Sunscreen Rave: The Dermaction Plus by Watsons Advanced Sun Water Drop Cream Gel SPF50 PA++++

I’m extremely loyal to my sunscreen. You guys know that I’ve been using the Biore UV Aqua Rich since 2015, and rarely switch out to new ones. The only other sunscreen I use other than the Biore is the Kiehl’s UV Defense Aqua Gel. The latter, while nice, is really quite expensive for everyday use. The Biore on the other hand is perfect for my budget and requirements - it’s lightweight and wears well under makeup, so I haven’t felt the need to switch to another drugstore sunscreen.

A couple of months ago, however, I ran out of the Biore sunscreen. I thought I had a backup somewhere, but after frantic searching, I just couldn’t find it! What I did find though was the Dermaction Plus by Watsons Advanced Sun Water Drop Cream Gel SPF50 PA++++ (P399 for 40ml in Watsons) which I bought last year for photography purposes. I got it then promptly forgot about it.

Well, I really needed sunscreen that day, so I went ahead and used the Dermaction one. I loved it. It smells like real sunscreen (not too strong but it’s there) so I expected it would feel like the usual sticky sunscreen and have a shiny finish too. But it doesn’t feature any of those things! It’s quite light on the skin and actually has a matte finish despite rating PF50 PA++++ on the packaging. It sinks in fast, and yet it’s alcohol-free. It’s great under makeup too! My skin and eyes don’t sting with it, as well.

It’s a fuss-free sunscreen that I’ve been pretty much using since I opened it. I don’t break out from it which is like the base minimum requirement of course, but it’s still important to note that it’s slightly water-resistant, so best to double-cleanse if you’re wearing to prevent pore blockage.

I have to say that I’m not a fan of the packaging. I love that it’s slim and doesn’t take up much space, but this pump situation is not working out for me. You have to squeeze the sunscreen towards the pump, and if you’re lucky, you would get a good solid pump out. But the odds are 4 out of 10, so it can get frustrating! I wish that would just get rid of the pump and just use a good ol’ fashioned hole to replace it. I mean, if I’m squeezing anyway it might as well go straight to my hand.

Otherwise, the Dermaction Plus by Watsons Advanced Sun Water Drop Cream Gel SPF50 PA++++ is a great find. It’s P399 for 40ml (P9.98 /ml), while Biore is P489 for 50g (P9.78/ gram). It’s slightly more expensive than the Biore but I do prefer that it feels less slippery on skin. If you’re all for matte sunscreen, then Dermaction is for you! I’m glad I gave this a chance.