Review: Laneige BB Cushion Pore Control

Identifying Information Product name: Laneige BB Cushion Pore Control in No. 21 Natural Beige, 15g Price: PhP 1,950.00  Description: "New concept Cushion BB for Pore Control + Pore Coverage + Semi-matt Finish + Water resistant + Long lasting + Sunscreen + Cooling Effect" Here's a photo containing the description, claims, shades and instructions for use of this BB cushion. I'm placing it here since it's a lot easier to read/look at. ;)
Photo taken from the Laneige Malaysia website:

Product Origin: South Korea Where I bought it: Laneige, SM Megamall History: I purchased this for my birthday last November 2014. I have since finished up the original BB cushion in the case and I've put in the refill. I believe there's roughly about 30-40% left in it at present.
Physical Examination: Click on the photos to make them larger and more readable.^^

Product insert

The refill

Before applying it on my whole face. Applied some on my right cheek without blending it so you can see how it looks like.

After. My hyperpigmented scars weren't completely covered but they look less noticeable. My skin's redness was covered. My skin looks more even.

Somehow in this lighting it looks dewy.

This was taken on the same day as the photo above, only with natural lighting. The heart shaped sticker you can see above my left eyebrow is my favorite Nexcare Acne Patch. :)

Salient Features Positives:

• Looks very natural on the skin
• It makes my skin look like my own skin but so much better and I love it! I've gotten compliments on my skin when wearing this.
• Has a semi-matte finish as advertised
• This is related to the first point above. It doesn't make the skin look flat. 
• Light to medium coverage
• It is able to provide moderate coverage of redness, hyperpigmentation, and dark undereye circles. Despite my horrid dark undereye circles, I could use this product without any concealer or powder if I'm in a rush and be ready for the day.
• Quick and easy to use
• Definitely good for makeup on the go! Using it also does not require any special makeup know-how because all you need to do is pat, pat, pat and you're done!
• The puff it comes with makes for an effortless application.
• Has a high SPF and PA rating
• The American Academy of Dermatology recommends using sunscreen with at least SPF 30 or higher. I don't recommend that you rely on this makeup for all your sunscreen needs but it's good that it gives added protection against UVA and UVB rays. 
• From Mayo Clinic: 
  "Do I need to apply sunscreen even if I wear cosmetics that contain sunscreen?
  It depends on how much time you'll be spending in the sun. If you wear cosmetics that contain sunscreen, such as moisturizer, foundation or lipstick, you'll need to reapply them every two hours when outside or also apply a separate sunscreen.
  If you won't be spending much time outdoors and you don't wash your face or heavily sweat during the day, it's OK to apply a moisturizer containing sunscreen just once in the morning."
• This article on sunscreens by the American Academy of Dermatology is a good read. Please visit and read it when you have time. :)
• Has a cooling effect on the skin upon application
• The cooling effect is felt while you're patting the product onto your skin. It does not last any longer than that and that's okay with me.
• Refills are available and accessible
• Packaging is compact, sturdy and looks classy
• Good for retouching makeup
• Did not cause any skin irritation or acne
• Lightly scented - does not trigger my allergic rhinitis

Negatives:

• Can settle onto the sides of my nose
• Using minimal product on that area and blending it more seem to solve this.
• Oil control is so-so.
• Shine is obvious at about the 4th hour of wear. I'd usually blot at the 5th or 6th hour. My makeup would still look okay then. If I want to retouch my makeup, what I do is I blot my face first then reapply the product on areas where it is needed.
• Pricey
• The brand Laneige seems to be targeting a different segment of the population compared to let's say Etude House and The Face Shop. Products from this brand are generally more expensive than "road shop" Korean brands and so the pricing of this item is not out of the ordinary for them. With that being said, the price may then not be a truly negative trait of the product, depending on how you look at it. 
• Limited shade range 
• If I remember correctly, there are 3 shades available here in the Philippines: 13, 21 and 23. However there are actually 6 shades in total based on the product insert.
• Considering that Laneige is a Korean brand, it is already impressive that they have more than just the usual two shades for this product. I wonder why the deeper shades weren't brought here when in fact many Filipinos would fall under the #23 shade or even darker.
• Update (January 4, 2016): Laneige Philippines now carries more shades of their BB cushion products. Their lightest shade is 11 and the deepest shade available is 35! Good job, Laneige! :)
• There is less amount of product in this cushion compared to a regular bottle or tube of BB cream. 

Impression/Rating: 9/10

Discussion: This has got to be the first time I spent so much on a single purchase of a makeup product. As usual, I've watched numerous reviews on YouTube before buying it so I knew what I was getting myself into. Many of the Korean YouTube channels that I follow love and recommend it. This was also my first Laneige purchase ever. I've tried other brands of cushion makeup before namely Espoir Nude Face Slip and Innisfree Long Wear Cushion, both of which were given to me by my dearest Nanning eonni. Out of the 3 that I've used, I think that this Laneige cushion is the best one.

The air cell dual textured puff it comes with is good for applying and blending the BB cream. It doesn't absorb the product rather it easily transfers it onto the skin. With continued use, it is inevitable that the puff would get gunky. You could easily purchase a new puff (I believe it costs more than 100pesos) or you could try washing the puff yourself. Extra care is needed when washing it because scrubbing or wringing could cause tears that would negatively affect its efficacy.

Prognosis: I've thought of purchasing a refill* even if I'm not yet finished with the one I have now but I decided to postpone the purchase until I truly need it. I have a lot of things laying around the house and I don't want to lose or misplace this one. It's expensive, haha. The temptation to try other more affordable BB cushions exists but I feel some apprehension as they may not be as good as this one.

I really like this for times when I'm in a hurry, when I don't feel like using my fingers to blend my makeup, or when I'm going for a light, natural makeup look. If you're curious about BB cushions and would like to try one, I highly recommend this product. BB cushions have been one of the most popular makeup in South Korea these past couple of years for good reason. The brand Lancome has caught up with the trend and has recently released their own version of a cushion makeup. :)

*The refill costs PhP 950.00 and is available in Laneige stores.

As always, if you have any questions, comments or suggestions, feel free to post it below and I will respond as soon as possible. :)