Review: Laneige Water Bank Moisture Cream (#1 K-Beauty?)
Korean skincare designed to treat dull, dry and sensitive skin is a growing trend and an emerging leader in the category is Laneige, famed for their sleeping mask and water bank moisture cream.
This creamy and rich cream has a 24 hour moisture hold that hydrates dry skin and is designed to treat signs of dullness, uneven texture, uneven tone, and promote radiance for those with sallow skin or the beginning signs of aging. The cream uses a patented technology and infuses essential minerals with other natural ingredients to promote hydration, brightness, and leave the skin brightened and glowing.
The product is formulated free of any sulfates or harsh chemical additives, not tested on animals, and has glowing reviews across multiple platforms praising its remarkable results, claiming the cream to be equal parts lightweight (and breathable) and incredibly hydrating.
If you’re looking to treat signs of dullness, dry patches, depleted moisture, or simply looking for a cream to restore radiance and treat any sallowness in the skin, I would definitely recommend looking into this fast-growing skincare brand, which touts a cult-following and has rapidly expanded in a short amount of time.
While it is in the luxury beauty category, it is still moderately priced and does not break the bank, and definitely offers longevity when used correctly and conservatively, as only a minimal amount of product is required.
This review will cover some main features and benefits of daily use, positives and negatives to bear in mind prior to purchase, ingredients and corresponding benefits with daily topical use, as well as a final verdict, to help you make a decision prior to any point of sale.
Before we begin, make sure you’re ordering Laneige from a legitimate retailer, NOT from a counterfeit seller. For your convenience, here is the Amazon link to an authentic Laneige retailer.Bonus tip? If you’re comparison shopping and looking for items to pair this with, make sure to check out our review on Laneige’s Water Bank Essence!
Review: Laneige Water Bank Moisture Cream
Laneige is a trending Korean skincare brand famed for their sleeping mask and moisturizing cream, and after purchasing their trial kit I opted for a full sized version of the moisturizer, as it has incredible benefits with daily topical use. The full size cream is a 50 ml size that comes in a sleek blue container and is formulated for dry, sensitive, and dull skin.
The Water Bank Cream definitely has a cult-like following for the brand, with a loyal following speaking to its amazing ability to soften and smoothen the skin while delivering a soft glow and restoring radiance.
The texture is lightweight but the cream itself is extremely hydrating, making it ideal for dry or dull skin types, and it feels incredible to apply. Directly following application, skin is left feeling soft and smooth. I noticed my skin looked brighter, more supple, and more radiant right away.
If you apply it in the AM prior to makeup application, the skin is left appearing much more radiant following makeup application, and if you apply it in the PM, you can anticipate waking up to brighter and fully hydrated skin. While it can be used by all skin types as it offers balance and nourishment for combination or oily complexions, it’s likely a better formulation if you’re experiencing dryness or dullness.
For other K-beauty products we have reviewed with flying colors, check out our articles on Dr. Jart’s Superheroes Transformers collection, their famed Sheet Masks, and The Tiger Grass Serum (which pairs perfectly with this product)!
With extremely dry skin, I did not feel the need to apply any addition hydrating serum or oil product when using this, and it seems like a great go-to daily moisturizer. It did not irritate, break out, or cause any redness even with very sensitive skin, and does not feel heavy or greasy following application, as it’s quite lightweight but still provides a lot of suitable moisture and a long moisture hold.
The cream offers preventative anti-aging benefits (rather than retroactive), but it does help to provide brightening benefits, restores radiance to sallow skin, and helps improve evenness with respect to the skins texture with continual daily topical use.
Some reviewers do feel the cream helps provide retroactive anti-aging benefits for fine lines and wrinkles, so this is merely in comparison to more advanced treatments with more active ingredients, and any formulation containing hydration will provide more youthful looking skin. Additionally, providing the skin with a suitable barrier to protect from sun and environmental (which the cream does, though it does not contain SPF), will help prevent and address the signs of aging.
I would definitely recommend this cream to anyone seeking preventative anti-aging benefits, seeking to treat dry skin, dull skin, improve or restore radiance, or generally improve balance and tone in the skin. This is an excellent daily go-to moisturizer with high quality ingredients that is formulated with high quality minerals and exceeds initial claims of benefits of use.
Laneige Water Bank Moisture Cream: Ingredients
Especially for those with sensitive skin (a hallmark of this particular cream), it is particularly important to pay attention to ingredients in product formulations as you would food labels. Here is a look at some key ingredients in the formulation and corresponding benefits with daily topical use:
Hydro Ionized Mineral Water
From the manufacturer, the Water Bank Moisture Cream is “formulated with six moisture-maximizing minerals that are ionized and stabilized in water to penetrate quicker and deeper into skin; provides natural moisturizing Factors (NMF) to circulate and retain long-lasting moisture.”
In other words, the formulation contains vitamins and minerals to support skin health and circulation, and maintain maximum hydration, while providing gentle support to the skin, and still remaining suitable for sensitivities.
