I know the Save & Splurge category here is one of your favorites but you may also realise that I haven’t had many updates in this category. The reason is simple. I haven’t found many or any, for that matter, that’s worth talking about. You’d think it’s easy eh? It isn’t. I don’t look for “dupes” but I look for similar items in different price categories that perform similar functions effectively based on my trials, and I’m fussy. Yeah LOL!
But I was reading the exchange between Isabel and Sandra in one of our recent posts (I love it when you guys interact with each other in the comment box!) and I was reminded of a very worthy save and splurge category which I’d overlooked – Sunscreen!
It so happens that in this category of products which I feel strongly about, there are 2 products from 2 different price spectrums that I find worthy to use daily, and to replenish. I’d mentioned them separately, but didn’t make the connection till now, so thanks Sandra and Isabel! 🙂
Save: Hada Labo UV Whitening Emulsion SPF50+ PA+++ – RM49.90/38ml (Click for Review)
This one, you may recall quickly positioned itself as my No. 2 sunscreen after the Shiseido. It is easily found in most pharmacies and has a very wallet friendly price tag. When it goes on sale, it’s a good time to stock up, but don’t buy too many because sunscreen has a shelf life.
You may also notice I am particular that is has to be THIS one. The UV Whitening Emulsion in the blue bottle. I find the texture better than the one in the white bottle which tends to be a bit too creamy. This one dries more matte and makes a better base for makeup. There is no white cast, it isn’t drying, it feels comfortable, and I don’t feel bad about using generous amounts of it because my wallet can handle the strain. A very worthy save option. You can read more in the full review together with the ingredient list.
Splurge: Shiseido Perfect UV Protector SPF50+ PA+++ – RM130/50ml (Click for review)
Ah, what accolades can I heap on this little wonder that I haven’t already heaped on it before? Once I tried it, I knew there was no turning back for me. It quickly wormed its way into my affections and made it to my Top 5 Skincare Picks in a category where it is an obvious standout. I just tossed bottle #3 and am waiting to open up bottle #4 so I think that sums it all.
The finish is absolutely lovely as it is matte without being dry. It does not break me out, it protects my skin well (I tested this by the beach and it was stellar!) and it makes an excellent makeup base! Who needs a primer? Not me that’s for certain. You can read the full review to know more but most of you have already heard me rave on quite enough 😉
My Pick
I think you know my answer. I will go for the Shiseido Perfect UV Protector. It is pricey and my wallet weeps every time I have to replenish, but I like it better. The Hada Labo UV Whitening Emulsion is a worthy substitute if I did not have a choice or if I want to encourage someone to wear a sunscreen. It’s incredible how many people still don’t.
Have you tried either and do you have a preference? Do you have other suggestions for this save and splurge category?
There are many other drugstore/pharmacy brand sunscreens available in our local market but I can’t use many of them. This isn’t a category of skincare I mess about much in anymore so if I find something to like, you can bet I think it’s pretty awesome! If you have a suggestion for a save & splurge category you’d like to see, holler. I may not always think of the obvious and I’ll try to oblige where I can 🙂
Paris B
Shiseido Perfect UV Protector SPF50+ PA+++ Price: RM130/50ml Availability: All Shiseido counters | Hada Labo UV Whitening Emulsion Price: RM49.90/38ml (Watch out for sales) Availability: Most major pharmacies
Save and Splurge is where I show you similar items by different brands that I have tried. They may not work quite the same way, but it’ll offer you options for your wallet for a similar effect/product. Do note however, that it is based on products I have tried, so whilst there are many save and splurge options out there, these are my views and choices. You can find more under the category of Save & Splurge
Oooh, sending this to mum so she can pick one up for me. The Hada Labo I mean 😀 Thanks 😀
Haha you should have picked it up when you were here! 😉
I prefer Shiseido’s because it is more hydrating. Drugstore ones tend to dry down too aggressively and cause me to itch afterward. Plus, the Shiseido one doesn’t clog me up even though I religiously reapply A LOT and is really sweatproof! I find the Perfect UV Protector isn’t really suited as a base on my skin. My foundation (your other HG, Lunasol’s Skin Modelling foundation) tends to pill on it. 🙁
I’m currently trying out the more hydrating Multi-Defense Protector since it is slightly creamier before I go to Japan for a holiday!
