Unboxing Beauty

It is rare that I would write a review on a skincare product such as an oil or cream so quickly after I start using it.  Exceptions are the truly bad, such as Nature Republic Ginseng Royal Silk Watery Cream or it is SO FRICKING FANTASTIC!!   This review is the latter case.  

My skin type and concerns:  Oily but aging.  Blemish prone, pores, hyper-pigmentation, fine lines and wrinkles.

I am a huge fan of Innisfree’s Soybean Energy line.  I totally love love their Essence [Light] and Finish Cream with fermented bean extract (sleeping pack)  (review) ~ alas both are now discontinued.  The Essence [Light] was a first essence and they just don’t seem to be bringing that back, same with the Finish Cream ~ I am hoarding my last tube, quite frankly.   However, Innisfree does still have a decent Soybean lineup

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• Essence (150 mL) ~ I have this and I need to start using it.  It is a thicker, traditional essence and quite different from the [Light] version
• Skin/Toner (200 mL) ~ I thought maybe this was the replacement to the [Light] Essence, but the ingredient list is very different
• Lotion (160 mL)  ~ Lotions are great for those with oily skin, as it is lighter in weight.  Perfect for layering
  
• Cream (50 mL) ~ This is NOT the same as the Finish Cream ~ the ingredients are totally different
  
• Oil (30 mL)
  
• Neck Cream (80 mL)  ~ I have this and once I finish with my current neck cream, I will start to use it.
• Eye Serum (20 mL) ~ hmmmm, I have a lot of eye creams right now, but this is going on my wish list.
  

I don’t remember the Skin, Lotion and Cream before in the Soybean Energy series but I do know that the Eye Serum and Oil are brand spanking new.   Once I saw the oil become available at Jolse, I purchased it and have been using it for a couple of weeks now.

How I Love Soybeans 💞

Full of antioxidants, soybeans moisturize, help reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, helps firm skin and can reverse UV sun damage over time. It has anti-inflammatory properties so  it helps reduce blemish swelling and redness.  The power of soybeans contain amino acid glycine, which helps repair damaged tissue and to speed up healing, which means it is great for blemish prone skin as well. Polypeptides are found in fermented soybeans and are very moisturizing and help “plump up” your fine lines and wrinkles.  Genistein is so important as it is an anti-aging ingredient and soybeans can also boost elasticity in your skin as it can stimulate and aid in the production of collagen.

Innisfree Soybeans

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The above image is several years old, but Innisfree hasn’t changed how they grow, harvest and process their soybeans.  They use Pureun Kong (pureun=green, kong=soy) soybeans, which are local and native to Jeju Island.  They are also known as dok Pureun saegi kong (egg-shaped seed) or most commonly as kong jang, which is a generic term for all soy products.  The volcanic soil on Jeju Island is perfect for soybeans and once they are harvested, they are transferred to pots made from volcanic clay and set outside~ this method of fermenting pots outside is called jangdokdae.

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These pots are placed 620 meters up on Hallasan (Mt Halla), which is a pristine environment within a temperate zone.  The warm winters, sunlight and ocean breezes helps micro-organisms ferment naturally.  Innisfree ferments the beans for 300 days and then has a 4-stage method which has finally produces a concentrated fermented product.  Pretty cool, huh?

The Product

Innisfree Soybean Energy Oil is housed in a beige glass bottle, with brown lettering.  It contains 30 mL of soybean oil and has an eye drop applicator, which is part of the rose-bronze colored cap.  The simplicity of this design with its neutral colors is very sleek and compact ~ if you have a crowded or limited bathroom space like I do, this fits in nicely as it is small.

This oil is part of a 9 free system ~ which means it contains no parabens, no animal ingredients, mineral oil,  silicone oil, non-synthetic dyes, polyacrylamide,imidazolidinyl urea, triethanolamine and artificial flavoring.  This oil will help strengthen your skin barrier, while protecting it from free radical damage, soften fine lines and wrinkles, even out and brighten skin tone while moisturizing.   

The purpose of showing you swatches of the product on my skin is to help you see the texture, initial application and absorption into my skin.  The oil has no scent, with a light texture and it reminds me of one of my favorite oils, The Face Shop Jeju Tangerine Dry Oil.   However, it is not a dry oil so when I initially apply it to my skin, I can see how it reacts ~ it does act like an oil, as it doesn’t just sink into my skin unlike dry oils.  I have to pat it in and then it is absorbed.  Depending on how much is used will affect how it feels on your skin (more on that later)

Ingredients of Note

Now, looking at the ingredient list, I am thinking, where is the oil?  There is no oil….  I had to dig further and go back the Innisfree’s Korean site and look at the ingredients list directly there ~ they actually break down bacillus/soybean ferment extract into two separate components: soybean fermentation broth (mmmmm, broth….) and  15,9878 mg of soybean fermentation oil.  So, there is your oil!

