A Tall Drink of Water for Your Face: Laneige Water Bank Serum*

I admit to secretly (well, not so secretly anymore) loving quirky translations of Korean product names: 'Dear My Jelly Lips Talk', 'Downy Cheek', 'Wonder Pore'... I love the name of Laneige's best-selling Water Bank range as well - I don't know, it just conjures images of waterfalls drenching my poor parched face, lol. After my fantastic experience with the Water Sleeping Mask* (reviewed here), I wanted to see if the Laneige Water Bank Serum* ($35 for 60ml at Target) would live up to my high expectations; read on to find out my thoughts!

Similarly to the Sleeping Mask, the Water Bank Serum comes in a pretty cardboard box coveniently printed with an ingredients' list, and the bottle itself is hefty glass with a pump dispenser and a plastic cap. While glass packaging may not be the most travel-friendly, I really like the look of this serum in my medicine cabinet - it may have something to do with my penchant for this bright shade of blue :)

The consistency of this serum is somewhere between a lotion and a gel - it's definitely not too liquidy, which makes it easier to spread the product on the skin without losing half of it between your fingers. The product has a similar floral scent to the Sleeping Mask; it can smell a bit perfumey upon application, but I find that it dissipates quickly on the skin.

Remembering the beautifully lightweight texture of the Water Sleeping Mask, I expected the Water Bank Serum to be completely absorbed into the skin within seconds without any product feel. Both products contain similar ingredients: glycerin, mineral salts, willow bark extract, but in addition, the serum also features meadowfoam seed oil. And while the serum still soaks into my combination skin easily, it's a bit more emollient and slightly tacky on the face after application. It doesn't bother me nor did I find it to be an issue when applying other skincare or foundation over the top, but you do get a feeling of a nourishing layer on the face, and it leaves the skin looking a bit dewy.

As for my results, I do think that the Laneige Water Bank Serum hydrates my face effectively. As soon as I smooth two pumps of it on, my face feels soothed, refreshed, plump and happy. I have noticed a decrease in dehydration lines on my forehead and around my mouth. I don't get any irritation or redness after application; quite the opposite, my face has been looking a lot more even lately. I also haven't noticed any congestion or breakouts since I started using the serum.

I don't know if I'm as impressed with the Water Bank Serum as I was with the Water Sleeping Mask, but that's definitely not because the serum doesn't perform well - it's a good hydrating product for the price, so if you're in the market for a simple, no-fuss hydrator, you can't go wrong here. If you're very oily, I think you may not appreciate the glowy finish of this serum, and I unfortunately can't vouch if it would be enough for the driest of skins, especially considering that it's a product meant to be layered with an emulsion and a moisturizer (I have kept the rest of my routine as is during the product testing to be able to judge it on its own). Which serum do you currently use? What is your favorite hydrating skincare range?

Disclaimer: Products marked with an asterix (*) are  press samples I received from the brand's PR for review consideration. All links are non-affiliate. All opinions are 100% honest and unbiased, no matter if the products featured were purchased with my own monies or provided as free press samples. Thank you for reading!