Can the LANEIGE NEO Foundation and NEO Cushion be our new favourite barely-there makeup bases? We put them to the test

LANEIGE is a brand that has become synonymous with its iconic BB cushions among other skincare and makeup goodies that it has to offer. One might even say that LANEIGE was the OG K-beauty brand that catapulted the humble cushion compact to its current global cult status.

So, it’s no surprise to us that the launch of LANEIGE NEO Cushion earlier last year was met with so much hype. Following up on the heels of NEO Cushion’s success, LANEIGE recently released a brand new NEO Foundation especially for makeup lovers who prefer more intense coverage from a liquid foundation.

But, what’s exactly the difference between the NEO Cushion and NEO Foundation? And which formula is suitable for what skin type or concern? Keep reading because Daily Vanity is here with all the information you need about these two makeup bases.

LANEIGE NEO Foundation review: What’s unique about the new liquid foundation

Provides long-wearing high coverage of up to 48 hours

Many liquid foundations promise high coverage; after all, that’s the one key purpose of a good liquid foundation.

But LANEIGE went the extra mile with the NEO Foundation and actually clinically tested the formula to ensure that the ultra-light foundation offers long-wearing high coverage that minimises pores and even out bumps up to 48 hours and stays put even as you perspire throughout the day in the humid Singapore weather.

Blends seamlessly

While you may instinctively think that such a high-coverage formula may end up looking cakey on your skin, you’d be happy to know that the LANEIGE NEO Foundation will give you no such thing. In fact, it has a comfortable, lightweight texture that fills in any uneven skin texture seamlessly without leaving a thick layer on the skin even after multiple applications!

What’s more, the NEO Foundation is powered by a Triple Gel Matrix technology which enables the formula to spread evenly for a light, silky soft layer as you apply the foundation to your skin. Thanks to its superior skin-adhering capabilities, the NEO Foundation offers great staying power with minimal touch-up required.

It’s an urbanproof formula

Being a K-beauty brand, we’ve come to expect more from LANEIGE’s makeup products and the NEO Foundation certainly doesn’t disappoint.

Developed with urbanites in mind, the formula is equipped with Electro-filter to protect the skin against extra-fine particulate matters commonly found in urban pollution, and blue light protection to defend our complexion against the blue light from the sun and our screens.

In addition to that, the NEO Foundation also contains panthenol that helps soothe the skin and protect its microbiome to encourage cellular turnover for healthier-looking skin.

LANEIGE NEO Cushion review: What makes the cushion special

Offers relatively high SPF coverage

Besides being an ultra-convenient cushion compact that’s ideal for those who are constantly on the go, LANEIGE’s NEO Cushion is formulated with high sun protection of SPF 42 PA++ (for the Matte variant) and SPF 50 PA++ (for the Glow variant) as well to defend the skin against harmful UV rays.

Provides natural coverage with skin-hydrating benefits

If you’re the type who prefers more natural-looking coverage from your makeup base, the NEO Cushion is your skin’s best friend. The lightweight formula contains enough pigments to conceal blemishes and imperfections while leaving your skin hydrated and naturally radiant.

It’s a fuss-free product

Thanks to its sleek and sturdy compact, the NEO Cushion is ideal not just for busy makeup wearers but also for makeup beginners who are just starting to explore the world of makeup.

Because you don’t have to worry about spillage or leakage, the NEO Cushion sits easily in your tote or pouch for easy on-the-go touch-ups.

DV puts the LANEIGE NEO Foundation and NEO Cushion to the test

Now that you know what the LANEIGE NEO Foundation and NEO Cushion are all about, read on to find out if the products really deliver what they promise! To find out, the DV team decided to put the makeup bases through a series of tests – here’s how they fared!

LANEIGE NEO Foundation_Matte + LANEIGE NEO Cushion_Matte review: Weekend brunch + shopping test

Reviewer: Melissa, senior campaign executive
Skin type: Combination-oily, sensitive
Skin concerns: Uneven skin tone, hormonal acne, blackheads, and dark eye circles

“I’ve been using cushion foundations for about five years now and tried pretty much every brand out there, including LANEIGE’s OG BB Cushion. I like that the NEO Cushion is a lot lighter and sleeker, which makes for easy portability especially when you want to carry it everywhere you go.

