Biore UV Aqua Rich Watery Essence SPF50+

What real owners actually say

This is the sunscreen people aggressively evangelize about. Multiple users say they've personally converted 7-8 friends, all of whom now call it the best sunscreen they've ever tried. One woman in her late 40s says her dermatologist praised her sun protection — she's been using it for years. The texture is the recurring obsession: 'never found anything else so light and easily absorbed,' 'incredibly light and fast absorbing,' 'feels very light on the skin, absorbs fast.' SPF 50, PA+++ (PPD8-15) is confirmed by users. The price discussion is real and specific — it used to be around $9 on Amazon, but has crept up to nearly $12, and people track this closely. One user literally instructs everyone to cut open the tube when they think it's empty because you get about 10ml more out of it (transferred with a spatula into a jar). That's the kind of devotion this inspires. People also note it doesn't break out sensitive or oily skin. The conversation also touches on related/discontinued Biore products (Skin Aqua Moisturizer Milk being gone is apparently devastating news), and the ongoing hunt for alternatives like SKIN1004 Madagascar Centella or Round Lab Birch Juice — but always with the sense that nothing quite matches this one.

The YouTube reviewers who actually tried it

Independent lab testing in South Korea found this sunscreen at SPF 57 — exceeding its SPF 50+ label claim, which Dr. Daniel Sugai highlights. Long-term users in his comments report 8+ years of use, noting it works on oily/combo skin without breakouts. The alcohol scent is mentioned by several people across videos, but the consensus is that it dissipates quickly and isn't bothersome for most. Monica Ravi-Conway's review draws enthusiastic responses from Black and brown viewers who love that it blends without a white cast — 'I'm black and I use Japanese sunscreen!!!' is a real, unironic comment. Dr. Jenny Liu frames Japanese sunscreens as generally outperforming Korean ones for actual protection. A significant concern surfaces in Onyinyechi Onyeji's video: fake Biore sunscreens are circulating on marketplace platforms, and people have unknowingly applied counterfeits to their faces. There's also a formula difference flagged in Lora's comparison video — the Japanese domestic version and the export ('gaijin') version differ, with the export version apparently not being sweat or water resistant. One reviewer (Tamuno Abbey) notes the 2025 reformulation is still excellent, but a commenter found the alcohol made them oily within an hour. Sarah Palmyra demonstrates reapplying it over makeup, which viewers loved but requested a fuller tutorial for. PureWow's video drew criticism for applying far too little product.