Canmake Mermaid skin gel UV ingredients

After years of using the Aveeno sunscreen, I decided it was finally time to stop being a greaseball for summer :). If you’re looking for a lightweight, hydrating sunscreen, you have to checkout this Canmake Mermaid Skin Gel UV review!

Spoiler: It’s really good, I wore this in 30+ degree weather in Hawaii and it held up really well. My body burnt (because this sunscreen isn’t reef safe so I only applied to face) but all good because my face was hydrated, supple and still in good condition after days out in the sun.

Quick facts:

Makeup Alley Rating: 4/5 from 20 reviews

Formulated without: Alcohol, fragrance, essential oils, mineral oils, parabens

Potential irritants: No known irritants but if you have sensitive skin, always patch test

Texture: A lightweight gel cream, a little tacky after application

Price: Approx $15 CAD, $12 USD

Where to purchase: (Canada) Stylevana, YesStyle (US) YesStyle, Amazon

Scent: It is fragrance free but has a slight coconut scent from the Methylheptyl Laurate – A coconut-derived, ultra-light ester oil that gives excellent slip and emolliency to the products..

Packaging: Opens with a white twist cap, squeeze bottle to dispense product.

Main Pros: I purchased the original and really enjoyed using it. I love the texture and finish, it’s perfect for my normal/combo skin and it has both UVA and UVB protection. Normally I break out from sunscreens and this didn’t clog my pores or irritate my skin. It kept my skin decently hydrated throughout the day and while the rest of my body burned and peeled from the sun, my face was totally fine! This was the second time trying out an asian sunscreen and I am never going back!

Main cons: From the other reviews online it seems that this one might not be great if you have oily skin or very dry skin. Some oily skin reviewers mentioned it was too glowy for them, and dry skin reviewers said it was too drying.

The Canmake site notes that this product is SPF 50+ / PA++++. It is a smooth gel without any roughness or stickiness that most sunscreens have. Recommended for those who prefer a light, refreshing sunscreen. Serves as a moisturizing make-up base with UV protection.

The gel breaks down into a watery texture as you smooth it over your skin. After using face wash, this is all you need for complete skincare and UV protection. Infuses your skin with moisture, helping your foundation to sit better and last longer.

*The website says that the product contains 85% beautifying ingredients, but I didn’t notice any other benefits to the product besides a little bit of hydration and UV protection.

Canmake Mermaid Skin Gel UV Ingredients

We will be breaking down some of the key points below, but you can also read our in-depth guide on how to read skincare ingredient labels to see if the formulation would be right for you.

Water, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Butylene Glycol, Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate, Zinc Oxide, Methylheptyl Laurate, Titanium Dioxide, Dimethicone, Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Cyclopentasiloxane, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/​Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Diisostearyl Malate, Aluminum Hydroxide, Peg-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Stearic Acid, Phenoxyethanol, Polyglyceryl-3 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone, Polyhydroxystearic Acid, Jojoba Esters, Xanthan Gum, Arginine, Sodium Hyaluronate, Alpha-Glucan, Phytic Acid, Saxifraga Sarmentosa Extract, Glucosyl Ceramide, Prunus Yedoensis Leaf Extract, Coix Lacryma-Jobi (Job S Tears) Seed Extract, Morus Alba Root Extract, Oenothera Biennis Seed Extract, Silver Oxide, Spiraea Ulmaria Flower Extract, Vaccinium Myrtillus Leaf Extract, Cynara Scolymus (Artichoke) Leaf Extract

INCIDECODER.COM

The key ingredients in this product are supposed to help with hyper-pigmentation caused by sun damage or PIH (post-inflammatory hyper-pigmentation), protect skin from UV rays and reduce inflammation (soothing). However, I didn’t notice any effects on hyper-pigmentation, just the protection and hydration benefits.

*There is a few natural extracts in this list near the bottom of the ingredients list, but since they come after the ingredient ‘Xanthan Gum’, it is likely that the concentrations are all below 1% (which means they’ll provide little to no benefits).

Is Canmake Mermaid Skin Gel UV physical or chemical?

The Canmake Mermaid Skin Gel UV is a “hybrid” product that has both physical and chemical sunscreens. The physical sunscreens are the Zinc Oxide and Titanium Dioxide, while the chemical sunscreens are the Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate and Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine.

How to use:

1. Cleanse and tone skin per usual
2. Apply a coin size amount of Mermaid Gel on face and/or body, spreading gently.
3. Re-apply as needed throughout the day.

Is Canmake Mermaid Skin Gel UV waterproof?

No, with a bit of water I can feel the majority of this product washing off. The Canmake Mermaid Skin Gel UV is not water resistant/waterproof.

Is Canmake Mermaid Skin Gel UV reef safe?

The Canmake Mermaid Skin Gel UV is not reef safe. It doesn’t contain the usual oxybenzene, octinoxate/ethylhexyl methoxycinnamate, or butylparaben, but it could contain nano-particle zinc oxide and titanium dioxide which contribute to coral bleaching.

Is the Canmake Mermaid Skin Gel UV good?

Yes! My initial impression was that the texture of this sunscreen was like a moisturizer and was super refreshing to apply and spread easily across the skin. It left a gentle glow with no white cast, no grease and no strong fragrance.

Throughout the days this sunscreen would wear really well, one of those products that you apply and almost forget that it’s there. I can’t attest to any other skin benefitting qualities for this sunscreen but it did a great job and I had a really pleasant experience with it.

If you’re a normal/combo skin and looking for something with a bit of a glowy finish, definitely check this out! 🙂 Or if you have another HG fav for japanese or korean sunscreen, pop it down below in the comments!