Green tea dreams
By early June, the second harvesting of tea leaves at Amorepacific’s organic plantation is over, with the leaves ready to be squeezed — one of the methods in obtaining a potent ingredient for Innisfree skincare products.
“From a radical scavenging test, squeezed green tea is more effective than brewed dried tea. We have been studying squeezed green tea solution since 2010, with three clinical studies conducted — one demonstrating its property in restoring the skin barrier and retaining moisture loss,” said Yoo Sejin, a senior researcher at the Green Beauty Lab located within the tea plantation on South Korea’s Jeju Island.
The lab studies green tea, from its leaves all the way to its roots, to investigate effects on the skin as well as on the body when taken as a food and drink.
Besides the squeezed solution, green tea water, extract, seed oil and flower essential oil have been studied and used by Innisfree in making cosmetics. Inside the lab, Yoo gets to work on his research whereas outside he gets to breathe fresh mountain air and to see the vast plantation cultivated since 1979.
“The variety of soils, including black soil with volcanic ash and soil rich in organic matter, have excellent physical and chemical properties for growing tea.
“Jeju’s subtropical climate and abundant water resource further provide the best conditions for organic agriculture to produce quality tea,” he said.
Over several weeks between April and May, the earliest sprouts of Camellia sinensis are hand-picked at dawn for their purity. A steaming, condensation, filtration and preservation process results in the nutrient-rich green tea leaf water.
The second harvest takes place at the end of May to early June, with the leaves going through a processing method to obtain an extract rich in vitamins and polyphenols, especially Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) — a powerful anti-oxidant to help fight the signs of ageing skin.
“EGCG is extremely unstable to use for cosmetic formulation, and a micro-encapsulated form was created to stabilise the compound,” Yoo said of the delivery of active ingredients.
Other parts of the green tea plant are handpicked at the optimal potency, he added, at specific times of the month, day and year, to ensure the transfer of their efficacy in cosmetic formulation.
Compressing the seeds give oil providing kaempferol, another antioxidant and anti-ageing compound.
Green tea’s phytonutrients power Innisfree hydrating skincare line, now available in Bangkok at the flagship store at Centerpoint of Siam Square.
The range i ncludes the moisturising serum as the first product to apply after cleansing before a cream; and the anti-oxidative oil as the final step of the skincare routine.