Anessa Face Sunscreen BB SPF50+ PA+++

Because my Too Cool For School Blending Cream BB was almost finished, I started trying the Anessa Face Sunscreen BB which I bought in Yokohama last September. I can't believe I took so long to start on it, just one use and it became my current favorite BB cream! ♥♥ 

Anessa is made by Shiseido, and is famous for their sunscreens, which have ranked high on cosme.net for many years. I initially wanted to only try the sunscreen, but while I was in Donki I saw the BB cream next to it and thought, why not try it out, since I haven't tried many Japanese BB creams other than Hadalabo's.

I love Donki, because I can spend hours browsing the cosmetics section^^ Lots of items are discounted too, for example the sunscreen was about 1790yen, while the BB cream was 2000yen. The retail price is around 3150yen for the sunscreen and 2520yen for the BB cream. Anyway, I had to try both ♥ 

There was a promotion for the sunscreens, whereby there was an extra mini 12ml bottle of a different sunscreen. I got the Perfect Essence Sunscreen SPF50+ PA+++, and it came with a mini bottle of the Perfect UV Sunscreen SPF50+ PA+++. (I just checked their website, in February 2013 a new formula has been rolled out for all the sunscreens, they now offer PA++++! Even more sun protection, hurray~)

The Too Cool For School BB cream had no SPF, so I'd always use the Perfect Essence Sunscreen under. It's my favorite sunscreen, because it's very fluid like essence/serum, non-sticky and is easily absorbed. I haven't tried the Perfect UV one, though it's recommended for activities like sports, going up the mountains/going to the sea, and it's waterproof too.

Onto the BB cream! I like how the underside of the cap is solid instead of being empty like most screw-cap cosmetics. There's 30g of product and its main function is actually to act as a suncreen. There are two colors - Light and Natural - but at Donki I only saw Natural, so that's what I got. The Anessa Face Sunscreen BB is actually more like a tinted moisturizer than a BB cream, with high sun protection.

Ingredients and benefits.

Main benefits:

★ High UV protection - protects delicate skin against sunburn and sun damage

★ Moisturizing - contains hyaluronic acid and collagen

★ Covers pores

★ Corrects skin tone

★ Can be used as a make up base or as a foundation

★ Resistant to sweat and sebum

Oiliness test.

It's very non-oily, which works great in Singapore's humidity.
It's also very light, so my face doesn't feel like it's smothered by cream :D

I don't know what to call this test, but just wanted to show that it doesn't "melt" or fall off after contact with the environment, or that the more liquid components won't sink to the bottom and cause the blob to fall off the paper?

Consistency test.

It's lightweight and very creamy, but spreads easily and blends into skin without difficulty.

I have a preference for creamier BB creams, because for me thinner BB creams tend to streak...

Color/blending.

The Anessa Face Sunscreen BB is actually a lot darker than most BB creams I've seen, but over time it blends into my skin. The main function is to act as a sunscreen, and it's made to have a "natural" color. Despite claiming to be more for sun protection than makeup, the BB cream's coverage is medium and is buildable, and it's pretty decent at covering redness and evening skintone ♥

The BB cream dries semi-matte, which is my preferred type of finish 　ε(๑^ᴗ^๑)з

When I use this I do not top it off with loose powder, because it sets pretty well. And after 10hours of wear it still stays in place, and doesn't melt or streak. For me, this is a great BB cream, perfect for Singapore's humid weather. It's also lightweight, blends very well and looks natural, and the finish is semi-matte and non-oily ♥ 

I have combination skin and live in extremely humid and warm weather, and I really like the texture of this BB cream. However, for people living in temperate climates of have dry skin, I think you might find this a bit drying?

Yokohama 横浜: Day 3 ♡

 Started off the day with the best breakfast/meal of the trip, a Japanese breakfast! ♡

The restaurant was Oshima at Pan Pacific Yokohama Bay.
By the way, this is a picture of the table beside us that had already finished their meal ^^

 The breakfast set had so many dishes: fish, scallop, tamagoyaki, tofu, soup, rice, tsukemono...

It even had one of my favorites, mentaiko!!
I love mentaiko! And every time I'm in Japan I'll buy mentaiko onigiri from conbinis^^
There's just something about mentaiko that makes it so tasty, especially with rice!
Needless to day, breakfast was delectable and extremely filling, it was more like a brunch to us!

After breakfast we checked out, left our luggage at the hotel and headed to Motomachi 元町, a shopping street. It's located very near Chinatown, you get off at the same train station.

