It's a great sunscreen, unfortunately it's been discontinued. What is Sofina thinking?
Pros:
- It has PA+++. SPF only block UVB rays, which can cause skin-related cancers. Only PA or PD are the measures of block UVA rays, which causes skin aging and skin darkening. Don't fall for nowadays marketing scheme about high SPF will prevent aging. It's not absolutely true!
- It controls shine
- It has reasonable pricing
- It does not breakout on my skin
Cons:
- Discontinued!
- Had to buy it online
After a long search, I have found a comparable if not better alternative sunscreen, which is Biore UV Perfect Face Milk SPF 50+++.

I LOVE Japanese sunscreens in general. They're THE BEST for oily skin and Sofina is my HG.

I was so sad when this product was discontinued. Solely because of MakeupAlley, I was able to discover the wonderful world of Japanese sunscreens. My facial skin could never tolerate facial sunscreens from the U.S. because they are very irritating to my skin and would melt off and burn and sting my eyes with the slightest bit of sweating in summer. This doesn't even feel like a sunscreen. It is not greasy and it protects very well. It is also very makeup-friendly. Thanks to the MakeupAlley Skin Board alerting me to it being discontinued, I was able to purchase several backups to use while I search for my new HG.

I LOVE THIS SUNSCREEN! It reminds me of the super expensive small sunscreen from Chanel (which is also 50spf) but I like this one a lot more b/c it dries faster and it works as a great primer in addition to being a great sunscreen! I don't like putting too many things on my face especially during the morning b/c 1) i simply don't have the time to; and 2) it feels heavy throughout the day!
This sunscreen is a perfect primer + sunscreen in my opinion and the finish is matte which is perfect (as i have more of an oily skin).
I bought this off of ebay for about $30 and i will continue to buy this was it is half the price of Chanel's sunscreen with more sunscreen in it!
The texture is very liquid/watery so it's super easy to spread and dries really fast.
I take this off at night along with whatever make up I have on with FANCL's cleansing oil (great cleansing oil). In the shower, I scrub this with my clarisonic and on residue is left on my brush as the cleansing oil washed off all the make up + sunscreen.
highly recommended!

I've lurked on here for years, and never written a review. After trying this, I just had to post my comments as well.
(This is for the Sofina Lucent version)
I've only used it for a few days, however, I've been out in the sun for extended periods with what seems to be complete protection. I even put it on my lips, and there is no bitter chemical taste. All in all, it is WONDERFUL! It works as a great matte base for foundation.
I ordered it from the Bobodave online shop (thanks to someone's tip here) and they have free international shipping. It did not take very long to arrive, However, during the wait, I still was out of sunblock, and tried Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Liquid daily sunblock 55. Its all right, I probably would have been a lot happier with it if I didn't have the Sofina to compare it with. The Neutrogena has that sunscreen scent to it, and is significantly thicker in consistency than the Sofina. It is not matte either. Once the Sofina arrived, the Neutrogena went into the stockpile of products I like well enough to keep, but don't plan to use unless I have to.

Thankfully I live in Japan so I can find this stuff at practically any drug store...and sometimes even in the convenience stores. The mattifying qualities are especially wonderful in the summer months. (It is very much needed in this humidity with my oily skin.) My face does still get a bit oily with this on ...but that is just genetics. I have lily-white, extremely sensitive/oily, acne-prone skin that reacts to everything...even the stuff that is supposed to be formulated for sensitive/oily skin! This product has been a godsend!

But what is the shelf life of this product?
Apparently Japan does not require expiration dates. I am concerned about the UVB protection from the chemical component, and am confident about the fact that Zinc oxide is a long-lasting component that supplies broad spectrum & UVA protection.
Thanks. I'll look forward to finding out if anyone knows about this.
continued >>

