Quick Summary:
Date Tested: 8/15/2023
In this Biore Aqua Rich Watery Essence SPF 50 (2023) sunscreen lotion review, I test this beloved sunscreen (with the vertical text written on the tube) and find that it is still a P.O.S. (bad sunscreen). I also purchased this sunscreen new from Stylevana on the recommendation that their products are genuine.
The Biore Aqua Rich Watery Essence SPF 50 2023 sunscreen lotion is a chemical based formulation containing Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Ethylhexyl Triazone, Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate, Hydrogenated Polyisobute Bisethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine, and Dextrin Palmitate. I have not come across any data indicating % of active ingredients, nor is there much information on the vendors web site as to the ingredients list. In order to get an ingredients list I needed to use google translate on the product tube itself.
Despite the huge following of this particular sunscreen, the Biore Aqua Rich Watery Essence SPF 50+ PA++++ sunscreen lotion only filtered UVA by 41.46%, reduced UVB by 35.19%, and blocked total UVI by 41.12%. I actually tested this product two times on two different days to verify the results. The initial test results were even lower with UVA blocked by 37.99%, UVB by 33.00%, and total UVI reduced by 37.72%. These results are similar to the original version that I tested (see my previous test of the Biore Aqua Rich Watery Essence).
Biore Aqua Rich Watery Essence SPF 50+ PA++++ sunscreen lotion ingredients
Active ingredients: Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Ethylhexyl Triazone, Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate, Hydrogenated Polyisobute Bisethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine, Dextrin Palmitate
Inactive Ingredients: Water, Ethanol, Isopropyl Palmitate, (Lauryl Methacrylate/sodium Methacrylate) Crosspolymer, Bg, Xylitol, (Acrylates/c10-30 Alkyl Acrylate) Crosspolymer, Dimethicone, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Glycerin, Glyceryl Stearate, Propanediol, Glyceryl Behenate, (Vinyl Dimethicone/methicone Silsesquioxane) Crosspolymer, Cetanol, Agar, Sorbitan Distearate, Isoceteth-20, Polyvinyl Alcohol, (Dimethicone/ Vinyl Dimethicone) Crosspolymer, Stearoyl Glutamic Acid, Arginine, Potassium Hydroxide, Sodium Hydroxide, Royal Jelly Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Phenoxyethanol, Edta-2na, Bht, Fragrance
Manufacturers Website: www.kao.com
Biore Aqua Rich Watery Essence SPF 50 2023 sunscreen lotion characteristics at a glance:
- Amazingly lightweight even during reapplication
- Infused with skin care ingredients hyaluronic acid, royal jelly extract & moisturizing butylene glycol
- Unique hydrating Aqua Micro Capsules release moisture during application
- Very water-resistant, yet easy to remove with soap
- No added colourant
- Non-comedogenic, allergy tested
- Light waery texture spreads easily and absorbs instantly with no white cast
- Suitable for use as makeup base
- Lightweight, non-sticky, smooth texture
- For Face & Body
- Viscosity is nice (haha not a real viscosity I know)
Prepared slide ready for testing
The Biore Aqua Rich Watery Essence SPF 50 2023 sunscreen lotion has a low to medium viscosity and seems quite nice. It spreads well but seems to thin out towards the center. Despite that, it seems to have the viscosity I prefer when applied to the microscope slide.
Biore Aqua Rich Watery Essence SPF 50 2023 UV blocking test results
Best result out of 2 tests
First test result
Ultraviolet light quick reference:
UVA: The Ultraviolet wavelength from 315nm – 400nm. The “Aging UV light” – Causes wrinkles.
UVB: The Ultraviolet wavelength from 280nm – 315nm. The “Bad UV light” – Causes skin cancer.
UVI: The global sun UV index. The more a sunscreen can reduce the level of UVI, the better.
UV test results:
Ultraviolet sensor readings:
| Before Sunscreen | After Sunscreen | % UV Blocked | |
| TEMP | 82.72 | 83.41 | |
| UVA | 42303.5 | 24766 | 41.46% |
| UVB | 2090 | 1354.5 | 35.19% |
| UVI | 24.81 | 14.61 | 41.12% |
Want to know more about how I test sunscreen? Head here to read about the details.
Testing notes:
There is so much interest in this sunscreen that I can only contribute to its ability to feel really nice when applied to the skin. However, I think that is all that this sunscreen really provides, a nice feeling. In terms of actual protection it really is quite terrible. The question I have for those who really like this sunscreen and disagree with my findings is that with all the offerings on the market, why continue to use something that tests badly in a controlled environment when there are so many other sunscreen that test well?
Anyways, I had high hopes the formula efficacy improved with the new release. Unfortunately despite the ingredients change, the UV protection is still quite bad.
Want to try the Biore Aqua Rich Watery Essence SPF 50 (2023) sunscreen lotion?
Still a bad sunscreen in 2023. Not recommended
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I just stumbled across your site and I’m loving it! The wit and the info are great! I would love to see Skinceuticles PHYSICAL FUSION UV DEFENSE SPF 50 tested!
Strange results. Currently Hannah tests showed that this was the best of the lot.
Could there be real-world differences in how sunscreens are absorbed by the skin vs a slide-based test?
Hi Josh,
Absolutely! However I would definitely be skeptical of how the sunscreen performs in the real world if it cannot perform well in lab tests. My thought is if it tests well in lab, it will have a better chance at working well in the real world.
Where are you sourcing these international brands? It’s interesting that there appears to have been an Amazon link at one point. While this brand might be new to me, (I’m a die hard BOJ user who is searching for alternatives to stock up on before they shut down the ability to buy the superior international brands here in the us), but even I know you NEVER PURCHASE sunscreen from Amazon. There are way too make fakes on there. These sunscreens can only be purchased from specific, vetted sights. That’s might be why your results are so inconsistent with the popularity of the product. Try again from Stylevana, young olive, or Japanese Taste (probs the fastest shipping time of the others!) These studies need to state where the product is sourced from and have a cert of authenticity from the manufacturer in order to carry much weight. Anything sourced from Amazon or where you make a commission decreases all legitimacy.
Hi Meghann, thanks, and yes I do agree with you about sourcing. However for this brand I have done multiple tests (not documented) – from stylevana and some brought back from Asia. They all test identically. This also seems similar to results with the newly tested biore athlizm I just received from stylevana as well. I am unsure why biore tests so poorly, but if you use it, make sure to reapply often, and thanks for reading!