Protect your skin from harmful UV rays the Japanese way this summer!
Looks like it’s going to be a good summer this year, with several heatwaves already underway. The sun is especially strong in summer, and you may be affected by sunburn if not careful.
Japanese sunscreens are updated every year with increased performance against sweat and water, as well as comfort. In this issue, we present you with three ZakZakka recommended sunscreens for the face and body, as well as pressed powder with sunscreen properties.
In Japan, many people, both male and female, are serious about protecting their skins from UV rays. They understand that not only sun protection prevents dangerous skin cancer but also sun spots that could appear years later and also helps keep the skin supple and healthy as sunburn causes the skin to lose moisture and lead to fine lines and dull skin tone.
Here at ZakZakka, we select the best and popular sunscreen products in Japan. This edition will help you choose a sunscreen that will suit your lifestyle and protect your skin while enjoying the precious sunshine the Japanese way.
Benefits of sunscreen:
Skin cancer prevention, prevents redness and soreness/peeling (suntan and sunburn are different, and sunburn can cause serious conditions if not properly protected from UV rays).
General recommendations for sunscreen:
Reapply every 2 hours, especially on the cheeks and nose, which burn easily. It is very important to reapply on the face, as the skin is thinner & more sensitive to UV rays than the body.
When wearing make-up, reapplying sunscreen can ruin your make-up, making it a bit of a hassle. In Japan, pressed powder with SPF protection is very popular as it makes it easy to reapply sunscreen during the day or on the go, without affecting your make up. ZakZakka has the perfect product that allows you to do so, so please read on!
Three ZakZakka recommended sunscreens for 2025: all SPF50+ PA++++ and super waterproof
It is vital that you use one of the above sunscreens as the main defense and only use the UV powder as another layer or when reapplying as powder form sunscreen is not as effective as cream or liquid form. It is still effective when used to reapply over conventional sunscreen.
All three worked very well protecting my skin from UV rays. I walk my dog twice a day for around an hour each time. During the recent heatwave, I tested the sunscreens and all of them did a great job.
My absolute favourite of the three is Biore Athlizm. It glides on the skin and spreads quickly and evenly, disappearing into a transparent and moisturizing layer. I love the fact that it has an integrated lid making it convenient when applying. It doesn’t feel heavy on the skin, and it gives a healthy glow.
Skin Aqua Nexta is also good, it felt like applying it was part of my skincare routine, not sticky and worked well under makeup.
Allie Beauty Gel unfortunately did not work on my skin tone. For some reason, every time I applied either on my arms or face, my skin turned out a little greyish. The texture is really light, it’s easy to apply and comfortable to wear, but I just did not like the way my skin looked after applying this product. It may work with those with paler skin tone as I have a yellow undertone and don’t have fair skin.
Best one to use with UV Silk Cover powder:
I’ve tried all three sunscreens with Cezanne UV Silk Cover Powder to see which sunscreen goes well with it.
I feel that Skin Aqua works best with the UV powder; Layered over Allie created a matte finish, Athlizm had the most natural finish, as if you haven’t put anything on. UV powder itself is very light and doesn’t feel like you're applying sunscreen so it's good for people who want a quick sunscreen reapplication without the hassle and don't want to appear like you’re putting a lot of make up on. In terms of colourways, 02 Natural comes out slightly darker, giving you a sun-kissed look. For a brightening finish I would recommend 00 Light Beige and if you have fair skin, 01 Light may work better for you.
Recommended sunscreen by use
・Everyday use: driving, walking, going out: honestly all three does the job!
・Beach and swimming pools: I would recommend Athlizm, which is resistant to temperature and humidity and repels sweat and water.
・Sightseeing or going out to town：Aqua Nexta or ALLIE Beauty Gel & Cezanne SPF 50 pressed powder. Pressed powders with SPF is popular in Japan as it’s ideal to keep in your purse as they are portable and can be used to reapply sunscreen and touch up.
・Actively enjoying the great outdoors: for exercise, outdoor work and events such as music festivals, we recommend Biore Athlizm or AlLIE Beauty Gel, which are both resistant to sweat, water and rubbing.
You can use different sunscreen depending on your activity, or choose one based on what you find most important for sun protection. It’s time to start protecting your skin the Japanese way and make the most of summer!
We are offering 15% off discount for the readers.
This discount can be applied for the 4 items we have introduced this time.
