Review: LANEIGE Multi Cleanser (now available at Target) | Hello Pretty Bird! - A beauty and not-so-glamorous lifestyle blog

29 April, 2014

Review: LANEIGE Multi Cleanser (now available at Target)

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Are there any avid double-cleansers out there reading? If so, this post may be of interest to you.

LANEIGE Multi Cleanser ingredients

For those not familiar with the process, double cleansing basically just means using two cleansers (usually one oil-based and one foamy or milky cleanser) to better remove makeup, sunscreen, and excess face grime at the end of the day. Since double cleansing is a very common concept amongst Korean brands, I was intrigued when I read the product description for the LANIEGE Multi Cleanser, which suggests that this product can effectively remove makeup in one go.

Want to know if it works? Let's find out...


LANEIGE is of course a well-known, mid-priced Korean skincare and makeup brand that recently launched at Target stores in the United States. The Multi Cleanser comes in a 180ml/6.0fl oz squeezy tube and retails for $22. According to the info printed on the package, this product is supposed to:

  • Melt away makeup with foaming action
  • Rinse away sunscreen
  • Gently exfoliate with natural papaya
  • Thoroughly cleanse for brighter, fresher-feeling skin

Ingredients:
WATER, GLYCERIN, STEARIC ACID, MYRISTIC ACID, PEG-32, POTASSIUM HYDROXIDE, BUTYLENE GLYCOL, PROPYLENE GLYCOL, LAURETH-1 PHOSPHATE, CELLULOSE, LAURIC ACID, LAURYL PHOSPHATE, LAURAMIDE DEA, GLYCERYL STEARATE, PEG-100 STEARATE, FRAGRANCE, DISODIUM EDTA, CAMELLIA SINENSIS LEAF EXTRACT, POLYMETHYL METHACRYLATE, LACTOBACILLUS/WATER HYACINTH FERMENT, MANNITOL, HYDROLYZED WHEAT PROTEIN, PAPAIN, PEG-75


WHOOSH. Here's what the cleanser looks like up close:

LANEIGE Multi Cleanser ingredients texture

Glop. This stuff is THICK. Sort of like school paste, but with a pleasant fresh scent that matches well with the rest of the LANEIGE product line. You probably can't tell from looking at the photo, but this actually has a slightly scrubby texture. That totally took me by surprise - I was expecting it to just be a regular foaming cleanser. That said, the scrubbies are very fine and I didn't find them to be especially harsh.

I used this cleanser under a variety of conditions (e.g. after oil cleanser, solo on bare skin, in the shower, in the sink, in outer space, etc.) and generally liked the results. It foams up nicely and left my face feeling clean but not totally stripped of moisture. I could imagine this suiting a wide variety of skin types, but being particularly suitable for "normal" to dry skin. I ran the product through CosDNA (results here) and it flagged a couple of ingredients as possible acne triggers, so I would test this conservatively if you have acne-prone skin.

As for the makeup-melting claims... I need to be honest. I am always very skeptical of non-oily products that claim to dissolve makeup. Nothing against LANEIGE, but based on my own personal experiences with stubborn foundation and all sorts of cleansers I've found that oil really does work best for getting off makeup. And if that's not an option, using a makeup wipe before going in with the foaming cleanser also helps. Being the skeptic that I am, I had to put the "melting" claim to the test. This is what I did:

  • Applied a generous layer of Etude House Precious Mineral Bright Fit BB cream to my face. This is one of those "love the formula, hate the color" products for me - none of the shades really match me, but the finish is awesome and it's one of the most water-resistant (aka PAIN IN THE ASS TO REMOVE) BB creams I've tried.
  • Stared at myself in the mirror for a while and laughed at my ridiculous appearance.
  • Allowed the BB cream to settle in on my skin for a while, maybe an hour or so.
  • Went at it with the LANEIGE Multi Cleanser, no oil cleanser or makeup wipes beforehand. Gave my face a nice wash for a minute or so - about as long as I normally do.
  • Wiped my face with a makeup wipe to see what (if anything) was left behind.

