If you love clean beauty and French pharmaceutical skincare, then you won’t want to miss the Korean skincare bandwagon, least of all the Thank You Farmer water sun cream (£22, Cultbeauty.co.uk).

Korean skincare has been a hit on TikTok over the past couple of years, championing trends from glass skin to skin flooding, and top brands have included Laneige, Glow Recipe and, in this instance, Thank You Farmer.

Why this SPF, you ask? It protexts your skin barrier, leaves a youthful dewy finish, and, my personal favourite, it’s ultra hydrating, thanks to hyaluronic acid. For the sweat-prone among us, this SPF is feather-light so won’t feel leave you feeling clammy, nor will it leave a white cast on darker skin tones, or so it promises.

If I haven’t convinced you yet,I put the product to the test on a balmy afternoon in ‘Blighty to give you a full rundown of the water cream’s key features, plus why I think it should be a summer skincare staple in your arsenal.

How I tested

I’ve been using the water sun cream over the past few hot-weather weeks (Lucy Smith)

Testing the SPF on bare skin and well as beneath make-up, I’ve been using the Thank You Farmer sun project water sun cream over the past few weeks throughout some of 2024’s hottest days.

I’ve paid attention to texture upon application and throughout the day, as well as any signs of sunburn, scent (if any) and overall feel. Not to mention whether it managed to withstand a swim in the sea – something that’s certainly important to me when taking an SPF on a beach or pool holiday. Here’s how I got on.

Thank You Farmer sun project water sun cream SPF50+

Thank You Farmer Korean water SPF for face review IndyBest

Size: 50ml

SPF: 50

Type: Chemical

Cruelty-free: Yes

Fragranced: Yes

Key ingredients: Hyaluronic acid, anti-ageing mistletoe leaf extract and soothing aloe

Why we love it

Hydrating

Weightless

Smells clean

With an aloe vera and fresh apple scent, it smells divine, but it might not be suited for sensitive skin types.

As much as I love my Supergoop! mattescreen for shine-free staying power under make-up, the Thank You Farmer water sun cream has got to be one of the best bare face-friendly SPFs I’ve tried. Unlike thicker formulas, I feel as though my skin can breathe when wearing it. And My oily skin’s natural sheen was kept at bay.

I really can’t flaw it for day-to-day wear and, while I’d certainly buy it with all intentions of wearing it on bare skin, I didn’t have any problems wearing it under make-up, either.

Plus, the packaging looks aesthetic on my bathroom shelf.

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The verdict: Thank You Farmer sun project water sun cream SPF 50+

After a few weeks of use, this Thank You Farmer water sun cream has become a day-to-day essential in my skincare routine. It came with me to Paris during a heatwave, it worked well over make-up and I think it’ll be protecting me skin from the cloudy weather’s UVA and UVB come autumn and winter, too.

I have no qualms with this product, aside from the fragrance being a possible issue for more irritable skin (as mentioned) and I really think it’s a delight to use, especially in the enveloping heat and lack of UK aircon.

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Forget Supergoop, this Korean sunscreen is my new favourite

The weightless formula is a hot weather hero

How I tested

Thank You Farmer sun project water sun cream SPF50+

The verdict: Thank You Farmer sun project water sun cream SPF 50+

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