5 best sunscreens that work as serums and colour-correcting primers!

Yours truly at herworldPLUS knows full well the value of a good “plus” – particularly when it pertains to the PA rating of this sensational Shiseido sunscreen! Quick beauty lesson: The PA “pluses” refer to the degree of protection you get against UVA rays, the longer-range beams that can damage the dermis and lead to premature creases and crinkles in your skin. 

Top takeaway: The incredibly impressive SPF 50+ PA++++ label on this lotion – which is also sensitive skin-friendly, fragrance-free, pollution-, sweat- and water-resistant – means it’ll serve as that much stronger of a shield against brown spots and blotchiness.  

Indeed, this futuristic marvel of J-Beauty technology is said to actually amplify its protective powers in contact with water – the exact opposite of its more conventional competitors on the market, which tend to slip off your skin when the going gets soggy and sweaty. Splashing about in the sea? As Shiseido’s canny copywriters would have it, with this smart sunscreen it’s “the wetter, the better”.

OMG, I have such a feverish fervour for this fancy-schmancy face “veil” that just happens to have “SPF” bedecking the bottle.

Why the adulation? Well, for starters, this luxuriously light liquid is armed with an arsenal of antioxidant actives and botanical brighteners like exotic edelweiss extract, which is said to soothe stress-induced inflammation, quench parched skin and mitigate melanin production – the sum result of which is skin that’s as pillowy as the petals of the snowy blossoms themselves. Talk about flower power, eh.

And while this tincture isn’t tinted per se, the difference is noticeable: My skin looks like my own, only better. I imagine this radiance booster to be indispensable on say, Sunday champagne brunches, when you want to look presentable without being preternaturally polished. A featherweight fluid that functions as an Instagram filter on standby? Yes, please. But don’t take my word for it – check it out at your nearest La Prairie counter, stat. Good enough to blow this year’s bonus on, in my beauty books!

Full disclosure: I’m partial to the posh Parisian perfection of Dior’s suite of surprisingly underrated skincare salves, so this beauty bauble has it easy from the get-go. 

Besides, this hot hybrid boasts a ton of sciencey “superpowers” to back it up. To wit: Dior researchers now say that our addiction to LED light-emitting devices (think tablets, smartphones and such) may also be detrimental to our dermis – think dehydration, hyperpigmentation and a sickly sallow cast. Gulp.

How to combat these catastrophic consequences to your complexion? Enter Dior’s Prestige White Collection The UV Protector Rosy Glow SPF50+/PA++++, which boasts a nifty new mineral filter dubbed the Artificial Light Protector which promises to protect against your usual UV rays plus radiation from artificial light sources. The fab folks at Dior also say that they’ve tossed in a sprinkling of star-shaped pigments in the product to diffuse light and circumvent the pasty “powder face” that’s an all too common consequence of using conventional mineral sunscreens. 

Thanks to said star-shaped particles, the featherweight formula also does double duty as a colour-correcting primer, so feel free to layer it under your foundation. Worn “naked”, this should imbue your skin with a pretty pink pearlescence that will have even the most jaded of beauty buffs doing a double-take. I should know, given the number of compliments I get for my cough, absolutely alabaster complexion!

Are you an SK-II addict? Then make this sterling salve the companion of choice to your trusty “miracle water”, because it’s just about the best buy for your beauty dollar. For one, the Cellumination Day Surge UV SPF30/PA+++ is a thirst-quenching tincture that’s superb for soothing sallow skin, thanks to a complexion-correcting cocktail of botanical brighteners plus a generous shot of Pitera for maximum moisturising impact.

As for application, feel feel to skip your usual unguents because this ambrosia alone is hugely hydrating – perfect for off-duty days when you can’t be arsed with a seven-step regime. Blend like there’s no tomorrow for a breathtakingly beautiful translucent finish.

And in a somewhat surprising twist, I’ve also found this exquisite emulsion to boast a delightful degree of sebum-sopping prowess – a smidgen of the spectacularly smooth salve under my regular fluid foundation was plenty to sop up gunk and grease throughout the day. In other words, you stay matte, not flat. Perfection!

This superb Shu hybrid hero sits somewhere between colour-correcting primer and tinted moisturiser. On the skincare side of things, you have a league of extraordinary extracts, chief of which are redness-reducing boldo leaf and revitalising red seaweed plus good ol’ vitamin C for fortification against free radicals.

Then there are the subtly shimmery and lovely lavender pigments in the formula, which permeates my face with a dewy “day” glow, even in the dead of night – sort of like having a steady stream of sunlight trained on your face 24/7.

Texture-wise, the satiny serum-like consistency makes for supremely comfortable wear in sweltering Singapore, and the universally flattering flush is fabulous on bare skin; on no-makeup makeup days, this base alone should suffice.

Honorary mention must also go to the subtle scent and perfectly posh packaging – the violet vial this elixir comes in is heart-stoppingly pretty! – making up all the thoughtful little touches the J-Beauty brand is justifiably renowned for. In short, this should supply that skin-saving spark you’ll need to ignite your way to a brighter, better complexion.

Right, then. I trust this has been an enlightening “ray” of a read. Cheers, and #HappyShopping!