Ready to discover your new favorite Korean sunscreen? Summer may be over, but we know that UV protection is needed everyday whether it’s sunny or cloudy. Today I’m doing a thorough review of the Skin1004 Madagascar Centella Hyalu-Cica Water-fit Sun Serum SPF50+ PA++++ which was launched earlier this year. The Skin1004 sunscreen is one of the few sunscreens I brought with me during my summer vacation and I will be using it through fall as well.

What is it: An organic (chemical) sunscreen.

Where to buy: You can find the Hyalu-cica Water-fit Sun Serum at Stylevana US / Stylevana EU, the official Skin1004 Website, and Amazon.
It’s also available at Yesstyle (Use KBEAUTYNOTES for % off your order, can be used together with other coupons), Stylekorean.

Price: $14-$19 (depends on the site and sales)

Volume: 50ml (1.69 fl.oz.)

PAO: 12 months after opening. (2 and a half years of shelf life.)

Packaging: It comes in a beautiful white tube with a baby blue pump. I like the pump packaging because you have more control over how much sunscreen you’re dispensing, unlike the tubes with an opening where sometimes the product just spurts out.

Application

After the last step of your morning skincare routine has been absorbed, apply the sunscreen generously on the face. Wait 10-15 minutes before continuing with your makeup.

How does the SKIN1004 Hyalu-Cica Water-fit Sun Serum perform

• Protection:
SPF50+ PA++++

• Texture and finish:

TIP: When you try a suncreen for the first time, I would recommend to use it on its own after cleansing your face. In this way you’ll be able to see the finish, how it sits on the skin, how moisturizing it is and then adjust what skincare you can use before it.

The texture of the Skin1004 sunscreen feels like lotion and spreads easily. Although it’s moisturizing it feels neither greasy nor sticky. At first, looks very dewy, but sets very quickly into a satin finish. The sheen it leaves on the skin looks beautiful and makes the complexion look healthy and radiant. Also, it’s velvety smooth to the touch.

This will feel very comfortable on the skin for both dry and dehydrated skin types because it is hydrating and emollient at the same time. Depending on how dry your skin feels and the climate you live in, you may or may not need a moisturizer beneath the sunscreen.

Oily and combination skin types can skip moisturizer completely in winter. But, if you have oily skin and live somewhere hot and humid, this may look too shiny for you or it won’t be as easy to re-apply.

• Does it contain alcohol?
No. It doesn’t contain any drying alcohols.

• Fragrance/Scent?
No. There is no added fragrance or essential oils.

• Is it drying?
This is a moisturizing sunscreen and doesn’t dry out the skin at the end of the day.

• Does it leave a white cast?
As it happens with a couple of other Korean sunscreens, it leaves a slight whitecast only as you are applying it because of the hybrid filter Tinosorb M, but it disappears completely within a few minutes.

• Irritation or breakouts?
It doesn’t irritate my skin and no breakouts occurred while using it.

• How does it work with makeup?
Due to its beautiful silky-smooth finish, the Skin1004 sunscreen works great as a primer for makeup. If sunscreen wasn’t as expensive as we need to apply a lot of it each time, I’d use it as a makeup primer in the evening too. I think how makeup stays on depends a great deal on how you prep your skin.

And this does a wonderful job at smoothing out the texture (especially over the pores), flaky skin, and plumping out those fine lines so your base will go on flawlessly and not set in the creases.

If you’re someone that wears makeup, it will simplify your routine a lot in the morning since it acts as a moisturizer, sunscreen, and primer all in one. Hence, you’re also saving money!

• Does it sting the eyes?
I apply this generously on the eyelids and I don’t experience any eye stinging even when my eyes get watery on windy days.

• Easy to re-apply?
Yes. It doesn’t ball up on me. In the beginning it may feel slightly heavier than the initial application, but feels exactly the same in 10 minutes or so.

Ingredients of the Skin1004 Sunscreen

The Skin1004 Madagascar Centella Hyalu-cica Water-fit Sun Serum SPF50+ Pa++++ uses all new generation chemical UV filters which are:

Tinosorb M (broad spectrum – highly photostable), Uvinul A Plus (high UVA protection and high photostability), Uvinul T 150 (highest photo-stable absorption of all available UVB filters), Iscotrizinol (UVA II and UVB).

It also includes skincare ingredients with antioxidant, soothing, anti-acne and brightening properties: Centella Asiatica Extract, Green Tea, Niacinamide, Adenosine, and Vitamin E.

No alcohol, fragrance, or essential oils.

Water, Dibutyl Adipate, Propanediol, Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Ethylhexyl Triazone, Methylene Bis-Benzotriazolyl Tetramethylbutylphenol, Niacinamide, Coco-Caprylate/​Caprate, Caprylyl Methicone, Diethylhexyl Butamido Triazone, Glycerin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Butylene Glycol, Centella Asiatica Extract(9,800ppm), Betula Platyphylla Japonica Bark Extract, Ginkgo Biloba Leaf Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Triticum Vulgare (Wheat) Sprout Extract, Medicago Sativa (Alfalfa) Extract, Brassica Oleracea Italica (Broccoli) Sprout Extract, Eruca Sativa Leaf Extract, Camellia Japonica Leaf Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate(10ppm), Behenyl Alcohol, Poly C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate, Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate, Decyl Glucoside, Tromethamine, Carbomer, Acrylates /​C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Adenosine, Xanthan Gum, T-Butyl Alcohol, Tocopherol, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid(1ppm), Inositol, Hyaluronic Acid(0.01ppm), Pentylene Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin


Final Verdict on the SKIN1004 sunscreen

Pros

  • Moisturizing.
  • Silky-smooth finish.
  • Neither sticky nor greasy.
  • No whitecast.
  • Doesn’t sting the eyes.
  • No pilling.
  • It doesn’t break me out.
  • Non-drying.
  • Works beautifully as a primer for makeup.
  • No alcohol, fragrance or EOs.
  • Cruelty-free & Vegan.

Cons

  • Not ideal for oily skin in hot humid climate.

To sum it up, the Skin1004 sunscreen is a win for me. It’s likely to work great for most skin types, except for oily skin in hot weather as it may appear a bit shiny. It has all the properties you’d look for in a sunscreen: moisturizing but not heavy, no stickiness or greasy feeling, no whitecast, no pilling and no eye-stinging. Suitable for sensitive skin too and those that don’t prefer fragranced skincare. Moreover, not only moisturizes but works so well as a makeup primer. Highly recommend!


Did you find this SKIN1004 Hyalu-Cica Water-fit Sun Serum Review helpful? What’s your favorite Korean sunscreen?

*Sponsored – in collaboration with SKIN1004, but all opinions in this post are completely my own.
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