[ENG] Review: Laneige Water Bank Blue Hyaluronic Acid Cream – Newly Reformulated K-Beauty Cult Classic!

This article contains affiliate links* The Laneige Water Bank Blue Hyaluronic Acid Cream has been reformulated by AmorePacific and re-released with some pretty snazzy packaging! But, does this K-beauty cult classic offer more than just a pretty outside shell?

Laneige Water Bank Blue Hyaluronic Acid Cream – Reformulated K-Beauty Bestseller

Laneige is truly one of the “OG” Korean beauty brands that first became famous in the West. Their sleeping cream started the craze around the back then still new skincare category, and for many of us, the Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask is a K-beauty classic and holy grail must-have. I personally have been loving their Cica Sleeping Cream and still use it to this day.

I hadn’t tried the previous version of the Laneige Water Bank Hyaluronic Acid Cream, but instantly got hooked when the brand released the newly reformulated, repackaged update. Because, gosh, what gorgeous packaging it is! The cube-sized, soft blue cream pot looks so unusual and unique, I’d really never seen anything quite like it. Now, personally I would have liked to see some type of refill for such complicated, resource-heavy packaging, but ya know, it is what it is.

The Laneige Water Bank Blue Hyaluronic Acid Cream version I got came in a very affordable 1+1 set from Olive Young Global*, which gives you an additional 45ml tube of cream. In all truth, as much as I love the beautiful cream cube, the tube has been quite a bit more convenient, so I’ve mostly grabbed that one over the actual, main product version! I’ve been using this cream regularly for the past two-ish months and feel ready to give you a full product review!

So, What on Earth Is “Blue Hyaluronic Acid”?!

The secret to the hydrating powers of the Laneige Water Bank Blue Hyaluronic Acid Cream is the newly added “blue hyaluronic acid.” According to AmorePacific, this is a special form of HA that has been fermented twice and enriched with Fucoidan, a type of fermented seaweed. Now, I don’t know how much I believe in this “supercharged” hyaluronic acid, but in general, fermentation can help with the absorption of certain ingredients. So, it may just be that the hyaluronic acid used in this cream is more readily absorbable than HA with a larger molecular size.

Here is the full list of ingredients for the Laneige Water Bank Blue Hyaluronic Acid Cream:

“Water, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Squalane, Sucrose Polystearate, Pentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate, Methyl Trimethicone, Dibutyl Adipate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Glyceryl Stearate, Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate, Bis-Hydroxyethoxypropyl Dimethicone, Stearyl Dimethicone, Caprylic/Capric/Myristic/Stearic Triglyceride, Stearic Acid, Palmitic Acid, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Cetyl Alcohol, Propanediol, Octadecene, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Fragrance, Xanthan Gum, Glyceryl Caprylate, Dextrin, Tromethamine, Ethylhexylglycerin, Disodium EDTA, Sorbitan Isostearate, Allantoin, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid (0.02%), Beta-Glucan, Ceramide NP, Myristic Acid, Arachidic Acid, Lactobacillus Ferment Lysate, Tocopherol, Undaria Pinnatifida Extract.”

I’m not going to lie, I remember reading the ingredients list of this cream and not being too impressed: there are a lot of silicones and other texture-smoothing ingredients in here that don’t neccessarily do anything other than making the formula look and feel nicer. But, see, this is exactly why we shouldn’t judge products solely based on their INCI list! Sure, the added glycerin, hyaluronic acid, beta glucan, squalane and ceramides may not sound super exciting as far as moisturising and hydrating ingredients go. But, in the case of the Laneige Water Bank Blue Hyaluronic Acid Cream they all work together in such a perfect synergy that yes, it actually creates quite an amazing moisturiser!

The cream also contains the aforementioned brown sea algae extract plus fermented ingredients, mainly lactobacillus ferment lysate. This is an alcohol-free formula, but it does contain a bit of fragrance.

Laneige Water Bank Blue Hyaluronic Acid Cream – Refreshing, Long-lasting Moisture

The Laneige Water Bank Blue Hyaluronic Acid Cream has a light fragrance that, honestly, I’m not too keen on overall. It reminds me of 90s to early 2000s “department store counter” beauty products, a bit old fashioned for such a stylish and modern formula.

What really impressed me straight away, however, is the lovely texture of the cream: it is smooth, silky and very light, yet definitely more moisturising than similar hyaluronic acid creams I’ve tried. Very often, the “cream” turns out to be more of a non-moisturising, mostly hydrating, watery gel – which would have worked for my combo skin in my 20s and 30s, but not so much anymore in my 40s.

I bought the Laneige Water Bank Blue Hyaluronic Acid Cream in winter, which is when I usually go for thicker, more nourishing formulas, so I was worried it wouldn’t be enough as a daytime moisturiser. But, to my surprise, this has been so wonderful for my skin! The cream glides onto skin, melting upon contact. It does feel more gel-like once applied, but still rich enough to satisfy anyone with oily to combo and normal/balanced skin. I also think this can be a lovely moisturiser choice for younger people with dry skin, at least during the summer month.

I especially like using the Laneige Hyaluronic Acid Cream under my foundation. It makes my skin so soft and plump, while also not leaving any residue. After I use this, my skin just seems more noticeably hydrated and well-balanced, foundation applies more evenly and smoothly, even if I apply a sunscreen in-between.

If you have “thirsty” skin, especially leaning towards combo skin, then this is an ideal moisturiser for your skin concerns! It isn’t too heavy, while also providing a great balance of moisture and hydration. The texture is super pleasant, sitting right at that perfect spot between too rich or too light, with a smoothness that feels super luxurious. It is the ideal moisturiser to use as makeup prep, probably my favourite skin priming product at the moment. Seriously – well done, AmorePacific!

So, where can you buy the Water Bank Blue Hyaluronic Acid Cream?

You can purchase the Laneige Water Bank Blue Hyaluronic Acid Cream at Olive Young Global* as a 1+1 value set for currently only $34.70 for 2x45ml (cube+tube). Cult Beauty* also sells the cream for €37.29 and I believe that Sephora should also sell this in the US and Europe in stores!

Let me know in the comments: Have you tried any of the new The Ordinary Launches?

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