A while back, I ran out of my previous sunscreen (Kanebo’s Allie) and wanted to try something new.

Rather uncharacteristically, without any research and blind faith, I marched into a drugstore and randomly picked one up from the ubiquitous Shiseido Anessa line.

I’m down to the last 10% of the bottle, so here’s my review on it!

SHISEIDO ANESSA WHITENING UV PROTECTOR

How to use

Apply right after skincare and before any makeup.

As for how much to apply, I always follow this rule: Imagine the face is a cupcake and the sunscreen is buttercream frosting. And I apply very generously. (cause I love my buttercream, heh)

Too little sunscreen is almost as bad as no sunscreen!

Packaging

A pearly white bottle with a screw top that clicks in place securely. I bring it on travels with no fear of spillage.

The one I have is the full size (60ml).

Texture & Scent

The official label states that is is a “milky gel”, but to me, it’s not gel-like at all. Definitely milky though. It’s fluid and like a milky lotion. It goes on light and non-greasy.

As for the smell, it smells to me like a cross between moisturizer and the typical sunblock smell. It’s not unpleasant, but not my favorite scent either. The smell dissipates upon drying so it is not an issue to me.

Swatch

Although it’s white, it blends nicely into the skin and you can’t see any traces of white when fully blended.

The sunscreen leaves a bit of a sheen on the face, but when I apply my matte foundation over it, it actually balances it out nicely and makes my complexion look dewy and healthy! (rather than screaming “BLOT THIS FACE”)

And yes, those are my freckles! I’ve been saying I have freckles for the longest time but no one believes me -_- Also the reason why I’m so obsessed with sun care)

I have dry skin, so my guess is that this sunscreen probably won’t work as well for someone with oily skin.

Verdict

Anessa Whitening UV Protector Sunscreen works quite well and I don’t have much complaints about it, except for one thing.

I prefer physical sunscreens (sunscreens that contain ingredients that physically block UV rays), but I found out only after buying that it is a chemical sunscreen (ingredients absorb UV rays rather than block them). There is zinc oxide (an active physical ingredient) listed, but since it’s listed last, it’s as good as non-existent -_-

Both types of sunscreen work with my skin; it’s simply a personal preference for preferring one over the other. I like the idea of blocking it from the get go rather than let it through and then go “Hmm, ok, let’s see what we can do about these UV rays here. Let’s try and absorb them, guys!” #becauseItsNormalForChemicalsToHaveConversations

So while I have no real issues with this sunscreen, I will be switching to a physical sunscreen after this bottle runs out! (yes, I’ll make sure to research this time -_-)

Rating: 3/5

Price

$27 on Amazon
S$35.49 on Qoo10.sg