Laneige Multiberry Yogurt Peeling Gel (face scrub) review

This is the face scrub from Laneige. Each tube is 120ml, depending on which parts of Asia you purchase this I think the price is anywhere between 25-35USD.

Comes in a long soft plastic tube like a lot of face washes.

The opening is like this- just the right size. It is easy to have some scrubs building up around the cap though.

Looks like this on the skin- it's a soft pretty pink, very fine granular scrub in a creamy base. It smells so yummy, like a strawberry yoghurt, a bit sweet.

Spreading it out - you can see the gradules are really fine- I'm not sure what's the base of the granules but it's not really 'sandy' or scrubby and doesn't feel sharp either. It feels quite gentle on the skin. Not as smooth and rounded as the Peter Thomas Roth scrubbing beads (or other jojoba bead type of scrubs), but not jagged like the St Ives apricot scrub.

The base of the scrub feels like a gel-cream cleanser, it doesn't foam. I suspect the mechanism of this scrub is similar to Origins Scrubs with Fruit Enzymes, i.e. a gel based enzyme scrub with physical granular scrubbing beads inside too.

Spreaded out: (it's non-foaming)

I usually massage this onto skin, concentrating on t-zone and areas with large pores or blackheads. Leave on for maybe 1-2 minute (while I wash my hair or brush my teeth or something). Then rinse off.

Overall it leaves my skin feeling very soft and polished. It's non irritating. Leaving it on for more than 1 or 2 min doesn't seem to make a marked difference in effect, so I think the enzyme action is very gentle. I do not need to follow with a separate face wash either.

Highly recommended for anyone looking for a gentle face scrub. (my skin is thin and sensitive now, so I only use a gentle scrub once a week. Maybe a stronger scrub like those microdermabrastion type e.g. Origins modern friction, once a month).

Overall 5/5.

Laneige Snow Magic - Blusher & Brighter review (2008 fall)

Laneige 2008 autumn makeup collection features the 'Snow Magic' theme- 'glow with the magic of light, experience the mysterious cubic effect of Snow Magic Makeup and see your beauty in a new light". Not too sure what they mean by 'cubic effect', from the Chinese publicity releases I gather they just mean the featured pearlised powder within the products which supposedly adds luminosity to the skin in addition to highlighting the skin texture and natural contours. The product line is quite complete, features a pressed powder compact, blush/highlighter triple deck compact, 2 different variations of eyeshadow trio compacts, featured lipstick shades and also some other products are used. I only purchased the blush/highlighter （Snow Magic Box - Face）NT$ 1,100 (USD33) This is a pressed powder compact.（snow magic box-blusher & brighter）NT$1,350 (approx USD41) My pics: Silver cardboard box, the product is surprisingly bulky, I learnt to love it though! Comes with a snowflake keychain, not as pretty as I thought though. The compact can open fully, but not 360 degrees. The snowflake print is deep enough, I've been using this for over a month and I envisage that even if you use it up, you can still see the snowprint somewhere close to the bottom (using the brush they included). Another shot... Left: neutral soft pink color, foolproof although most people probaby got it already. Middle is a palest light pink highlighter shade, to be used as a highlighter or layered on the other two more pigmented colors, adds a nice glow to the blush. Right is a corally pink-orange, not too strong orange tones to make my skin look too yellow. Overall such a practical selection! not terribly exciting but I'm happy with the color payoff and texture and versatility. 3 shades mix to a soft pinky-peach, you know, like Nars Orgasm sort of color. Other products from autumn line...: （snow magic box - eye shadow）NT$ 1,100 (approx USD33) The autumn collection also features two eyeshadow palettes (blue variation is the one she wore in the promo pic). Similarly double decked design compact, but unfortunately I've never been that interested in Laneige eyeshadows, they seem to have lower pigmentation and a very thin finish, plus some issues with fly-aways.

（Melting Glossy Lipstick）5.5g / NT$750 (USD23) Supposedly the promo pic used lipstick in SYR#04 or melting glossy lipstick in SYR#433.

Laneige 2008 X'mas （Snow Crystal Shimmer Lipgloss- Pink Snow SR201

Laneige（SNOW CRYSTAL SHIMMER LIPGLOSS THE SNOW） 2008 Christmas collection- also features two lipglosses in SR201 and NR201 (Beige Snow). This is the promo pic for the lipgloss in SR201 (pink snow). My pic and comments:

Wow this is certainly a really, really interesting lipgloss. I only got SR201 "Pink Snow" shade, but might go and get the other color too. I have to say I have never seen a finish like this, supposedly it contains 'multi-coating pearl', it's almost like you know how some nailpolishes can reflect the rainbow or selected colors and looks wonderfully complex under different lights, this lipgloss is just like that.

Sponge tip applicator, there's a little groove in the middle to hold the right amount of gloss.

