I bought this sunscreen after much deliberation because of the hefty price tag, and after 6 months of almost daily usage, I still have a third left. Overall, I liked it. It does NOT break me out, and I have a *very* acne-prone skin. However, because it is water resistant, it does need to be taken off with a cleansing oil (or through double cleansing). It is not greasy, and while it does initially leave a white cast, I've found that that often goes away -- unless I've slathered on too much of it. That said, I will not be repurchasing. I've acquired a bit of a deeper tan since using this. Since tanning is what I'm trying to prevent, this is not the best product for me. While 9.3% is a decent amount of Zinc Oxide in a sunscreen (ZnO is what protects you from UVA ray, the ray that causes tanning), I believe I'll have to look elsewhere for something with a higher ZnO concentration. If you're prone to sunburns, however, this is good because it has 5.9% Octinoxate, which is good against UVB rays (responsible for sunburns).
Overall, a good daily sunscreen for those looking for a cosmetically elegant sunscreen.

I really like this product. I've been using it for about 3 weeks and I haven't had any breakouts (well I have but not because of this product). It has been so hard for me to find a good quality, physical SPF that doesn't break me out......I've tried so many natural ones that were either too greasy or they clogged my pores. This one may not be 100% natural but it works for me and from my experience with trying out so many different products is that when u find something that works, stick with it! It's oil-free, PABA free, paraben free AND it leaves my skin matte which I I love.....it goes on so smooth, my makeup goes on very well over it. It's very water resistant so u have to make sure to have good night time cleansing routine to get it all off....that's not a problem for me, between my OCM and the clarisonic I always go to bed with a super clean face! It doesn't feel heavy at all, the packaging is nice, it provides UVA and UVB protection, and it says it provides some anti-aging (antioxidants) properties which is a nice plus. I use about a dime size amount for my face/neck so I think it'll last me a good 3 months...... $32 (for 2 oz) I think this product is well worth it. This is not a moisturizer, don't expect it to do that (even though it does say it quenches dry skin.... it doesn't) but If you're oily/acne-prone and have not been able to find a good quality SPF to use under you're moisturizer then give this one a try!

WHAT IS IT? Very water-resistant silicone-based sunscreen
INGREDIENTS:-Octinoxate (7.4%) and Zinc Oxide (9.6%) Water, Cyclomethicone, Butylene Glycol, Octyl Methoxycinnamate, Dimethicone, Dimethicone Copolyol, Methyl Gluceth-10, Polybutylene Glycol/PPG-9/1 Copolymer, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Polymethyl Methacrylate, Talc, Trimethylsiloxysilicate, Glycerin, Hydrogenated C6-14 Olefin Polymers, Xylitol, Glutathione, Sodium Glutamate, Zinc Myristate, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Thiotaurine, Ectoin, Scutellaria Baicalensis Extract, Ononis Spinosa Root Extract, Dextrin Palmitate, Isostearic Acid, PEG-15, Calcium Stearate, Aluminum Distearate, Aluminum Hydroxide, Alcohol, Silica, Trisodium EDTA, BHT, Phenoxyethanol, Methylparaben, Ethylparaben, Fragrance, Zinc Oxide, Titanium Dioxide.
HOW DOES IT PERFORM? This product does indeed serve its intended purpose, which is to provide sun protection with both nano zinc oxide and octinoxate. My low rating for this product is based on the following: a) this is extremely water-resistant and difficult to remove even with a cleansing oil followed by a foaming cleanser on my skin - extensive cleansing like this disrupts my skin barrier and leads to b) severe acne breakouts both caused by the occlusive nature of the film formers which render this product water-resistant and aforementioned removal methods. Finally c) this product is very strongly fragranced and this fragrance lingers for hours and causes my eyes to water. People have asked if I am wearing cologne while wearing this product.
WOULD YOU BUY AGAIN? Never
PRICE: $45 CAD for 50ml

I'm not wowed by this sunscreen. In the past I've used Shiseido's lotion spf 55 and in my opinion that was better. I don't get a white cast from this and I don't find it drying at all. But I don't like the scent which while light seems to linger and after a while seems to bother me and the sunscreen seems to make my face itch. It does hold up well to everyday wear but I thought it would be more matte than it is. I can feel it on my face and by the end of the day my face feels slicker that I want. Makeup works okay over it but I find if I rub my face or scratch the sunscreen will roll up into shards or strings. So in the end it's okay but not great. Still searching for a sunscreen containing zinc oxide that I can wear daily and love.

