[Jolse] Review: LUI&LEI DIANA GEN Prestige Cream Gold Caviar

Disclaimer: This product was provided by Jolse but all thoughts and opinions provided in this review are my own honest view.

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I was recently lucky enough to have the opportunity to try this beautiful looking cream – Lui&Lei Diana Gen Gold Caviar Radiance Reviving Cream – provided by Jolse.

Lui & Lei is a relatively new brand to the Korean beauty market and from their official website, it appears they have 4 sub-brands under their main one. Lui & Lei houses most of their more affordable skincare products which you can find on Jolse.com. Diane Gen seems more luxurious with their 3 diamond gem creams and their other two ‘VVIP’ and ‘Party Pooper’ have yet to release any products but states ‘coming soon’ on their website.

The Diana Gen Prestige Cream comes in 3 different types which vary in their main ingredient and function:

• Prestige Cream White Truffle (white diamond) – to improve elasticity and wrinkles.
• Prestige Cream Black Royal Fish (blue diamond) – for moisturising. Includes sturgeon mucus, ocean water and squalene to improve and strengthen the skin’s moisture barrier.
• Prestige Cream Gold Caviar (rose-gold diamond) – providing rich nourishment and vitality to the skin. Helps maintain moisture balance and skin elasticity.

This comes with 55ml for $125/ £100. This is definitely the most expensive cream I’ve ever used so I had high expectations for this.

Right off the bat, you can tell this is a high-end product from its packaging. It comes in a big box which has a leather/snake-like skin texture although the front logo is actually just a sticker; it is not embossed. The ingredients list is on the bottom in Korean & English.

The box opens to reveal a stunning diamond gem sitting inside and the first time I saw it I couldn’t help exclaiming how big this thing is! It fits in the whole palm of my hand and is quite weighty and sturdy despite the fact it has a plastic casing. (That might make it appear cheaper to some people, but I can’t see anyone wanting this to be made of glass. It would be an accident hazard waiting to happen, not to mention unnecessarily heavier than it already is). The box also has a little place holder to store the accompanying spatula which I like for its flat scooper.

The diamond is propped up by a base holder that is also detachable, which I think is a nice touch. They obviously have put thought into making this something that people would want to display on their vanity table and it does look incredibly eye-catching and unique. (How many other creams are shaped like a beautiful diamond??) It just oozes luxury.

To get to the cream you twist off the top lid and the cream is protected by another internal cap to prevent the cream drying out, preserving its freshness and keeping dirt out. Although it contains 55ml (which is a standard amount for a moisturiser), it does look like it contains very little, simply because the diamond packaging itself is excessively bulky. I must admit I’m not a fan of closing the top lid. It twists shut with a satisfying click, but I always struggle to close it after I’ve used it because my hands are always slippery from applying my skincare routine and the shape and smooth surface of the gem doesn’t help matters.

There are 3 main star ingredients that Lui&Lei promote as the benefits of this cream:

1. Caviar extract – aka fish eggs. There aren’t a lot of clinical studies on the efficacy of this in topical application but generally caviar is known to have antioxidant properties that protect your skin from free radicals and also contain omega-3 & 6 fatty acids which help to plump up, nourish and provide healthy balanced skin. In addition it can aid in the stimulation of collagen and help minimize the appearance of fine lines.
2. Pearl extract – pearl in skincare goes back a long way in Asian skincare and is predominantly known as a natural skin brightening ingredient as it inhibits the production of melanin which is what causes dark spots and freckles and evens out your complexion. However it is also full of antioxidants and amino acids to repair and maintain healthy skin, while protecting it from the external environment. It also helps in collagen production and improving elasticity to maintain skin firmness.
3. Selaginella tamariscina extract – this is a type of plant endemic to the Asia region. There is little information on this ingredient but it has apparently been used for a long time in oriental medicine to improve blood circulation and treat diabetes. Some studies have shown it can help repair damaged cells, has anti-inflammatory benefits and can inhibit the production of an enzyme MMP-1, which is known to break down collagen.

