LANEIGE BB Cushion for Target - Review & Swatches | Hello Pretty Bird! - A beauty and not-so-glamorous lifestyle blog

24 March, 2014

LANEIGE BB Cushion for Target - Review & Swatches


Warning: Today's post is picture-heavy after the jump. But if you like looking at pictures of makeup, that may be a good thing. :)

LANEIGE BB Cushion for Target

Those of you who read my blog regularly may have seen the introduction to the LANEIGE brand and their recent launch at Target that I posted a couple of days ago - you can read that here if you missed it. Today I'll be giving a you a little review and overview of the LANEIGE BB Cushion SPF 50+, which in my opinion is a very exciting product to be hitting Target's shelves. Want to know why? Keep on reading...


What is a BB Cushion?

First, a very tiny bit of background: LANEIGE is a South Korean brand. If you follow Korean skincare or makeup trends at all, then you're probably already aware of BB Cushions because they are MASSIVELY hot items in Korea (and other parts of Asia) at the moment. For those of you who have never seen a BB Cushion before and are wondering what the heck is - they're basically liquid foundations (or BB cream, if we're being specific) encapsulated in an absorbent "cushion" inside a sturdy compact.

This guy closes with a very satisfying "click".

Generally speaking, why would one want to use BB cushions instead of regular foundation or BB cream? For starters, they're very compact, making them ideal for sticking in a purse or whatever when you're on the go. The latching mechanism means that they're VERY unlikely to open in transit, and like other compacts you have a mirror and applicator nestled inside as well. The actual "cushion" portion in LANEIGE's version is a rubbery-feeling sponge consisting of roughly 800,000 tiny pores, which suspend the BB cream inside until you press down on it.

LANEIGE BB Cushion for Target pores foam
Cushion close-up: Glrbhbfjhdbfjshdbs.

Here's what it looks like if you press down on the cushion with your finger:

Glrbhbfjhdbfjshdbs 2: The Return.

As you can see, the BB cream comes out when you press and is distributed evenly. Which brings me to another reason why BB Cushions are unique - they typically come with special "puff" applicators, which are designed to apply the BB cream lightly and evenly without absorbing too much of the product.

LANEIGE BB Cushion for Target puff
LANEIGE BB puff - most of the product is *on* the cushion, not absorbed by it.

So, in a nutshell, why use a BB cushion instead of BB cream from a tube? It's highly portable (useful for travel or frequent touch-ups), and is ideal for creating a light, natural finish.


Particulars about the LANEIGE BB Cushion:

The LANEIGE BB Cushion is available at Target and retails at $34 for 30g of product (2x 15g cushion inserts). First of all, the packaging for this product is AWESOME. I don't usually rave about packaging too much, but in this case it directly contributes to the functionality of the product so I think it's worth mentioning. The BB Cushion case is very sturdy and comes with a large (and very nice) mirror inside:


That thing with the LANEIGE ribbon is the applicator puff, and that is separated from the cushion by a little hinged plastic lid/shelf, which keeps the puff from getting nasty and the BB cream from getting all over the mirror. I think this type of setup is similar to other BB Cushions, but the LANEIGE version feels very sturdy and high-quality, which I appreciate. I feel like I could throw this in my purse and not worry about it accidentally exploding all over everything I own.

The LANEIGE BB Cushion for Target is available in three shades: Light, Medium, and Dark. Here's a look inside the compacts:

LANEIGE BB Cushion for Target  light medium dark

Please note: I think these look slightly darker in the cushion then they do on my arm. I'll show you a pic in a second and I guess we'll see if you agree with me or not. For those of you who have already purchased BB Cushions from LANEIGE overseas and are wondering if there are any equivalent shades to the Korean versions, the answer is yes! The breakdown is as follows:

  • "Light" is equivalent to #21
  • "Medium" is equivalent to #33
  • "Dark" is darkest (duh) and does not have a Korean equivalent 

Unblended swatches on my arm:

LANEIGE BB Cushion for Target swatches
Left to right: Light, Medium, Dark

Very important note: Do not be alarmed at how yellow "Light" looks on my arm. I am VERY pale and cool-toned (NW15 or maybe even lighter in winter), and Light/21 is probably meant for someone more around the NC20-25 range. The darker shades also seem to have a warmer undertone. It's difficult for me to say exactly what their equivalents would be because I don't have anything (or anyone) directly available to me to compare it to - I'm going to estimate that "Medium" is probably NC30-35, and "Dark" is maybe NC45-ish? If I have any darker-skinned people reading, I'd love to know what you think these colors are similar to.