I also really like the puff as it doesn’t absorb all the product without leaving any on your face, which is what some cushion puffs do. In terms of coverage, I’d say that the NEO Cushion is somewhat similar to a full-coverage foundation even though the texture is thinner, but it doesn’t feel as heavy on my skin or leave it looking too matte after application, which is quite common for most cushions.

It does have a slight fragrance, which you might want to be cautious about and do a patch test first if your skin is sensitive to fragrances. But, the scent disappears after a while upon application, which is great especially since we’re wearing masks now and would not want any lingering fragrance on our skin.

For my skin type and concerns, I wore a combination of LANEIGE NEO Foundation_Matte and NEO Cushion_Matte in shade 21N Beige for a day out with my friends. I started my day with the NEO Foundation before heading out for a weekend brunch at Luke’s Lobster, which I’ve been wanting to try for the longest time!

I was expecting the foundation to feel uncomfortable on my skin but to my surprise, it was the complete opposite. The formula was neither too watery nor thick, and it spread out pretty evenly on the skin without leaving an obvious layer of foundation pigments that may suffocate and cause dryness.

I used one pump, which was just enough for the entire face and neck – a little goes a long way for this formula! The NEO Foundation also has a mild scent that’s similar to the NEO Cushion, but personally, I’d say that it’s slightly less scented.

After filling up my tummy with yummy lobster rolls, I went to Muji, one of my favourite stores to do some shopping. This was after one o’clock in the afternoon and I’d already had my foundation on for close to five hours now, but to my surprise, I didn’t see the need to touch up at all as the foundation didn’t oxidise or budge and my complexion remained fresh-looking.

My skin also didn’t feel as oily by midday as it usually would, which I was quite surprised about as well. As I went about my day in the shopping mall, the foundation only felt more comfortable on my skin, so much so that I almost forgot that I actually had makeup on!

They say time flies when you’re having fun and having been unable to roam around freely pre-vaccination, I certainly didn’t realise how much time I spent shopping at Muji and all the other stores. It’s close to early dinner time now, about 6.30pm and I headed to my next venue for dinner with some close friends.

Just before stepping into the restaurant, I checked my makeup using the built-in mirror in the NEO Cushion’s compact to see if I needed any touch-up. After all, I’ve been wearing the same foundation since 9am!

Again, to my surprise, I needed no touch-up whatsoever because the foundation was that long-lasting. Even after more than nine hours, the coverage on my dark circles and blemishes remained intact and it didn’t wear off or oxidise either.

My skin did become slightly oily by the end of the day, but I only needed to use a tissue to pat off the excess oil after dinner. The longevity of the NEO Foundation is truly something that I’m quite amazed by, and if you’re someone who prefers full coverage that covers up skin imperfections while looking natural, I highly recommend the NEO Foundation.

As mentioned, the foundation shade that I tried also stayed true to its shade all the way from morning to night without darkening my skin, which I really liked! I carried the NEO Cushion_Matte with me just in case I needed some touch-up to brighten my face or on problem areas like my forehead and dark circles, but lucky for me, mine didn’t budge from 9am to 9pm.

After trying these two makeup bases, I definitely have no qualms about adding the NEO Foundation and NEO Cushion to my existing makeup routine. Both products are so fuss-free to use, and they leave my skin looking beautifully natural too!”

LANEIGE NEO Foundation_Glow review: Daily virtual meeting + indoor workout test

Reviewer: Lynnett, senior writer
Skin type: Combination-dry
Skin concerns: Uneven skin tone, textured skin, dehydration, dark eye circles

“Ever since WFH became our default arrangement, our schedule has been packed with mostly virtual meetings on Zoom and Google Meet.

Even on a personal level, I’ve started subscribing to virtual home workout programmes to minimise my time outdoors as much as possible.