Motomachi is a lovely cobblestone street that closes entry to traffic from 11am on weekends. We reached slightly before 11am, when they were just about the close off access for cars! The street is lined with pretty plants and flowers, which is always a plus point as greenery adds scenery. You will also be spoilt for choice by the many patisseries selling delectable cakes and pastries!

Adorable dogs and children are a common sight, as people flock here during the weekends to leisurely stroll  along the street. This cutie was somewhat reluctant to be pulled along by its owner and kept running here and there!

Halloween-themed chocolates at Godiva! 

Pretty cutlery...and very expensive! 

Colorful and cute umbrellas with animal heads as the handles! 

Cute dog with a pink shirt, resting on a bench^^ 

 ♡ Beautiful buddy resting outside a store

Spotted at a drugstore: limited edition pink Hello Kitty packaged D.U.P eyelash glue!! I thought last year's limited-edition pink packaging was cute, but this year it's not only pink, but Hello Kitty as well! I didn't get it though, I still have lots of tubes to use up...

Stopped for a short tea break, 1st montblanc of the day.

Montblanc is one of my favorite patisseries! ♡

This was kind of a scam, we wanted to just order cakes, but then the lady said we had to get drinks too, as it's part of a set (there wasn't a proper menu, you select cakes from the display). And the drinks cost more than the cake! But oh well, tea breaks are always nice!

 Two collies in a pram....I don't know why.

Yokohama Doll Museum ♡
Take caution when coming at night, the dolls behind the glass will scare you!
There was a doll near the entrance that was eerily lifelike, like a child.
Even my camera's face/smile detector detected it.

Marine Tower, a popular symbol of Yokohama. 

Built as a lighthouse in 1961, it is now a popular venue for holding weddings! They even have a special web-page regarding holding weddings there. Illuminated at night, the tower has restaurants, cafes and bars, and is popular spot for night dates.

Couldn't leave Yokohama without visiting Donki! 

Halloween Haribo

There were tons of Halloween-related goodies outside Donki. And all around Yokohama like candy stores, supermarkets and even in malls like Akarenga and Colette Mare. Wish Singapore could have that too!

Headed back to the hotel to dump stuff in our luggage, and on the way back saw some university students performing in Queen's Square (mall linked to Minatomirai station). Students from the flamenco club of one of Yokohama's universities! 

There's an area in Queen's Square called Minatomirai 109, which has a bunch of 109 brands like Cecil McBee, Esperanza, Dazzlin, Glad News...etc.

After that we headed over to Cosmo World, a small theme-park located by the bay. Here you can find rides, take purikura, play UFO catcher machines and Gashapon capsule toy dispensers. The arcade area had UFO catcher machines...which we didn't try^^

The main point of going to the arcade was to take purikura! 

There were also rides like this spinning thing which I would have loved to try, I love exciting/thrilling rides! 

And the main reason we went: to ride the Cosmo Clock 21, the world's largest clock, that's also a Ferris wheel! Standing at 112.5m, it has 60 passenger cars and takes 15 minutes to complete one rotation. After looking at it everyday since we got to Yokohama (our hotel rooms had views facing the bay and the Ferris wheel!), we just had to ride it.  

 At the wheel goes round, you can enjoy a 360-degree panoramic view of the Minatomirai area! 

  

Another mall in the area, World Porters. 

And Akarenga again ♡

Yokohama Oktoberfest, which was held right outside Akarenga!
Admission to the premises is 200yen, food and drinks are separate costs. 

Held annually at the Redbrick Warehouse, the event recreates the authentic Oktoberfest atmosphere of the Munich festivals.

There was a large selection of locally brewed Japanese beers and authentic German beers specially flown in.

And there was also the variety of German food like wurst and sauerkraut, and not forgetting the entertaining live band; the event was so much fun! I loooove sauerkraut, it's just so delicious!

Kanpai! 

Headed into Akarenga for more food cos the queues at Oktoberfest were crazy long and crammed. 

This is Kiyoken 崎陽軒, they make famous Yokohama shuumai/siew mai.

This is how Japanese shuumai looks like...very different from Singapore/Hong Kong siew mai! 

But it's sooo tasty! The skin is thin and the meat is juicy...

Now I will buy Kiyoken shuumai whenever I go to Japan!

Also got a special autumn bentou set. The kanji in the middle is "aki", the word for autumn. 

Montblanc #2 of the day, from Bashamichi Ice. This one is ice-cream!

It's soft serve vanilla ice-cream in the center, covered by chestnut cream on the outside ♡

Pan Pacific at night. 

Colorful lights of the amusement park rides reflected in the water ♡ 

Montblanc #3 of the day, along with green tea float! 

Last meal of the day before heading to Haneda airport :(

One of the purikura we took ♡