Im on my fourth bottle of this stuff. I use the Lucent version- I have also tried the Nuance Up version, which gives a subtle pink hue. Personally, I think the Lucent version looks more natural. This sunscreen is the best for my oily, acne-prone skin since it leaves me matte all day. I recently tried the La Roche Posay Anthelios 60 Ultra Light Sunscreen Fluid, which is intended for those with combo skin. It was such a horrible product- I was oily from the start. I have never felt greasy with Sofina. My only concern with the sunscreen is that I am unsure whether it provides adequate uva protection (many makeup and skincare products, such as the Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer, that are labeled as having spf protection, do not provide adequate uva protection- only uvb protection). Since the product's information is entirely in Japanese, I am unsure. If anyone can verify that the product also protects from uva rays, please let me know. But nonetheless, I love this stuff!!

i really wanted to like this because i hate the feeling of traditional sunscreen on my face but it clogged my pores...but i have to say that i put it on my arms and it has really great staying power so i will use it when i go to the beach for my body but will not be purchasing again...try chanel's uv essentiel..it's about twice as expensive so i only use it on my face and use other stuff on my body

NUANCE UP sunscreen
The Nuance Up is the same as the other Sofina s/s I've used - slippery, full of silicone, milky and runny but its slightly pink tinted. Whilst this may not show up on some people, both on me and my mum's skin, once applying it on our face, it immediately brightened our face. However, it accentuates the flakes on our skin and leaves a white cast which on camera, it suprisingly looks ok and not ghost like. As well as highlighting the flakes, the s/s is very drying and as its full of alcohol, when spreading the s/s on our faces, it caused a tingly effect. I've only used it once or twice on my skin so I cant say whether it causes breakouts but I've been using it on my neck for more than a week, and I've no allergic reaction.
I would not be repurchasing this as its really expensive for an average product and is not available in the UK stores. Even if I am in Hong Kong, I would not be buying this anyway due to the price and there should be a similar product like this

This is a truly wonderful product and the only sunscreen I enjoy using. Unfortunately, it is very difficult to locate in the United States and I resorted to eBay after a lengthy search--it is absolutely worth the trouble. The product's consistency is indeed very milky, which might reasonably lead one to question its potency. I took this with me to Africa for four weeks, applying one coat in the morning (following moisturizer) and repeating the application if necessary later in the day. Despite having very pale skin (I do mean *very*) and consequently quite prone to sunburn, my skin remained unburnt throughout the entire excursion. For those who are familiar with the African sun, you know how unmerciful it can be to the body. If that wasn't a test of this product, I don't know what is.
While other sunscreens leave a greasy residue on my skin, this does not. I did not initially purchase enough of this product to cover my entire body each day, so I brought along a few bottles of Neutrogena's Ultra Sheer Dry-Touch Sunblock with SPF 70 to use on my body. I reserved this product, Sofina Perfect UV SPF 50 (Lucent), for use on my face. The Neutrogena formula left a slight sheen to the skin, accounting for my choice not to apply it anywhere above the neck. Not to disparage that product, however--it also did a commendable job of protecting my skin.
Sofina Perfect UV did not cause any sensitivity or blemishes and produced none of the common greasiness found with sunscreens. Putting vanity aside, it protected my skin as promised and has become a mainstay in my arsenal of products. I honestly cannot recommend this product enough.

Click "continued" for photos.
This is very much like one of those good things you hear about in life but readily accept as myth - Santa Claus, unicorns, "lose 20lb in 2 weeks without breaking a sweat!!!" diets and so on. Except this is real. I can't remember how many times this sunscreen was mentioned whenever I asked for recs on a non-greasy sunscreen with a light texture that won't break out my combination skin, and all those people said Sofina Perfect UV is exactly that. A sunscreen that meets all 3 criteria? Naw! So I dismissed it for a long time until one bright sunny day when I made the wisest decision of my life and ordered it online.
I am now on my 4th bottle. I've tried both the Lucent version and the White Protect version, both work equally well in terms of sun protection and how it feels on skin, the only difference is that White Protect was too true to its word and turned me ghostly white within 3 months' usage. So I switched back to Lucent. I've never tried the “Nuance Up" because I hear it's slightly more oily than the other two.
The following comments are in reference to Lucent and White Protect only.
This sunscreen has a very thin consistency, looks like 2% skimmed milk. I prefer this to the usual thick-cream type of feel. As you rub it into your skin, it feels very slippery and silicone-y, and you may be alarmed that this is gonna be shiny and greasy, but wait 1 minute and it dries quite matte (not as matte as a powder but more matte than say, an average facial moisturizer, let alone the average sunscreen).
That's not the end of this beautiful story - it CONTROLS your shine throughout the day. When I don't use this, my skin is noticeably oilier, as I need to blot more often and use more blot sheets each time. And it works as a primer better than Smashbox Photofinish did for me, it makes your foundation go on smoothly (without "skipping") and my blushes last longer with this underneath.
AND it doesn't break out my acne-prone skin. I've never had a sunscreen that didn't break me out, I just lived with it. But this causes 0 zits.
It's around US$30 for 60ml if you get it from online (I buy from adambeauty or ebay), which seems pricey but you only need very little each time, for my face, I use two dime-sized dollops. I guess some dermatologists might say that's not enough but it works for me, I haven't been able to tan since I started using this so I think it's doing its job. One 60ml bottle lasts me around half a year.
Oily/combo folks, do give this a try.






