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Home » Cheap and Good? » This Senka Mineral UV Essence SPF50+ PA++++ Sunscreen was so cheap I had to see if it was any good for me!

This Senka Mineral UV Essence SPF50+ PA++++ Sunscreen was so cheap I had to see if it was any good for me!

October 18, 2017 Paris B 15 Comments

I recently found out that the price of my favourite sunscreen has gone up again. This troubles me and my wallet, because sunscreen is something I don’t skimp on in terms of use, and something I run through quite quickly. Often, when I make this lament, I’m requested to try something cheaper. Often, one brand that pops up quite frequently, is Senka. Incidentally, Senka is one of the drugstore brands under the Shiseido umbrella.

One day, when I was at a Watson’s store, I noticed that Senka products were on sale. They had a few different types of sunscreen on offer, but I noticed one called the Senka Mineral UV Essence SPF50+ PA++++.

senka mineral uv essence sunscreen

I included the packaging in this shot so you know what it looks like. I find that pharmacy brands tend to have different packaging or more simplistic packaging, and that can sometimes make it harder to identify a product. This is more so when the tube itself is very plain, with everything on it written in Japanese. Without the backing card, I’d have no idea what it says!

The real reason I picked up the Senka Mineral UV Essence sunscreen is because it boasts high UVA and UVB protection, while promising a light texture and more importantly, only set me back a mere RM20 (US$5). I. KID. YOU. NOT! OK, it was on sale. But it regularly retails for RM39.90 (under US$10) for 50g. Hey, it was worth an experiment! 😀

After using it for a while, and before I sat down to pen my thoughts, I did a quick search online. Much to my surprise, this Senka Mineral UV Essence sunscreen is very highly raved. Leaving aside those who got comped, there was still a sizeable part of the Asian Beauty skincare community who loved this sunscreen.

Ok, here’s the rub. I don’t.

senka mineral uv essence sunscreen swatch

It isn’t the texture. I quite like the texture, which is heavier and more creamy. My drier skin likes it because it sits on my skin very comfortably. In a dry or cold environment, you may like it as well, as it will feel more comfortable. If you live in the tropics and have oily skin, don’t pick this one. You will use too little, and it will not do its job properly.

You see, as I repeat ad nauseum, you need to wear enough sunscreen. Enough means a liberal amount to cover every bit of exposed skin on your face (and body). In my case, I apply one finger’s length (I use my 3rd finger which is the longest) to each part of my face. I am liberal with my use. I believe it’s the only thing keeping my sunspots at bay.

If you have oily skin and pick this one, you will wear very little, because it will feel uncomfortable. You then aren’t using enough, and may as well not bother.

Texture-wise therefore, I am happy with this. It has a lotion-cream texture and feels comfortable (on drier skin). My makeup sits well over, and there is no white cast (the composition is why as you’ll see below).

Why I don’t quite like this Senka Mineral UV Essence sunscreen however, is because it didn’t seem to protect my skin as well as I was hoping it would. I was a little misled by its name on the pack. You see, it says on the pack “Mineral UV Essence” or “UV Mineral Essence” however you read it. “Mineral” here, I thought to mean, meant it contained mineral UV blockers. I did a quick scan of the ingredient list in store, but I was in a hurry (and it was just RM20 – which brings me to my post yesterday) and couldn’t tell off hand if there were any. So I thought I’d go home and do my research there.

This is the ingredient list for the Senka Mineral UV Essence sunscreen.

senka mineral uv essence sunscreen ingredients

I was correct in my initial view. There are no mineral UV blockers, usually Titanium Dioxide or Zinc Oxide. It is these that tend to give the white cast associated with sunscreen, which is why this one does not have a cast.

Instead, what this is, is a sunscreen with chemical UV filters and UV absorbers (Avobenzone – Butyl Ethoxydibenzoylmethane, Octinoxate – Ethylhexyl methoxycinnamate, Polysilicone-15, Octocrylene, Bis-ethylhexyloxyphenol methoxyphenyl triazine, Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate). This makes this a chemical based sunscreen. Not that I have anything against that, I was just curious why the use of the word “mineral” if there were no mineral UV blockers in there.

