Isntree Hyaluronic Acid Watery Sun Gel SPF 50 PA++++ Review, Demo

Isntree Hyaluronic Acid Watery Sun Gel SPF 50 PA++++ Review, Demo: Hey guys, holiday season is here and I have to confess that this time around, I am not feeling like shopping much. I am getting some skin care, essentials and I think thats about it (unless I change my mind 😀 ).

So today we will be talking about a cult favourite Korean sun screen. Isntree is a super well known Korean brand (as per my impression) and one of their all time best seller is this Hyaluronic acid sun gel. Lets talk all about this in detail here.

About Isntree Hyaluronic Acid Watery Sun Gel

The Hyaluronic Acid Watery Sun Gel is a lightweight moisturizing sunscreen with Centella Asiatica and 8 types of hyaluronic acid to lock in moisture, minimize irritation, redness, and dehydration. The lightweight formula absorbs well and leaves no white cast due to the use of broad-spectrum chemical sun filters, which helps to moisturize skin and provide a dewy finish. The Isntree Hyaluronic Acid Watery Sun Gel is Fragrance-free and can be used all year round. This sunscreen goes on really smooth and blends into the skin perfectly under makeup as well. Perfect for all skin types.

How to Use Isntree Hyaluronic Acid Watery Sun Gel

In the morning, apply as your final skincare step. Be sure to reapply if exposed to the sun for longer periods of time.

Ingredients in Isntree Hyaluronic Acid Watery Sun Gel

Water, Butylene Glycol, Ethylhexyl Salicylate, Homosalate, Dibutyl Adipate, Niacinamide, Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine, Cyclopentasiloxane, Methylene Bis-Benzotriazolyl Tetramethylbutylphenol, Polysilicone-15, Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Pentylene Glycol, Pinus Pinaster Bark Extract, Ceramide NP, Centella Asiatica Extract, Glycerin, Portulaca Oleracea Extract, Houttuynia Cordata Extract, Olea Europaea (Olive) Fruit Oil, Ficus Carica (Fig) Fruit Extract,

Sodium Hyaluronate, Ceteth-10, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Decyl Glucoside, Propanediol, Tocopherol, Astaxanthin, Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Ascorbyl Propyl Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Adenosine, Xanthan Gum, Cetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 Dimethicone, Tromethamine, Carbomer, Propylene Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin

Price of Isntree Hyaluronic Acid Watery Sun Gel

Since it is a Korean product, its price differs in different countries. Its sold I guess everywhere from Asia, Europe to the Americas. In the USA, its sold for around $ 20.00 for 50 mL. In India, you can get it for around ₹1000 to ₹ 1600 depending on where you purchase it from. There are many websites offering Korean skin care and some of them have amazing deals. So always check out multiple website specially when you know you might save some money.

In Detail Isntree Hyaluronic Acid Watery Sun Gel SPF 50 PA++++ Review, Demo and My Experience

The sunscreen or the sun gel as they like to call it comes in a simple white opaque squeezable tube with a nozzle dispenser. Simple design, very easy to use. The cap closes tightly so there’s no chance of spill and you can easily carry it along in your purse. The outer carton box has all the details mentioned in Korean language except for the ingredients which of course are mentioned in english.

When you take the sunscreen on your hands, it smells ever so slightly like normally sunscreens do. The smell just stays on for like 1 minute and then it becomes hardly noticeable. The consistency of the product is quite runny, it looks milky white in colour. I know it says “Sun gel”, but actually, in simple straight forward words, its a sunscreen with a runny creamy consistency.

Now honestly, this is one of the best sunscreens to work with. It just blends in super easily and absorbs in less than a minute. It does not leave even the slightest white cast. This makes the skin look like it has the most stunning natural glow. Like you just “woke up like that” with the luminescence on the skin. Korean beauty is all about glowy, glass like skin and that is exactly what the sun screen delivers.