This sunscreen, along with the Shiseido Ultimate Protection SP55, are the two best sunscreens I've found to date. Extra Smooth SPF 38 has a matte finish and, after being massaged into my skin, leaves a slight white cast on my medium-dark Indian skin. A white cast is part for the course in high SPF physical sunscreens, so this doesn't bother me, and it disappears completely once I dust mineral makeup powder on top. I find the SPF 55 to be more drying than the SPF 38, and the 55 also leaves a much more visible white cast. For those reasons, I prefer the Extra Smooth SPF 38 for daily use under makeup, although I'll break out the 55 on occasions where I need a lot of protection (for example, if I were going to the beach).

This is the only sunscreen that would not leave an oily shine on my face after applying. It also controls the oil on my face through out the day because I can get really oily at the end of the day. Best sunscreen I have used by far. The sunscreen tends to be a bit oily as the day progresses probably due to my own oil secretion also.

Pretty good sunscreen. It *is* a bit drying, so I wear a light moisturizer underneath. My skin is oily so I'm happy for the dryness; my foundation adheres to my face longer, my face takes much longer to get oily enough for me to blot/re-powder, and when I do I don't look greasy but just a bit dewier than my liking. Yes there is a slight whitish cast in flash photos, but every sunscreen does that and I'd rather look a little ghostly in photos than get skin cancer/premature aging. As this stuff is tenacious you'll need an oil cleanser to fully remove it. I like that it comes in a squeeze-tube package so I don't have to worry about broken glass when traveling with it, and it doesn't have a sunscreen smell to it but the scent isn't overpowering. Though I'm acne-prone I don't break out with this. The only reason this isn't getting an HG rating from me as it's a bit expensive for what you get and I'd like a creamier texture on application but have it still have the mattifying properties.

This new version SPF 38 is not the same as the old version SPF 36. The SPF 38 irritates my skin a little. I wish they bring back the SPF 36 version.

I LOVE this. The texture is so smooth, it applies like a dream into your skin without having a "burning" or tingling sensation like a lot of chemical sunscreens. It doesn't have a whitecast (unless youre getting photographed!) and it smells great, a little 'fresh.' AND it keeps me matte all day (a HUGE plus for me) so it's an excellent primer for oily skinned people.
BUT I think it's contributing to my acne. I'm not 100% sure but to be safe I stopped using it. I had a ton of clogs along my jaw and some on my temples before I started using this cream, and I think it definitely contributes to aggravating them. I want to use this everyday because I actually love using it. I'm still using it as a sunscreen for my eye area but I think I'm gonna stop applying it on my face until my skin clears up completely. By the way, TJ Maxx usually has this for sale for about $20, which IMO is a great deal for Shiseido!
This is by far one of the best sunscreens I've ever used, I would give it 5 stars if I knew I wasn't sensitive to it. For everyone who isn't acne-prone, I highly suggest trying it.

Broke me out and caused tiny little bumps under my eyes.

I actually found this at TJ Maxx for $19.99. I can not live without putting on sunscreen in the morning. Even when I go out and I forget to put it on, I notice my skin feels hotter without it. Anything is with an SPF of 30 or higher is fine, since I'm using retinoids at night. I never tried the cream version of SPF 55 so I can't compare, but I do have the lotion SPF 55. Based on the packaging inserts, SPF 38 is more nourishing and for anti-aging. It still broad spectrum, has the physical and chemical sunscreens as the SPF 55, but this one has Rose Apple Leaf extracts for antioxidant effects. So yes, it does leave the skin a little more moisturized but still matte. At night when I remove, I use the Ultimate Cleansing Oil by Shiseido. It truly delivers to get rid of all traces of dirt and sunscreen, I've had debris coming out my pores a few times. Will I repurchase again? Yes, but not sure if I would pay retail prices. Sometimes you can pick this up at TJ's, sometimes you can't. So I'll be on the hunt for a backup.