continued >>

Holy batman!!!!!!!!! Most life changing s/s ever. I'm normally deathly afraid of s/s - given their unnatural way of making me excrete puddles of oil in my skin, their ability to break me out in record time, and who can forget that funky white cast and trademark s/s smell... ugh. Enough to turn someone off s/s forever.

Now that I am on an intense retinoid/AHA routine though, and with summer approaching, I jumped on the search-for-HG-s/s bandwagon. Tried Bioderma, grease city. Then I found this one, and WOW. It's almost not like an s/s AT ALL. It applies like a gorgeous primer, without the slimy silicone-finish. It feels more like a light sheen of powder is on your skin when you run your hand on it, and provides a terrific matte base for MU. Keeps oilies away, and it is so so easy to spread and wear. I actually *enjoy* the s/s step to my routine now, which is unheard of for me.

I only wish there was some way to get it quicker. I get mine from Bobodave, which I adore. Short story - I thought they only had 15mL bottles, so I bought 2 for $20 each, and then they emailed immediately that there was a 30mL version for $30, saving me $10. Promptly refunded the difference upon my request for the change from 2 15mL to 1 30mL, oh and free shipping from HK too. Such a refreshing honest seller!

UPDATE: Unfortunately after a while I noticed a white cast on me no matter how much blending I did, and the primer aspect of it faded really quickly when I realized that it made my skin really really really flakey-edges dry. I am now using Shiseido SPF 55 which I like SO much better! continued >>

This ss is not my favorite, simply b/c of the unnatural ingredients and the way that it dries out my skin and burns a bit (I have very sensitive skin). I kind of dread putting it on, and can't wait to take it off when I get home. But since it protects me and doesn't break me out, I use it when I know I'll be out in the sun for long periods of time. Also, as other people have mentioned, it acts like a primer and makes the skin look less oily. I don't know what the ingredients *really* are, but no listing that I've seen has ever mentioned parabens in the ingredient list. I hope that's accurate. Also, it does have zinc, which is great. I hope the PA is as high as they claim, but I read (I think on MUA) that Japanese cosmetics don't necessarily rate the PA in the same we that the US and Europe do, and that they tend to rate it higher than it would be considered in the States and Europe. But I think this ss is brilliant--I only wish it were fully physical and didn't sting.

Okay i'm editing this review because my opinions have drastically changed. My previous review was a rave about its texture and mattifying properties but after a month of testing this is my review:
Pros.
- Mattifies the skin.
- Nice texture.
- Decent sun protection without irritation or breakouts.
Cons.
- Leaves a white cast on my skin for an hour or so before disappearing, not good when you have to apply in a rush.
- I went on holiday to the tropics and my face tanned significantly despite application of this.
- It's too dry! I have an oily t-zone so I can appreciate a good mattifying product but this is SO dry that it makes your skin look awful and tight, especially during the winter. It makes a very dry base for makeup, even if you slather on a moisturiser beforehand. I had to wait a couple of hours for my natural oils to break through before feeling comfortable in this.

