Innisfree The Green Tea Seed Serum Review
Hey Dreamers and Creators, it's Michelle!
Do you go back to your old favorite brand when they release something new? Last year, when I rekindled my love of Innisfree products, I discovered their Green Tea Seed Serum. At that time, I wasn't really using a specific serum and hadn't found one that I liked. So when I saw the Innisfree Green Tea Seed Serum, I really wanted to try it. As a person who loves green tea in general and their skin care products (mostly in masks), I thought this would be a great product to try.
So today, after using this serum for 6 months, I'm going to share my thoughts on it with you guys. Want to know more about this product? Keep on reading!
Innisfree The Green Tea Seed Serum
80ml, $26 - $31
Product Description: A moisturizing and nourishing serum formulated with eco friendly Jeju green tea and green tea seeds as its main ingredients. It works to deliver an abundant amount of moisture and nourishment deep into your skin and hydrate your skin from within. The formula is rich in amino acids and minerals and it uses special technology to create a moisture barrier on your skin to prevent moisture loss. To use, take an appropriate amount and apply it onto your face and neck.
Ingredients: 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.
Not only is the serum formulated with eco-friendly ingredients, the packaging of this serum is also very eco friendly. The rectangular box containing the serum is made with recycled material and printed with soy ink! I always found the soy ink to be neat. I was so curious that I looked it up. Apparently, soy based ink is very environmental friendly. It can make it easier to recycle paper and believe it or not, might provide more accurate colors than regular ink. The down side of soy ink is that it can take longer to dry. But I still think it's pretty cool that Innisfree is thinking about the environment and taking eco friendly steps to help it.
My Thoughts: This serum is one of Innisfree's best sellers and also a poplar Korean skin care product, so I was very excited to try it. However, stupid me, jumped at buying this serum and didn't read the ingredients list carefully. It wasn't until I got the serum in my hands did I realize that it has Ethanol as an ingredient (it's 4th on the list too). Since I have sensitive skin, I try to compare products that my skin has been sensitive to by looking at their ingredients list and finding the ingredients that they all have in common. Ethanol was a ingredient in some of the products my skin's been sensitive to, which is why I am trying to cut back on them. (A lot of my favorite masks have ethanol in them, although I've never gotten a reaction from them; still I've been trying to cut back on those while looking for new masks to try.) There's a lot of talk on the internet regarding whether Ethanol in skin care products is good or bad. I can't say for either side but personally, I'm being extra alert on products with ethanol in them, especially if they are part of the first 5 ingredients listed.
Since this Green Tea Seed serum has ethanol as its 4th ingredient, I meticulously patch tested the serum for 2 weeks. (If you would like to read about how I patch test my products, let me know in the comments below~) After it was deemed safe to use (as in it won't cause irritation or breakouts), I began using it. I started using it morning and night, however, I only use it in the mornings now. Since I'm trying to reduce my use of products with ethanol in them I found another night time serum that I like, so I only use this Green Tea Seed serum in the mornings only.
I use this serum in the morning because it helps to moisturize my face and preps it for creams and makeup. I find that on mornings when I use this serum, my makeup is a lot easier to apply and looks smoother. Of course, I do use facial cream as well, which can also be a contributing factor. I also like to apply lightweight products in the morning since I would be wearing makeup and don't want to feel like I slabbed on a whole lot of products. So having this serum being lightweight is really great. Another reason why I use this serum in the morning is because it it moisturizing and if my skin have any small dry patches, it can moisturize it easily.
The serum itself comes in a pump bottle. It's got a very nice green packaging that fits the green tea theme. I also love the fitted cap because it means it is very travel friendly. The bottle is also see through, so you can see exactly how much product you have left.
The texture of this serum is very liquidy and lightweight. The color is opaque white with a bit of very light green color to it (almost not noticeable), which I am guessing is from the green tea. The serum absorbs into the skin quickly and there's not sticky feeling left behind.
As for the scent of this serum, it is really pleasant. It's got a fresh citrusy scent that's mixed with a hint of green tea and floral notes. I find the scent to be nice and refreshing. It can be a bit overpowering for some, however, since I like the scent of this serum, it doesn't seem to bother me.
Pros:
-absorbs quickly
-lightweight
-not greasy or sticky
-didn't break me out (even though I have sensitive and acne prone skin)
-fast absorption
-light cooling effect
-moisturizing
-affordable
Cons:
-contains ethanol (as the 4th ingredient)
My Rating: ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ♡
Final Thoughts: Even though this Innisfree Green Tea Seed serum contains ethanol, an ingredient I am trying to avoid or use less products with it in it, I still really like this serum. This serum might not be good for people who want to avoid ethanol as a whole or have bad reactions to it. However, since I patch tested it and found it okay for my skin, I have kept using it. I'm not sure if I will purchase it again in the future or not. I definitely want to find a morning serum that I like and does not contain ethanol, however, if I can't find that, I might stick with this serum for a little longer.
Where to purchase:
-Yesstyle.com
-InnisfreeWorld.com
Until next time~
~Michelle
Disclaimer: This product was purchased by me with my own money, all opinions are honest and my own. This post contains affiliate link and thank you in advance if you choose to use it.
Thank you for the review, Michelle!
ReplyDeleteSeveral months ago I also saw this serum became super popular, I have it on my wishlist, but I'm still not convinced about whether or not to buy it. A few days ago I received a free sample of this serum, but unfortunately my dog ate it </3 I also really like that the Innisfree's packaging are so friendly to the environment.
^^ I'm doing a giveaway of Innisfree products and a sample of the serum is included. You can find the giveaway here: http://www.dreamstocreations.com/2015/05/innisfree-giveaway.html
DeleteMaybe you'll get lucky and win it, that way you can try the serum and more~ Good luck!