Sunscreen Ranker Independent ranker
KA
Kao

Biore UV Aqua Rich Airy Hold Cream SPF 50+ PA++++

SPF 50+ · PA++++ Tone-up Brightening veil from mineral & tone-up formulas; evens skin tone. JP Japan jp-domestic Formulation variant: jp-domestic. Region-specific reformulations are tracked as separate products.

Ethanol-forward formula with octinoxate, fragrance, and PEG-75; airy hybrid texture with modern UV filters performs well cosmetically.

◉ HYB Hybrid filters Hybrid filters — Combines mineral and chemical filters for balance of protection and feel. ((· BS Broad spectrum Broad spectrum — Blocks UVA + UVB across the full sun-damage spectrum.
68.7
Composite
Composite score · independent
Ranks #934 of 1558 in the current catalogue. Ethanol-forward formula with octinoxate, fragrance, and PEG-75; airy hybrid texture with modern UV filters performs well cosmetically.
Composite is a weighted blend: UV 25% · Modernity 10% · Sensitivity 15% · Environment 10% · Elegance 15% · Health 25%.
Verdict Should you buy it?

An SPF 50+ PA++++ hybrid cream with octinoxate, ethylhexyl triazone, Uvinul A Plus, bemotrizinol, and titanium dioxide in an airy silicone-and-polymer base. Ethanol is high and fragrance, BHT, and PEG-75 add to the irritant load.

Pros
  • Broad-spectrum filter set including ETZ, BEMT, UvA Plus
  • Airy hybrid texture finishes lightweight on skin
  • Ascorbyl glucoside and sodium hyaluronate as extras
  • PA++++ for high UVA-PF coverage
Cons
  • Ethanol high in the formula can be drying
  • Octinoxate is a legacy UVB filter
  • Fragrance present, a common sensitizer
  • Contains BHT and PEG-75

Who it's for: Oilier or combination skin wanting a high-SPF Japanese cream with a near-weightless finish and tolerant of ethanol-forward formulas.

