What is it? A super gentle sunscreen developed by Cell Fusion C, which is a Korean dermatological brand. In my previous CNP sunscreen review, I mentioned that I was looking for a more hydrating sunscreen and so continued my ongoing search to find my holy grail sunscreen. This journey has been ongoing for years since my skin reacts to 90% of sunscreens on the market, which makes it very tough to find one that doesn’t aggravate my skin. Trust me, I’ve tried countless brands over the years, ranging from popular ones recommended on forums and blogs to dermatologist brands catered towards sensitive skin, but they all broke me out or weren’t good enough to qualify as a HG. This list includes brands such as CNP, Orbis, Troiareuke, and even the famous Biore, Anessa and Shiseido Wetforce sunscreens.

Moving on, I would like to introduce the sunscreen that finally put this journey to an end for now…Introducing my HG sunscreen, Cell Fusion C Laser Sunscreen 100 SPF50+ PA+++! In fact, this sunscreen has often ranked highly in the Hwahae app which makes me wonder why it isn’t well-known overseas yet. Seems to me that this sunscreen was rather popular during my 4 months in South Korea – stocks were often running low/sold out during my frequent visits to Olive Young.

Ingredients: Ingredient list is available on COSDNA and Hwahae app.

Packaging: Basic and functional – a simple squeeze tube that works well in controlling the amount coming out, so no complains about the packaging actually. The sunscreen is available in sizes of 35ml and 50ml, I simply purchase whichever is more value for money because the prices for this seem to change a lot depending on the site of purchase. More details in the price section below.

Texture: Extremely spreadable – a little really goes a long way, so I feel like I sometime apply less than the required amount because two dollops can cover my whole face. Since it is a hydrating sunscreen, it does appear rather shiny on application, requiring a couple of minutes to absorb into the skin. I do not really have the luxury of time in the morning, so I’ll usually use a powder over the sunscreen to counter the shine.

Fragrance: A slight whiff of the typical sunscreen smell, but nothing too overbearing.

Did it break me out? Nope. In fact, this is one of the key reasons why I love it so much. It really is a challenge for me to find sunscreens that my skin doesn’t react to. Even for sunscreens that do not break me out, they often give me clogged pores if I wear them for a whole day. This baby doesn’t cause any problems at all regardless of how long I wear it (of course, not overnight since I make sure to cleanse my face every night). Youtuber Hanbyul did mention that this sunscreen is mild enough to wear to sleep (link to video here), but I personally have yet to try it out.

However, I can attest to its gentleness. During my time in Korea, I went for lasers to treat my acne scars and hyper-pigmentation, which necessitated the use of sunscreen everyday. This sunscreen does not sting my freshly laser-ed and sensitive skin nor cause any issue at all. It definitely lives up to its name of being a “laser sunscreen”.

Effectiveness/Performance: I wish I got those cool UV-sensing camera to test its effectiveness of blocking UV rays scientifically, but so far this seem to work fine based on the simple observation that my skin doesn’t tan with this on. In terms of stickiness, it was just nice and absorbed well in Korea’s weather (with lower humidity levels), but proved to be a little sticky on the skin in tropical Singapore. If you have dry skin or are always in an air-conditioned place, there shouldn’t be any issue. However, people with oily skin like mine/are always outdoors/in countries with high humidity, might find this sunscreen a tad too sticky. This isn’t a really big issue for me since it can be easily resolved with a layer of powder on top of the sunscreen.

The sunscreen does give a slight brightening effect, so it is good for those seeking a natural tone-up effect. Thankfully, the tone-up effect isn’t too glaringly obvious in real life and will not make you look like a ghost with two drastically different shades on your face and neck.

Price: 42,000 won for a 50ml tube (usually found online & departmental stores), but Olive Young often carry a promotional packaging of this (metal tin in top picture) containing two 35ml tubes at 29,400 won (which can be discounted further during sales). No brainer which one I would purchase actually.

Repurchase: OF COURSE. I stocked up 2 more tins (which means 4 more tubes in addition to my existing 2 tubes) of this before coming back to Singapore. I would actually buy much more if not for the expiry date, but I doubt I can finish using so many tubes by 2020. Hopefully this sunscreen would become more readily available online/internationally with time.

Pros:

Extremely mild and gentle

Hydrating

Does not break me out

Very spreadable

Slight tone-up effect

Cons:

Might be a little too sticky in humid weather/on oily skin

Hard to obtain if outside of Korea

A little pricey (if unable to obtain the promotional tin packaging)

Overall rating: 5/5. My lifetime holy grail 🙂 The tiring and money-consuming process of buying a new sunscreen, testing it and breaking out has finally come to an end. Cell Fusion C Laser Sunscreen 100 is a very nice daily sunscreen for those seeking protection against incidental sun exposure, especially for those with sensitive skin struggling to find a sunscreen that doesn’t break them out. Of course I won’t dare to claim that nobody will break out from this sunscreen since everyone’s acne trigger is different, but I think it serves as a very good option for sensitive skin types.