Even in photos you can see what I mean, it's almost like a light pink gel lipgloss infused with millions of soft multi-reflective pearl shimmers in a gorgeous midtone pink and reflecting some pink-gold or peach-gold. On the lips you don't actually see the discernable shimmer, it just makes my lip look like the girl in the ad! (I do have naturally rosy lips though). Lipgloss is lightly grapefruit scented, nice but I do prefer unscented glosses better. Supposedly contains nano-water and snow crystal powder which keeps your lips moisturised (ok...what the heck are snow crystal powder....haha). Overall a good buy.

Lastly is the eyeshadow palettes which I didn't get- not sure how I feel about buying a huge compact with varying 3 shades of similar colors, though it looks nice in the promo picture but if you look at her eyeshadow alone, it's not all that special... Laneige is not exactly cheap if purchased in Taiwan, if you buy directly from Korea, I suppose it works out cheaper than my approx USD pricse listed previously, but I'm still more a Japanese brand person.. Do have to admit the last few Laneige items I've tried are all amazingly gorgeous. Not sure whether this purple palette is the 'Romantic Snow' palette or the 'Glame Snow' palette. (the other palette is blue based I think).

Laneige The Snow Shimmer Brighter- pic & swatch

promo pics and text : source: http://www.iswii.net/ (text in purple are sourced from iswii.net- 紫色字皆引自以上link). Black text and labelled pics are mine.

Laneige The Snow series is 2008 Christmas limited edition release (available November 2008), contains 3 different products:

"The Snow Shimmer Brighter" - limited edition face highlighter powder palette 10g NT $1250 (approx USD37),

• "Snow Crystal Shimmer Lipgloss The Snow" - 2 limited edition lipgloss in 8ml NT700 (approx USD22) in two shades SR201 Pink Snow, and N201 Beige Snow.
• "The Snow Eye Palette"- 2 limited edition eyeshadows in "Romantic Snow" and "Glam Snow", 10g NT1110 (approx USD 34).

(pricings are based on Taiwanese RRP prices and converted using approximate USD exchange rate- usually they are a lot cheaper in Korea).

Promo pic: Spokesperson is a popular Korean actress, her pics could sell me anything from Laneige... love how radiant she looks here (yes yes I know about photoshop too).

My pics and comments:

The packaging appearance leaves a little bit to be desired- the surface is embossed with black velvet snowflake patterns (not sure how that'd sit inside handbags...), however the hot pink text sort of ruined the otherwise romantic packaging and make it look a little bit tacky.

http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i136/wombat_pic/495c99f502cbf.jpg

However the compact itself is nice, sturdy click-open style compact with mirror, powder sits in its own compartment and can be flipped up to reveal the bottom deck where the usable brush is. (very similar to Givenchy compact pacakgings).

Rather usable brush, quite soft and not scratchy.

The compact powder itself contains 6 pastle shades- powdery white, light apricot, pale pink, soft lilac, baby blue and pastel green. The primary color is the white- however the magical thing is each of the different colored snowflake shade actually goes through all the way to the bottom, not necessary in the same shape as the snowflake but apparently once the snowflake surface wears off, you get something similar to the Guerlain Meteorites compact, an even compact with various shades.

I've tried to rub harder on each shade to show the different colors in my swatch, blue was surprisingly the most obvious shade, which makes this a little tad cool toned when blended. However, once blended well, avoiding the blue slightly, it becomes a neutral or slightly cool toned highlighter, hard to describe exact color, but I guess you can just say a very soft shimmery ivory white that goes on pretty translucent on the skin. There is no obvious shimmers but it is subtle enough to be used in the office. I think if you are under dimlights this would be pretty just brushed all over the face lightly, for myself I generally just selectively highlight on cheekbones and bridge of nose etc.

Not sure how this would go for someone with darker skin, I do think it can be blended down into a translucent highlighter powder though, should not leave an obvious white or silvery streak.

Supposedly you can use this as eyeshadow as well, or blend with matte eyeshadows to give different textures and finishes, I can see it working that way as well, probably on the palest skintones though =)

Swatch pic above shows individual color swatches (in no particular order)- but you can see the blue is most obvious. However, on the face there is no detectable blue. Swatch pic below has a white line marked, underneath is the blended color for the whole palette.

Like most Laneige powders and blush/eyeshadow, while the product is firmly pressed, it actually picks up on the brush quite easily and loosens, some people hate cosmetics with flying powders so I'd just mention it. Not to the point where you have powders flying everywhere when you are using it though. You can see the brush picks up the powder easily.

On the fence about whether I'd repurchase this- I seem to reach for the highlighter deck of the snow magic box-blusher & brighter (reviewed under separate post) a bit more often- that one gives me really glowy and fresh faced look and definitely not as cool as this palette.