Want your skin to be FRESH and VIBRANT? This green tea seed serum has got it all to make your skin healthier!
Get a confidence boost to get through busy work days with the hydrating magic of the Innisfree Green Tea Seed Serum.
Find out how and what exactly makes this green tea seed serum SO EFFECTIVE. Here’s our detailed review of the product!
Product Overview
Innisfree Green Tea Seed Serum is the brand’s global BEST-SELLING moisturizing and nourishing serum.
This green tea seed serum exceptionally hydrates skin with 100% Fresh Green Tea Water 2.0™ extracted from Jeju Green tea leaves.
Together with Green Tea Seed Oil, this serum helps maintain skin’s freshness giving you clear and dewy skin. Now that’s a super quench!
Pros
- Quick Absorption
- Refreshing and Light weight
- Moisturising properties reduce pores and brighten complexion
- Compliments other products like sunscreen and make-up
- Gentle fragrance made of natural extracts.
- Prevents caking throughout the day
Cons
- Not for dry skin
- Contains alcohol
- Contains irritants
What to Consider When Choosing a Serum
Serums are formulated to contain high amounts of only a few potent ingredients. This makes them highly effective at addressing specific skin concerns.
If you are definite about a skin concern you are experiencing, adding an ampoule to your routine could be your saving grace!
But first, here are a few things you need to consider:
Skin Type
You may either have normal, combination, dry, oily, or sensitive skin.
It is important to know your type because some products may not be suitable for use.
- Serums with a lot of oil-based ingredients for example, are more suitable for dry skin types.
- Oily and acne prone skin might get overwhelmed by the moisturization and result in breakouts.
Skin Concern
K-beauty brands usually market their serums based on targeted skin concern treatments.
So if you see one that markets itself as an “All-in-one fix”, you’re probably not going to get what you expect.
- Common skin concerns are for anti-aging which include reduction of fine lines, wrinkles, and sagging skin.
- Other concerns are hydration and moisturization, skin protection, and skin healing.
Ingredients
Serums have potent and active ingredients in them. Most are botanical oils and extracts.
These ingredients are carefully formulated to target skin concerns. They are often rich in minerals, vitamins, antioxidants, and hydrating abilities.
Make sure to READ THE LABELS.
If you have sensitive skin, doing a patch test is advisable. Certain ingredients, especially those with rich fragrances can pose risks of skin irritation.
About Innisfree
Innisfree is Korea’s first natural brand, launched way back in 2000. That’s 20 years (and counting) of reputable skin care and cosmetics!
Innisfree’s noteworthy initiatives include their bottle recycling campaign that started way back in 2003. Their pursuit toward smart and eco-friendly consumption gives the customer a holistic experience.
Innisfree provides us with good quality and eco-friendly products at reasonable prices. This way, we still take part in the preservation of nature’s wellbeing while in the pursuit for flawless skin!
In 2007, Innisfree launched its Jeju Green Tea Line, encouraging health and beauty through the most reliable of ingredients.
One of the best selling products in this line would be the Innisfree Green Tea Seed Serum.
Innisfree Green Tea Seed Serum
This green tea seed serum is no short for iconic. It has indeed fulfilled its promises working wonders on skin, leaving it soft, smooth, and glowing.
Innisfree delivers HIGH-QUALITY and excellent performance with its great balance blend of green tea and green tea seed oil in this serum.
These are grown on Innisfree’s USDA-certified organic fields on the island of Jeju. These rich ingredients are also sought after for its healing abilities.
The brand added citrus extracts with lots of Vitamins A and C to the formula for additional protection too.
Packed with many amino acids and antioxidants, this lightweight gel serum is a hit for those who want fast absorbing, and efficient nourishing skin care products.
However, we are a bit concerned about its effects on long term use with high contents of alcohol. As a result, we give this serum a rating of 4 stars.
Key Ingredients and Benefits
Beauty Green Tea
Beauty Green Tea is a blend of Jeju green tea extract and green tea seed oil that work hand in hand to maintain and retain the skin’s oil and moisture balance.
This helps the green tea serum to open up the water passageway to dehydrated skin.