I know what you mean by the drugstore sunscreens having that dry finish. Gosh, I hate that don’t you? My skin feels like paper (Biore, Sunplay etc all do it to me) but the Hada Labo one doesn’t which is why it’s the only one I’d use 🙂 I like the Shiseido one better too. Pity it doesn’t make a good base for your skin.
The Hada Labo one dried me out something awful when I used it on a flight from Singapore to Subang haha… And when my skin gets dried out, it rewards me with – hives, tada! And the red mark doesn’t subside until 2 weeks later. :'(
yeouch! Sorry to hear that and yes, definitely stick to the Shiseido!
Ok, after 4 days of testing the Multi-Defense leaves a very noticeable white cast (especially when I apply the proper dosage) compared to the Perfect UV. And it definitely feels heavier so I will be sticking to the Perfect UV for its cosmetic elegance and its higher PA protection!
But definitely using the Multi-Defense as a base in Japan where the air is drier. Then reapplying Perfect UV over it as I go out and about!
Thanks for the update Firn! I think the Multi-Defense sunsceen is the one in the white tube/bottle right? I had a sample for sensitive skin but didn’t try it. Oh and you’re going to Japan! What fun! 😀
The sensitive skin one is only SPF30 and is in a cream form. So I don’t think I will be trying that as it’s sure to be heavier and whiter than the already-thin textured Multi-Defense.
Multi-Defense is the smaller 30ml white bottle with the grey stripe. Perfect UV is bigger at 50mls and the texture is feather-light compared to Multi-Defense! So some significant savings there ml for ml. 🙂
Just seen on Youtube this morning someone mentioning that this sunscreen is in her favourites list for September. Looks like the Shiseido counter is my next stop after I finish with my sunscreen/s. Currently on Clarins, which is quite good actually, but I have another to work on from Sothys. Guess it will be a while before I check out this one. Phew! My wallet sighs happily:)
I used to like the Clarins one too but didn’t like that it had less quantity for about the same price as the Shiseido, and didn’t protect my skin very well if I’m out in the sun (my skin warms up) but for indoors, I think it’s good plus the pink tint is really nice to brighten skin. 🙂
Tim and I used up an entire bottle of the blue Hada Labo sunscreen in Rome. It’s that good 😛
Haha awesome testimony plus you don’t feel the pinch to replenish do you? 😉 Sounds like it was a fab trip. Can’t wait to see pix!
This is so true! I have both and i just keep coming back to these both! I find the hada labo more matte to me, the shiseido is more hydrating. love both!
I find it the other way around, Sabrina haha! Hada Labo more moisturising and Shiseido more matte on my skin but I love both like you 😀
I prefer hadalabo, but i love em both
i also use the avene one (reflexe solaire)
I haven’t tried the Avene one. Is it SPF50 as well?
I am on my second bottle of the Shiseido one and doubt I will change anytime soon. Like they say don’t fix what ain’t broken :-). Just to let you know that the Hada Labo one is going for RM44.90 at Guardian pharmacies due to the ongoing sales.
Spot on, Victoria! Don’t fix if it ain’t broken! I have stopped messing about now that I’ve found these two. Don’t want to try anymore 😀 Thanks for the heads up about the reduced price! The great thing about buying from the pharmacy is the sales but I try to maximise my money on the Shiseido by buying their special promo kits 😀
I’m looking for a new sunblock to try too, currently I’m using the Body Shop one, it’s quite oily for me. After apply it, immediately I can see a layer of shine on my face which I really hate. Maybe I should try the Hada Labo one, the price is reasonable but the Shiseido one a bit too pricey for me. If it’s within 100 I will consider coz I don’t go for a sunblock over 100. I did try the Kiehl’s Ultra Light Daily UV Defense SPF 50 PA+++ for once, this is the most expensive sunblock that I’ve bought 😀 but it didn’t impress me so I didn’t continue after finish.
I haven’t tried the Body Shop one, but the Kiehl’s one is quite oily and pricey I feel. For the price, I think the Shiseido one is much much better. The Hada Labo one is great but some people don’t react well to it, but then I suppose if it does work out, it’s a lot of money saved 🙂
I think the Body Shop sunblock not suitable for me coz I have tried 2 different one and both are oily for me. I have combination skin, is the Hado Labo suitable for this kind of skin type? Other than these 2 sunblock, do you have any other sunblock can recommend to me? I want something not too pricey like within 100 and oil free, I just hate to see the shine on my face after apply sunblock. It makes me look like didn’t wash face for whole day haha.
