aj-obsessions

[aj-obsessions]

Discontinued innisfree moisturizers for oily skin that I loved

Please bear with me while I give a little rundown on my skin type history:

Puberty to late teens – oily and acne-prone (forehead, nose, and cheeks)

Early to mid-twenties – combination to oily, acne-prone (T-zone pimples, enlarged pores and blackheads on the nose; hormonal acne on chin and jawline)

Late twenties to now (early thirties) - normal to combination, dehydrated, still battling hormonal acne plus maskne (no thanks to Covid-19), sensitive and may even be a bit dry, beginnings of brown pigmentation, though thankfully no wrinkles yet.

As you can see, I have to deal with acne well into adulthood. I am also used to thinking I am an oily-skinned gal. Coupled with living in the year-round tropical and humid climate of Singapore, I still prefer lightweight moisturizers even if I could or should use a more emollient one. After all, heavy creams broke me out just as fast as when my hormones went awry.

When I first fell in love with the scent and packaging of innisfree's Green Tea (moisturizing) and Jeju Orchid (anti-aging) line, most of these products were still too rich or unsuitable for my skin. Hence, I purchased the Green Tea Fresh Cream (discontinued in early 2018) and the Jeju Orchid Gel Cream (discontinued in early 2021).

I know it's no news that innisfree frequently discontinue or reformulate and repackage their items. However, it sucks when products you love are off the shelves, forcing you to search for a replacement, and sometimes, in vain.

Let me tell you the embarrassing truth, the reason why I only recently finished both of these tubs months past the expiration date of late 2020. I left my skin to dehydrate and become more sensitive during the WFH (Work-From-Home) season of 2020. I washed my face twice daily but only moisturized and applied sunscreen when I had to get out of the house.

I know, I know, it's terrible of me. So my skin decided to get my attention by breaking out hormonally, with maskne on top of it, after being seemingly healthy (aka normal skin) for quite a period.

Although I realize my skin now needs richer moisturizers than these compared to when I purchased them back in 2017, I still love their scents, how lightweight they are, and most importantly, they do not cause more acne outbreaks.

The Green Tea Fresh Cream smelled amazing and had an immediate relaxing effect, was soothing and refreshing upon application. I did not try keeping it in the refrigerator, which (I read somewhere that) would increase its cooling sensation. It was transparent, watery and gel-like, much like an aloe vera gel. However, it takes longer than an aloe vera gel to sink into the skin.

In my opinion, it was great for hot and humid weather and spending time outdoor in the sun, but essential to layer a sunscreen product on top of it. It might have been a holy grail (HG) moisturizer for younger, oily-skinned peeps.

The Jeju Orchid Gel Cream was a light peach-pink tinted viscous gel that applied clear. It had a sweet floral scent and a curious "bounce-back" texture. One's fingers or spatula caused a dent after scooping up the cream for use, but when one opened up the tub again and looked after some time had passed, the cream regained a smooth, perfect shape as if untouched.

It was more moisturizing and firming than the Green Tea Fresh Cream since it was an anti-aging product, albeit slightly tacky. Depending on one's skin type and preference, it may or may not be sufficient or comfortable in either an indoor or outdoor climate. It had no SPF included as well, so using sunscreen on top of it was also necessary. It was perfect for those who have combination-oily skin and anti-aging needs.

My Conclusion

I would still purchase both of these if they were still in production. If my skin got oilier, I would use the Green Tea for day use and Jeju Orchid for night use (since I do not sleep in an air-conditioned room), on top of toner (skin), serum and essence. In my current state, neither of them were sufficient when used as a lone moisturizing product.

While it's too late to stock up on the Green Tea Fresh Cream, I manage to purchase the Jeju Orchid Gel Cream, one full tub in 50ml and another smaller tub in 30ml (part of a set of Jeju Orchid line products). Why do I only stock up one and a half tub? Well, I have a few other moisturizers on hand to finish up, which I will touch on in future posts. Moreover, considering the expiry date, it's not practical to go crazy with the hoarding, as much as I am sad to see it go.

#innisfree #discontinued #oily skin #gel moisturizer #anti aging #moisturizing #green tea #jeju orchid