01 Score breakdown
UV protection How well the product blocks UVA + UVB across the spectrum at the stated SPF/PA. 100
Filter modernity Penalises legacy filters (octinoxate, oxybenzone); rewards photostable next-gen filters. 86
Sensitivity safety Risk for reactive skin — fragrance, alcohol, known sensitisers. 35
Reef / env. safety Reef toxicity, biodegradability of UV filters and surfactants. 65
Cosmetic elegance Spread, finish, white-cast, comfort on skin. 72
Health safety Endocrine concerns, systemic absorption signals across the formula. 50
02 Composition · key UV filters 5 filters resolved
UVB 290–320nm UVB (290–320nm) — covered UVA-II 320–340nm UVA-II (320–340nm) — covered UVA-I 340–400nm UVA-I (340–400nm) — covered
Octinoxate Legacy Older organic filter. Photostable in combination; some literature concerns.
Uvinul T 150 Modern Next-gen photostable filter; low irritation profile.
Uvinul A Plus Modern Next-gen photostable filter; low irritation profile.
Bemotrizinol Modern Next-gen photostable filter; low irritation profile.
Titanium Dioxide Mineral Physical filter — sits on skin and reflects UV. Reef-safer.
03 At-a-glance facts
Protection
Filter type Mineral filters (zinc oxide, titanium dioxide) sit on skin and reflect UV. Chemical filters absorb UV. Hybrid blends both.
Hybrid
Broad spectrum Protects across both UVA and UVB ranges. UVA causes aging and deeper damage; UVB causes burns.
Yes
Formulation & feel
Texture How the formula feels at application — milk, gel, cream, spray, stick, essence, lotion, powder, or cushion.
Cream
Finish How the formula looks on skin once dry: matte, natural, dewy, or glowy.
Natural
Tinted Adds sheer pigment (iron oxides) that masks the white cast common to mineral filters and gives a skin-tone finish.
No
Fragrance-free No synthetic perfume added. Not FDA-defined in the US; the EU requires 'Parfum' + the 26 named allergens on the label. 'Unscented' differs — may contain masking fragrance. Botanical oils still scent.
No
Alcohol-free No drying short-chain alcohols (alcohol denat., SD alcohol, ethanol). Does not refer to fatty alcohols like cetyl or stearyl alcohol, which are emollients.
No
04 Full ingredient list (INCI) 45 ingredients
MODERN FILTER 3 LEGACY FILTER 1 MINERAL FILTER 1 ADDED FRAGRANCE 1 NATURAL FRAGRANCE 0 ALCOHOL 1 WATCH 1 ACTIVE 2
Water· Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate Octinoxate — endocrine-disruption literature. · Alcohol Drying short-chain alcohol — can compromise the skin barrier and disturb the film if used in high amounts. ·Butylene Glycol· Ethylhexyl Triazone Uvinul T 150 — high-efficiency UVB filter. ·Silica· Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate Uvinul A Plus — modern photostable UVA filter. ·Diisopropyl Sebacate·Glyceryl Stearate·PEG-75·Sodium Potassium Aluminum Silicate· Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine Tinosorb S — broad-spectrum, very photostable. · Titanium Dioxide Mineral UV filter — physical block; reef-safer. ·Dextrin Palmitate·Dimethicone·C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate·Agar·Sodium Polyacrylate Starch·Sodium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate·Cetyl Alcohol· Glycerin Humectant — the workhorse hydrator. ·Disodium Edta·Aluminum Hydroxide·Stearic Acid·Stearyl Alcohol·Polysilicone-9·Propanediol·Glyceryl Behenate·Polyvinyl Alcohol·Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer·Sodium Hydroxide·Sorbitan Distearate·Aminomethyl Propanol·Sodium Stearoxy Pg-hydroxyethylcellulose Sulfonate·Glutamic Acid·Stearoyl Glutamic Acid·Ceratonia Siliqua Gum·Sodium Methyl Stearoyl Taurate·Arginine·Maltose·Ascorbyl Glucoside· Sodium Hyaluronate Hyaluronic acid — humectant. · Bht Antioxidant preservative; trace concern. ·Phenoxyethanol· Fragrance Synthetic fragrance blend — a common irritant. Composition is a trade secret; can include dozens of compounds. Avoid if your skin is reactive.
Source: brand-published INCI. Last verified 19 Jun 2026. Show in detail
01 Water Water
02 Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate LEGACY FILTER Octinoxate — endocrine-disruption literature.
03 Alcohol ALCOHOL Drying short-chain alcohol — can compromise the skin barrier and disturb the film if used in high amounts.
04 Butylene Glycol Butylene Glycol
05 Ethylhexyl Triazone MODERN FILTER Uvinul T 150 — high-efficiency UVB filter.
06 Silica Silica
07 Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate MODERN FILTER Uvinul A Plus — modern photostable UVA filter.
08 Diisopropyl Sebacate Diisopropyl Sebacate
09 Glyceryl Stearate Glyceryl Stearate
10 PEG-75 PEG-75
11 Sodium Potassium Aluminum Silicate
12 Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine MODERN FILTER Tinosorb S — broad-spectrum, very photostable.
13 Titanium Dioxide MINERAL FILTER Mineral UV filter — physical block; reef-safer.
14 Dextrin Palmitate Dextrin Palmitate
15 Dimethicone Dimethicone
16 C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
17 Agar Agar
18 Sodium Polyacrylate Starch
19 Sodium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate Sodium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate
20 Cetyl Alcohol Cetyl Alcohol
21 Glycerin ACTIVE Humectant — the workhorse hydrator.
22 Disodium Edta Disodium EDTA
23 Aluminum Hydroxide Aluminum Hydroxide
24 Stearic Acid Stearic Acid
25 Stearyl Alcohol Stearyl Alcohol
26 Polysilicone-9 Polysilicone-9
27 Propanediol Propanediol
28 Glyceryl Behenate Glyceryl Behenate
29 Polyvinyl Alcohol Polyvinyl Alcohol
30 Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
31 Sodium Hydroxide Sodium Hydroxide
32 Sorbitan Distearate Sorbitan Distearate
33 Aminomethyl Propanol Aminomethyl Propanol
34 Sodium Stearoxy Pg-hydroxyethylcellulose Sulfonate Sodium Stearoxy PG-Hydroxyethylcellulose Sulfonate
35 Glutamic Acid Glutamic Acid
36 Stearoyl Glutamic Acid Stearoyl Glutamic Acid
37 Ceratonia Siliqua Gum Carob Gum
38 Sodium Methyl Stearoyl Taurate Sodium Methyl Stearoyl Taurate
39 Arginine Arginine
40 Maltose Maltose
41 Ascorbyl Glucoside Ascorbyl Glucoside
42 Sodium Hyaluronate ACTIVE Hyaluronic acid — humectant.
43 Bht WATCH Antioxidant preservative; trace concern.
44 Phenoxyethanol Phenoxyethanol
45 Fragrance ADDED FRAGRANCE Synthetic fragrance blend — a common irritant. Composition is a trade secret; can include dozens of compounds. Avoid if your skin is reactive.