Review: Mentholatum Sunplay Powdery White SPF 47 PA+++

I used to dislike sunscreen with white cast, but now from a work-at-home person's perspective, I'd have to say I am okay with a bit of it, as long as it will not irk my husband. And so I have began exploring sunblock with Titanium Dioxide, the compound pretty much responsible for the ghostly look.

Here's a look at one of such that will obviously leave a white mask - Metholatum's Sunplay Powdery White. The name says a lot and while it may get attention from the whitening-crazy ones, here's a review that will leave them with second thoughts.

Price and Availability: I got a bottle from PCX priced 349 php (roughly 8 USD) at net weight of 35g. This is a fair cost for a facial sunscreen and is a lot cheaper compared to its Korean counterparts. It was an easy find to as PCX has branches scattered all over Metro Manila.

Packaging: No frills and quite simple, plus the coral color is very cute. The carton looked dulled by time though (maybe it was an old stock from the store), but to me this is fine as long as the product is not expired. The dispensing nozzle is neat, which is somehow expected for very fluid sunscreen.

Texture and Scent: The content is very fluid and could make a mess if one insists on pouring 1/4 tsp in one go (note, I have small hands). What I did is pour 1/8 tsp twice so I do not risk of letting the liquid run down my hands. There is a floral scent which is not surprising and tolerable - it goes away in a few minutes and is not overwhelming.

Ingredients: (cosdna link, I had to retype as the pre-existing lists are outdated) Sunplay Powdery White is a physical + chemical sunscreen using the following filters: Zinc Oxide, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, and Titanium Dioxide. It has alcohol in it, but not as abundant as the other alcohol-containing sunscreen I've previously used. In fact, this sunscreen has a fair load of emollients and antioxidants in the form of Ascorbyl Tetraisopalmitate - a stable form of Vitamin C, and Vitamin E. 

Finish: There is a very noticeable white cast upon application, obviously, but unfortunately it does not go away very easily - patting it around for more than 15 minutes and even waiting for 30 minutes (as recommended waiting period for chemical sunscreen) does not cut it. In fact, the white cast is too much, some friends thought I overdosed on Glutathione pills and told me I'm too fair and I looked like a ghost.

Which brings me to my real point - the white cast can brighten a fair-skinned individual's skin tone, and like me, probably get away with it. But if for the slightly tanned, this product will make you look like a dolled-up geisha, or more like a Noh actor. Very Japanese, indeed. 

Similar to other Japanese sunscreen, Powdery White dries with a matte finish, but is unexpectedly moisturizing thanks to its emollient. 

Rating: A good performing sunscreen with white cast, has a matte finish yet moisturizing, and cheap. Overall, a good sunscreen but with a caveat - a very strong white cast which can be hard to pull of, unless the user is quite fair-skinned.

Value for money: 5/5

Ingredient: 4/5

Performance: 2/5 (because not all can use this product)

Overall: 3.7