Here are the results:


OK, so it didn't get ALL the makeup off. But like I said above, I have yet to meet a foaming cleanser that really could get everything off without the aid of an oil or a wipe. I think it did pretty well, considering.

LANEIGE Multi Cleanser

Overall impressions:
I like this cleanser. It made my face feel clean and radiant without breaking me out, which is all I really need. But from now on I'm always going to use it as part of a double-cleansing routine alongside my favorite oil cleanser - that's a normal part of my routine that I really enjoy, so I'd miss it even if I didn't need it. The only thing I don't like about this cleanser is the slight scrubbiness - I prefer my foamy cleansers to be smooth. If this were available with the same texture/scent and no scrubbies, I would totally buy it again and again.


Bottom line:
The LANEIGE Multi Cleanser is best used as part of a double-cleansing routine (with oil or cleansing balm or wipes or whatever). It has a lovely scent and isn't terribly harsh despite the slightly scrubby texture. Folks with acne-prone or sensitive skin might be better suited to the Deep Pore Cleansing Foam or Oil Free Liquid Cleanser.


Where to buy:
LANEIGE is available on Target.com and at select Target stores - you can find the listing for the Multi Cleanser here. You can also check this directory to see if there's a Target near you selling LANEIGE in-store. If you're outside the US, I suggest looking on the Amore Pacific official eBay shop.


What do you think of the LANEIGE Multi Cleanser? Do you prefer your cleansers with or without scrubby bits?


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

17 comments:

  1. That's pretty impressive! I always double cleanse anyway, but this could be useful for those times you just can't be arsed to go through your whole routine...

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  2. Fräulein SchneeApril 29, 2014 at 7:11 AM

    I'm too lazy to double cleanse :D Sometimes I do, but only if I put on a lot of make-up, which is rarely the case.But it looks like a solid foam cleanser to me, although it didn't clean away everything. :)

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  3. Yeah, I'd agree with that assessment! It definitely does its job as a foaming cleanser.

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  4. Definitely. Or when you're not wearing makeup at all. There are days when I just put on eye makeup (is that weird?)

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  5. I don't double cleanse but this sounds like something I would like. I actually like scrubby bits/exfoliating in my cleansers. I don't like switching my skincare routine often but I might give this line a try soon. I keep saying that lol. I was at Target yesterday and forgot to see if they carried it.

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  6. The scrubbies thing definitely boils down to personal preference. Some people love them, I just... don't. I've been OK with using this cleanser though because they're really, really fine. Not harsh enough to irritate my skin.

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  7. Vast. Plenty of room to store my moisturizers.

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  8. I couldn't decide whether to try this or not, but I'm convinced now that I need to pick one up next time I'm in the States and wandering around Target. I always like to use a makeup wipe before I cleanse anyway, so I think this is kind of perfect for me. Thanks for doing this review, Rebecca!

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  9. Great review! I looked through all the products at Target wishing I could buy a majority of them. I just got the BB Cream instead (And I love it!) I would like to start doing a double cleanse. I usually use coconut oil to get my eye makeup off and then use my White Tree Snow Exfoliating Wash from The Face Shop. This is interesting though. I want to try it! Thanks for the review.

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  10. Truthfully, I also use a separate eye makeup remover in addition to the oil and the foaming cleanser. Most oil cleansers are safe to use near your eyes but I guess I just prefer to do it that way? But anyway, yes, double-cleansing is definitely worth a try! I find the sensation of the oil cleanser quite relaxing - sort of like giving your face a massage before you wash it.

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  11. I hope you like it! Now if only Laneige would bring face wipes to Target as well...

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  12. I am a double cleanser also, this sounds like a nice product to try out when I need a new cleanser!

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  13. I personally prefer cleansers without scrubby bits. I like to be able to use my cleanser around my eyes to get the remnants of my makeup remover off.

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  14. A very excellent point. Scrubbies and eyeballs don't mix.

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