Kose Sekkisei White BB Cream Review & Swatches

The only item that I have ever tried from the Sekkisei line is the ever so famous, whitening lotion. Although I am not a big fan of that lotion due to its high alcohol content and smell, I am, however, a huge fan of this BB cream.

Let's first take a look at the product's claims, shall we ? (from Kose's website) 

- Hides blemishes to give even & natural coverage

- Brightens skin to look lit from within

- Lightweight texture spreads easily & smoothly

- Cares for skin with oriental plant extracts & UVA and UVB protection

- Time-saving, long-lasting, non-cakey, hydrating

- Mineral-oil free

My Skin Description: 

- dry: cheeks, chin & around the nose

- large pores

- pale complexion (Mac NC15-20, Chanel 10, Bobbi Brown Porcelain)

- yellow undertones

My thoughts ... 

Color Match: I purchased shade 01 and it matches my skin tone/undertone perfectly. Like all BB creams, the White BB cream does not come with an extensive shade range. Sekkisei only offers two shades: 01 & 02 (both of which are better suited for those with fair complexions). 

Coverage:
- one layer: light/medium coverage
- two layer: medium coverage
*very buildable*

Finish: I would say that Kose's description of the BB cream's finish is very accurate. It definitely brightens up the complexion for a lit from within look. This White BB cream is not one of those bases that stays feeling "wet" or "tacky" as if it would just slip and slide all over the place; therefore, when it dries down to a satiny finish on the skin, I usually don't find the need to set it with any powder.

Texture:
- creamy texture
- not runny at all 

Longevity: I usually know how well my foundation is lasting by looking at my blush. By the end of 8 hours, my blush still looks exactly the same as when I first applied it *thumbs up*. I did notice, though, that the area around my nose did start to slightly fade around 6 hours. Besides that, everything else looked perfect ! Definitely one of the longest wearing BB creams that I've tried.

Because I am currently living in Beijing, I always have to wear face masks to help filter the heavily polluted air. I find that this BB cream did not transfer at all onto my mask ! Keep in mind that I didn't even set my foundation when I first applied it ! Completely impressed ...

Scent: This BB cream smells EXACTLY like the Sekkisei whitening lotion but without the strong alcoholic smell. To me, this scent actually reminds me of the aerosol colour hairsprays that I used to use on Halloween when I was a little girl to put funky highlights all throughout my hair. Of course, this BB cream actually smells pleasant to some people versus how those colour hairsprays are just a complete no no. If I were to describe this scent, I would say it smells slightly musky and powdery. I'm not the biggest fan on how this BB cream smells, but because of the fact that it isn't too heavily fragranced and that the scent doesn't linger on the skin, it doesn't really bother me.

Overall: I would definitely recommend this BB cream for those with all skin-types ! Not only did it not emphasize any of the dry patches on my cheeks or around my "recently-popped-pimple", it also controlled my oily T-zone very well ! In addition, it covered the humongous pores around my T-zone beautifully. There is honestly nothing more that I can ask for from a BB cream.

[ Details ]

Sun protection: SPF 40 PA +++ (UVA + UVB protection)

size: 30g

shade: 01
price: 1825 yen

Hope this review was helpful ! 

Chansie