Review: Laniege BASIC LINE eye designer cream

So the number one thing I have been concerned about as I age, is well...wrinkles. Protective measures aside (sunscreen, hats, limiting outdoor exposure, drinking tons of water) there are limited options to protect yourself from the inevitable. I haven't had the best of luck in the genetic lottery - at 27 I have noticed fine lines under my eyes which make frequent rude appearances. My loving but ever-critical mother would point this out to me constantly. I needed help - Stat!

I have tried a menagerie of different products to lackluster results - Oil of Olay (gave me Milia, or those tiny little bumps underneath the eyes), Dior (no results whatsoever), and Dove (also nada). After Sasa.com decided to turn me into an online shopaholic, I decided to give the skincare experts of the East a go - and to my delight, I discovered Laneige!

Review

Laneige BASIC LINE eye designer cream

Description (from Sasa.com)

Water-based moisture system means your skin receives fresh supply of water, not oil, meaning that you will not get milia or trapped/clogged pores in your delicate eye area!

• Moisture care system exclusive to LANEIGE, water pump system prevents dryness around the eyes with an intensive moisturizing effect.
• Mineral complex and fungus extracts give resilience, moistens the delicate surface skin around the eyes.
• Blueberry and raspberry extracts clear away dark and dull spots around the eyes, brightening the tone and clarity around your eyes.

The sheer size of the actual product was impressive! The jar is 30 mL and will last even the most indulgent of users for a good few months. (me) It has a really clean, fresh, scent. I use a Q-tip for each dip into the jar to avoid contamination and dot a large amount of the product both right under, around, and on top of my eyelids.

The product is smooth and though initially, it feels a bit thick, it absorbs quickly and feels great! It isn't greasy or sticky in the faintest. I was worried it was going to be too rich for the summer, but it actually works perfectly on my combo (dry/oily) skin.

Most importatly, RESULTS! I noticed that I do need to use this nightly for the type of results I prefer. I don't believe the eyecream has any anti-aging properties, but the water-pump system actually seems to work quite nicely and leaves my under-eye area refreshed, plumped and significatly less wrinkly!

Before use at night - fine lines, wrinkles

After use, in the morning - fresh and wrinkles are less defined

Pros

♥ Non-greasy, fast absorbing formulation

♥ Unique water-pump system

♥ Did not cause milia

♥ Fresh, clean non-overpowering scent

♥ Large amount of product

♥ Decreased appearance of fine lines/under-eye wrinkles

Cons

♥ May be hard to find, online availability for most

♥ Packaging susceptible to contamination

♥ Moderately priced (~$30/jar)

♥ Everyday use necessary for desired results

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥ (4.5/5)

From what I have seen so far, I LOVE Laneige products...it is a Korean brand so whether or not they test on animals is unknown, though I certainly hope they do not. I have purchased but have yet to try the strawberry yogurt peel which has received rave reviews and I am very curious about the Water Sleeping Pack. I have a feeling that my love affair with this company will continue. :)

*~*~*~*

I'm just about ready for a vacation right about now - as some of you know, I have been working for days and days at a time. I think cumulatively, I have had a grand total of 1 day off in the last 20+! I need to keep a handle on myself before I turn into a work-obsessed zombie. x_x On the brighter side of things, I'm excitedly planning my next 2 vacations - I might as well live by the motto "work hard, play hard!" Except playing for me is more like relaxing on the beach sipping juice from a ripe pineapple. :)

The beautiful resort in Hawaii that may be a part of my next dream vacation!

*~*~*

Off to work again! Only 3 more days until my next free day!

Happy Friday! Have a safe & wonderful weekend!

Review: Skinfood Aloe Sun BB Cream

My dear lovelies!

As promised, an update & review on my new favorite Summer going-out staple!

For some reason, I feel like I'm always the last person to jump on the bandwagon...Double Rainbow, Keyboard cat, NYX cosmetics...and now, BB cream!