The Hada Labo says it’s suitable for all skin types, but I think it’s generally quite alright for most skin as it isn’t very drying. Other low end sunscreens that aren’t as oily are by Biore or Skin Aqua. I can’t use them because I break out but many people love them and I know they aren’t oily and aren’t expensive either.
Hi! I’m back again with some review for the Hada Labo UV Whitening Emulsion SPF50, I bought it last week at Guardian with some discount (there’s sales going on now). After apply it, my face doesn’t feel oily at all and it absorbs quite fast, I don’t see any shine again after apply which I really like about this sunblock. I will continue to use it see how it goes, hopefully it won’t cause any break out. I’m going to throw away my Body Shop sunblock haha.
Happy to know it’s working for you Veronica! I hope the good results continue 😀
I like that particular Hada Labo sunscreen too! But I must say that I prefer to wear it in cooler months on my face because of my oily/combi skin. My HG is actually Diorsnow’s sunscreen – the only caveat is that this one doesn’t hold up in extremely humid weather, like 90% humidity and 38 degrees C! That’s when I switch to the Hada Labo Creamy UV Gel version which has zero residue.
You know, I’d read that the Diorsnow sunscreen is supposed to be one of the better ones because it uses high zinc oxide as a blocker and we know that it’s one of the best UV blockers out there! But I break out like crazy when I wear anything with high zinc oxide so my attempts at trying it have failed me everytime 🙁 Still, it’s nice to know that the Hada Labo sunscreen gets so much love from everyone – it’s good stuff!
I’m currently using Dermalogica’s Sun Booster SPF30. It’s creamy but it doesn’t clog up pores (i have oily/combo skin btw). A little on the pricey side but a little goes a long way. Been using this for ages and their 90ml bottle lasts me more than a year. Probably give n take 2-3 mths more than a year.
Thanks for sharing, Sharon. I’ve heard a lot about the Dermalogica sunscreen but haven’t yet tried it. Don’t use it for too long though. Sunscreen generally has a 2 year expiration date and a 1year from opening use by date for best results and protection 🙂
i asked couple of my fren to use sunscreen, i helped them purchase the hada labo asked them to try..if there were bad effect, they don’t have to pay me..juz gv me back the sunscreen..meaning 2 bottles rite?..
later on..after couple of time trying, both of them cannot tolerate the sunscreen..both of them felt itchiness and one of them got some rashes like…
so i have 2 backups…LOL..one i carry in my handbag,1 i’m using in the evening when i’m strolling with my kids…
i’m using the shiseido to work.
Aww Wan I think it’s so sweet of you to actually buy them the sunscreen so they’d use it! Sorry to hear they had a reaction to the product 🙁 I have heard that some people can’t handle too much Hyaluronic acid. Still, it’s good to know it still has its use with you 🙂
I love reading your posts about sunscreen! I don’t really know much about this category of product and I feel like I learn something everytime 🙂
I’m glad you enjoy it S! I think where you live, this is probably not something very highly promoted? I find that is true in most of Europe!
@Paris
Shiseido has promo kits? How much are they selling it?
Well, the last one I bought was RM150 for the full size sunscreen, some samples and a face sheet mask. Not bad 🙂
I want to try both of them but not available in my country ..i love SU M 37 ..just love their sunscreens
Oh Shiseido isn’t available in India, Anusha? Which one is SU M37? I don’t think I’ve come across that one 🙂
hi paris , Shiseido is available but limited to makeup and few skin care products only .I usually get frustrated when i visit the counter LOL :)Su:m37 is a High end korean brand that I absolutely ADORE,based on the natural fermentation.., and the sunscreen is very light fluffy and moist in texture. It spreads really easily. Some Koreans say that the brand’s Secret Programming Essence is far better than SK-II even!And i swear by Secret Programming Essence
That’s very interesting, Anusha! I haven’t come across Su:m37 before but will certainly keep an eye out for it 😀
I wish we had some decently-priced facial sunscreens over here. There are good ones, sure, but many are kinda greasy and since it’s not that sunny here in England and people like tans, I guess there just isn’t such a market for it, so little competition. If you find a good one it doesn’t tend to play well with makeup.
