Paul & Joe Body Protection Cream review/ swatch (SPF sunscreen)

I'm not generally too fussed about sunscreens on a daily basis for the body area (as I work in the office indoors and usually start early and finish work late so it's not like I get a lot of sun). However, I'm quite diligent with sunscreen application on the days I do go out and will be in direct sunlight for more than a hour or so. 

For the face however, I apply a SPF moisturiser or sunscreen on a daily basis religiously.

(The Australian sun is incredible- many tourists think they would just tan here like how it is when they go on a tropical vacation and not get burnt and do not realise we do have a huge hole in the ozone layer here and generally you can get seriously sunburnt within 30 minutes, not to mention the risk of skin cancer).

Anyway, due to different country's health authority's assessment of SPF factors, often something that is produced by Japanese brands with SPF30 may not be as sun protecting as an equivalent Australian sunscreen with a SPF30 rating. (Back a few years ago I think the max SPF allowed to be labelled on Australian sunscreen was actually SPF30, so as not to mislead people if they applied SPF50 or SPF100 they'd be able to skip reapplying sunscreen). This means back then a SPF30 sunscreen in Australia could be anything like a Japanese's brand's SPF30 to SPF50 or even SPF80 etc.

So when I use Asian brand sunscreens, if I'm actually going in the water or go to the beach with a lot of sun exposure, I only use something with SPF50 minimum.

Ok this is how the Paul & Joe body protection cream fit in. I'm trying to be more diligent about the days where I may just be out grocery shopping or quick stroll around the park but still want some SPF protection that doesn't make everything sticky or too drying on the skin. I'm happy to go with just SPF30 as well.

The Paul & Joe body protection cream comes in a tiny 80ml  (full retail size), and is SPF30 PA++. Retails for like 25-35USD as well depending on your country of purchase.  It's not the most economical sunscreen size for the body.

Ingredient list: (click to enlarge picture)

80ml bottle basically just fits the size of my palm. I don't really mind the small size , it means it's at least portable so I'd be happy to carry around a body sunscreen in my handbag.

Comes in a standard twist open cap and a squeeze tube applicator.

Directions: (click on picture to enlarge picture)

Here it is- a light emulsion/ cream. It has a rather pleasant light scent (that signature orange blossom scent to all Paul & Joe skincare).

Spreaded:

You can see it blends in really easily and nicely, leaves skin a little bit more moisturised but not sticky. It's not drying on the skin either. 

It also rinses off easily with soap and water.

Overall I think apart from the pricing, it makes a nice daily sunscreen. It probably wouldn't do great for the beach or water etc, but even as a sunscreen for just arms and legs it's pleasant enough to use.  The price tag however is a bit high especially for a body SPF product.

Rating is 4/5 for product, but overall once you take into account the price vs size it gets lowered to a 3.
There are a lot of Japanese drugstore brands (or even department store ones like Sofina ) producing high quality sunscreen with good sun protection and a light, non sticky consistency. If you are really picky about the consistency of the body sunscreens you can even buy face ones and just use them on the body (for like $15-20 a bottle if you are willing to pay for it...). (FYI I like Kanebo Allie sunscreen line and most of Sofina sunscreens, Shiseido Anessa offers very good sun protection but is such a pain to remove and quite drying on the skin).

Anna Sui Nail Color N Ongles #310 review/ swatches

Here's a nail of the day post again. Today I'm wearing Anna Sui's nail color N in shade #310. 

It looks like a gorgeous soft pink with a touch of rose in the bottle, it looks slightly cool toned, almost like there's a tiniest hint of mauve.

As usual it comes in Anna Sui's signature design bottles (Anna Sui has changed the bottle design numerous times in recent years and I'm beginning to lose track of what it looks like nowadays! for Christmas holiday collections or other limited editions, she often comes out with yet another bottle design unique to the collection as well).

The handle has rose print on the top.

Here's a quick swatch with two coats of the polish. One coat was a bit uneven, which is common for polishes in this color family and finish. 

The finish is a semi translucent creme, its not a full opaque creme but it gives an even coverage appearance with two coats.

It looks all pretty and very spring-like color. It's not all that unique, but I can't exactly think of dupes either. Though if you ever buy any Japanese nail polishes there are tonnes of various pinks in this family so you don't necessarily need to resort to Anna Sui brand either.

The brush is sort of small/medium sized, it's quite average, not as easy to apply as OPI prowide brushes, but not particularly bad either.

As with most Anna Sui polishes, she adds a lot of rose scent into the polish, even after days you can still smell the signature rose scent on your nail tip (not sure if it's that a great thing because it would indicate a lot of scent additive).

  

I think there's micro shimmers in this, in the same color as the polish base, but almost non existent once applied on the nails. It does help the color with a bit  more glow but doesn't make it a shimmer finish or anything, it's still clearly in the translucent creme shade category.

Overall rating 4/5, it's nice to keep and a rather 'clean' looking pink against my skintone. However not unique enough to spend full RRP on (probably about 15-20USD in Asia).