I later found out on a search online, that “mineral” here referred to “mineral WATER from Mount Fuji”. You know what? I don’t give a flying fish where the damn water came from! I just wish it said “Mineral WATER” on the pack! I felt it to be rather misleading in this regard. Perhaps the Japanese words say so? I don’t know, since I can’t read Japanese and only have the English words on the pack to go by.

And when I realised that this was a chemical sunscreen, I understood why I did not like it. You see, my skin does not play well with purely chemical based sunscreen. I have learned over the years, that to be effective on my skin (which seems to react quite quickly to UV and sun exposure by developing pigment spots and heating up) sunscreens I use must also contain zinc oxide, titanium dioxide or a combination of both. These are what are popularly known as “physical blockers” because they are literally ground up minerals that sit on the surface of your skin to block UV rays from reaching your skin. They are also known as “mineral sunscreens” if they have a high concentration of zinc oxide or titanium dioxide or both.

For me, a purely chemical based sunscreen does not protect my skin sufficiently from the damaging UV rays. I did notice new sun spots appear, which distressed me greatly, because I already face an uphill challenge dealing with what I already have. So, I’ve stopped using this sunscreen. I’ll use it on my body. But it’s not going anywhere near my face ever again.

I’m not saying here that this is a bad product. From a formulation point of view, I think it is decent. There is a good selection of UV filters in there to filter both UVA and UVB rays and if your skin can tolerate chemicals then it’s fine. The formula is comfortable on skin and it does not leave a white cast. But I have a nagging feeling that it does not protect your skin as well as the significantly more expensive Shiseido Perfect UV Protector (which contains both Zinc Oxide and Titanium Dioxide aside some chemical filters) does and will. For this reason, this is no substitute for me.

IN A NUTSHELL

The Senka Mineral UV Essence SPF50+ PA++++ Sunscreen is a very affordable sunscreen. However, despite the misleading name, it contains no physical mineral UV blockers and is a purely chemical sunscreen. The word “mineral” refers to “mineral water”. The formula is a lotion-cream that can feel heavy on oily skin so will suit drier skin or those living in a cold and drier climate better. For me, this does not work well enough to protect my skin. I developed new sun spots and I feel that the chemical filters are insufficient. However I am no expert, so you’ll have to judge for yourself.

PROS: Very affordable, Feels comfortable on drier skin

CONS: Did not protect my skin well enough from UV rays, My skin heats up even though I wear a significant amount of product, and I developed new sun spots, Can feel heavy on oily skins

WHO WILL LIKE THIS: Anyone who is comfortable using a chemical filter sunscreen, Anyone who is comfortable with a heavier textured cream

PRICE: RM39.90 for 50g (often goes on sale)

WHERE TO BUY: Watson’s stores

senka mineral uv essence sunscreen

I also noticed after leaving a dollop on my skin for a while, that it breaks down a little, similar to this one by The Body Shop. Incidentally, I also hated that one 😛

Have you tried this Senka Mineral UV Essence sunscreen?

I hate to say this, but barring a major reformulation, I doubt I’d ever stray from the Shiseido Perfect UV Protector sunscreen. What’s important for me is that it’s easy for me to replenish. There’s no use my buying something that might be good, but which is unavailable locally. It doesn’t stop me shopping around, but I’m staying away from purely chemical filter sunscreens from now on. Now tell me. Are you a fan of this one? It’s really cheap! 😀

Paris B

15 Insightful comments ... Read or JOIN THE DISCUSSION

About Paris B

Paris B is a 40-something beauty and skincare enthusiast with a practical and very critical view of beauty products and the world of beauty. Her mission on My Women Stuff is to deliver clear, honest reviews and facilitate discussions about beauty trends and life, tempered with a healthy dose of humour. When not blogging about beauty or life beyond 40 find her talking about feeding dogs real, wholesome food. Connect with us on social media at Instagram.

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15 comments ... Read or JOIN THE DISCUSSION

  1. Houdini says

    October 18, 2017 at 8:34 pm

    Random thought: Flying Fish mineral water sounds like a pretty interesting product hehehehe :p
    Probably something got lost in translation along the way…

    Reply
    • Paris B says

      November 3, 2017 at 11:21 am

      HAHAHA And apparently, yes something did, because apparently the Japanese words do say mineral WATER. I think that’s a really important omission!

