I recently gave the Haruharu WONDER Black Rice Moisture Airyfit Sunscreen (the yellow tube) a proper test run for one full month of daily wear, in a temperate Central European climate, with my combination skin doing its usual dance.

First Impressions

At first swipe, I was intrigued. The texture sits somewhere between Beauty of Joseon Relief Sun and SKIN1004’s Hyalu-Cica Sun Serum, not too runny, not too thick. It spreads effortlessly and leaves a dewy finish, though it’s noticeably less glowy than SKIN1004’s ultra-light formula. Bonus: no white cast on my fair olive-toned skin though I can’t speak for deeper tones.

The Verdict, One Month Later

Unfortunately, the glow didn’t last, at least not in the way I hoped. After a few weeks, I started noticing more clogged pores and stubborn hormonal breakouts around my chin and jawline. I tried to deny it, hoping it wasn’t the sunscreen. But the more I used it, the clearer it became this formula just didn’t agree with my skin.

And it wasn’t just the breakouts. Unlike the SKIN1004 sunscreen, which leaves my skin feeling calm and hydrated even after cleansing, Haruharu left my skin feeling stripped and oddly tight. That post-cleanse dryness sealed the deal for me as my skin simply wasn’t happy.

While it may be a hit for others, especially those with drier or less acne-prone skin, Haruharu WONDER just didn’t work for me. A disappointing end to what started as a promising glow.