Innisfree developed this ingredient after studying 2,401 Korean green tea varieties. They pluck organic green tea leaves from the stem, and steam them for 30 seconds.
This stabilizes the extract for freshness. Purification follows for safe application to the skin.
A double-squeeze is necessary from the leaves to best capture their skincare benefits. The result is the cultivation of this unique amino acid filled ingredient for exceptional hydration.
This ingredient composes 76% of the serum. Very potent, I may say. You’ll get healthy, dewy, and vibrant skin in no time!
Skin Hydration
Innisfree boasts its patented Dual-Moisture-Rising Technology™ for best skin nourishing performance.
Contents of Fresh Green Tea Water 2.0™ is made through the extraction of nourishing ingredients of fresh beauty green tea leaves.
This green tea water is 3.5 times more enriching than the original formulation. This formula also comes with 16 kinds of amino acids for added moisturizing benefits.
Skin Healing
Green tea seeds help slow down the breaking down of collagen in skin. This promotes skin firmness and elasticity.
Since green tea extract is a potent antioxidant, they reduce inflammation, repair damaged skin cells and wrinkles too.
Skin Protection
Green tea is rich in catechins. It is composed of a group of natural compounds called polyphenols that act as a skin shield against harmful UV rays and environmental stressors.
Exotic Botanical Extracts
Innisfree is no stranger to mustering the power of nature. People have been using these extracts medicinally for hundreds of years.
Prickly Pear Extract
This unique ingredient works great at skin firming. It also has the abilities to protect, smooth, and moisturize skin from harmful environmental elements.
Orchid and Cocoa Extracts
These extracts are added antioxidants. They contribute to skin protection, condition and soothe damaged skin.
Citrus Extracts
Citrus extracts from bergamot, grapefruit, orange and tangerine are a source of Vitamin A and Vitamin C.
They have the abilities to heal skin disorders and irritations such as acne breakouts. These extracts add valuable antibacterial, antiseptic and anti-inflammatory benefits to the serum.
Citrus also aids the natural preservation of the product, making it last longer.
Cetearyl Olivate and Sorbitan Olivate
These are extracts from olive oil. They are natural emulsifiers and work well to prevent water loss and keep moisture in the skin.
Ethanol
There is quite a significant amount of this alcohol in the serum.
Alcohols increase absorption qualities of a product. It keeps it light and pleasant to use.
As an ingredient, they are not harmful. However, when the alcohol dries up, it can pose risk of weakening skin barrier.
In the end, it could result in inflammation and accelerated aging. Not recommended for those with dry skin types!
Packaging and Contents
You are sure to love the minimalistic and eco-friendly aesthetic of this serum’s bottle.
Innisfree Green Tea Seed Serum comes in a translucent green bottle with a pump dispenser.
- It is compact and sanitary making it convenient to bring to your travels.
- The pump is very easy to use. It even has a bottle cap to prevent spilling in your bag.
- Volume wise, the Innisfree Green Tea Seed Serum comes in an 80 ml bottle at a very affordable price.
It may be a little too big to travel with though. Since it is made with lightweight recyclable plastic, it also doesn’t pose so much of a fuss.
Liberal use will last you 4-5 months on this bottle. A more conservative application of perhaps one pump each time will last you 6-8 months tops.
Consistency
The Innisfree Green Tea Seed Serum is slightly viscous. It is a runny serum with a whitish cloudy colour.
Despite its watery texture, just a single pump is sufficient for your entire face. This is suitable for those who prefer something more lightweight.
Ingredient List
Full Ingredient List: The green Tea Extract (75.9%), Propanediol, Biosaccharide Gum-1, Ethanol, Glycerin, Betaine, The green Tea Seed Oil (208mg), Prickly Pear Extract, Orchid Extract, Tangerine Peel Extract, Camellia Leaf Extract, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Extract, Grapefruit Extract, Orange Extract, Tangerine Extract, Bis-PEG-18 Methyl Ether Dimethyl Silane, PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Cetearyl Olivate, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Sorbitan Olivate, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Ethylhexylglycerin, Cocoa Extract, Dextrin, Potassium Hydroxide, Disodium EDTA, Fragrance)
Does not include: parabens, synthetic colorants, mineral oil, animal-orientated ingredients, imdazolidinyl urea
Be wary if you have pretty sensitive skin. High contents of alcohol might sting and cause irritation.
