One important step in all Korean skincare regimes is serum. If you’re not too sure what serum is, here’s a definition for you:
A serum is a product typified by its rapid absorption and ability to penetrate into the deeper layers of the skin, together with its non-greasy finish and intensive formula with a very high concentration of active substances.
Essentially, it’s a product that contains a high level of nutrients that should be well-absorbed by your skin. It sounds fantastic, but not every serum is made equal.
The first serum I ever used was this Innisfree Green Tea Serum. What I tried was a small sample, but I loved it so much that I’ve actually purchased a full-size version of it.
Product description
A moisturizing and nourishing serum containing eco-friendly Jeju fresh green tea and green tea seeds
Official Retail Price in Singapore: SGD 36
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
The first thing that caught my eye (probably yours too) is the 75.9% green tea extract!! That is honestly one of the most impressive % of a key ingredient I’ve seen in any of my skincare products. Some products highlight certain ingredients as their key selling point, but their ingredient list will usually have other ingredients (e.g. water) as their top ingredient. This serum, however, is truly a green tea concentrate on its own.
You’ll also see many other natural ingredients such as green tea seed oil, prickly pear, orchid, tangerine peel, camellia leaf… and all ranked high on the ingredient list! Looking at this already makes me feel like I’m getting my money’s worth.
Packaging: Green for green tea – straightforward enough. I like that it’s not very bulky, and comes with a pump that makes it easy for you to pump a sufficient amount of serum out at one go.
Texture: It has a very thin consistency which allows for fast absorption by the skin. As a hydrating serum, it definitely feels almost like water (lol), and doesn’t leave a sticky feeling on the skin.
Effectiveness: The serum smells strongly of green tea: not too overpowering, but definitely enough to convince you that it contains a strong percentage of green tea extract. I can’t say much about the nourishment, but when it comes to hydration power, I’m truly convinced that this product works.
I used to have very dry and even flaky skin for a period of time because I’m usually stuck indoors in a dry, air-conditioned room, and I was too lazy to even use moisturizer for days (yes, terrible, I know). However, after using this product for about two weeks, I noticed that my skin wasn’t as dry anymore. It is currently visibly more hydrated, and I haven’t had a flaky skin problem since then. My skin also feels more supple and hydrated throughout the day when I apply this – do take note that I usually apply this twice in a day (in the morning, and at night) to replenish the moisture in my skin.
I’ve had no breakout problems with this product, which is great for people with sensitive and acne-prone skin just like mine.
Final Verdict
This is definitely my favourite serum of all time.
It might be a tad difficult to convince anyone that their skin needs such a powerful boost of nutrients, but my favourite part about this serum is its hydration power.
I do believe that green tea extracts have a lot more benefits, of course. One of my favourite ingredients in facial masks is green tea (along with aloe vera) because it always leaves my face feeling clean and refreshed. It’s a little too early to say for now if my skin is truly benefitting from the nutrients in the serum, but I can vouch for its fast-acting hydration properties.
At SGD 36, this serum is not cheap. Frankly, I don’t usually buy such expensive skincare products (at least not in Singapore), but I made an exception for this because it’s been so effective.
Rating
Ease of use: ✮✮✮✮✮
Effectiveness: ✮✮✮✮
Value for money: ✮✮✮✮
