Essential for Summer Travel! Find Your Perfect Japanese Sunscreen at Loft (2024)

What is Loft?

Shibuya Loft

Loft is a specialty lifestyle store offering everything from stationery and cosmetics to character goods and home decor. With 139 directly managed stores and 27 franchise locations across Japan, along with 5 directly managed stores and 2 franchise locations overseas, Loft is one of Japan’s most popular retail brands.

The stores are bustling with customers daily, and many international tourists visit to explore Japan’s high-quality lifestyle products.

At Loft’s beauty and health section, you’ll find a wide variety of sunscreens available. If you’re unsure which one to choose, we’re here to help by highlighting some of the top-selling and recommended products.

Loft’s PR representative, Shoko Kannari, shares the top three best-sellers along with her three personal favorites.

Loft’s PR representative, Shoko Kannari

“Shibuya Loft carries over 100 different types of sunscreens, from gels and sprays to sticks, so you can find the perfect match for your needs. Stop by the store to try out the different textures and scents, and find your ideal sunscreen to get you through the summer.”

Loft PR’s picks! Japanese Sunscreens for 2024

3 best-selling sunscreens

Let’s start by highlighting three of the top-selling sunscreens from Loft’s bestseller rankings (*1).

(*1) Based on sales data from all Loft stores between May 18 and June 17, 2024.

1. Quick and easy application with a long-lasting smooth finish!
“UV Forecast Smooth UV Stick” 1,870 yen (SPF 50+・PA++++)

This stick-type sunscreen, with Japan’s highest UV protection of SPF 50+ and PA++++, can be applied directly to the skin.

Its stick form allows for easy, mess-free reapplication on the go. It’s perfect for sweaty, shiny areas, providing an instant matte finish. Despite being waterproof, it’s easily removed with soap, making it convenient to use.

The formula is free from dyes, fragrances, parabens, and alcohol, making it gentle enough for children’s skin, so both parents and kids can use it together.

2. Brighten your skin tone while protecting against UV rays (*2)
“SKIN AQUA Tone Up UV Essence” 814 yen (SPF 50+・PA++++)

This sunscreen offers high protection with SPF 50+ and PA++++ while also brightening your skin tone (*2).

Its lavender shade, created by combining “translucent blue and rosy pink,” gives your skin a natural, radiant glow. The formula includes fine strobe pearls (*3) that reflect sunlight and other light sources, enhancing your skin’s luminosity with a soft, dimensional shine.

Enriched with skincare ingredients like hyaluronic acid, vitamin C derivatives (*4), and a pure nuance complex (*5), this sunscreen not only protects but also nourishes your skin. The lightweight, refreshing texture glides on smoothly and can also be used as a makeup base.

(*2) Achieved through makeup effects
(*3) Contains synthetic mica, titanium dioxide, and tin oxide (luster agents)
(*4) Magnesium ascorbyl phosphate
(*5) Includes passion fruit extract, prune extract, and rosa roxburghii extract

3. A silky-smooth sunscreen packed with beauty ingredients
“NATURE REPUBLIC Powdery Aloe UV Stick” 1,491 yen (SPF 50+・PA++++)

This is another stick-type sunscreen that allows for easy, mess-free application directly to your skin, even over makeup.

It offers a smooth, non-greasy finish with a transparent formula that won’t leave a white cast, providing reliable protection with SPF 50+ and PA++++.

The curved design makes it easy to apply around delicate areas like the eyes and nose. Infused with moisturizing “Aloe Vera Extract (*6),” this sunscreen not only protects but also nourishes your skin, keeping it hydrated and healthy.

(*6) Aloe vera leaf extract (moisturizing ingredient)

Three popular sunscreens

There are still plenty more sunscreens available at Loft! Here are three more picks that Shoko Kannari recommends. Be sure to check these out as well.

4. Refreshing sherbet-like UV foam
“Bamboni Moisture UV Whip” 2,420 yen (SPF 50+・PA++++)

This sunscreen is unlike any we’ve introduced so far—it’s a foam that dispenses as a bubbly mousse.

When you press the pump, the icy bubbles burst on your skin, providing a refreshing, cool sensation. The fluffy foam quickly absorbs into your skin, offering a unique application experience.

Suitable for both face and body, this sunscreen delivers powerful UV protection with SPF 50+ and PA++++.

Additionally, it contains moisturizing ingredients like glutathione, vitamin C, niacinamide, and CICA, which help care for your skin while protecting it from the sun.

5. Adorable egg-shaped packaging and serum-like texture
“Hamel Vegan Aqua Glow Sun Serum” 2,640 yen (SPF 50+・PA++++)

This sunscreen, with its elegant egg-shaped packaging and gold logo, exudes luxury. It has a smooth texture that spreads easily, making a little go a long way. It’s perfect for those who want to protect their skin from UV rays while enjoying a skincare experience.

The light pink hue, derived from camellia flower extract, adds a subtle, graceful glow to your skin. It’s versatile enough to be used both before and after makeup application.

6. Hydrating serum for skincare and sun protection
“NEcCO Tone Up UV Serum” 3,250 yen (SPF 50・PA++++)

This multitasking sunscreen acts as a UV serum, makeup primer, and BB cream all in one. With SPF 50 and PA++++ protection, it contains 80% serum ingredients and helps to cover dullness (*7). The spherical particles in the formula scatter light in all directions, creating a soft, veiled effect on your skin.

A standout ingredient is “Euglena,” a microalga from Ishigaki Island, a well-known resort destination in Japan. It supports your skin’s natural health, helping to maintain its balance. The formula includes four carefully selected types of Euglena (*8) and fermented beauty ingredients (*9) that contribute to resilient skin.

Available in three shades—clear, light beige, and medium beige—it also features a calming scent of orange bergamot and geranium wood, blended from 100% natural essential oils.

(*7) Due to dryness
(*8) Moisturizing ingredients: Euglena extract, hydrolyzed Euglena extract, hydrolyzed (Aspergillus/Euglena)/rice fermentation extract; emollient ingredient: Euglena/oleic acid fermentation product
(*9) Moisturizing ingredient: Pantoea/rice bran fermentation extract

Find Your Perfect Sunscreen at Loft During Your Trip!

We’ve introduced a selection of sunscreens available at Loft, each offering strong UV protection along with added skincare benefits and unique textures. The variety ensures there’s something for everyone.

In addition to the products featured here, Loft carries an extensive range of sunscreens, so you’re likely to find the perfect one for your needs. With large stores in popular tourist spots like Shibuya, Ginza, and Ikebukuro, be sure to stop by during your visit!