It also contains other ingredients ~ such as glycerin which moisturizes and hydrates the skin, leaving your face feeling smooth and soft. Adenosine is yeast derived and is an anti-wrinkle and anti-inflammatory ingredient, so it will help soften and soothe your skin.  Arbutin has a brightening and whitening effect, which help lighten hyper-pigmentation spots and even out skin tone.  This contains Innisfree’s famous signature “Green Complex“, which consists of tangerine, orchid, prickly pear and camellia sinensis (green tea) ~  full of powerful anti-oxidants, due to its high concentration of polyphenols, green tea helps reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, along with camellia japonica (camellia).  Camellia helps firm, hydrates and has antioxidant properties that help increase collagen production and helps prevent collagen breakdown. It also has fatty acids omaga 6 and 9, which help moisturize your skin deep within.  Camellia is a fantastic anti-aging moisturizer and its antioxidant properties are very similar to vitamin C.

cosDNA does not show any acne triggers, but emollient and humectant ingredient polyglycerin-3 can be pore clogging, so make sure to test this out carefully first.  This does also have another emollient and humectant ingredient, methylgluceth-20, which actually helps unclog pores, so maybe that is why I didn’t experience any issues with this.

Ingredients: bacillus/soybean ferment extract (soybean fermentation broth + soybean fermentation oil 15,978mg), glycerin, propanediol, methylgluceth-20, polyglycerin-3, dipropylene glycol, arbutin, citrus unshiu peel extract, orchid extract, camellia sinensis (green tea) leaf extract , camellia japonica leaf extract,opuntia coccinellifera fruit extract, adenosine, ethylhexylglycerin, xanthan gum, hydroxypropyl cyclodextrin, PPG-13-decyltetradeceth-24, disodium EDTA, 1,2-hexanediol, fragrance cosDNA analysis

 

Why Do I Love This?

What this oil does not do for my skin ~ it doesn’t clog my pores and doesn’t leave my skin feeling oily or greasy, nor has it caused any acne breakouts. It helps lock in my other skin products and moisturizes my skin well.  It also is a wonderful booster ingredient to other skincare products, such as creams and lotions.  I actually can use this oil during the day time, which is almost unheard of with me ~ the last oil that I really used during the day was The Face Shop Jeju Tangerine Dry Oil.   I do use it at night as well and depending on when I use it,  how I use it changes.

Day Time:  I just use a couple of drops of this oil and mix it with an essence to create a smooth, semi-liquid product.  I dab it all over my face and then press my hands against my face until it is fully absorbed.  I am very careful ONLY to use a few drops as this product is very potent.  My skin looks healthy and it has a smooth texture when I use it this way.

Night Time: I use about 1/2 dropper full at night.  I apply it after all of my other skincare products but before my sleeping pack.  I apply this all over my face and gently press my hands against my face to press it into my skin.  When I use this much oil, my skin gets tacky, but not in a bad way.  When I press my hands against my face and pull away, my skin pulls a bit with my hands, bouncing back.   The best way to see this is in a Haba Labo video

Applying Innisfree Soybean Energy Oil (or any oil for that matter) before your sleep pack or facial cream, will help aid the cream to to absorb better and deeper into your skin, without causing irritation.  As a night oil, this is where this product really shines for me ~ when I wake up in the morning, the oil is fully absorbed, so there isn’t that “tacky” feeling on my skin.  Instead, I have very soft, radiant and smooth skin.   I have no adverse reaction to this product at all.

My only complaint is that this does nothing for my pores. I wish it would have a tightening effect, but it does not. However, I can remedy that by using other products around my T-Zone to help with reducing the appearance of pores.

Final Thoughts

Innisfree will bankrupt me, I swear.  I loved the original Soybean Energy series and I am so happy they updated their line with some new products ~ it almost takes the sting out of losing the [Light] Essence and Finish Cream. This oil is great for oily skin ~ not all oils work with all skin types, but I have found that lightweight soy oils really work nicely.  This isn’t all hanbang-y and may not be sexy, but fermented products are really the way to go if you are struggling between skin that is oily but aging.  Fermented extracts are concentrated and are rich in vitamins, amino acids and minerals and helps brighten your skin tone, as well as make it more elastic. Fermented products can also help remove dead skin cells, cleanse your pores and also reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. My skin is plumped up as the oil helps prevent water loss and moisturizes more efficiently and effectively.

This oil might not be enough for dry skin as a stand alone (or maybe you just use more), but you can add to your heavier creams to help boost it and I think you might love its versatility.  I do have other oils, but I keep reaching for this one since I got it.  As I have purchased from Innisfree’s Soybean line many times in the past, it isn’t surprising that this oil will be part of my re-purchase list.

Have you tried any of the Innisfree Soybean Energy products, even the discontinued ones?  Which ones and how did you like them?  I would love to hear from you or if you have questions for me about this product ~ please comment below!

Where To Purchase

Jolse carries this oil, plus their full line of Soybean Energy products (click here).  They have free USA and International shipping, plus samples

W2Beauty carries many of the Innisfree Soybean Energy items (click here) as well ~ free USA and International shipping, plus samples.  Save $5 on 1st purchase at W2Beauty with my referral link.  They also give out a ton of free gifts ~ take a look at their freebie page here..  

Innisfree Korea, of course, carries this line.  If for whatever reason, you cannot use Jolse or W2Beauty, I recommend a shipping service ~ I use Korean Buddy and you can save 50% off handler fee with Korean Buddy Shipping Service by using my blog url as a referral https://beautyfindsforme.wordpress.com with your first purchase

To find the products at Innisfree Korea, at their site (click here), just search for 자연발효 에너지  This will bring you back all of the items in the Soybean Line.