I would say that the Light shade is slightly too dark for me personally, but it's not unwearable once it's blended out a bit.


The color's not quite right for me, but as you can see it blends out into a very natural-looking finish. I will also add that it's a little bit buildable and slightly dewy, but not disco ball-style shiny. The coverage is light to moderate... it will even out redness and cover minor imperfections, but it won't erase your dark circles or anything like that. Personally I didn't feel like I needed to use powder with this except on my shiny shiny nose, but if you have very oily skin your results may be different.

Here are all three shades blended out a bit with the puff on my arm:

Sudden hit of direct sunlight, youch.

Because the coverage is fairly light I think you'd be able to get away with wearing these if you're within a couple shades, so if you think you're close I'd say they're worth a shot!


Other notable things of note:

I did wear the "light" cushion a couple of times to see how it held up and it did fairly well under normal conditions - I went over four hours without needing a touch-up. Your results may vary if you're wearing it whilst running a marathon or shoveling coal, of course.

It's also worth noting that the LANEIGE BB Cushion has SPF 50 broad-spectrum UVA, UVB sun protection. Should this be the only sunblock you use if you're outside all day? No. But if you need a little extra SPF this will come in handy, especially since the packaging makes it easy to touch up throughout the day.

The penultimate notable thing of note: This product smells AMAZING. I'm not sure how to describe it... just a light powdery fresh scent? But it's a really nice one. I wish all my laundry smelled like this BB Cushion. I didn't find the scent to be ridiculously strong or overpowering, but I could still smell it a bit once it was on my face.

Last but not least, here's a full ingredients list - I know some of you wanted this. :)

WATER, CYCLOPENTASILOXANE, ZINC OXIDE (CI 77947), TITANIUM DIOXIDE (CI 77891), ETHYLHEXYL METHOXYCINNAMATE, CYCLOHEXASILOXANE, PHENYL TRIMETHICONE, PEG-10 DIMETHICONE, BUTYLENE GLYCOL DICAPRYLATE/DICAPRATE, LAURYL PEG-9 POLYDIMETHYLSILOXYETHYL DIMETHICONE, ARBUTIN, BUTYLENE GLYCOL, IRON OXIDES (CI 77492), ACRYLATES/ETHYLHEXYL ACRYLATE/DIMETHICONE METHACRYLATE COPOLYMER, POLYHYDROXYSTEARIC ACID, SODIUM CHLORIDE, ALUMINUM HYDROXIDE, POLYMETHYL METHACRYLATE, STEARIC ACID, TRIETHOXYCAPRYLYLSILANE, PHENOXYETHANOL, DISTEARDIMONIUM HECTORITE, FRAGRANCE, HDI/TRIMETHYLOL HEXYLLACTONE CROSSPOLYMER, ISOSTEARIC ACID, ETHYLHEXYL PALMITATE, LECITHIN, ISOPROPYL PALMITATE, IRON OXIDES (CI 77491), POLYGLYCERYL-3 POLYRICINOLEATE, ETHYLHEXYLGLYCERIN, ACRYLATES/STEARYL ACRYLATE/DIMETHICONE METHACRYLATE COPOLYMER, MELIA AZADIRACHTA EXTRACT, YEAST EXTRACT, IRON OXIDES (CI 77499), DIMETHICONE, TRIMETHYLSILOXYSILICATE, DISODIUM EDTA, DIMETHICONE/VINYL DIMETHICONE CROSSPOLYMER, SILICA, MANGANESE SULFATE, ZINC SULFATE, MAGNESIUM SULFATE, CAMELLIA SINENSIS LEAF EXTRACT, CAPRYLYL GLYCOL, 1,2-HEXANEDIOL



Bottom line: The LANEIGE BB Cushion has a lovely formula and light, natural finish. My only complaint is that the range of shades is slightly limited - I'd love to see them add one on either end of the spectrum, plus a couple more intermediate shades. But if the shades they do offer seem like they would be a match for you, I'd recommend checking this product out - it's nice and novel at the same time.


