Kanebo Allie extra UV gel mineral moist SPF 50 PA+++

Not only have I bought this many times, I've handed it out to my friends. I get asked a lot about sunscreens that don't "completely suck" (not my phrase...) and this is definitely one of them.

I will tell you how and why this works for me, as I don't think I'm using it the same way as others on this page.

I have fair, normal skin that burns easily and is prone to dehydration, but I get oily in the t-zone when I'm out in the Aussie sun (which is most days). It's really important that I am well hydrated throughout the day or my skin turns into a flakey, dehydrated nightmare. I also use chemical exfoliants frequently.

I do NOT use this as a primary moisturiser, nor do I use it as a primary SPF. Does that sound silly? It might be! My skin needs more hydration than what this can provide, and anyway this is not a moisturiser nor is it intended to be.

I'm not entirely sure how, but this seems to "cut" through the thickness of my primary moisturiser so that I'm not a greasy mess by the end of the day. Allie Mineral Moist is my final layer before I apply makeup as usual, and it does an incredible job of getting my makeup to sit and stay, while providing me the protection I need.

I use this in conjunction to a chemical sunscreen, which I apply before this (see my review for Ultraceuticals Moisturiser SPF50 for more info).

~~ how does this work on men? ~~

I've given this to a male friend who only just wants sun protection, and he uses it as his only product in the morning. He loves it! Says it doesn't get caught it his beard, and it doesn't look like a product on.

If I had another tube, I'd give it to my partner to wear but I'm all out!

Definitely worth the money, I love this.

As a sunscreen on its own, I absolutely adore this. However it is not quite HG, which I will explain why later.

I have sensitive, oily, dehydrated, acne prone skin. This sunscreen is perfect in that it offers both high uvb and uva protection and importantly, unlike biore uv watery essence, it does not break me out! It also helps my skin to heal and recover from breakouts (possibly due to zinc oxide which can act as an anti-inflammatory). The finish is a bit shiny but I like how it is not drying on my skin and keeps it moist.

However, the reason why I'm still on the hunt for a better sunscreen is because it does not sit well under face makeup, at all. Whilst this product is perfect applied on its own, it makes base makeup look terrible when applied over it. It stops my foundation from adhering to my skin and makes my foundation look cakey, patchy, flaky and my pores and acne scars become really difficult to cover. Additionally, this product balls up when I apply it over creams/lotions and other skincare products. So sad. If it weren't for these reasons I would definitely repurchase, but unfortunately my sunscreen search continues...

I can't get past the white cast to use it enough for a proper review. Just wanted to write that unless your fair this will leave a white cast.

Probably my top japanese sunscreen (or US for that matter). It's not runny, not greasy, not drying, no white cast unless you use too much; doesnt smell weird, doesnt give you perma pink face, lasts throughout the day although I haven't done a full pool test to rate how waterproof it is. Doesnt break me out ..so yay. I got it on amazon for $25.
UV Filter(s): Zinc Oxide, Octinoxate, Uvinul A Plus & Tinosorb S.

Description : ALLIE Extra UV Gel (Mineral Moist NEO) is a hydrating Japanese sunscreen gel that is super waterproof. It replaces ALLIE Extra UV Gel (Mineral Moist) N that was released in 2012.

The new and improved sunscreen gel is formulated to be more resistant to water and sweat than the previous formula. It uses newly-developed Skinfit technology that makes a more uniform, flexible, and stronger bond on the skin to improve the water repellency of the sunscreen, enhancing its UV protection on the skin even when exposed to water or sweat.

Its signature ADVAN UV-Barrier technology gives the water-based gel the same light and refreshing texture as before. Hyaluronic acid and a blend of “skin-beautifying treatment essence” keep the skin hydrated and moisturised.

For face and body.
Resistant to water, sweat, and sebum.
Double as a makeup base.
Removable with a face wash.

This is my all time favourite sunscreen for face. I've finished up 2 bottles and one bottle lasts for a long time. I've used this in different type of weather - dry, humid, hot, cold and sunny days. I must say this sunscreen never fails me.

Firstly, the texture is clear gel and easily absorbed onto the skin without the stickiness. Secondly, I've managed to apply foundation on top of it without feeling the thickness. Most sunscreen leaves a white cast or dryness on my combination skin but this one has a perfect finish. Also, my face stayed fresh throughout the day. As with other sunscreens, my face would start to get oily in the afternoon.

The pricing works out much affordable as it's comes in 60ml tube while most Japanese sunscreen comes in 30ml for the same price.

This is a pleasant-feeling gel sunscreen, it sinks into my skin easily and doesn't feel greasy. I do get a little bit of a shiny effect from this but not as bad as the shine I get from Anessa's Perfect Essence SPF50 or basically any other SPF50 sunscreen.

It works great as a base for makeup, but I have had several issues with the product balling up under foundation or flaking off which means that I won't be buying this one again. But on the plus side, this doesn't go on streaky. I have areas of dark spots and so I apply an extra layer of sunscreen over these. It sinks in perfectly leaving my makeup to apply easily on top (but will ball up if rubbed).

