innisfree's Green Tea Seed Serum has been a long-time fave among K-beauty fans as a go-to moisturising serum that's fast-absorbing and effective. One unit of the serum is sold every 12 seconds globally in 2020. But is it really that good?
Earlier this year, innisfree launched the third reformulation of the bestselling serum. In addition to improving moisture, the new formula now also promises to reinforce the skin barrier with its Green Tea Tri-biotics blend. As someone who has oily dehydrated skin lately, I'm curious to see how the serum will work to balance out my oil production and deliver sufficient moisture. Read on to find out how it went.
*The product was sent as a press gift. The views and opinions of the reviewer are independent and purely editorial.
First impressions, claims, and packaging
This ombre green bottle contains green tea-based hydrating ingredients.
I've heard good things about innisfree's bestselling Green Tea Seed Serum, and the new and improved version truly piqued my interest. The hydrating blend is now infused with Green Tea Tri-biotics, a complex made of fermented prebiotics, probiotics, and postbiotics — everything you need to keep your skin microbiome in check.
Its hero ingredient is Beauty Green Tea, an amino acid-rich ingredient that the brand claims will help open up the skin's water passageway to improve moisture delivery. Its Dual-Moisture-Rising Technology™, made of a Jeju green tea extract and green tea seed oil blend, helps maintain the skin's precarious moisture balance and aids in boosting moisture retention. It also has allantoin to temporarily soothe any external irritation. The end result should be smoother, softer skin.
All that goodness comes in an ombre-green bottle with a handy pump to dispense the product in a hygienic manner. The pump also comes with a twist-screw closure to open and close the bottle, preventing spillage when not in use. I appreciate that there isn't a removable cap, reducing any unnecessary plastic packaging.
Application and usage
Its light, water-like consistency makes it easy and quick to absorb after applying.
The serum has a refreshing, floral-like scent that wafts into the air upon opening. I'm not the biggest fan of fragrances in my skincare, since some fragrances can be irritating for those with sensitive skin, so I tend to steer away from such products. But after doing a patch test and not seeing any negative reactions, I proceeded to incorporate the serum into my routine.
I started by using it on its own in the morning. After cleansing my face, I applied two pumps of the product to slightly damp skin. The serum, which has a watery consistency, was almost immediately absorbed into my skin. I noticed my skin feeling slightly taut during this first day, so I decided to add a lightweight moisturiser moving forward.
It was the right decision. This is the kind of hydrating serum that needs a moisturiser to work its magic. My complexion felt soft and hydrated, without any added greasiness on my T-zone. The minimal makeup I applied during the day went on smoothly, not having any dry patches to cling to.
After two weeks, I tried increasing the application to twice a day. I found that I prefer using the serum with my night cream, as I feel the richer texture helped further increase hydration, but I also use it in the morning underneath a gel moisturiser and sunscreen. I also use it as my go-to serum after using an exfoliating clay mask. This combination led to a noticeable improvement in my complexion. It felt softer, smoother, and bouncier, even less oily than usual. It’s safe to say I’m quite satisfied with this bestselling serum.
Final thoughts
It lives up to its stellar reputation as a K-beauty must-have.
After using the product for almost a month, I'm very pleased with the improved hydration and softer texture my skin now has. My dehydrated combination skin has been more balanced and I can truly see myself using it continuously. If you're looking to add a hydrating product to your skincare routine, this is a good option to consider. I can see folks with dry skin loving this product, but those with oily, combination, and dehydrated skin will enjoy it too.
While it’s not the most affordable hydrating serum that I’ve tried, I was impressed by the noticeable improvement I’ve observed in my complexion. The innisfree Green Tea Seed Serum is available in the Philippines for ~USD26.95 for 80ML and you can find it in the brand's physical boutiques as well as in their official Lazada, Shopee, and Zalora stores. It's also available in Singapore and Malaysia.
Do you also have combination skin? Read our review on the Caudalie Vinosource-Hydra Grape Water Gel Moisturiser.
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