Upon first looking at the ingredients list, I was quite disappointed that all the most interesting ones (including the star ingredients), are listed towards the bottom and that the first few ingredients are predominantly made up of common humectants, emulsifiers (used to increase a cream’s spreadability and thickness) and silicones. However, for me personally, ingredients only make up half the picture. I have very tolerant skin so I don’t usually break out or get irritations from whatever I chuck at it. What’s equally, if not more important is how it gets along with my skin; whether I like the texture, feel and look of it and if it provides the skincare benefits I’m looking for. Luckily, I can say the latter is a big thumbs up as my skin loves this.

This has a pale off-white cream colour with little golden flecks that disappear as you massage  it into your skin. It’s a firm type of cream so you can tip it upside down and it won’t fall out.

I absolutely love the consistency and texture of this cream. It’s perfect for what I’m looking for with my current skin type that is normal but can get slightly dehydrated at times in the cold weather. It’s a firm, fairly dense cream but is quite creamy and spreads smoothly, without dragging on the skin like some high-end thick occlusive moisturisers can do. It has a lovely emollient feel which provides a thin protective layer on top of your skin which immediately plumps up and smoothes out your skin texture. It gives good hydration but also absorbs fairly quickly and doesn’t feel like a heavy layer is sitting on top of your skin, waiting to sink in.

 

As this is a very moisturising cream, it does provide a nice plumping effect so your fine lines do look less obvious, although I can’t speak for its long term effects. However, I do agree with the claims of this product, in that my skin definitely looks more vibrant and feels very nourished and soft. It also does a great job at balancing my skin’s moisture because I don’t get excessively oily on my t-zone with this and my skin doesn’t feel as dry and tight during the day as when I use other moisturisers.

The best thing about this is that it is the perfect cream for both day and night use. Its rare for me to find something that isn’t heavy but still moisturising enough and absorb quickly before makeup in the morning, but is also sufficiently moisturising/heavy enough at night. I typically don’t use the same moisturisers for day & night because I prefer my night creams to be heavier (which is too much under makeup), but this is absolutely perfect at creating a smooth canvas before I apply my makeup. It gives my skin a soft, smooth glow and feels comfortable with no stickiness. It doesn’t leave a crazy shine but if you apply a thicker amount to your face it leaves a dewy look that affects how ‘fresh looking’ your base makeup appears. (Personally, if I use a more matte base, I will apply a bit more of this cream so I get a nice glow coming through). Another plus – it seems to work well with all my sunscreens I’m currently using and I’ve not experienced any balling up effect.

Overall, I’m really enjoying this Gold Caviar Prestige Cream. It does actually remind me a lot of the Primera Alpine Berry Watery Cream in its texture and consistency. The main difference I notice is that the Primera feels a bit more oily and makes my t-zone feel more tacky as the day wears on, which the Prestige Cream doesn’t, but leaves a more comfortable emollient film on the skin.

I don’t think I could use this as much in more humid climates or the summertime as it would feel slightly too rich, but for my normal/dehydrated skin it works well in Winter/Spring. I think this would be suitable in general for dry skin types but oily/combo skin would likely prefer something less emollient.

Although the ingredients list doesn’t look too impressive to warrant the hefty price tag (I’m sure the packaging and marketing of this product probably costs more than it actually took to create the formula of the cream), and you could probably find cheaper dupes, there is something alluring about using a cream which looks and feels luxurious and high-end. It certainly feels like I’m pampering myself when I whip this out to use and I would definitely re-use this diamond packaging once I’ve finished the product. However, at the end of the day the most important thing is that the cream works well on my skin; it feels comfortable, makes my skin feel softer, smoother, plump and moisturised. If you’re looking to treat yourself and make a splurge, I highly recommend this.

You can purchase any of the 3 Diane Gem Prestige Cream from Jolse here.