BB creams are quite popular in Korea and are meant to be the all-in-one makeup miracle product, many promising to be a base/primer, cover-up, foundation all-in-one with added benefits like anti-aging, hydration, UV protection etc. My last foray into BBcreams (Missha Perfect Cover) left me with cystic acne so I was a bit hesitant to jump back into things...

That being said, after carefully researching a few more varieties, I decided that I would give Skin Food a try. Skin Food is a skincare line available on sites such as Sasa.com - they don't carry this particular bb cream anymore, but Amazon.com currently sells it for around $19.95.

REVIEW

Skin Food Aloe Sun BB Cream (SPF 20 PA+)

On Packaging: Food Therapy - Special food for the skin to eat. Contains lots of nutritive and energetic ingredients such as fresh plants, fruits etc. to maintain our bodies healthy and lively.

Rich with aloe, which possesses excellent hydrating properties and soothing effect, this multi-functional skin care product (UV protecter and blemish correcter) provides moisture and nutrition to your skin while providing protection from UV rays.

The tube is a nice decent size - the size of a medium-sized tube of sunscreen (50g)

The dispensing nozzle allows for hygenic application

As true for most BB Creams, the color selection is extremely limited. This BB Cream comes in either #1 (fair) or #2 (medium). In the Summer time, I tend to get a bit darker but really, I would be a #2 regardless.

I used a foundation brush to sweep the BB cream over my face. The product applies smoothly but requires a little blending. It smells FANTASTIC though - very fresh and clean. If you like Bath & Bodyworks Cucumber melon, you will like the smell of this BB cream. Although this BB Cream has built in sunscreen (SPF 20), I still use my regular sunscreen (Olay SPF 25) all over beforehand. The results with and without flash - I love the overall slightly dewy finish!

Wearing: NYC brow pencil on brows, MAC Blacktrack fluidliner, Darkness KMA 7 false lashes, Maybelline Eye Quad in Taupe Temptress in corners of eyes, Maybelline Moisture Extreme Lipstick in Peach Colada on lips, Skin Food Aloe Sun BB Cream on face

I did not see any of the greyish undertone of #2 that some reviews had mentioned.

Look of the day (LOTD) from this past weekend! Abercrombie stretchy tube dress & Jessica Simpson heart chain necklace. :)

Overall

Pros

♥ Pleasant fresh & clean smell which fades over time

♥ Beautfiul, dewy finish

♥ SPF 20

♥ Not drying

♥ Moderate oil control (my face was just slightly oily by the end of a day being exposed to 90 degree plus Texas heat!)

♥ Coverage is medium - hid most of the redness in my cheeks

♥ Long lasting

♥ Smooth, even, application

♥ Does not feel heavy on the skin

♥ Did NOT break me out...so far. (Will update if anything changes)

Cons

♥ Extremely limited colors

♥ May be hard to find (Sasa.com no longer stocks), online availability

♥ May need to use spot coverage for larger blemishes

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥ (5/5)

My beautiful friend, fellow blogger, co-worker, and Pharmgirl extraordinaire Liz suggested that I include whether or not products are tested on animals for future reviews. This is a great idea! I am happy to report that my previous review and one of my favorite new cosmetics lines, NYX, does NOT test on animals. I am not quite sure about this current BB cream since it was produced in a foreign country (Korea) but if I do find out, I will surely update!

Here's a little sneak peek into what is coming up next!

Hope you all had a lovely weekend!

Quick update

Hi girls,

I just wanted to let you know that I'm still around! Internet connection issues at home have kept me from posting and viewing your lovely blogs - it is so intimidating sometimes to jump back in but I am making a leap very very soon! Sorry for the lack of bloglove! I am working 12 days in a row (currently on day 5) but I will be trying my best to blog a few reviews and get caught up.

And since I hate posting without a picture, here is one of my soon-to-be next reviews! (non-sponsored - just an anniversary gift from my man! LOL - most girls get flowers and jewerly, but I told him I wanted pink brushes this year!)

See you lovelies soon!