Where to buy: You can find all three of the cushions on Target.com, and I believe they will be sold in physical stores as well - you can see which Targets are carrying LANEIGE here. If you're outsude the US I recommend checking out Amore Pacific's eBay store for your LANEIGE cushion needs, though the varieties/shade names there are slightly different.


What do you think of the LANEIGE BB Cushion? Have you tried a BB cushion before?

Disclosure: The items featured in this post were provided to me for review purposes, however my opinions are still honest and my own. I did not receive any other form of compensation for this post. This post contains affiliate links. For more information, check out my full disclosure policy.

51 comments:

  1. Thanks so much for reviewing this! <3 I've been debating whether or not to get this because I wasn't sure if this was the same as the ones produced from Korea like the Snow Soothing B.B Cushion and I couldn't find any info on it. I'm about an NC20 with a neutral undertone. Do you think the "Light" color will be too yellowish for my skin tone?

    ReplyDelete
  2. It's tough for me to say. I do think it leans a bit yellow, but since it's kind of sheer it might work. What shade did you take in the Snow Soothing Cushion? I don't have any of the other LANEIGE cushions so I can't do a direct comparison, but I think their colors are fairly consistent throughout the line based on photos I've seen? "Light" is equivalent to shade #21.

    ReplyDelete
  3. With Love, TiffanyMarch 25, 2014 at 1:16 AM

    Oh, "Light" should work fine for me then. I match closest with shade #21. I think I will try this out :)

    ReplyDelete
  4. For something thats going to be sold at target, this is quite expensive!!!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Target recently introduced several mid-priced, "premium" brands to their beauty department (LANEIGE being one of them). I think Target is trying to compete with higher-end beauty stores, and I actually don't think that's crazy at all... personally I would consider buying $2 eyeliner AND $30 skin cream for myself, so why not make them available at the same place? Not to mention online orders...

    ReplyDelete
  6. Fräulein SchneeMarch 25, 2014 at 5:56 AM

    I'm using the Laneige Soothing BB cushion at the moment and I really like it, especially how it blends into the skin, although I first thought it might be to yellow. Actually, is this the same as the soothing cushion or is it another type?

    ReplyDelete
  7. Holy orange moly. I'm having a really hard time finding BB cushions that are light enough for me. I just wish they made a lighter shade in this because it looks like a great product.

    ReplyDelete
  8. That's a very good point, the brand will probably sell fairly well given how popular korean beauty is now in north america!

    ReplyDelete
  9. Haha. I think the Korean version has a couple of lighter shades, so I'm hoping that they'll expand the color selection someday if these are popular.

    ReplyDelete
  10. I think they're different, but I'm not 100% sure - I would have to look at the ingredients. Some of the LANEIGE stuff that just came out in the US has slightly different names than the Asian versions. I've seen photos of that one online and they do look similar though!

    ReplyDelete
  11. As you probably know, I'm not the biggest BB Cream fan, though I've heard the Korean ones are way better than most of the brands I would have tried. I was actually seriously considering giving it a whirl until I saw the shades. :( I'm also NW15 and I don't think I would feel comfortable with it being darker. I'd be self-conscious all day. Ah well. Save my money for other superfluous beauty items. ;)

    Shani x

    ReplyDelete
  12. The formula of these is really great, but yeah, it probably wouldn't be a color match for you. If you're looking a Korean BB that *would* do I'd recommend checking out Missha Perfect Cover #13 or #21 - they don't come in a cool cushion format though. :(

    ReplyDelete
  13. Haha I don't blame you! Trust me, I'll be shouting it from the rooftops if/when they start selling a lighter cushion. :)

    ReplyDelete
  14. Oh no >....< I was hoping Laneige made their shades more conclusive, but if this is basically 23 and 31 (light/med) then I'm still stuck on which color to get, haha! I might try medium anyway if I'm going to be tanning soon. Thanks for posting these! Are you going to sell those ones you swatched?

