Review | Laneíge Snow BB Essence Balm SPF 33 PA++

When I received a press sample of Laneíge Snow BB Essence Balm SPF 33 PA++ (S$55/13g), I didn’t expect it to be in a convenient compact form.

The BB cream is nestled in a gorgeous round holographic case that captures the light beautifully, reflecting a myriad of rainbow colours.

In addition, the sponge sits hygienically on on a flip lid which fastens securely to prevent the cream from losing moisture.

I love the packaging of this compact and the ease of use it affords.

Unfortunately, its performance is a little wanting at times: While I love the glide and cooling sensation of this ultra-smooth cream, it tends to settle into my pores along the course of the day; the most prominent being those on my nose.

Furthermore, it requires careful blending/setting, especially along the jawline; else I might obtain a distinct foundation line which Iris spotted one day when I was wearing this BB cream. Blending aside, this might be attributed to the humidity of the day, causing the product to recede on the jawline.

According to the brand, this BB cream contains quintuple benefits: UV protection, whitening, anti-wrinkling, hydration and a refreshing, cooling sensation on the skin when applied. Furthermore, it promises to hydrate the skin with Laneíge’s signature Liquid Crystal Essence, an ingredient that acts as a natural skin barrier to create a long-lasting moisturising effect on the skin, as well as prevent moisture loss.

The brand also states that this product incorporates ‘a semi-stabilization technology which transforms the balm into liquid upon application’ but I don’t really see this, though I concede that the product goes on very smoothly – almost like liquid – on my skin. The glide and silicone-y sensation is very much reminiscent of several cream foundations (in stick and compact forms) that I’ve tried.

To its credit, there are days when this product looks good on my skin. Above is the BB cream (I’d set it very lightly with a loose powder) on my skin after several hours of wear. It does a decent job of evening out my skin tone and it gives me adequate sun protection, which is why I’ll probably continue using it. I really like that it’s a perfect match for me, with no greyish cast at all (I’m using shade #02, Natural BB). That said, I need to take more care where application is concerned and will pair it with other bases or moisturisers to try to mitigate the pore-settling problem.