Laneige Water Sleeping Pack Ex

My second most favourite product on my shelf right now- Laneige's Water Sleeping Pack Ex! 

 

 

I don't remember how I chanced upon this product, but perhaps it was after getting a sample of this at a Laneige counter. I tried it for a few nights and fell in love!

I have sensitive skin and what I always thought was combination or acne prone skin. After using this product, I realize I may have been wrong to have used lots of harsh acne-preventive products to try to combat my problem! 

What I think I have now is this: sensitive, oily- underneath, and dry on top, skin. What a mouthful!

 

 What I have realized after using this product is, I wake up with skin that is smoother, brighter and the small pimples that I used to get all over my forehead that never seemed to leave me... have completely gone! I kid you not.

What this sleeping pack aims to do is provide intense hydration, vitality and a brightening effect during the hours you sleep, which is when skin cells are renewing themselves and working their hardest. :P

 

 

I use about a dollar sized dollop at the end of my routine. It is a lovely, light, gel- like texture that smells heavenly and spreads very easily.

My routine follows as such:

Remove make up 

Cleanse with Cetaphil (another product I believe has helped my skin immensely!)

Layer a thin film of Vichy Norma Derm Night (I will review this soon- I love it!)

Spot treat pimples (if necessary) with Vichy Active Anti-Imperfection Concentrate   

and then...

Laneige Water Sleeping Pack Ex.

 

 

 It spreads easily and it may seem like a lot of product to use at first, but keep massaging it into your skin, in gentle strokes, including some on your neck, and even gently under your eyes, and it all absorbs in a few minutes.

 

 

Once dry it is smooth and not sticky or moist at all! 

I used to think... so weird... sleeping with a mask on overnight? But it is ok because it completely dries. 

When I wake up, my skin is slightly oilier and shinier, but this product does NOT make me break out at all. After washing my face with Cetaphil, my skin looks moist and plump and smooth! If I could see little spots threatening to break out the night before, after using this overnight, I swear those spots just disappear! It definitely soothes the skin, perhaps with that antioxidant effect from one of their ingredients, Hunza Apricot extracts.

We are meant to use it 1-2x a week but I have used it everyday and every other day some weeks, and there have been no side effects! It just runs out faster and you need to stock up again ;)

This is one awesome product I cannot live without! I really want to try their Firming Sleeping Pack next!

 

Retails for SGD 45. 

 

Laneige White Plus Renew Original Essence

My long overdue post on one of my favourite skin care products ever! 

  

A few months ago I chanced upon this new product: Laneige White Plus Renew Original Essence. I don't have a problem with sunspots or much pigmentation, but I was slightly bothered about uneven and dull skintone, which this product claimed to help in 2-4 weeks. 

 

What this product claimed to do was help with 6 functions: Luster, Moisture, Brightness, Evens Skin Tone, Slows Melanin Rate and Reduces Dullness.

I have tried some Laneige products and they didn't make my sensitive skin break out, so I bought this with no real expectations. 

 

 back of the bottle all in Korean

Within a week of using it, my skin seemed brighter (and thankfully, no breakouts at all!). At week 2, I met a good friend and she noticed how my skin seemed much brighter and translucent!

I was sold! (I wasn't paid to try this, I bought it with my own money!) As I have continued to use it every morning after cleansing, even with just once daily usage (we are meant to use it twice a day), my skin has improved considerably. I must be into month 4 or 5 of using this now...

My skin tone has evened out a lot, especially around the nose and mouth areas which often tend to be slightly darker for most women. In fact, I sometimes only use concealor around my eyes and my entire face brightens up without needing concealor around the nose and mouth areas! That's how well it works!

If you are going after the fair, milky, translucent complexion Korean actresses have, you must try this product. 

 

What I do after cleansing is take about a 5cent sized (or less) squirt of this, and take a bit and smooth it over small areas at a time. Because of its runny texture, it spreads very easily and absorbs very quickly. After that, I cup both palms over my face and neck at different sections to further allow the essence to absorb. (I dunno, some trick I saw on their website, or maybe the Sulwhasoo website haha). 

 

I obviously use more than this, but even with this small amount, you can see how runny the texture is.  

 

 Spread it a little...

 

 

 And in no time it is completely absorbed and your skin is ready for the next step!

 

Following the essence I use a bit of Vichy pimple cream on spots if needed, but definitely follow with sunblock. 

It has the signature Laneige scent, which is lovely, not too heavily perfumed. Laneige products are free of mineral oils, artificial pigments, animal products and parabens apparently! This essence is no exception. 

I haven't finished this bottle,  but my friend, sister and mom have all ordered it to use! ;) Says something about the results! 

 

Laneige White Plus Renew Original Essence and Water Sleeping Pack Ex

These are two of my absolute favourite skincare products recently. I've used both for close to a month and a half now, and LOVE them!

Both have done wonders for my skin. Will blog about them very soon!

Reviews: Milk Shake Point, Laneige Eye Mate etc...

Hi everyone!