    ReplyDelete
  15. This is an interesting product. They def look yellow though. I have a neutral undertone so even though you are cool, these may be too warm toned for me too.

    ReplyDelete
  16. Hmmm, I'm super golden and even these look too yellow for me! I hope they'll have testers in store so I can try it out. I really want a BB cushion!

    ReplyDelete
  17. I think they look less yellow once they're blended out. But you're right, testers would be a really good idea! It's so hard to guess how something would look on you from a picture...

    ReplyDelete
  18. Looks like a great product but I have such a pink undertone I am not sure if the colors they over would work. If any of the shades would it would have to be the light since I have a fair/light w/ pink undertones. It is kind of expensive for me to buy it to try. But I have entered your giveaway so I can always hope I win. I hope you or any of your viewers will check out my Dermagist giveaway, only 3 days left.

    ReplyDelete
  19. This packaging is so interesting! But $34 really surprises me at Target!!!!

    ReplyDelete
  20. Fingers crossed! I just retweeted your giveaway so maybe some new people will see it. :)

    ReplyDelete
  21. Well you may have already read about this, but Target recently revamped their beauty department and added a few "premium" brands, including this one. Speaking as someone who buys mid-priced skincare anyway that seems like a great idea, though I suppose buying toilet paper with coupons and a BB cushion at the same time is a little funny. :P

    ReplyDelete
  22. Lisa @ Ameliorer la VieMarch 25, 2014 at 9:28 PM

    I would be very interested in trying this if they had a lighter shade. The light one looks like it would be too dark for me.

    ReplyDelete
  23. I hear that. I absolutely love the texture of this product, but since I usually take #13 (super-duper light) it's a little too dark for me to really pull it off.

    ReplyDelete
  24. Wow, I haven't seen this before,but the cushion thing seems pretty cool. I really like it and now I know it's available at Target, I'll definitely be picking one up!

    May from La Vie en May

    ReplyDelete
  25. It may be worth the hour drive to the nearest Target just to stalk the halls. Light may lean too yellow for me, (my skin is already sallow-ish), but I would love to see it up close and in person.


    Actually who am I kidding? I know I'm totally going to make the drive. The question is when... Thank you for the comprehensive review! So excited!

    ReplyDelete
  26. Haha yes! Check out their moisturizers while you're there. I'm going to do a write-up on a couple of them next week, but I was actually using them even prior to the launch at Target, so I think it's safe to say that I think they're good. :)

    ReplyDelete
  27. thanks so much for the swatches!! i was very excited when i heard of laneige's launch and target, and even more excited for the bb cushion. too bad the dark shade isn't dark enough ;_; but at least i know now instead of spending money!

    ReplyDelete
  28. No problem! I was sad that none of them matched me too, but at least their skincare stuff (which I really like!) is readily available now. :)

    ReplyDelete
  29. I was looking forward to this bb cream. Went to three target stores to get it. But the light is too dark for me. I am so disapointed. I hopping they will realse other light colors. Other than that I like this bb cream

    ReplyDelete
  30. I hope so too! I love the texture so it would be nice to have a lighter color.

    ReplyDelete
  31. I have this in the Light shade and application is a dream! I am NC25 and the shade matches me almost perfectly. I love the natural finish with medium (maybe leaning towards medium-light) coverage and the slightly dewy/ satin finish. I really love how light the texture (much lighter than the Etude House Any Cushion foundation) and it feels like I'm not wearing anything on my skin.


    I must say the shades look really yellow here..they don't look very yellow on my skin when I swatched them, but then I do have a slight yellow undertone.

    ReplyDelete
  32. I think these look really yellow on me because (a) I'm definitely very, very cool-toned and (b) the lightest shade is too dark for me. I wish I had someone with a different skintone to swatch on because they look much more natural on people with yellow undertones! Speaking of which, I'm glad to hear it matched you well. :)

    ReplyDelete
  33. That dark looks like an NC42 at the darkest. I would love to try this since I've been obsessed with BB cushions but could never find anything in my range (NC42/44 depending on the season) since they're Korean (duh). It's kinda nice to see Laniege do a darker colour.

