Innisfree Green Tea Seed Serum Review [Buyer Beware]

Update Nov 2023: All versions I’ve found of this serum online - Sephora, StyleVana, YesStyle etc are all the NEW version, which is mostly WATER. Do NOT purchase!! I’m that friend that will tell you you deserve better!! =’)

This serum didn’t make it to my list of all time favourite skincare and makeup products anyways, but check out that list for what I’d recommend instead!

Overall if you’re looking for a serum to really soothe your skin, I think a better option is the SKIN1004 Centella Ampoule (review here). That one is a little more watery but is 100% Centella Asiatica extract and really helps calm sensitive skin (plus the SKIN1004 ampoule has no fragrance).

Before we dive into this Innisfree Green Tea Seed Serum review, if you are considering purchasing - Make sure you check the label on your box and get the one with the 75.9% green tea extract in the ingredient list. Sephora has the formulation that is mostly Aqua aka water, while StyleVana used to carry the formulation that is 75.9% green tea extract.

The Innisfree website notes that their green tea is grown on their USDA-organic farm on Korea’s Jeju Island. Their Beauty Green Tea was selected from 3,301 varieties. Rich in 16 hydrating amino acids, it’s a variety specialized in skin moisture. 

The line features patented Dual Moisture Rising Technology that protects the skin from moisture loss and the green tea seed oil extract creates a moisture barrier on the skin.

I noticed that this serum helped a little with redness and hydration, especially during the warmer months I could just use this and not have to put a moisturizer over top (for reference, I have combo skin).

Innisfree Green Tea Seed Serum Review Quick Facts:

Scent: Light botanical, floral fragrance

Packaging: Simple and clean, it comes with a cap on the pump for storage/travel

Application: It has a very light, watery texture and is easily absorbed into the skin a slightly tacky residue

Verdict: It’s a calming, soothing serum with natural ingredients suitable for normal to combination skin types. Although if you have very sensitive skin, keep in mind this does have added fragrance and citrus extracts added.

Overall, it kept my skin hydrated without being greasy and it was very refreshing to use. It is a great lightweight, oil-free serum for the summertime to address basic moisturizing needs.

PSA: You need to get the one with 75.9% green tea extract in the ingredient list if you want to try this. I purchased mine from StyleVana but just check the product listing details of whichever shop you prefer to purchase from.

Innisfree Green Tea Seed Serum Review: Ingredients

If you’re looking to try the Innisfree Green Tea Seed Serum - the formulation with the 75.9% green tea extract should look exactly like this:

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

Innisfree Green Tea Seed Serum Review: Application

1. Use this at nighttime, after double cleansing and toning. Some reviews on makeup alley says that this serum gives them a bit of a glow (without being greasy) and is fine to layer under sunscreen or makeup.
I find that it does take a little bit to dry down.
2. It’s a translucent, thin and lightweight water-y serum but is quite moisturizing, so I don’t need a moisturizer to go over top if it’s a humid day.
3. It is slightly tacky upon first application but quickly soaks into the skin.

Tip: Store this in the fridge so it’s more refreshing to apply for the summer!

Innisfree Green Tea Seed Serum: Results/Effectiveness

If you’re a fan of green tea ingredients you’ll love this. It contains 75.9% green tea extract!! This serum combined with the Isntree Green Tea Toner (review here) is a good duo for warmer days. It hydrates my combo skin just the right amount without moisturizer on top, and doesn’t clog my pores.

There have been no sensitivities to this product, but I think those with sensitive skin may not like the citrus extracts and fragrance in here. It’s a very gentle, oil-free product and should be suitable for combination/slightly more oily skin types.

Summing up this Innisfree Green Tea Seed Serum Review

This serum is an okay option if you’re looking for a basic hydrating serum and you have oily/combo skin. It’ll be better if you’re able to purchase the right version of the Innisfree Green Tea Seed Serum (with the green tea extract as the first and main ingredient).

I’ll definitely be using up the rest of the serum but it won’t make it to my favorites list and I won’t be repurchasing. If you’ve tried it and enjoyed it though leave a comment below for others!

Cheers,

T