In-Depth Laneige (Korean Skincare!) REVIEW

I received a Sephora e-mail promoting the Asian skincare lines they have started selling. OH MY GAAAAD! It’s tough for me to access these brands here in Canada so, of course, I almost fell off my chair with the news! Asian skincare is uncharted territory for me. French skincare, known to fight signs of aging and balance the skin, has dominated for so long! Asian skincare is known for the properties which will create fair, smooth, translucent skin. I am excited to give them a try as long as they aren't skin-lightening products. How I feel about that is another post on its own.

Unfortunately, there is only a limited selection at Sephora…*sigh* the “perks” of Canadian living. Regardless, I ended up purchasing the Laneige Hydration Trial Kit. This 6-piece kit has most of the necessary steps of Korean skincare. I was also able to score a sample of the eye cream!

THE RUNDOWN

Laneige Hydration Trial Kit includes 6 Pieces: Multi Cleanser (30mL), PowerEssential Skin Toner for Combination to Dry (50mL), Balancing Emulsion (50mL), Water Bank Serum (30mL), Water Bank Moisture Cream (20mL), Water Sleeping Mask (20mL) – I got a sample of the Water Bank Eye Gel

My broken-in kit after my 4-week trial period.

My Skin: Naturally dry and eczema-prone, minimal breakouts.

Baseline skin condition: My skin prior to use is already in good condition. Coming from summer, I did not have any dry patches or flakiness. I have freckles, small pores
Testing Duration: 4 weeks straight, morning AND night

Day 1: SAT., Oct. 3, 2015 – First impressions

I am used to a skincare regiment, but these are A LOT of steps! I followed the directions of the order of usage according to the instructions on the Sephora website, which is as follows:

1) Cleanser - The cleanser was good. It has VERY fine granules that seem to disappear with the foaming properties of this cleanser. It removed some of my makeup and didn’t make my skin feel tight. The scent was very refreshing. But I required an additional step to fully remove my makeup, especially the long-wearing stuff.

2) Toner - I don’t use toner on a regular basis as my Philosophy Purity Cleanser takes care of that step for me. So this was an added step in my routine. I dabbed some on a cotton pad and wiped it across my face. It may just be my imagination but I felt like my skin could breathe, like the pores were opening up.

3) Emulsion - The emulsion is in the WORST container you could put it in. It is a thick substance contained in a hard, non-squeezable plastic bottle without a pump. So you can imagine the upper body workout I got shaking this stuff out. I don’t quite understand emulsions yet. The Sephora lady explained to me that it hydrates down to the 7^th layer of skin…How can we be sure? It is the consistency of a medium lotion.

4) Serum - After I let the emulsion sink in, I went ahead with the thinner serum. It made my skin feel smooth without the silicone texture. At this point I felt like I was good enough to go. But we have 2 more steps.

5) Cream - This is thicker than the emulsion. Use sparingly as it is quite heavy.

6) Mask - I was glad to see this was a gel consistency because the step before was quite heavy. The instructions say to apply this only 1-2 times per week and wash off the next morning.

At this point the products felt a little heavy on my face even though I was careful to apply small amounts. I could see light reflecting off my skin and I was worried if I had to use this during the day, it might turn me into a grease-ball. I was proved wrong when in less than 20 minutes later, the products completely absorbed into my skin leaving me with a satin finish. My skin no longer felt heavy, it was comfortable but it did feel…moist. As if there was an invisible barrier.

Day 4: WED., OCT. 7, 2015 – Immediate results

When it comes to skincare, you have to be using it for weeks before you notice the true results of the products. So only a few days into using this regimen, I have noticed minor changes in my skin that is worth noting.

     1)      Texture – My skin is HELLA supple. I was moisturized before in a sense that my skin wasn’t dried out. But this is some next level shit! It feels like baby skin.

     2)      The glow – No finishing powders needed! These rich products don’t make my skin look greasy, rather more fresh and subtly dewy.

I can’t wait to see what more this line can do for my skin.

Day 8: SAT., OCT. 10, 2015 – A Baby Breakout

I began to break out a day or two ago. It is very minimal, but I don’t know if it is coming from the products or if Mother Nature is signalling to me that my period is coming soon. Only time will tell but I will keep an eye on it.

Day 13: THURS., OCT. 15, 2015 – Needing A Scrub

I am noticing that even though my skin is soft and juicy I am seeing some patches of uneven texture developing. I couldn’t take it so I used an exfoliating scrub (by Live Clean) which seems to have improved the problem. I have not used an exfoliator since I began using this line. I have to say that the tiny grains in the cleanser aren’t enough to do a proper exfoliation.

Day 17: MON., OCT. 19, 2015 – Changing things up

Although the descriptions of the individual products on the Sephora website describe the order in which to use these products, I decided to change things up based on some research I did on Asian skincare. I am now doing the serum before the emulsion. Let’s see if this will work better. I have also began patting the toner on my face with my hands rather than swiping across with a cotton pad. I find I am wasting less of the product and it is absorbing more into my skin. I also have been double cleansing. I am using the purity cleanser in the shower to remove my makeup because the Laneige Multi Cleanser can’t cut it. My skin is still maintaining a supple texture through the rapidly changing weather. I am also noticing a subtle lit-from-within glow

Day 30: SUN., NOV. 1, 2015 – FINAL THOUGHTS

So, did I see a difference? YES!

PROS

- The biggest difference I have seen is in the texture of my skin. Supple, bouncy, and just…juicy! Not greasy or oily at all! But you can tell that the skin is plump with nourished. My skin is comfortable and does not feel congested.

- My breakout earlier this month was due to THAT time of the month. These products didn't seem to react negatively with my 3 pimples whatsoever.

- I found this protected my skin from the dry cold wind that comes with autumn. It kept my face radiant and prevented dryness and flakiness. 

CONS

- This line does not give any information about anti-aging benefits. Bummer. As I approach the big 3-0, this has become increasingly more important to me. I want to ensure I'm preventing signs of aging before they occur. So I think I will be needing a supplementary product to combat this.

- I also wish they had some SPF incorporated in one of their products! I realize there is SPF in their makeup...but what if their line is so effective we don't need makeup?!

- You will need to practice the Asian method of double-cleansing (oil & water-based cleansers) in order to remove your face of makeup.

TIPS

- I did realize that the key is using the right amount of product to prevent over saturation and to allow a few minutes in-between products to allow for full absorption.

- Another thing to note is that, this regime is not a stand alone. I needed to exfoliate twice per week to keep my skin smooth.

Would I invest in this line? YES. Going through all the steps is tedious but well worth it in the end. I have heard Asia is about 3 (if not more) years ahead of North America in their skincare game. If you are curious in trying this out, this kit sells for $38CAD which is a reasonable price as I have used 1/3 of the products.