    ReplyDelete
  34. Thanks for the feedback! The cushions are definitely sold on the Target website, if you want to stalk there. :) I hope more Korean companies take note as they expand into the US and come out with darker shades!

    ReplyDelete
  35. Anyone know if nc42 can wear medium? I tried dark but my face ended up darker than my neck and body! It's like I just got a spray tan on my face only! Lol

    ReplyDelete
  36. Thank you for this review! I think I might be a medium considering I'm more yellow and will get tan over the summer. Is it really that yellow/orange like your swatch? Hah I'm scared! Cause I'm ordering online b/c my Target has no stock of any of their products :(

    ReplyDelete
  37. If you have yellow undertones it should be fine. They look REALLY yellow on me because I'm super-pale and have very cool undertones. You know how some people complain about certain BB creams looking too grey? The grey ones look perfect on me, haha.

    Another blogger just reviewed the medium cushion if you more perspective: http://www.samplehime.com/2014/06/review-target-laneige-bb-cushion-medium.html

    ReplyDelete
  38. Ahhh okay I did read that you are super pale haha, I'm more yellow :( thanks for your fast reply :)

    ReplyDelete
  39. I'm not sure what's in Calgary, but your best bet would be to find an Amore Pacific store! Unfortunately I don't think the Target stores in Canada are carrying Laneige. :(

    ReplyDelete
  40. When I buy Laneige overseas, I usually buy the shade Sand Beige #23. Would light or medium be a better fit if I were to buy it from Target?

    ReplyDelete
  41. I think Sand Beige would be closer to "light", though it might be a bit light for you. Do you live near a Target that sells Laneige? I think some of them have testers in-store.

    ReplyDelete
  42. For reference, Im with you on this... I usually buy #21 from my local amore store in TX...Its pretty close to the US version "Light" But there are more colorants in the US version.... I can wear #23 just fine, only that it really doesn't brighten my face up...It really just evens out my face rather lighten me up...I personally feel the US shades are more orange toned the the regular #13 #14 #21 #23... Ive bought both the US Light and Medium...When i wore medium it made me look tanned...I wouldn't be able to pull it off other than in the summer and spring..... In MAC i usually wear NW/NC 22-25 depending on the foundation..... I feel like were the "inbetween" shade that the US hasn't offered yet... When i got a hold of #21 I did a side by side comparison on my face with Light and #21 ....They were essentially the same THING in terms of shade lightness....only that the US version seemed more orange (red)...... I say keep buying you're #23 until the states offers it...If you need you're cushion compact in a flash then get the US version LIGHT and sweep a bit of bronzer on it......I feel like I'm going crazy all over again back when mac jumped from NW20 to 25....I finally found my heaven when they brought out an NW/NC 22

    ReplyDelete
  43. You are a total babe! Thank you so much for all the details. I was eyeing it for a long time, walking around in circles - there is no way to try - now I know that I need "light". Thank you for all the job!

    ReplyDelete
  44. Hi! Nice Review. I have a question for you... I bought a bb cream previously and I was a Natural Beige for that one. I am really interested in buying this product but I am unable to figure out what shade I would be out of the three? Would you suggest one for me. I have more of olive kind of skintone.

    ReplyDelete
  45. Hi Amreen! I'm not sure - does your BB cream say what shade number Natural Beige is? I *think* Natural Beige is #21, but I'm not 100% sure. If that's the case then "light" is the closest match.

    ReplyDelete
  46. Hi Rebecca! This is Amreen. I used to use Missha No. 23 Natural Beige. So, which one is the closest match?

    Please let me know.

    ReplyDelete
  47. Unfortunately I think Missah #23 is between the shades "light" and "medium", so there isn't an exact match. Light would be a little closer, but probably too light I think. I've also heard that Missha BB creams usually have more of a grey undertone than Laneige... hard for me to say for sure though because #23 would be way too dark for me. If you're willing to do a little internet shopping Laneige does make a #23 cushion, it's just not sold in Target stores in the US.

    ReplyDelete
  48. Ok. Thank You Very Much for your quick replies =)

    ReplyDelete