Jumping straight from a brutal winter into what is shaping up to be an equally brutal summer, the effects of global warming are making themselves very clear. While I have always known that I need to be more conscious about the decisions I make in my everyday life, it isn’t always easy. I mean, I’m a professional when it comes to splurging, but cutting down… maybe not so much. Now, admittedly, it’s much harder making huge changes in areas like food or clothes, even more so when on a student budget. Beauty is the one area you can make such changes without having to skip out on groceries for two weeks.

In today’s world, where words like “organic” and “sustainable” are thrown around so lightly, it can be an intimidating task to filter through the plethora of products. However, at the rate we are going today, changes need to be made on a very basic level. While still slow, sustainability has become an important factor in many industries today. Especially in the beauty industry, the ethical movement is becoming increasingly popular. This isn’t purely because consumers are becoming more aware, but also because they are now much more conscious of the products that they are coming into contact with. With brands that boast an eco-friendly background, one of the many benefits is that while working towards creating a cleaner environment you are also essentially putting cleaner ingredients on your skin. Here’s where a brand like Innisfree comes into play.

Innisfree, arguably Korea’s first natural brand, began its journey back in 2000. Specializing in high quality products with natural ingredients from Jeju, it is dedicated to creating the perfect harmony between healthy beauty and preserving the balance of nature. The brand has multiple different lines like Olive, Green Tea, Camellia, et cetera that are targeted towards different skin concerns and types. Whether it be the camellia or green tea, the ingredients are all sourced through local communities from the pure island of Jeju. And the best part is, all of this is done without disrupting the natural environment or the communities in that area. So you get all of this goodness and creative positivity in return.

It Doesn’t End There

Not only that, ever since they began, the brand has initiated a number of campaigns like the Play Green Campaign, Recycling Used Bottles Campaign, and Eco Handkerchief Campaign to name a few. Now, to me, actions always speak louder than words, so no matter how much they talk the talk they definitely need to walk the walk. While making sure that their products are produced in the cleanest way possible is quite important, what happens after is equally as important. One of the reasons why the beauty industry creates such a negative impact is because of all the waste. To even begin to fathom the amount of bottles and containers that are discarded is impossible. The Recycling Used Bottles Campaign prevents this, by allowing customers to return their bottles to Innisfree in return for points that can later be used. This is the kind of win-win situation I am all about. The Play Green campaign deals with probably the most important area of them all, education and advice. Through this communication tactic, Innisfree is a step ahead by showing their customers how to make subtle changes in their lifestyles to become more sustainable.

With so much backing the brand and the products you would expect it to be on the pricier side. However, that’s the best part of it all: with Innisfree, the benefits do not equate to price. This, along with the fact that the ingredients make the products gentle on the trickiest of skin types, makes it very easy to incorporate into your skincare routine. This is why I have compiled a list of a few products that I truly believe are worth trying to help you dive into the Innisfree experience.

To all of you guys out there with combination skin, I hear you and I sympathize, I really do. With skin as unpredictable as this, shopping for skincare is a very tricky business. Finding a product that’s equally as good at moisturising as it is controlling oiliness is like finding a needle in a haystack. Especially now that it’s summer, you need to cater to the heat and the guaranteed sweatiness. Here I introduce to you the answer to your problems: the Green Tea Seed Skin. A moisturising toner that works on controlling your skin’s water-oil balance, it truly is magic in a bottle. Alongside that, the presence of green tea provides a range of benefits to your skin like anti-aging properties, improving your skin tone, and protecting it from impurities like pollution.

Another product from the same line (as an avid fan, I may be biased), the Green Tea Seed Serum is a cult favorite. Before anything else, I highly recommend you check this product out. It's the #1 selling product of Innisfree, with approximately eight bottles of this being sold every minute worldwide. The constant praise I heard, read, and saw everywhere was the reason behind my purchase of this product. Now usually I am almost always disappointed by products that are super hyped, and so obviously I was quite skeptical when I bought this. BUT, this turned out to be an absolute godsend! With the green tea’s hydrating and depuffing properties, the product did exactly that. It made my skin feel firm and extremely hydrated without leaving it greasy at all!

Since I opened my eyes to K-Beauty, I’ve fallen in love with lip tints. My collection has gone from zero to almost uncountable alarmingly fast. While water tints will always hold a special place in my heart, oil based tints are where it’s at. It was the Vivid Oil Tint that allowed me to reach this epiphany and I’ve never looked back since. The beauty of this product is how easy it is to apply and how it doesn’t end up drying your lips out an hour after. It’s like wearing a bright beautiful lip with the added bonus of feeling like you just have chapstick on.

Last but not least is a product I probably rave about every chance I get, the Water Fit Cushion. Containing fresh Jeju green tea and micro blur powder, it aims to deliver moisture and blur out imperfections. If you’re just as much a fan of dewy makeup as I am, you can achieve that whole look with just one product. And as one of the few Korean brands that actually features darker shades, you might just find one for you!

Catapulted into more international fame through the likes of Girl’s Generation’s Yoona and Wanna One, I still feel like Innisfree is not getting the attention it deserves. It’s a brand that allows you to contribute towards a clean environment without making you feel robbed in any way, and it just makes it look so easy! Hopefully, this continues to pave a path for more beauty brands to follow its footsteps and make the same conscious decisions. Because let’s be honest, how nice would it be to feed your skin and the beautiful planet we call home.