My tube of sunscreen is rated PA++++ so I guess it is the newly refomulated (or repackaged) version for 2013. I am concerned with the high alcohol content of this sunscreen. I am aware of the damage that alcohol can do over time to your skin and I do try to avoid sunscreens with a lot of alcohol in them if I can. Unfortunately the ones I like the most texture-wise are the ones with the most alcohol in! I won't be buying this again although I do really like it. I have to have a product that does not ball up on my skin and this one does.

I bought this also with the Long Keep gel, and they look pretty similar out of the bottle, but this product is meant to be, and actually is, more moisturizing. This product has a gel cream consistency, and it's super easy to spread out and apply. I like that when it dries, even if there are areas where there was a little bit extra and I forgot to blot, my face doesn't look like a streaky mess once I apply my powder after it. It doesn't take that long to dry despite being a moisturizing SS, either. I use this every day around my eyes, and it doesn't irritate them or dry them out. It's perfect for this, and when you mostly use it around your eyes it takes absolutely forever to run out because the tube is so huge. When I use this on my oily skin it does get shiny halfway through the day, so I limit using it on the rest of my face unless it's dry from using Retin A or something the night before. It's a little more expensive than some of the other Japanese sunscreens, but comparable to the Shiseido Anessa line and less expensive than the Shiseido SS they sell at Sephora (and I think it's way better than those), plus it's PA++++, so you know you're getting great protection. Therefore, I think it's a great deal and will repurchase until I find something better (which is looking pretty difficult at this point, but you never know!).

My skin: Sensitive, rosacea-prone.
Regimen: On Retin-A 0.025% and Avene Triacneal (Retin A every third night)

To tell you a little something about my skin, it's very finicky. Quite a lot of products don't play well with it, and usually I get something like burning rash, pimples or oil seeds (milia?) to contend with. In the case of sunscreens, I need to watch out for oil seeds as the last one I used called Shiseido Anessa (the one in the gold bottle) caused a bunch of oil seeds around my temples and cheeks over time. I had those removed, and swapped over to Kanebo Allie immediately.

Since I am on Retin-A and Avene Triacneal, sunscreen is an absolute must. It's very difficult to find one I like - one that is not too greasy, protects more than adequately, and of course, one my skin is compatible with. Kanebo Allie protects VERY well. I haven't had a single new discoloration appear since starting to use it. Grease-wise, it can be pretty shiny at first, but will subside in an hour or two. I don't use foundations or mineral makeup now so I can't say how it's like to put them on top of Allie. I did rush through once and put on mineral makeup, I think... and it was alright. It doesn't control oil all that much but it isn't a concern for me because, even though I live in a hot and humid climate, I make sure my skin's oil production is balanced by using the right moisturizer.

When I had my oil seeds removed, my skin began the healing process and scabbed over, and during this period I used Kanebo Allie. It didn't irritate, didn't cause any discoloration to the marks... yeah, I'm pretty happy about it. I buy mine in twos and threes from Japan directly via Rakuten. You can find links to purchase them from Ratzillacosme's site. Or, you can try google "Rakuten Kanebo Allie extra UV gel mineral moist" and see what comes up.

I am on my 3rd tube of this sunscreen now. I purchased it the first year it came out, then just repeated buying every summer. Before purchasing this I've always purchased Anessa over Allie. I found that Anessa in yellow bottle kept me more matte than the other Allie. Plus, the other Allie sunscreens irritated my eyes and made me teary. But a few years ago Anessa reformulated its sunscreens and the yellow bottle started to irritate my eyes as well, and I also found that my skin got drier over the years, so I decided to try this Mineral Moist sunscreen from Allie.

The texture of this sunscreen is different from the other typical milky Japanese sunscreens. The name is UV Gel but actually it's not a clear gel, but a white colored gel. It's not as heavy and oily as the cream susncreens but not as oil absorbing and drying as the milky type. For my combo skin, this works the best in the summer when I stay all day indoors in an air-conditioned room. It gets a bit oily if I'm in a humid environment such as a tropical resort (I go to back to Anessa yellow bottle), and it gets drying during the winter (I use Lancome UV Expert). I've tried both the blue version (water proof, for face and body) and pink version (not water proof, marketed as for face and neck) and honestly cannot tell much difference.

The only negative points about this sunscreen is that it does ball-up a bit if I rub too much, but this can be avoided it if I just apply quickly. It also leaves my skin a bit shiny (but not oily), but most gel creams or sunscreens make me shiny and a little powder will help solve this problem. All in all I like it a lot and I will keep on purchasing. The price is reasonable for such a big tube.

I bought the newest 2013 version that has SPF 50 PA++++ (that's right, 4 pluses). Unfortunately the extra UV protection made the new formula shinier and heavier. Like many sunscreens, this eventually broke me out. I'd rather stick to a lower SPF sunscreen than have more pimples, especially if I'm indoors for work most of the day. Maybe if you have drier skin your skin would be able to suck up the shininess better as I tend to have oily skin, especially so when it's warmer.