Sorry for going MIA the past.. I don't know for how long... but I will be back soon with reviews of all the items in my picture!

(And some more posts on my new skincare routine and more products that have worked wonders for my skin!)
Till then, have a great weekend!

Updated: Laneige Water Bank Eye Gel Review

 Today I'm going to be doing a review on the Laneige Water Bank Eye Gel.

I needed an eye cream after finishing the Estee Lauder Advanced Eye Repair Eye Cream (reviews on that another time) and wanted something lighter as I have always had problems with milia seeds around my eyes. I'd tried the Water Bank Gel Cream sample and liked the texture, so decided to give this a go.

Just some info for you from the insert in the box that came together with the eye gel. :) 

There's a load of steps in Korean skin care, as we know, refiner (toner)- emulsion- essence/cream. Spot treatment comes before essence/cream. 

I have never done all these steps... but anyway, here's what's recommended by Laneige. 

Onwards to product pictures!

 It really is a very light gel consistency, with the typical Laneige scent (refreshing and light). I usually use my ring fingers to lightly tap it in all around the eye.

 

 After being blended a little, you can see it's a bit glossy and slightly tacky. What I usually do is keep patting it in till it's almost absorbed, which is pretty quickly. 

 When it's fully absorbed, it's gone! I usually just carry on with concealer if I'm heading out. 

Verdict: (updated March 14, 2013)

I think it helps with dark circles only a tiny bit, but doesn't do much for eye bags or fine lines. There is a slight cooling sensation upon application but it quickly goes off. 

It does keep the eye area pretty moisturized, but if you're looking for an eye gel to help with fine lines, this is not the one for you. I have noticed a couple of new and slightly deep lines (sob!) appear recently, but it could be because of my growing eye bags so it ggravates eye lines. :(
{honestly, I think this does a fine job of moisturizing the eye area.... it also allows makeup to go on smoother after I apply a thin layer of it. I like that it doesn't give me oil seeds too.}

I am in my early 30s, and probably need a better eye product. I have tried so many 'good' brands like Estee Lauder, Lancome, but the only thing that ever worked (I think) was the Estee Lauder Dark Circle eye Cream but that was discontinued years ago. I may keep to this for day as I like it's light, non-greasy texture. It's a good gel for people in the late teens to late 20s. I will likely move on to find a good eye cream for night. 

{I have just bought Laneige's White Plus Renew Eye Mate which is for the day time and has SPF, and will review that once I have used it sufficiently! :) Because I think Laneige works really well for my skin, i.e. no break outs and keeps skin hydrated, I am thinking of also trying their Perfect Renew (anti aging line) Dual Eye Treatment once this is finished... I think it may work better for lines}

Retails for about SGD 52 in stores.

Updated: Laneige Water Bank Gel Cream Review & Note about Authenticity and Logo

 I got a sample of this with some of my purchases from Korea, with this being one of them. I really liked the texture, so got this online when I needed a moisturizer. 

 All Korean words at the back. 

 Love the blue glass jar, and neat packaging. Also love Laneige cosmetics' scent for their products.

Note about logo: I have read reviews online and many question the authenticity of the Laneige items they buy because the logo doesn't have the tick at the I. Some do, some don't. I tried researching this a few times, and could only find one weird link that said that Laneige is changing their logo to the one above (ie, no tick at the I). I have checked out photos of people going to the Laneige counter for events etc, and I see this logo on their box and jar packaging, so it seems like it really is the new one.

The other thing I compared it to is my Laneige Water Supreme foundation that was bought at the Laneige shop in Korea, and the logo is like the one above. So I believe it is genuine. The scent and texture is also the same. My guess is the logo with the tick at the "i" may be the old logo, maybe older stock (but still within this year), and not that those items are fake either.

When in doubt, buy from a seller with heaps of good reviews or at retail stores. :) 

 Korean skin care and makeup tends to print the manufacture date, not expiry date. This one was made 2012, October 10! 

 What it says about the Water Bank line... 

 There's a little cap to keep the cream from spilling out, as well as to keep it clean, I suppose. Good idea.

 It truly is like a gel, very light and cooling upon application. 

Here's a picture of it blended on my hand. It leaves a slightly glossy but not oily film, and doesn't feel too heavy. 

However, though I am probably more used to a very minimal and light skin care routine (toner/essence, pimple cream, eye gel), layering this on top of all of that felt kind of suffocating for me. Don't get me wrong, I guess I'm just the sort who prefers skin that feels like there's nothing on it. So I will be using this more on dry spot areas instead of all over my face.

{Updated: I actually really love putting this on now! It doesn't feel "suffocating" anymore, and absorbs quickly, so it just feels ... hydrated. Haha.. I actually use it especially around my nose and mouth areas where my skin tends to get slightly dry. Works like a dream.)

Verdict: It does its job, and does moisturize the skin. Whether it does for 24 hours as it claims, I'm not too sure. I haven't used it everyday, but maybe every other day and it doesn't break me out (most important for me!). Happy with it to continue using this...

