Marking its sixth year of zero-waste movement, the Korean cosmetics brand, Innisfree, held its annual Play Green Festival in Seoul Forest, Korea last October 5, 2019.
Celebrating the brand’s vision of an eco-friendly future, MEGA attends with Innisfree Philippines to experience the green-filled event.
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A few years ago, people thought that stopping the use of plastic straws were unreachable or unattainable, until a viral video of a suffering turtle made the rounds on social media. With the push of bold and driven activists to spread awareness of plastic waste and climate change, many large companies have transitioned to using greener or sustainable materials to help the environment.
In the heart of Seoul Forest, where the air was fresh and no buildings were in sight, cult-favorite cosmetics and skincare brand, Innisfree held their sixth Play Green Festival.
Encompassed with various activities that promote environmental-friendly materials, people lined up diligently to participate in beauty talks, hair styling sessions, artwork classes, snack buffets, and the most anticipated Green concert where indie Korean artists performed their sweet and relaxing music.
With over 2000 attendees yearly, one would think that it was inevitable to see trash all over the event area, but seeing the dedication first-hand was a humbling experience. Play Green started with the belief that living a green life is neither difficult nor boring but can be part of your daily fun. In support of this belief, participants brought their own lunchboxes and mats to the event, further promoting the zero-waste movement.
Each booth teaches something about living a greener life. For instance, the hairstyling booth that used handkerchiefs to accessorize the hair taught the participants about Innisfree’s landmark green campaign that promotes a daily habit of using hankies to reduce the use of disposable tissue to protect the trees, forests, and moreover the entire planet.
While there’s still much to improve in the excess usage of plastic—not only in Korea but all over the world—Innisfree is one of the brands that walk the talk. Play Green Festival is just one of their many endeavors that promote green living.
Aside from the yearly Play Green Festival, Innisfree goes above and beyond to show their green efforts. A campaign that started in 2003, Innisfree introduced Green Products, packaged in upcycled bottles which customers can return when empty, and opened a concept store in Seoul named ‘Empty Bottle Space’ decorated with upcycled cosmetic bottles.
During the trip, Innisfree also brought MEGA to its flagship store in Gangnam. A one-of-a-kind My Recipe Bar is located in the flagship store, where customers can pick natural ingredients to create personalized lotions, bath bombs, and scrubs.
There was also an area where you could try on Innisfree products. My personal favorite was the My Concealer, which fortunately launched in the Philippines last week at the same time they opened their new Innisfree store at Festival Mall, Alabang. The My Concealer Wide Cover has a wide applicator wand that makes it easy to apply on the skin. The product is light on the face and covers redness and darkness quite effectively.
MEGA remains hopeful that the Philippines could also participate in zero-waste efforts. It may seem far-fetched to change the world alone, but doing it together and supporting the companies that do, could make a huge difference.
