Laneige quietly dropped seven ingredients from the Cream Skin formula last year. Loyalists are pissed — and I don’t blame them.
The old version felt like wrapping your face in silk. This one? It’s more like a polite handshake. The difference is in the slip — that slick, almost oily glide is gone.
It’s a toner-meets-moisturizer hybrid. $37 for 150ml. The original claim: “cream that sinks in like water.” That was true — in 10 seconds flat.
Texture Shift
New formula dries down faster — almost too fast. Less time to pat it in.
Scent Change
Old one barely smelled. New one has a faint, sweet floral — like a candle melting nearby.
Finish
Old = dewy glass. New = satin, borderline matte after 5 minutes.
Photo: ONNE Beauty / Unsplash
They removed Meadowfoam Seed Oil and Macadamia Seed Oil — the heavy-hitters that gave it that cushiony feel. Replaced them with lighter esters. Your skin absorbs it faster, but you lose the plush barrier.
- Meadowfoam Seed Oil (GONE): Was the main occlusive — kept moisture locked for hours
- Macadamia Seed Oil (GONE): Gave that bouncy, almost bouncy finish
- Squalane (STAYS): Still there, still doing its job — lightweight hydration
- Citrus Junos Fruit Extract (NEW): Added for brightening — makes it slightly tacky on application
It came out watery — thinner than I remembered. Smelled like a light floral sunscreen (not bad, just unexpected). Absorbed in 8 seconds flat. My skin felt… fine. Not dewy. Just fine.
Week three: my T-zone stayed matte longer, which is nice. But my cheeks felt tight by noon — something the old version never let happen. The unexpected win? It layers better under SPF. No pilling.
My skin looks hydrated, but not plump. The glass effect is gone — replaced by a “healthy but not radiant” look. Pores are the same. Breakouts? No change.
It’s not ruined — it’s just different. If you need a lightweight hydrator that plays nice with makeup, this works. If you want the old dewy dream, start hoarding the 2024 batches on eBay.