Affordable Korean Skincare Brand Innisfree Is Great For Acne-Prone Skin

Innisfree is a Korean skincare brand with products that are formulated using ingredients sourced from Jeju Island. Each line of products is centered around a key ingredient such as Lava Seawater, Sea Salt, Green Tea, Cherry Blossom, Bija Tree etc and it’s associated benefits for different skin concerns.

My main skin concerns include:

• preventing and controlling acne breakouts
• balancing oil-control
• keeping the skin hydrated
• preventing the appearance of fine lines

I purchased each of the products below based on some initial research about the key ingredients and benefits for the skin and used it for 3 months to see how it performed. Here are my thoughts:

Jeju Lava Seawater Skin (Essence) (200ml)
Price: ~840 baht

The Jeju Lava Seawater Skin (Essence) is extremely hydrating on the skin. The formula is very thin and water-like. After cleansing the skin, I use two splashes from the bottle and pat onto my skin. My skin remains damp for about a minute after application before the essence absorbs into the skin.

Lava seawater boosts skin hydration and holds anti-aging properties. I like that the product is simple, straightforward and does exactly what it is supposed to: hydrate the skin. There is no fragrance or sticky residue. My skin feels extremely hydrated and plump all day. The Jeju Lava Seawater Skin (Essence) carries a slightly heavier price tag, but I still think it is great value for how much product you get as compared to other essences and toners.

Jeju Lava Seawater Lotion (160ml)
Price: ~840 baht

The Jeju Lava Seawater Lotion is a runny lotion. It’s quite a different formula from what I am used to.

On reading about the product further, I discovered the lotion is designed to feel extra damp on the skin (it’s called a “moisture film”) because it helps to lock-in moisture and plump up the skin. Jeju Lava Seawater is also known to help balance oil-control.

I noticed a massive difference in the quality of my skin with this lotion. It feels bouncy and I can see the glass-skin effect.

The frequency of my acne breakouts significantly reduced since introducing this lotion as the final step in my skincare routine. I use it day and night, but I tend to use it more at night because it is so hydrating and the lotion needs a few minutes to absorb completely. While I’m not a huge fan of the formula, but I can’t deny that this product works and that’s why I highly recommend it.

I have no issues wearing sunscreen or makeup over this lotion (just wait about 5-10 minutes to let as much of the product absorb into the skin).

The Jeju Lava Seawater Lotion is great value for money because you get 3x the amount of product compared to other moisturizers.

Green Tea Cleansing Oil (150 ml)
Price: ~770 baht

The Green Tea Cleansing Oil has an essence-like formula and feels extremely light when I apply it onto the skin. I take two pumps and massage it onto my dry face first to melt away makeup and then add water. It turns into a slightly milky consistency to further massage and cleanse the skin. My skin feels extremely hydrated and clean after rinsing all of the oil off with warm water; there is no oily residue or sticky feeling left on the skin.

It’s not the most powerful makeup remover because there is some mascara or makeup left on the perimeters of my face after using this cleansing oil. But that being said, for daily use, it is gentle and effective.

Just a note that packaging of the cleansing oil is not super travel-friendly as it comes in a pump with no twisting lid.

If you have sensitive, acne-prone or oily skin, then I highly recommend the Green Tea Cleansing Oil.

Innisfree Green Tea Foam Cleanser Face Wash (150 ml)
Price: ~330 baht

Using the Green Team Foam Cleanser feels luxurious on the face because with a little water, the cleanser lathers up into a creamy foam as you massage it all over the face. I like to massage it for a good 45-60 seconds all over to really deep clean the face and I think it does a good job.

Green tea is known to provide hydration and hold anti-inflammatory properties, which really help with skin concerns such as hydration and redness/scarring.

The Innisfree Green Team Foam Cleanser face wash is great as a daily cleanser. I also think it is amazing value for money (as compared to other cleansers) because you get a lot of product for a very affordable price point. My only note is that it can slightly irritate the eyes if the lathered foam gets in, so keep that in mind.

Innisfree Sea Salt Whipping Cleanser Face Wash (130ml)
Price: ~370 baht

The Sea Salt Whipping Cleanser is rich with sea salt minerals, which are known to help smooth the skin’s texture and remove impurities/excess sebum (oil).

The formula of the cleanser is interesting because it contains tiny particles that activate with water, so it feels like a very gentle face scrub. With water the Sea Salt Whipping Cleanser lathers up into a foam. You only need a pea-sized amount to get a very dense luxurious foam.

I think the Sea Salt Whipping Cleanser works because it does an incredibly good job of cleansing the skin and unclogging pores. My skin feels smooth and squeaky clean after every use. I think it has made a really big difference in balancing my skin’s oil-control and keeping acne under control. Just a note: be very careful around the eyes and nose because I got a little of the dense foam up my nose and it stung a bit. I’d also recommend using a very hydrating moisturizer as the face wash can feel a bit drying after use.

I would treat this face wash more like a face scrub and use this product 2-3x a week to avoid sensitivities and reactions, especially if you have sensitive skin or active breakouts.

Related:

Skincare Routine for Acne-Prone Skin

Pregnancy Daytime Skincare Routine For Oily, Acne-Prone Skin

Pregnancy Nighttime Skincare Routine For Oily, Acne Prone Skin

Korean Skincare Tips for Acne-Prone Skin

Final thoughts: Innisfree works for oily and acne-prone skin concerns

I am very impressed by Innisfree. The products are generally affordable and incredible value for money given the amount of product you get.

But what totally blew me away is how well the products perform based on the product claims. Three months ago, I was battling chronic acne breakouts and nothing seemed to help. After switching over to using the Innisfree products daily, my chronic acne is almost gone! I think it is due to the combination of using the Green Tea Cleansing Oil, Sea Salt Whipping Cleanser, and Jeju Lava Seawater Lotion — these are definitely the stand out products for me.

If you have acne-prone skin, then I highly recommend Innisfree products. They really did work for me. If you have other skin concerns, then I still recommend Innisfree because you can read through the different product lines and ingredients and create a routine (like I did) to suit your needs.