That said, I still need to make sure that I look presentable on-screen during days that I have to attend my virtual meetings which is why a cushion compact like the LANEIGE NEO Cushion comes in handy for a fuss-free makeup user like me.

I was a huge fan of the original BB Cushion by LANEIGE when it launched; in fact, it was the cushion compact that converted me into a cushion user. So, I was excited to try the all-new NEO Cushion_Glow to see if it can help with the dullness and unevenness of my skin tone just like how the original BB Cushion did.

Right off the bat during application, I noticed how easy it was to blend out the cushion formula and it wasn’t as drying as some other cushions I’ve tried.

On top of that, the cushion did a brilliant job at covering up my severe dark circles and blemishes for a natural-looking finish while remaining lightweight – the coverage is sufficient enough that I didn’t even feel there was a need to reach for my usual trusted concealer to finish the job.

With my natural makeup done and dusted, I got my liquid breakfast ready at my workstation while waiting for my first meeting of the day with my colleagues.

Almost instantly, they remarked that my complexion looked more radiant and my skin glowed so naturally without looking like a disco ball  – it was such a nice compliment to hear on a gloomy morning.

After wrapping up my meeting and clearing some emails, it was time for me to head out to buy lunch. Since I had another Zoom call in the afternoon, I opted to support the coffee shop within the vicinity and got myself a hearty bowl of salted egg chicken rice.

Just before my 2pm meeting, I changed into my workout gear to mentally psych myself for my evening at-home yoga. Afterwards, I gave my skin a quick check to see if a touch-up was needed.

Surprise surprise, the cushion foundation was still very much intact – including the coverage on my dark circles – even though I was sweating profusely from the humid weather.

As I continued working through the afternoon, I noticed that the NEO Cushion wore so comfortably as time passed and because it adhered to my skin so well, it didn’t feel like there was any foundation at all – that’s how natural the finish was.

Even as I continued on with my indoor workout, my skin didn’t feel like it was suffocating from the makeup I was wearing. More surprisingly, the cushion barely budged despite my heavy perspiration from my home yoga – except for the spots where I wiped off my sweat with my hand.

It’s now 7.30pm and because I was too tired to head out, I decided to order in my dinner. Just before I stepped into the shower and have my makeup removed, I gave my skin one last check.

I was truly in awe at the longevity of the cushion because it was still holding up well even though I’ve had it on since 8.30am – that’s more than 10 hours since the application!

The fact that I barely needed any touch-up is such a great bonus too, which makes the NEO Cushion a godsend for all of us busy urbanites who don’t have time for a full face of makeup but still want to look presentable for meetings, be it virtual or in-person.

If you ask me, I’d say that the LANEIGE NEO Cushion definitely helps me achieve the natural makeup that I prefer so quickly and effortlessly, so that I can use my time more efficiently without having to worry about my makeup all the time Safe to say, I’ve found my new holy grail cushion foundation – and the best part? It doesn’t break the bank.

LANEIGE NEO Cushion and LANEIGE NEO Foundation: Where to find + prices

Suitable for on-the-go makeup users as well as those who are just beginning to explore makeup, LANEIGE NEO Cushion retails for S$62 (comes with one refill) at all LANEIGE counters and outlets islandwide, LANEIGE’s official e-store, Shopee, Lazada, and Sephora. It comes in two variants: Matte and Glow, and each variant offers a total of eight shades – 13N Ivory, 17N Vanilla, 21N Beige, 23N Sand, 25N Tan, 31N Brown, 33N Cinnamon, and 35N Coffee.

Ideal for makeup lovers looking for full, lasting coverage, LANEIGE NEO Foundation retails for S$64 (30ml) at all LANEIGE counters and outlets islandwide, LANEIGE’s official e-store, Shopee, Lazada, and Sephora. It comes in two variants as well: Matte and Glow, and each variant offers seven shades in all – 13N1 Ivory, 17N1 Vanilla, 21N1 Beige, 23N1 Sand, 25N1 Tan, 31N1 Brown, and 33N1 Cinnamon.

This article is brought to you by LANEIGE.