Our Story

Here at innisfree, we create affordable skincare with a conscious touch. Our secret sauce? Blending nature and science into powerful formulas that feature effective, sustainably sourced ingredients. We’re committed to an earth-friendly skincare industry and give back through mindful packaging, recycling programs for empties, reforestation efforts, and more. If you’re looking for products that fit your values and your wallet, this is your happy place.

*Learn more about our innisfree-clean standards

Like any good origin story, ours has a hint of nostalgia. It started decades ago when our founder Sunghwan Suh watched his mom transform camellia oil into next-level personal care products. Years later, inspired by her skills, he traveled to Jeju Island and laid the foundations for innisfree.

Why Jeju Island? It's a literal paradise. With mineral-rich water, volcanic soil, and the perfect amount of rainfall, it’s an ideal climate for one of the world’s best Green Tea harvests—the heart and soul of our nature-powered skincare.

Today, our Green Tea skincare is hailed as one of the greatest of all time, especially our ever-evolving Green Tea Hyaluronic Acid Serum that’s reached cult-fav status. But it doesn’t stop there. We’ve tapped into over 15 island-sourced ingredients—from Bija to Cherry Blossom—to bring you easy, effective formulas for all your skincare goals.

Unlike the Green Tea you sip, innisfree’s Beauty Green Tea wasn’t picked for being tasty. That’s because the kind of Green Tea you drink is different from what we use in skincare. Our Green Tea was picked for its game-changing skincare benefits when applied directly to skin, like its ability to seriously hydrate and boost your moisture barrier. Finding “the one” was no small feat. We studied over 3,301 varieties until we landed on a Green Tea that’s packed with 16 amino acids for major hydration and tough enough to thrive in the harshest conditions. The result? A Green Tea harvest that shows up strong every season, so we can show up for your skin.

We’re not just pros at growing our Beauty Green Tea, we’ve also perfected its journey from plant to skincare—or, from our farm to your face—with extraction methods that preserve as many nutrients and benefits as possible. Here's our process: First, we handpick organically grown leaves, then we steam and press them. Next, we stabilize and purify the extract to make sure it's safe for your skin. Then, the real magic happens—our innovative double-squeezing
technique pumps amino acid levels way up to amplify hydration.

The result? Our iconic Beauty Green Tea that’s made by nature, boosted by science, and loaded with hydrating benefits for your best skin. This barrier-boosting ingredient can be found in our bestselling Green Tea Seed Serum, Cream, Roll-On Eye Serum, and the rest of our daily
hydration range.

Welcome to the Island, your gateway to skincare infused with nature's powerful benefits. Here, Green Tea fields thrive, oil absorbing volcanic clusters cover the land, nutrient-rich ingredients grow, and all can enjoy the beauty of nature.

Our story began in 1979 when a once-abandoned Jeju Island began its transformation into the lush Green Tea wonderland it is today. Jeju, or The Island as we call it around here, is where we grow our Beauty Green Tea, the world’s first and only Green Tea variety harvested exclusively for direct application to skin, thanks to its powerful, hydrating benefits.

What’s The Island like? Pure paradise. Picture turquoise waters, mineral-rich volcanic soil, endless fields of hydrating Green Tea, brightening tangerine, and glow-boosting cherry blossoms.

Discover innisfree’s nature-powered skincare—our secret to happy, glowing skin, every day.

The Island, or Jeju, has a bit of everything when it comes to climate. Its volcanic soil, mineral-rich water, ideal precipitation levels (not too rainy, but just right), and mild temperatures make it perfect for growing powerful ingredients. Our team hand selected 15 of these natural wonders to create innisfree’s skincare, including our USDA organic certified Green Tea.

Our love for Jeju is strong, and we are committed to giving back more than we take from the island. A few things we do: fair trade practices, reforestation efforts, and other preservation efforts that ensure we can share the island’s natural gifts with generations to come. Jeju island has also been designated by UNESCO as a World Natural Heritage Site, World Biosphere Reserve, and Global Geopark, so its one-of-a-kind ecosystem remains protected and pristine.

GREEN TEA: Over 10 years and 3,301 varieties later, we've found the one. Our Beauty Green Tea* was selected specifically for its hydrating skincare benefits—not its flavor. It has 16 different hydrating amino acids. Plus, it’s USDA organic certified.

BIJA TREE: Bija Forest, nestled in Jeju, is home to Korea’s legendary Torreya trees, some of which are 900 years old! People have been raving about the health benefits of their precious fruit for centuries. In skincare, it’s a powerful ingredient to help address flare ups. We also only harvest the fruit that's already dropped from the trees, through fair
trade practices.

BLACK TEA: innisfree Black Tea is actually naturally fermented Beauty Green Tea*! It’s bursting with powerful antioxidants and skin-loving benefits that help revitalize and protect.

CANOLA HONEY: When you visit Jeju Island, it's impossible to miss the yellow Canola flower petals dotting the landscape. When spring hits, they produce a one-of-a-kind honey that's jam-packed with flavonoids and proteins.

CHERRY BLOSSOM: We capture the full glow-boosting benefits of cherry blossoms by harvesting & drying their leaves.

VOLCANIC: Jeju's volcanic eruptions left hot lava fragments that formed clusters as they cooled & solidified. Naturally holey and jam-packed with minerals, these porous clusters are perfect for sucking up all that extra oil and impurities.

*Beauty Green Tea is our proprietary USDA organic-certified Green Tea, which harnesses 16 different hydrating amino acids.