A few years ago, I used to use a L’Oreal one, Solar Expertise Anti-Wrinkle, Anti-Brown Spot something or other. L’oreal is a drugstore brand, but the sunscreens are expensive! Not high-end expensive, but still at least double the moisturizers (although there are offers at least). That one was a fluid, Japanese-style sunscreen, very nice. I think it’s been discontinued then repackaged. Oh there’s No7 too, but I found it too greasy, even with my dry skin!
The best we have are the French pharmacy products which have been taking off for the past year, they don’t cost as much as Shiseido or Clarins, but still a little pricey compared to the average drugstore moisturiser. I may have to try the Shiseido though, need to own a Japanese sunscreen at least once! (On another note, I have recently fallen hard for their shadows, only worn the single Shiseido shadow I have this week – that’s rare.)
I love my La-Roche Posay Anthelios and I’ll continue using it, I just wish we could save a little more on a broad-spectrum, photostable facial sunscreen. Currently, there isn’t much choice in the market. We don’t even have many Asian brands to fill the gap for a decent, makeup-friendly, non-greasy sunscreen.
You know what Leila, many years ago, when I was living in the UK and summer came around, I went into Boots to look for a sunscreen and saw nothing above SPF15! I ended up with something called Piz Buin that I hated because it was so oily and heavy but I persevered because there was nothing better haha! These days I think it’s a bit better, but then, it’s also about customer priorities. As you have said, tanning is huge in the Western world while whitening is huge here in Asia 🙂 But what you guys are lucky to have are the French pharmacy brands, which I love, but which we don’t have a lot of here yet. Let’s hope that changes soon 😀 I guess your best option will be to buy Japanese brands online. There are quite a lot of online stores/ebay that carry it 🙂
I can’t seem to find the exact Shiseido sunscreen on Nordstrom. They seem to have the Urban Environment one. Seems like Perfect UV Protector is Asia only?
Hmm… that might be the case, Denise. I’m not sure myself because I think we also have the Urban Environment one which is targeted at sensitive skin use. Could be similar but I can’t say for sure, sorry!
I didn’t know Shiseido had a “perfect” line. I usually buy the blue one – probably the regular line. I’ve tried many sunscreens, but I always go back to Shiseido. It stays longer and doesn’t break me out, but can be a bit too dry for the winter.
The strange thing is that I’ve just found out that not all the ranges are sold in different parts of the world! So the Perfect UV Protector may not be sold outside of Asia. How very strange. Thanks for warning me about it being dry in winter. I’ll be sure to bear it in mind if I were to travel to somewhere cold and I’ll being a different sunscreen 😀
I was tempted to get the Shiseido one from duty free recently. But the price was not too attractive as I recall the promotion in downtown sometime ago was quite good. Hence I did not pick it up. I have not tried the Whitening one from Hada Labo, perhaps will pick it up next round and Shiseido one when the promotion is back. Haha the wonders of splurge and spend galore of sunscreen 🙂
If I recall correctly, Shiseido does promos sometimes of say RM150 where you get the sunscreen and a boatload of other stuff included in a prepacked package. I got one of these once and it was a pretty good deal as it came with a sheet mask too. The Hada Labo one is now on sale – just picked up one for my friend! 😀
I haven’t been using sunscreen in a while(guilty!). Right after my horrible experience with Neutrogena’s Ultra Sheer, I stopped using sunscreen completely but right now I really feel the need of sunscreen! My skin burns under the sun!
Neutrogena’s Ultra Sheer made my skin red and itchy. I’ve been using Kiehl’s sunscreen prior to this and it was great for me. The only bad thing was the price and the size of the product…..which is the reason why I switched to Neutrogena.
Is the Hada Labo sunscreen moisturizing enough? I’m really lazy when it comes to skincare. I would just apply sunscreen and skip moisturizer. What do you think?
I’m afraid I’d never recommend using just sunscreen in place of moisturiser as they perform separate functions. That said I don’t think this Hada Labo one is moisturising enough. You might want to try the white one instead which I feel is a bit more moisturising. Ultimately I’d still go with separate products to protect and maintain skin best. No shortcuts unfortunately.