Glycerin
- Anti-acne benefits: helps prevent acne and bacteria that causes blemishes, decreasing breakouts, blackheads and whiteheads, particularly in the t-zone area
- Anti-inflammatory properties help in treating any topical redness or irritation
- Soothing and nourishing to the skin, cooling and cleansing
- Helps in providing a hydrating cleanse that still leaves skin smooth and free of any dirt or oil, without drying out or stripping the skin of natural oil
- Helps in depleting any lost hydration
- Anti-aging benefits: with continual daily use over time, fights signs of aging such as fine lines, wrinkles, sun spots, and with longterm use signs of hyperpigmentation
- Helps in providing moisture to the skin that is very absorbing and provides a long moisture hold
- Suitable for both very dry skin, combination skin, sensitive skin, and acne-prone skin
Meadowfoam Seed Oil
- Softens and smoothens skin
- Promotes radiance for dull or sallow skin
- Anti-aging benefits: helps treat fine lines, wrinkles, sun spots, and deeper set lines
- Helps protect the skin against free radical damage and creates a protective barrier
- Detoxifies the skin, helping minimize breakouts, acnes, blackheads, and whiteheads
- Helps treat dry skin and dry patches
- Works in tandem with other ingredients to treat dryness, dullness, and sensitive skin
Squalane
- Fights and prevents any bacteria on the skin, anti-acne benefits and reductions in blemishes
- Improves the appearance of uneven skin, while restoring smoothness of texture, balancing tone
- Helps protect skin, forming a protective barrier
- Hydrates, helping to restore any depleted hydration
- Anti-inflammatory properties help relieve skin irritation, redness, and breakouts
- Helps restore radiance in sallow or dull skin
- Helps restore smoothness and softness in dry skin
- Balances oil production, making it suitable for different skin types, including combination and oily types
- Anti-aging benefits: helps to repair uneven skin, lines and wrinkles, and sun spots
- Nourishing, calming and balancing
- Promotes glow, radiance, and feels smooth and soft when applied to the skin
Laneige Water Bank Moisture Cream: Pros & Cons
Pros
- Cruelty-free company: company does not test on any animals or use any animal products in their formulations or manufacturing processes
- Product is formulated free of any harsh chemical additives or sulfates, or irritating ingredients
- Suitable for all skin types, including very sensitive skin
- Product did not cause any redness, irritation, reaction, or breakouts, even with very sensitive and acne prone skin
- Product is extremely hydrating, soothing and gentle
- For those seeking to treat dull or sallow skin, the product helps achieve a more radiant aesthetic and improves overall glow and texture
- Helps restore radiance for sallow or dull skin
- Helps promote a soft glow
- Feels smooth and soft upon application
- Product is lightweight but still incredibly hydrating and provides benefits for dry skin
- Formulated for dull, dry and sensitive skin
- Skin appears more youthful and plumped, with continual daily use over time
- Longevity: very little product is needed, so the product should last for quite some time even with continual daily topical use
- Product is packed with vitamins and minerals to support overall skin health
Cons
- The product supports preventative anti-aging benefits but is not designed to be an advanced retroactive anti-aging formulation
- While the price point is moderate for the luxury beauty category, some may still consider this to be a high expense for the category, it is important to bear in mind a minimal amount of product is needed for use, so it will last for quite some time and provide suitable benefits
Laneige Water Bank Moisture Cream: Money-Back Guarantee
The manufacturer, Laneige, has a strong return and exchange policy that honors full refunds upon dissatisfaction, reaction, or allergy, and this policy favors the consumer, both new and returning. If you are dissatisfied with the use of the cream, or if it does not work for your skin to provide suitable hydrating or anti-aging benefits, or you experience any product allergy or reaction to the formulation, you may elect to return it at any time.
In this case, you will receive a full refund equal to the entire purchase price of the item. If the item was received as a gift (without receipt), the policy applies for an even exchange, and this policy is applicable to online purchase, as individual store policy may vary depending on location and distributer.
If you feel the policy if not taken into consideration, you may contact customer service, and you can remain ensured you will receive a full refund.
Laneige Water Bank Moisture Cream: Worth It?
Laneige’s Water Bank Moisture Cream is an ideal skincare treatment for dryness, dullness, and sensitive skin. For a luxury beauty item, it comes with a moderate price sticker, and definitely exceeds claims of benefits.
After using the cream, my skin felt extremely soft, hydrated, firm, plumped, and “baby soft.” It is formulated with safe and natural ingredients and free of any harsh chemical additives, making it ideal for those with sensitivities. It’s a leader in the Korean skincare category and growing in popularity quite quickly, because it is simply, gentle and very effective. Results are visible and fast, and I noticed many compliments on my skin, even more so than when using more expensive formulations and products.
I would highly recommend this product if you’re experiencing dry skin, if you have sensitive skin, and are seeking a daily go-to moisturizer that is packed with plenty of vitamins and minerals to support skin health. Highly recommended!