Bought for only SGD 28.80  from  Amorepacific,who is apparently the company that owns Laneige! This company owns Sulwhasoo, Innisfree, Mamonde, Iope... amongst others. Shipping is horrendously slow, but it is free, and if you aren't in a hurry, it's alright.

It retails for about $55 in stores, if I'm not wrong. 

I will be reviewing the eye gel soon, as well as Leaders Insolution and MediHeal masks! 

Stay tuned and please say hi if you feel comfortable to :) 

Laneige Air Light Finishing Compact

 My MAC Studio Fix was running out (not even sure they have that range!) and I thought I'd try something new. Got this off Gmarket since I really liked their foundation, I thought this would be good too. 

I did quite a bit of research to check out their other compacts, and felt this would offer sufficient coverage on days I may not want to wear bb cream.

What is it: A pressed powder that supposedly brightens and gives your skin a transparent quality.  Contains air light minerals.

 Bought it in Natural Beige No. 2. 

It comes in a square shaped compact with a little plastic separator for the puff, which I thought was kind of awkward, but alright, since it keeps the puff clean. 

Coverage- Very light. When applied on top of my bb cream, it creates a very poreless, matte finish, which is nice. I haven't tried it on my bare face yet though. I think the puff does nothing to help a smooth application though... may be better to use your own slightly more porous sponge.

Color- My MAC color is usually NC30, and this has a pinkier tone which gives skin a slightly brighter look. It does work a little better than MAC's which is more yellow-based. I feel it looks better when used under the eyes too to set concealer. 

So would I buy it again after it's done? I'm not sure yet. I think I may need something that provides a little more coverage. It really is as the name states, a finishing powder. However the good thing is that it didn't break out my sensitive, combination skin, which is a huge plus. 

I bought this online here for SGD37.90, but I'm sure it costs more from the department shops.

Holika Holika Jewel Light Waterproof Eyeliner and Laneige Creamy Crystal Eyeliner Review

 Recently got the Holika Holika eyeliner off Gmarket for a mere $5.90 before shipping... and had to test it out. I had already tried the Laneige eyeliner in the past, but decided to review them together. 

The Laneige one is in N03 Navy Blue, and the Holika one is 05 Brown Amber. 

 The navy blue isn't extremely pigmented, but a lighter blue shade, I guess? You can see that the Holika brown is really quite solid though. This is a swatch of the colors just drawn. 

 I smudged them right away, and surprisingly, the Laneige one didn't budge! But the Holika one did. 

Here's a closeup of the very subtle sparkle bits in the eyeliners. Personally I like a little bit of shine because flat color tends to look a little old on the face. Not too much, so these were just nice. 

After this, I tried to take them off with water and some soap. With some rubbing, the Laneige one, though it claims to be waterproof, came off rather easily. The Holika one though pretty much stayed in place! It did come off a little, but it definitely needed waterproof eye makeup remover to be taken off. 

Lesson learnt- Let the Holika eyeliner dry up for a few minutes. 

Later that day, I used the Holika eyeliner. It was super easy to draw, it glided on very easily. I smudged it just a tiny bit (don't like harsh lines) and it stayed on for a good 6 hours, of which I did a lot of walking under the hot sun and sweated quite a lot. 

Verdict- for $5.90, the Holika Holika eyeliners are a steal! I would probably not buy the Laneige ones again though. Though it has staying power, I really didn't like that it wasn't pigmented enough. It is very easy to use though, and draws on very smoothly. 

Laneige eyeliner bought for about $18 from Korea, Holika Holika for $5.90 from here.

Laneige Water Supreme Foundation Review

Today I'll be reviewing the Laneige Water Supreme Foundation in Natural Beige. 

I got my cousin to buy it for me when she headed to Korea middle of this year. Before that, I'd never tried a single thing from Laneige. We went to Raffles City the weekend before she flew off to take a look at what color I should get. She said that it would be about 30% cheaper there, I needed a foundation, so why not? :) I decided on this one.

I absolutely loved its gel like texture, faint but pleasant scent and natural coverage. (swatched it on my jawline)

 The back, Korean words. All Korean words on the box and insert in the box too. 

 Swatched it. Oops, sorry about that leftover black eyeliner at the bottom... 

Blended out! Can't even tell where it is! 

I tried it finally when I had to do my makeup for a wedding, and I LOVE this foundation. I have sensitive skin and it doesn't break me out.

Coverage- Medium, depending on how much you layer. Best part is even when you layer it, it doesn't get cakey, nor looks heavy.

Texture- Gel- like and not heavy at all on the skin

Color- Matches my fair, slightly yellow-based, cool skintone (I am a MAC NC30)

How it wears- Like a dream! Doesn't clog pores, makes skin look better than it is. Doesn't settle into lines either. And it lasted a whole 8 hours. Serious. Ok, with a little wear, but this is Singapore, it's humid. Add a little powder on top and it looks even better. 

I think it retails for SGD55, my cousin got it for me for SGD38!