so i’ve been using the skin1004 hyalu-cica sun stick for like… 3 weeks now?? and i feel like no one’s really being honest about it lol. like yeah it’s good, but why is it good? and also like. who is it not good for? let’s break it down.

⠀
✨ first things first: the formula
this thing glides like butter. not the greasy kind tho. it’s more like satin? like if silk was a skincare product. it goes on suuuper smooth, doesn’t tug, doesn’t drag my makeup, and most importantly… it doesn’t leave me looking like a glazed donut.

finish is more on the velvety side, kinda matte but not flat. i have combo skin (oily t-zone, dry-ish cheeks) and this somehow manages to work on both areas. doesn’t cling to dry patches. doesn’t slide off my nose by 2pm. idk how they did that but ok chemists go off i guess

⠀
👀 ingredients check
so the “hyalu-cica” in the name actually means hyaluronic acid + centella asiatica (aka cica). which sounds fancy and whatever, but the main takeaway here is:
• hyaluronic acid = hydration
• cica = calming

i wouldn’t say this is like a treatment product or anything, but for someone w sensitive or reactive skin (hi, it me), having those two in a sunscreen helps a lot. i don’t get that weird itchiness or redness that some SPFs give me. like some sticks just sit on top of my skin and make it mad. this one? chill af.

⠀
👃 smell test
no scent. like actually none. and i mean that in the best way possible. if u hate that typical sunscreen smell (that warm plasticky beach scent?? ew), ur safe here.

⠀
🧪 reapplication test
this is where it shines tbh. reapplying SPF over makeup is the bane of my existence, and this actually makes it… not awful?? i just swipe it over my cheeks/forehead/nose and gently pat w my fingers if needed. doesn’t mess up blush. doesn’t pill. doesn’t make me look weirdly shiny.

also it’s so smol it fits in my tiny bag. i’ve reapplied in a target parking lot. at my desk. in line at starbucks. it’s fast and lowkey and not embarrassing to use in public

⠀
💥 BUT it’s not magic
ok real talk, if u have super oily skin, this might still get a bit shiny after a few hrs. it’s not oil-controlling. it just doesn’t add oil. also, it’s not waterproof. so don’t expect this to survive a beach day or a sweaty hike. this is ur everyday-city-life-sunscreen, not ur vacation-in-mexico one.

⠀
⚖️ worth it?
honestly, yes. but also… depends on what ur looking for. like:
✅ u wear makeup
✅ u hate sticky/greasy products
✅ u forget to reapply sunscreen
✅ ur skin is easily annoyed
✅ u want something that doesn’t take 45 min to sink in

this will probably work for u. but if ur expecting this to fix texture, blur pores like a primer, or mattify like powder? nah. that’s not the vibe.

⠀
📦 bonus rant: packaging
ok so the stick is great. compact. sturdy. twists up smoothly. cap stays on (important). BUT i hate that i can’t get it in stores here. like why is it easier to get kpop merch in ohio than korean skincare. i bought mine online from some k-beauty site (can’t remember which one, maybe yesstyle or stylevana??), but i wish ulta or even like amazon had reliable stock.

if anyone knows a physical store in the US that carries skin1004 stuff regularly, pls drop a link bc i would absolutely impulse-buy backups of this

⠀
🌞 tl;dr
this sun stick made me stop hating sunscreen. i still keep a regular cream SPF for my full morning routine, but this is the only one i’ll actually reapply. it’s simple, gentle, works w makeup, and doesn’t feel gross. which sounds basic but apparently that’s rare lol

10/10 would recommend… but not for oily girlies in july. be warned.