Wow, I love this stuff! I'll admit I bought this because I heard it's very good at controlling oily skin (which it does), not for use as a sunscreen. I'm 22 and never think about things like skin cancer, wrinkles, etc. however it doesn't hurt to have some protection on my face :) I haven't used in summer yet so I'm not sure how it performs as a sunscreen, however like I said before it is FANTASTIC for oil control. I have tried countless products to try and control my oil but this is the ONLY thing that has ever worked for me.
Oily-skinned ladies...do yourselves a favor and try this stuff, you won't be disappointed!!

I am a very pale Asian (nc15), so I get the worst from the sun - prone to tan/burn/freckles/skin cancer. So I must use high protection sunscreen especially during sunny days all year round regardless of the season. What I look for in a quality sunscreen is - at least spf30, no white caste, non-greasy, non-drying, and I hate the "sunscreen" smell. This one doesn't have any of that, it's easy to spread (hence the name), moisturizing enough for the Canadian winter, doesn't cause breakouts, leaves a dewy finish that's not shiny looking, smells great...BUT it's also rather expensive, however for for what it does I will continue to purchase until I can find a cheaper alternative. In the summer I switch to Anessa spf32 milky sunscreen for town use.

I love this sunscreen! nice consistency, no problem to putting make up on it, not greasy, no white residue. It seems expensive but lasts a long time and a little goes a long way.. so very worth it!

- Love the sweet fresh scent
- Blends easily
- No greasy feeling
- Does not cause me to breakout
- Has antioxidants ingredients
- Supposedly sweat-proof and water-resistant
- Expensive

Smells nice. Applies beautifully. Does not ruin the make-up. Not Greasy though creamy. Does not leave a film. Goes on very nicely on top of other skin care products. In my opinion, it is worth the price and I will re-purchase.

I'm surprised, but this product has been surprisingly mattifying for me. I have combination skin with an oily t-zone, and during the day, my nose and forehead get really shiny. I've tried a myriad of mattifying primers and lotions and this actually works better than most. It's not a cheap sunscreen, but I don't have to buy a mattifying product anymore, so it all evens out, I think -

Ok so I bought this based on all the reviews here. I originally wanted the lotion because it seems like the lotion would be easier to blend and also not leave a white cast residue but I ended up with the cream one because I have dry skin and it seemed to dry to a more matt, smoother finish when I tested it on my hand
So far I like using this, it's really expensive compared to drugstore brand spf (omg, 40 canadian dollars for this little one? geez).
When I tried this in the store, it seemed really mattifying but now that i've used it for like 2 weeks, it doesnt seem mattifying at all. I bought this because I wanted to use a sunscreen that would work as a primer as well. Damn.. should have bought MAC's Prep and prime in spf 50.
Oh well, this is not bad. it's not greasy at all which it good. it's kind of perfumy and expensive. I will look into straight up primers with high spf next time instead of looking for spf with mattifying qualities.
I'm giving it 4 lippies because it's still a really nice sunscreen. just not exactly what i was looking for.

This stuff sucks. I used the SPF 36 version for years and it was great. No breakouts, not too oily, etc. This version however is completely for this birds. That is, if you want the birds in your area covered in disfiguring pimples and gross whiteheads.
The old version wasn't broken and it didn't need fixing. I'm done.

I'm on a sunscreen kick so I purchased this because of the positive reviews on this site. This is a pricey sunscreen considering that it is only 2 oz. However, if it works great, it would be worth every cent. The best thing about this ss is that it leaves a matte finish and it does keep the oilies at bay. This makes a great primer because of this reason. However, the issues I have with the product is that it can be a difficult to spread/rub into the skin - the consistency is thick. I have large pores and this cream can become embedded into my pores! I often have to use an exfoliating scrub to remove all the residue after using this.