Shiseido Extra Smooth Sun Protection Cream N

One really shouldn't make looking at mirror into a habit, beside being utterly unproductive an a potential irritant for the roommate ("Woman, just how much  longer do you need to stare at your face and what is that pink spill on the carpet?!" ), you also make a ton of unwanted discoveries (craters from picking on the same spots, fine lines, broken capillary, mustache, Wait...is that a mole?...Just to name a few). One of my recent finds, with the 10x magnification mirror, was the the the trail of fine line at my nasolabial fold. I would have deal with it, as a part of aging but guess what...It's only on the right side of the face, meaning that there is something wrong with what I am (not) doing.

Well, I figured the thing out quickly. For the past year, I have been slacking on the sun screen (L'Oreal Sublime Sun was too slippery and my then go-to Neutrogena Ultra Sheer never went on sale) while at the same time, I also underwent some intense UV treatment: During weekdays, I commute up north in the morning and back down in the afternoon...Which means, the sun rises and sets, right on the right side of my face. Somebody needs to start covering up...

Anyway, just as I was banking on my last hope ("Maybe it will go on sale before Texas summer comes?") I found something that's much better at TJ-Maxx: Shiseido Extra Smooth Sun Protection Screen, for 17 bucks. I knew this will work well (Shiseido rarely goes wrong on me) as I have used the eye cream version of this and liked it quite a bit. Now I think of it, the eye cream (33 bucks for a tiny tube) was probably a major rip-off since this face version has the same consistency, smell and stability. As it doesn't run into eyes even I use it around that area.

The Shiseido Sun Protection cream is made in USA (instead of Japan) and the texture is a slightly tacky (on hand) medium-thick lotion that spreads easily and dries completely on the face, leaving a smooth touch and a soft powdery scent that's pleasant and motherly. As a partially physical sunscreen with quite a bit of ZnO2, it actually just leaves a minimal amount of white cast, just enough to brighten up my face a little without making it look powdered. It hasn't sting my face or eyes (Neutrogena Ultra Sheer does) or caused flakiness. In fact, it actually feels like a weightless moisturizer on my face.

Anyway, The SPF 38 PA +++ formula feels light yet it clings on the face well (it's marked as waterproof), as I can still feel it by the end of the day. As long as I wash it off completely by the end of the day, it doesn't clog the pore or cause break out.

Overall: I really the packaging, scent, how it makes my skin feels and the effectiveness (it actually stops my skin from getting noticably tanned) but I guess if I had to pay full price ($32?) , I would just go for those Japanese drugstore ones in the 15-20 dollar range.

OCTINOXATE 7.4%
ZINC OXIDE 9.6%

WATER • CYCLOMETHICONE • BUTYLENE GLYCOL • DIMETHICONE • PEG-10 DIMETHICONE • METHYL GLUCETH-10 • POLYBUTYLENE GLYCOL/PPG-9/1 COPOLYMER • DISTEARDIMONIUM HECTORITE • POLYMETHYL METHACRYLATE • TALC • TRIMETHYLSILOXYSILICATE • GLYCERIN • XYLITOL • SCUTELLARIA BAICALENSIS ROOT EXTRACT • ONONIS SPINOSA ROOT EXTRACT • ECTOIN • HYDROGENATED POLYDECENE • TRIETHOXYCAPRYLYSILANE • ISOSTEARIC ACID • ALUMINUM HYDROXIDE • PEG-150 • CALCIUM STEARATE • STEARIC ACID • SILICA • TRISODIUM EDTA • BHT • SYZYGIUM JAMBOS LEAF EXTRACT • TOCOPHEROL • PHENOXYETHANOL • FRAGRANCE • TITANIUM DIOXIDE •