Another week another beauty review. I often find myself debating which product name to use, the official name in Japan or the English that is printed on the bottle. Like this one; should I call it Solanoveil R Watery Gel (the actual product name)ย โ the โRโ stands for โRedโ, Solanoveilโs latest anti-ageing range โ or whatโs printed in English on the bottle? But regardless, it is aptly named.
Solanoveil R range features natural red anti-agers (resveratrol from red wine, rosehip oil, and lingonberry juice) to help the skin to protect itself. I have been testing the Watery Gel for a few weeks now (along with other sunscreens), and I canโt fault it from a short-term point of view. After shaking it (and shaking it again), the lightweight milky gel slips over the skin easily, but more of a silicone-heavy โdry-oilโ slip than the dry-to-touch feel of the Biore UV Face Milks that Iโve grown accustomed to. It doesnโt feel greasy or drying, it absorbs quickly and gives the skin a very smooth, shine-free finish.
Anti-ageing is not one of those benefits that will show a huge visible amount of difference in the short-termย โ to me, itโs more of a long-term investment. I suppose that I put my trust in its ingredients and most of all, my tan-free skin; I tan very easily and I havenโt gotten any colour after a whole dayโs worth of sun during early summer.
Iโm not hugely enamoured with silicone-y smooth finish, but this actually does exactly what it says on the tin โ leaves the skin feeling extra smooth. I canโt say whether the red antioxidants can actually make a difference long-term, but the ultimate anti-ageing product is sunscreen, and this is a very good one indeed!
The SOLANOVEIL R Watery Gel SPF50+ PA++++ is ยฅ650 in Japan.
Is this ok for oily skin? Is it resistant to sweat?
Depends on your expectation โ itโs sweat and water resistant but it offers skin no oil control. If your skin is quite oily, itโll most likely not stay put or last long.
Is this okay to use as a moisturizer? Iโm looking for a moisturizer + spf product for my dehydrated skin (oily, but flaky especially in the forehead). Thanks!
This isnโt particularly moisturising, but if your skin isnโt dry then it might be all the moisture you need.
Thank you for your reply!
Is there a moisturizer/sunscreen combo you recommend for dry skin?
Would this be good for oily skin at all? Did you find it mattifying? Thanks!
This isnโt shiny or greasy, but it doesnโt mattifying skin.
hi is there a way i can find the ppd of this product or any other of the sunscreens with s pa ++++ i know it means a ppd of 16 or more but is there a way to know which has a higher ppd
You can make an educated guess which PA++++ sunscreen has a better UVA protection based on the UV filters used and their positions in the ingredient list, but thatโs about it.
TD;DR No.
ok thanks you are very helpful love your site
I am not sure though what uv filter to look for can you suggest any sunscreen that you think would have a high PPD (over 16). I know that european sunscreens have high PPD but I prefer japanese sunscreens.
Have you checked the left side bar? The link to all the PA++++ sunscreens listed in this site is there.
Does the Solanoveil R Perfect Milk have as nice of a nice texture as this? Iโm looking for something suitable for outdoors use that is less drying than Biore Perfect but wonโt feel greasy in the summer heat and humidity.
No, the milkโs texture and feel are completely different although it is more moisturising than Biore.
Thanks for the review I cant wait to try it out! Ive been meaning to ask you lately though, Iโve been a little confused about the different types of Japanese sunscreens. Iโve been able to figure out essences are very light, milks heavier and more for exercising etc, but does the type also dictate at what step I should apply it in my regimen? As in, do I
โneedโ to apply/is it more effective to apply an essence in the essence/serum step and then moisturizer over it or no moisturizer over it at all? And a milk type in place of my normal moisturizer?
The terms simply refer to the consistency of the sunscreen.
Milk is, of course, a fluid, and itโs the most tenacious formula (most, if not all, outdoors/sports sunscreens are milk type). Gel is not as tenacious as the milk, and more suited for non-oily skin as most arenโt oil-resistant. โEssenceโ is a lighter, watery gel in a very easy-on easy off formula, and itโs for regular everyday use only (indoor most of the time with minimal direct sun exposure).
Oh I see! Thank you for clearing that up for me :]
I also forgot to ask, what is the โsetting timeโ for Japanese sunscreens? Like, the amount of time youโre supposed to wait after putting it on to go out in the sun? I think for American sunscreens itโs supposed to be like 15 or 20 minutes.
There is not set waiting time for sunscreens โ thatโs popular myth. Sunscreens creates a film on the skin, and this film needs to dry before the sunscreen can protect your skin from UV rays. Youโre good to go once the sunscreen is dry-down on your skin, which could be seconds or an hour depending on what youโre using.
Oh my gosh thatโs awesome I did not know that! Thatโs really helpful to know thank you so much.
Is this water resistant? I am looking for a sunscreen that will protect my skin very well, yet still be okay if I need to workout or want to wear it at the beach. If not, could you recommend one that is? I am at a total loss. Iโve been ordering a lot of suncreen lately, lol. I am having a hard time finding one that I like, though.
It is water-resistant, but the Salanoveil R Perfect Milk will be more suited for outdoors use.
Hello, I happened upon your blog after flying through Narita airport and buying all sorts of goodies, like the Melty Berry blackhead remover. I recently moved from the mild climate of Southern California back to a tropical island where it is hotter, more humid and the sun more intense. Iโm in my 40โs and have a combo skin with the T-zone, well just my nose, still prone to oil and blackheads. Another problem is that I have developed many brown spots because of the intense sun and my job which has me driving outside for a few hours a day. Iโm fair to begin with but can get tanned easily but the spots are bothering me. I purchased Shieseidoโs white elixer day care revolution I sunblock. I like it as it does not feel greasy, but then again, I am in California right nowwhere I donโt sweat as much. I will be traveling back home via Japan again, and I would like to stock up on some beauty products. Could you recommend the best sunblock for me? Also, I was planning on buying a โwhiteningโ system like Shieseidoโs whitening elixer set but I read in some of your older posts that whitening products should only be used when AVOIDING the sun. How can I whiten my current brown spots and prevent new ones if I am exposed to the sun on a daily basis (driving and getting in and out of a car several times a day). Thank you in advance for the advice and sorry for long post.
Thereโs not much point in using whitening products if youโre not taking adequate precautions to prevent more dark spots from developing (and prevent exisiting ones from getting worse). The best line of defense is still the daily use of an excellent sunscreen โ โbestโ, however, is entirely subjective.
Could you tell us what UV blockers this contains?
I donโt include ingredients in my reviews as product details are already in its own info post โ click on the product name link in the first paragraph. Everything is there.
humโฆwhen you say it has a silicone heavy โdry oilโ feel, does that mean it feel maybe something like Smashbox photo finish primer? Where it is smooth on top, and feels kind of like having a thin layer of silicone film sitting on top of the skin? I recently acquired the Biore Bright Face Milk, so I know exactly what you mean by the dry to the touch feel, but Iโm having difficulty imagine what a โdry oilโ feels like. Thanks.
Do you prefer this one over the Biore Face Milk because of the potential long term anti-aging effect?
The smoothness upon application is like a cross between silicone primers and certain dry oils (like Nuxe), not that itโs oily or greasy in the slightest.
I donโt prefer one over the other โ theyโre best suited for different skin types, they feel different, and they have a different finish.