Review: TONYMOLY UV Sunset Aqua Sun Gel SPF30 PA++

Ever since I started working from home, I have been using less powerful sunscreen on days when I do not go out. The curtains may be blocking out a lot of light, but when it comes to skincare and the sun, one cannot be so carefree - so sunscreen stays. But I do not like the heavy feeling of my usual high protection sunscreen (SPF 50 and PA+++ ones) especially since I'm at home, and I'd really like that bare, at-home, light feeling on the skin. And so I tried looking for a light sunscreen and it led me to TONYMOLY's UV Sunset Aqua Sun Gel.

Price and Availability: The 45g bottle costs 678 php, which for me is expensive, especially when compared to other Japanese sunscreen (which sadly has alcohol). I did not have any trouble finding this product though. So if you live in Metro Manila, getting hold of this sunscreen woukd be no problem as there are a lot of TONYMOLY branches in malls.

Packaging: The squeeze bottle is something to rave about, as it is quite handy and compact. It is also surprisingly sturdy, considering you need to squeeze it to get the product out. Don't be intimidated by the tough tube though, because you can still get the goods out effortlessly.

At 100 mm x 25 mm x 25 mm, it is handy
and can fit easily in a purse.

Texture and Scent: True to its name, the sunscreen does have a gel-like consistency - it even leaves your skin feeling a lot cooler upon application, which is a plus for this sunscreen. It does have a fragrance which is fine and is not quite as strong as other sunscreens like Sunprise or 2 PM sunblock, although personally, I'd like to have sunscreen with very mild or no scent at all.

Ingredients: After the imaginary nosebleed brought by the typing of a lot of strange chemical names (I hated Chemistry), I present to you the ingredient list from cosdna.com! Now a run-down with the main ingredients:

Referring to the table, Glacial Water should be listed as the second ingredient. There are no scientific studies on how glacial water affects the skin, so let's be prudent and assume there is nothing extraordinary with this ingredient when compared with water.

Now for the main filters, as cosdna did not provide the pie chart-ish UVA/UVB protection icons, let's check the individual filters with skincancer.org's nifty sunscreen table. The filters used for this sunscreen include Ethylhexyl methoxycinnamate (also known as Octinoxate), Ethylhexyl salicylate (also known as Octisalate), Isoamyl p-methoxycinnamate (also known as Amiloxate), and Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate (Uvinul A Plus). The last two filters are not yet approved by the US FDA, so I got their data from Skinacea. Upon checking, this product can provide very adequate UVB protection, but no so adequate UVA protection. This is because Uvinul A plus, the only one with UVA protection, cannot block the whole range of UVA rays.

Finish: The feel is quite similar to Etude House's Sunprise Water Jelly, and I would have liked the finish if I were still in an air-conditioned room for more than 10 hours. Unfortunately, the Manila heat is too much and the sunscreen just adds up to the greasy feeling of sweat, sebum, and moisturizers.

I like the dewy finish with this product as well, but my relatives often think it is a thin film of sweat. Most Filipinos are not fans of the look, proven by the common and constant use of powder to hide sebum and profusely scrubbing of the oily face with a dirty handkerchief.

Rating: UV Sunset Aqua Gel maybe a bit on the pricey side and not very adequate in terms of protection, but the nice texture and finish makes up for it. Do note that I cannot recommend this for use outdoors, due to the limited filter performance. Also, if you're from the Philippines, most people might confuse your look with ordinary face grease because we have not caught on to that trend yet.

Value for money: 3/5
Ingredients: 3/5
Performance: 3/5
Overall: 3/5