      Reply
  2. Nicole says

    October 18, 2017 at 10:36 pm

    Sounds like your skin is really reactive to sun’s effect. I do go under the sun a lot, like full day island tours etc when I travel. Thankfully, my skin is able to take chemical UV filters well (brands like banana boat, nivea etc). I assume these are chemical filters because I did not see titanium dioxide or zinc oxide in their ingredient list. But I’m not an expert in chemistry. Thanks for your educational post.

    Reply
    • Paris B says

      November 3, 2017 at 11:22 am

      Yep, I have learned to be careful because my skin will react negatively to UV rays. Hence my obsession with sunscreen LOL! I used to use chemical filter based sunscreen when much younger. I now wonder if that might have contributed to the condition of my skin today? It’s hard to say. But now that I’m aware, I’m keeping a closer eye on ingredients!

      Reply
  3. bev says

    October 18, 2017 at 10:49 pm

    Just to let you know, the Japanese does say Mineral Water. Though I agree, the English translation should’ve included it. The search for my replacement sunscreen continues!

    Reply
    • Paris B says

      November 3, 2017 at 11:24 am

      Thank you so much Bev! Clearly, the person preparing the English version left out a very important piece of information! Grr…

      Reply
  4. Victoria Shanti says

    October 19, 2017 at 8:58 am

    Thanks for very informative review. Suffice to say, I would not be getting this sunscreen. Lol. By the way, I am assuming that the Hada Labo gel sunscreen does contain zinc oxide & titanium dioxide? I like this sunscreen & use it during weekends as I want to save on my Shiseido one. But I never checked the ingredients before. Please share with your readers if you ever find a more affordable substitute of the Shiseido sunscreen as it now retails at RM170. My poor pocket. Sigh.

    Reply
    • Paris B says

      November 3, 2017 at 11:26 am

      Hmm I don’t use any Hada Labo sunscreen now so I’m not sure which one you mean? Ever since they discontinued the HL Whitening one, I stopped using their sunscreens altogether. I will definitely share if I come across a more affordable sunscreen. The Shiseido one really bites my wallet too! But I suck it up anyway for the sake of sun protection LOL

      Reply
  5. Margaret Cheong says

    October 20, 2017 at 1:26 pm

    I am looking for pure mineral sunscreen that doesn’t damage the coral when visiting beaches. Chemical sunscreens are poisonous to the marine system.

    Reply
    • Paris B says

      November 3, 2017 at 11:45 am

      I think Badger Balm and some organic brands claim to be coral-safe. I don’t like their textures for everyday use as it tends to be too thick and oily (pure mineral sunscreen tends to be very thick and uncomfortable for daily wear for me) but perhaps at the beach, it won’t feel as bad. Not easy to find locally these brands locally however.

      Reply
    • kuri says

      January 2, 2018 at 2:39 am

      I like BurnOutSun.com suncreen – they say it is safe for coral reefs. It is a bit oily but effective; I heard about it from the much missed drivelaboutfrivol.com

      I tried the Badger Balm sunscreen but it was super thick so hard to use. Also very greasy!

      Reply
  6. kiandra says

    December 17, 2017 at 8:47 pm

    Hi I have eczema/sensitive skin i currently use an organic brand Original Sprout as its non greasy and i can wear makeup on top of it with no white case. Any other organic sunblock anyone can reccomend 🙂

    Reply
    • Paris B says

      December 18, 2017 at 11:07 am

      You can try Badger Balm. I believe it is natural although I’m not sure about it being organic. It comes quite highly rated.

      Reply
  7. S says

    June 4, 2018 at 11:17 am

    Did u tried the Senka Perfect UV milk SPF50+ as well? I got one as a gift. Same like you i have pigmentation issue, found ur blog through the TBS skin defense and feel cheated as well!

    Reply
    • Paris B says

      June 6, 2018 at 10:10 am

      Hi I’m afraid I haven’t tried the Senka Perfect UV Milk. I might take a look if I stumble on it 🙂 I personally hated the TBS sunscreen even though so many people love it! I’m sticking to what I know i.e. Shiseido 😛

      Reply

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Welcome to My Women Stuff, a beauty blog based in Malaysia, written by veteran blogger, Paris B. We now write for women of 40 and above because that's how old I am! What you can expect is honesty, critical views & a healthy dose of shared life lessons sprinkled amongst beauty product reviews. Settle in for a read. Read More about us

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