This is completely non greasy and it works well with makeup. It does not pill at all. Most importantly, it does not burn near my eye area. A lot of sunscreens, after a while start to melt off a little and seep slightly into the eyes when I am exposed to heat for long specially when I am driving. The sting in my eyes makes me super uncomfortable. But this one, even when I am out in the sun for super long, never stings or burns my eyes.

Coming to the most important part – yes the ingredients. The Isntree hyaluronic sun gel is actually a chemical sunscreen. It has all chemical filters, no physical filters. Thats the reason it has no white cast on the skin of any colour.

The chemical sun filter it has are –

Octisalate (Ethylhexyl Salicylate, for UVB), Homosalate (UVB), Tinosorb S (Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine, for UVA & UVB), Tinosorb M (Methylene Bis-Benzotriazolyl Tetramethylbutylphenol, UVA & UVB), Parsol SLX (Polysilicone-15, UVB), Uvinul A Plus (Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate, UVA). Total six of them, which an amazing combination for a sunscreen. There are some modern as well as some traditional chemical sun filters here. These filters are quite harmless and would work for almost everyone.

It also has Eight types of hyaluronic acid in it. These are Sodium Hyaluronate, Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Ascorbyl Propyl Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate.

Apart from the above master ingredients, the others in focus include – Niacinamide, Ceramides, Phycogenol (Pine bark extract), Centella Asiatica extract, Olive fruit oil, Fig fruit extract, Glycerine and Adenosine.

If you’ve read some previous articles I wrote, you know I am not a fan of olive oil in skin care. In many formulations, olive oil actually increases TEWL (Transepidermal water loss) from the skin which is literally the opposite of what you’d hope from an oil. Apart from that, fig extracts in some forms are actually known to increase sun sensitivity, so I don’t see why they really needed these two ingredients here. They could have completely omitted these two and still had a beautiful sun screen.

I have a friend who uses Tretinoin regularly for the past one and a half year and she swears by the Isntree Hyaluronic sun Gel. I always look forward to her response for sun screens because she has super sensitive skin. Also in my experience, on my slightly sensitive skin, this has never caused any irritation whatsoever.

Overall I feel this is a super light weight formulation for a sun screen. Its amazing for all skin types. This is moisturising without being greasy so even if you have oily skin, you will like it. I wore this through monsoon season (super humid) and it always wore well alone. Currently its almost winter time, and I wear it on top of my moisturiser. Both ways, this works excellent for me. This is honestly sitting on the top 3 of my favourite sun screens of all time.

Scientific Literature for Isntree Hyaluronic Sun Gel

In a clinical trial conducted with this sunscreen at Korean institute of dermatological science experiment they found that is actually serves SPF 53, with UVA protection factor being 19.40 (pa++++).

• Isntree Official Website

I always love when brands actually support their claims with scientific data. Korea is a place where skin care is taken very seriously so there are a lot of scientific articles/publications around skin care.

More Photos, Swatches, Demo

PROs of Isntree Hyaluronic Acid Watery Sun Gel

1. Very light weight consistency, feels very comfortable. You might forget you’re actually wearing it.
2. Works well alone or paired with different skin care and makeup.
3. Gives a lovely natural glow to the skin.
4. Has some of the best (6 in total) sun filters for optimum protection.
5. Has 8 types of hyaluronic acid to ensure skin hydration.
6. Has other ingredients which are anti inflammatory, soothing, hydrating and more.
7. Will work for all skin type I feel.
8. Is dermatologically tested and they have actually provided a detailed report on their website regarding the same.

CONs of Isntree Hyaluronic Acid Watery Sun Gel

1. I don’t feel the need of putting in fig extract and olive oil in there. (But may be its formulated in a certain way, I still would have loved some clarification on that).
2. Price difference across continents sometimes is quite substantial.

MBF Advises

1. Always look for deals and compare prices at 4-5 different online retailers before purchasing a product.
2. Since this is a chemical sun screen, remember to apply it 30 minutes before sun exposure. (Physical sun screens can be applied immediately before exposure to sun.)
3. Apply the sun screen in sufficient quantity (3 finger rule or 1/2 tsp) so that it can work properly.

MBF Rating

5/5