If you don’t react well to citrus, I recommend testing the product first on a small skin surface perhaps on your arm.
Finish and Texture
Once applied, the serum is rapidly absorbed by the skin. You’ll instantly feel moisturized. You’ll enjoy wearing it on your face both day and night.
It’s so lightweight, you won’t even feel like you applied anything to your face but you get all the benefits!
It’s very soothing and refreshing. You won’t feel oily or sticky at all. Perhaps, it controls sebum production too. This would be the perfect serum for the summer heat!
But if you want to retain the hydration in your skin, you can build on the serum and add a thicker moisturizing cream.
Scent
What I love about this serum is its pleasant and refreshing floral smell! It has a gentle green tea aroma that is not too overwhelming.
Application
- Gently towel dry your face after cleansing then pump out Innisfree Green Tea Seed Serum and apply over your fresh face.
- Dab it over your face and allow your skin to absorb all the magic!
- During the day, you may proceed with your usual make-up routine which should include moisturizer and sunscreen.
- At night, you may follow the serum with a toner and moisturizer. You’ll wake up the next morning with a healthy glow!
User Reviews
There are a lot of positive reviews online. But we have to honestly say, a lot of it is also hyped up.
True enough, majority are valid experiences. Just be cautious. Your experience might not conform to the majority.
Like any product, it is advisable to test it first.
Testimonials
We’ve seen a lot of validation how this serum works well with oily and acne prone skin. A user shares:
“The product did not breakout my skin and made it feel fresh and soft while introducing an extra layer of moisture into my routine. I'd recommend this product to everyone who is looking to try out a serum for the first time.”
Green tea gives the serum its soothing qualities.
“It looks like you have put a sheet mask on. I love that it has a great amount of green tea on it. It is very calming.”
RELATED: DIY Sheet Mask: Complete Guide
Just as with everything in life, you cannot please everybody. A user shares her experience on her skin irritation.
“I got a bad skin rash with the serum. I also had small tiny pimples. I understand it’s probably because of the alcohol content.”
Alternatives
If you’re not quite keen on this, you can check out other top-selling Korean serums!
Mizon Skin Energy Hyaluronic Acid Serum
The Mizon serum is formulated with a 50 percent concentration of hyaluronic acid that draws and holds moisture to the skin. Ceramides also work to prevent moisture loss by strengthening the skin’s barrier.
It is as well very lightweight making it absorb quickly into skin. It plumps skin, feeling rich and hydrating.
If you have dull and tired skin, we bet this serum can give you that perfectly plump and glowy look all day.
KLAIRS Freshly Juiced Vitamin Drop
The Klairs Freshly Juiced Vitamin C Serum uses 5 percent vitamin C in the form of ascorbic acid, plus, it includes ingredients like grapefruit extract and yuja fruit extract.
Klairs also included Centella asiatica in this serum, which is popular in K-beauty products for its moisturizing benefits and for being rich in natural antioxidant and amino acid properties.
You get brighter and healthy looking skin!
If you need an energy booster to add lustre and moisture to your skin, you should try this rich in vitamins and antioxidant serum.
Easydew's DW-EGF Easyup Serum
If you want to plump up your skin and give it a healthy glow, add Easydew’s DW-EGF Easyup Serum to your skin care routine. This serum uses EGF, which is known as the “youth protein”.
In this formula, Easydew replicated EGF to stimulate your body to produce more collagen and elastin for natural plumper skin.
This works best for those who wish to cut some years in their skin. This serum keeps skin nourished and young.
Should I Buy the Innisfree Green Tea Seed Serum?
The Innisfree Green Tea Seed Serum is a decent serum, overall. We would recommend it if you need quick moisture boosts.
It’s also easily accessible on almost any Korean beauty website.
However, there are a lot of serums that are also capable of achieving this.
Green tea seeds are great ingredients no doubt. But looking at the ethanol content is concerning for long-term impact.
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