I have been using this (Lucent) for over 12 months and love it..however i do find it's a bit drying on my pale sensitive skin.. and i am prone to freckles.. but i find that this has stopped me getting freckles in the European sun but not in the harsh Aussie sun. People need to remember that this is actually spf25+ as japanese sun testing standards are different to Aus/US ones.. so it's not really spf 50 by our standards of spf.
it does apply beautifully and it is great, i really recommend it over Kenebo sunscreen that i tried as well.. i am looking around at purchasing the Nuance up as it is for dry skin and will hopefully do not cause flakiness on my face.
Definitely re-purchase , and better than Shisedo sunscreens.

My very first review and am only writing because I've found this product to be excellent!
My teenage son and I have been using this product for about two months. Up until now, we've been constantly switching from one expensive sunscreen to another in hopes to finally find "the one." Most seem to be okay but not quite perfect. Well, we found it. Sofina Perfect UV is "the one."
I make my son wear sunscreen because I've been battling with hyper-pigmentation and sun damage due to sun-worshiping in my younger-years. So I know the importance of investing in skincare early on.
We both have totally different types/tones of skin. He's dark and I'm light. He's oily and I'm normal/dry. I wouldn't have mind getting us separate sunscreens but the fact that Sofina Perfect UV takes care of us both is icing on the cake.
What I love about this product is that it's super-light (like milk) and absorbs super duper fast. I'm able to mix it with my moisturizer and it doesn't smell or feel like the typical sunscreen.
What my son loves about this product is that it doesn't leave his dark skin white (like he has make-up powder on) and he isn't "greasy looking" by the time first period is over (like most of the other sunscreens).
I would've given it a better rating on the price because the actual product isn't expensive. The problem is that I can't find it anywhere in the United States at a local retail store, so I have to order it online and shipping fees always kills the deal for me (like the rest the other products I use).
Yay! My first review. Thanks everyone that have tried this product and wrote a review. You've encourage me to try this product and give my review to help others too. God bless!

This is the first time I have reviewed a product, and I love it! I have been using Sofina for a few months now, and I can't live without it. I even wear it in the evenings underneath my makeup (even when I don't need sunscreen) because it makes my face look smooth. I'm a PPP redhead, so I love how if I use a little bit extra it gives me a "porcelain" look.

This stuff is godsend. I just got mine from ichibankao for 36 ish CAD (30 USD) recently. I've been hearing so many good reviews about it, so i caved in. When I first tried it on the back of my hand I thought it would be similar to other sunscreens: oily. But when I applied it on my face it sinked in becomes completely matte. And to my dismay this actually keeps my face non oily for the whole day. This has probably never happend with any other products i've used. I've been looking for cremes, foundations/powders that would keep my oilies at the bay and nothing has worked this well. The closest bet is my Mac blot, which is starting to loose its effect on me. I prefer this to mac blot because i'm not layering product on my face (no need for touch up)/doesn't ascentuate dry patches. On top of that, is has very high spf which is perfect because it can act as a makeup base and sunblock. Unfortuntly there is some white cast action, it really depends on how much you use and how well you blend it out but that's inevitable with spf products. IMO you dont really need a lot, T blend it out with a brush (i know it's wierd). Hasn't broken me out or clogged my pores ...yet, which is suprising becuse i my pores love to clog up. Overall i'm super excited about this product, i'll try to update this review since I've only started using this recently.

Little to no whitecast! That's why I bought it I (dark, very oily, acne prone skin) might buy again but I'm trying to go more natural, I didn't have any of the reactions of others and people are right abt the finish it is phenomenal but I'm guessing silicone.
PRO: No whitecast!!! Good for darker complexions and any oilies sick of sweating milk. They can put a man on the moon.....but the finish is spectacular with/without makeup. Bottle is portable, no spills for me esp. with its watery texture. I use with and w/o slight moisturizer underneath depends on day.
CON: Not broad spectrum which is a shame also first try and felt as if wearing a plastic sheath, after that it was fine but first day I HAD to get it off my skin and I never react like that to anything also hard to find in states, paid $22 on bobodave.com
UPDATE: Wouldn't buy again, found and love Keys Solar Rx which is moisturizing, non-greasy, non-oily and NO whitecast, I'll keep searching for a safer primer which is what i mainly bought Sofina for.