Here's a store tour + our list of must-haves from Innisfree's first PH boutique
K-Beauty has taken over the local beauty scene with so many Korean brands that have washed up in Philippine shores. There is one brand, however, that many have been pining to see here and now it has finally arrived. Innisfree just opened its first branch at SM Mall of Asia and boy, is it huge!
This may possibly be the biggest stand alone branch of any beauty brand I’ve ever set foot in. When you enter the store, you’ll immediately notice that their different skincare lines fill the walls. Innisfree may be best known for their popular Green Tea Seed line, which is for moisturizing and nourishing the skin. The star product and bestseller is the Green Tea Seed Serum (P1,590), which is made up of dual green tea ingredients (green tea water and green tea seed oil) to create a strong moisture barrier on the skin. The line also has so many other products including a foam cleanser, cleansing oil, cleansing water, essence-in-lotion, eye cream, eye and face ball, cream, skin pack and sleeping pack.
Other popular skincare lines include the Jeju Volcanic line for pore care with the cult fave Super Volcanic Pore Clay Mask (P890), and the Jeju Orchid line for anti-aging with the oh-so-rich Jeju Orchid Enriched Cream (P1,690). Sheet mask lovers will also rejoice as there are rows upon rows of shelves just for their many variants of My Real Squeeze Mask (P80 each)! These masks are some of my favorite sheet masks as they are hydrating but lightweight, and I’m thrilled that I will no longer have to source these babies from abroad.
While the brand’s skincare has already amassed a massive fan base even without a physical store presence here, Pinays aren’t as exposed to the makeup that the brand also has to offer. Honestly, I’m only familiar with the No Sebum line, particularly with the well-loved No Sebum Mineral Powder (P380). I expect that this will change now that Innisfree has a store where Pinays can swatch at leisure. We all know the struggle of finding foundation and cushion makeup matches in Korean brands, but Innisfree actually offers a wide range of shades that can cover the face base needs of both mestizas and morenas. Furthermore, they also have a customized selection for foundations: you can pick from three levels of moisture (matte, semi-matte, glow) and coverage (natural, medium and high) to suit your personal needs!
I found a good match in shade N23 (I have MAC NC20 skin). I wanted to buy a 1.3 foundation (matte with medium coverage) after trying the available testers, but unfortunately stocks hadn’t arrived from Korea yet so I will have to wait to get this on my next visit.
Apart from lippies, Korean color cosmetics have never really interested me until I the day I walked into the Innisfree store! There was a vast amount of shades for blushes and contour, and oh-so-many eyeshadows which really caught my eye. The eyeshadows are arranged according to three finishes: matte, shimmer, and glitter. The matte shadows have a nice, soft pigmentation, while the shimmer ones are pretty pigmented, too. The glitter ones were the standouts for me as good glitter eyeshadows are hard to find. These ones have fine glitter, are beautifully iridescent, and are generally creamy!
I took home two shades of the glitter eyeshadows, Nos. 26 and 27
Innisfree also has a My Palette system where you can buy empty palettes in small, medium, and large sizes (priced at P470, P590 and P790 respectively) and customize it however you want with all the eyeshadows, blushes, contour, and highlight options. I’m so in love with the eyeshadows, though, that I plan to buy a large palette (or three)!
Since the Christmas season is pretty much upon us, Innisfree also has gift sets in eye-catching green and red boxes. These are some of the nicest-looking boxes I’ve seen so far this season - they look so very festive! There are sets for perfumes, hand lotions, and even skincare minis.
I made the most of my trip by trying out more products to try from the brand. Since I’m a fan of the No Sebum Mineral Powder, I got myself the No Sebum Setting Spray (P690). I love that it gives the minty feeling reminiscent of the powder, but it did not do much to keep me oil-free for longer, nor did it extend the wear time of my makeup. I had better luck with the other products I got, though. The SA recommended the Bija Trouble Spot Essence (P990) with bija seed oil and salicylic acid. I find this to be one of the most pleasant-smelling spot treatments I’ve ever tried! It also helped dry out my pimples faster.
As a naturally curly-haired girl, I find it challenging to find styling products that suit my hair type. So when I saw that Innisfree had some that are specifically for curly hair, I immediately grabbed the My Hair Recipe Curl Up Styling Serum (P790). This is a lightweight, silicone-based serum that really packs a punch. I just use two pumps for my hair but I find that it really defines my curls and holds it the whole day! I love the floral scent as well.
I’ve done a lot of Innisfree shopping online but it’s a really different experience to actually visit their store and see how much they actually have to offer! There are so many things to discover in the wide and diverse product range. I’ll definitely be back to check out more of those eyeshadows. Hope to see more Innisfree branches soon!
Innisfree is located at Level 1 at the Main Mall of SM Mall of Asia. Follow their official Facebook page for updates.
