Nivea is a well known brand, originally from Germany. However, did you know that in Japan there are products by Nivea that aren’t sold anywhere else? One of those products is the Nivea Sun Protect Water Gel, a very moisturizing sunscreen that greatly protects your skin from the ultra violet rays. If you want to know more about this one and only Nivea product sold in Japan, read on!

One of the things that Nivea is known for is their moisturizing products, and it's not surprising that they have included their famous feature in their sunscreen product. However, there are other features about this product that makes it so popular, such as the fact that it’s SPF 50/PA+++, and it contains hyaluronic acid and natural plant extract for softening skin. It. Makes sense why it’s one of the best selling sunscreens in Japan.

My skin is both sensitive and dry, so I can’t wait to try this out. Whether you’re looking for a sunscreen that suits your dry skin like me, or looking for something that has both strong protection and moisturization, you’ve got to read about my experience using this product.

About Nivea

Nivea is a skincare brand that has a history of over 130 years creating skincare products that contain essential natural ingredients. This company is well-known for its moisturizing product, the Nivea Creme, but has branched to produce many other products with the same moisturizing components since then. Some products that are more recently created include body wash, shaving creams, and lip care. 

Quick Facts about Nivea Sun Protect Water Gel

This Nivea Sun Protect Water Gel is a product that is only sold in Japan. This sunscreen specializes in protecting skin with maximum SPF/PA, and moisturizing the skin with essential hydrating products. It features many other components as well, such as being fragrance-free, color-free, and allergy tested. Using this product is not limited to just your face, but on your body as well, as it can be washed off easily with soap. 

Ingredients: Water, ethylhexyl methoxycinnamate, ethanol, PG, dimethicone, ethylhexyl triazone, diethylamino hydroxybenzoyl hexyl benzoate, BG, lysine lysine dilauroyl glutamate, quince seed extract, himefuuro extract, kihada bark extract, Na hyaluronate, (Acrylate / Alkyl acrylate (C10-30)) Crosspolymer, Carbomer, Tocopherol acetate, Na Hydroxide, BHT, Methylparaben

Skin type: For all types of skin

Texture: Gel, smooth 

Fragrance: Minimal to none

Product size / content: W 3.5 x D 1.5 x H 7.5 inches / 4.9 oz (140g)

My Initial Impression

From the very first time I saw this product, I loved how this product has a pump. I think that sunscreen with pumps is very unique compared to many other sunscreen products, as they usually come in tubes. 

Using the Product on My Skin

As I mentioned previously, this product comes with a pump function, and it makes it so much easier for me to use. There’s also a cap that goes with it too. I’ve always hated trying to get more product after I closed the lid, because oftentimes, I would get my hands and product packaging messy. But of course, if you do not prefer the ones with the pump function, they have the same product that comes with a lid too. 

The packaging itself is very nice and sleek—my favorite part has to be the size. The size is just a little bit bigger than the length of my hand, and I think it’s a perfect size to put it in your everyday bag to take it around with you. There are unfortunately no English translations of the product which is very inconvenient because this product is only sold in Japan.

My first impression of the sunscreen is that it’s very lightweight and it’s easy to work with. Although it is gel, it really has that watery feel to it. Spreading it on my skin, I can see that the product dissolves into my skin very nicely, no signs of greasiness or stickiness. However, I think that compared to other sunscreens, sunscreens such as Biore UV Aqua Rich Watery Essence might do a better job in keeping my skin moisturized. 

Using it with Makeup 

I have to say that although I love how this product sits on my skin, it’s not really something that I like to use when I put on makeup. One of the biggest reasons why I think it doesn’t match well with makeup is that the product contains alcohol (ethanol), so it dries up the moisturizer that I applied on my face previously, making my makeup look nowhere near good. This product is something that I would use only on my body, or on my face if I am just going out to run a small errand.

The Effectiveness and UV protection

Like many other Japanese sunscreens, it is very effective in protecting your skin. I made sure that I reapplied this sunscreen every couple of hours to ensure that my skin was protected from the sun. I used this sunscreen in sunny California, a whole day in the sunlight, and my skin did not get any sunburn at all. However, when I applied this product, it was a sunny day in the winter, so it may not work similarly if I went out on a summer day in a humid environment, or simply went to the pool. 

The product clearly states in Japanese that it is NOT waterproof. This is the reason why I don’t think it would work well in more humid climates, really hot sunny days, and on occasions you know you will sweat or go into water. This is so unfortunate because it works so well in protecting my skin and it means that this factor limits when I can use this sunscreen.

The Pros and Cons

The Pros:

• Strong UV protection
• Blocks powerful ultraviolet
• Does not leave a white cast when applying
• Can be used all over (face & body)
• Can take off easily with soap
• Super waterproof
• SPF 50+/PA+++
• Smooth watery gel texture
• Very lightweight
• Pump function 
• Moisturizing ingredients
• Not sticky/greasy 

The Cons:

• Gel texture would make it harder to use with makeup (especially foundation)
• Contains alcohol (ethanoyl)
• Not sweat/water resistant

Final Thoughts

I like this sunscreen, but as someone who has dry skin living in a drier environment at the moment, I think that this is not the best product for me to use. Because I have dry skin, using this product in a humid environment may work fine with my skin. If that’s the case, then I’ll be more than excited to use it since it protects my skin so well.

I think that this is a perfect sunscreen for your everyday use, especially if you have oily to normal skin and live in drier climates. It’s very easy to work with since the product is very lightweight and not greasy at all! And with the pump function, it is so easy to re/apply on the skin and bring it on the go!

By Kaitlyn C.