus. After drying, it does not feel greasy, either.
I got a chance to really test it when I went to the beach a few weeks ago. I slathered on my body a thick layer of Sunplay before heading to the beach. It was intensely hot and I believe the heat index would be 10 or above. However, after I came back, my skin was only a shade darker and I did not get burn on the areas I applied sunscreens. Winning!
Ingredients |
Would I buy it again? Of course! In fact, my bottle is running low and I am going to need a back-up pretty soon. I do hope this kind of sunscreen is available in the markets outside of Asian, as it is a very good product that does not aggravate my skin.
Disclaimer: I bought this product.
P.S: If you like my blog, please subscribe to my feed. Thanks a lot! |