If you are looking for glowing, dewy skin but are worried about breakouts and acne, Korean skincare brand Beauty of Joseon has you covered.
Beauty of Joseon Glow Serum is formulated to heal and calm troubled and irritated skin while boosting radiance.
I recently purchased Beauty of Joseon Glow Serum due to the impressive ingredient list and will discuss my experience in this Beauty of Joseon Glow Serum review.
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Beauty of Joseon Glow Serum
Beauty of Joseon Glow Serum is a formula filled with actives that heal and calm skin concerns ranging from acne to rosacea.
It has a golden yellow shade and a thicker gel-like serum texture, which the brand describes as “honey-like,” although there is zero stickiness to the serum.
Beauty of Joseon uses Hanbang (traditional Korean herbal medicine) to formulate its products.
This serum contains plant actives and other ingredients to create a natural-looking glow and brighten the skin.
The star ingredient in this serum is propolis extract, a natural ingredient produced by bees to construct hives.
Propolis extract provides powerful antioxidant properties, repairs damaged skin cells, and reduces inflammation.
Actives in the serum include:
Key Ingredients
Propolis Extract: The most concentrated ingredient in the serum, propolis extract is a mixture of resins and bee glue collected from beehives.
It has antiseptic, antibacterial, and anti-inflammatory properties to heal skin while reducing redness and irritation. It even improves cell turnover for a more radiant complexion.
Glycerin: A moisturizing agent that works well with the skin to enhance the barrier and provide hydration. It keeps skin moistened, soft, and supple while protecting it from irritants.
Niacinamide (Vitamin B3): Niacinamide is an effective ingredient for anti-inflammatory skincare.
It fades hyperpigmentation, dark spots, and uneven skin tone by interrupting melanin (pigment) production in the skin.
Niacinamide also supports a healthy skin barrier by increasing ceramide production and cell turnover, which results in brighter skin.
Niacinamide also improves collagen production, which helps improve skin elasticity and reduce the looks of wrinkles and fine lines, increases clarity, and protects the skin from oxidative stress through its antioxidant benefits.
Niacinamide is also an ideal active for acne-prone or oily skin. It can help regulate sebum (oil) production, fade acne scars, and treat post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation while calming the skin and fighting inflammation.
This 8-week clinical study found that 5% nicotinamide (niacinamide) gel was at least as effective as 2% clindamycin gel for the treatment of mild to moderate acne vulgaris.
Sodium Hyaluronate: Better known as hyaluronic acid, sodium hyaluronate is a humectant that holds onto water and gets it to the skin, where it hydrates and creates an instant dewy glow.
Curcuma Longa (Tumeric) Root Extract: A popular ingredient in skincare for its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties that effectively fight free radicals that damage healthy skin cells, leading to the visible signs of aging like wrinkles, dullness, and sunspots.
It soothes skin, reduces roughness or scaling, evens skin tone, and protects against UV damage. It even offers antimicrobial properties, which can benefit acne-prone skin.
Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf (Tea Tree) Extract: Tea tree extract is a natural antiseptic with anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties, making it ideal for acne care.
It helps clear breakouts, reduces redness and swelling associated with acne, and disinfects the pores.
Centella Asiatica Extract: A popular ingredient in Korean skincare, Centella asiatica extract has antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties to heal the skin.
It reduces redness and inflammation while accelerating the healing process, making it an excellent ingredient for irritated, dry, and sensitive skin.
Lotus Corniculatus (Lotus) Seed Extract: Lotus corniculatus seed extract contains antioxidants that help to reduce damage caused by environmental stressors and is even used as an anti-inflammatory.
Calophyllum Inophyllum Seed (Tamanu) Oil: Tamanu oil is anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and antimicrobial.
Thanks to the fatty acid calophyllic acid, it has excellent wound healing abilities, making it great for acne and blemish-prone skin.
It calms flaking, dryness, and redness. Fatty acids (oleic acid, linoleic acid, palmitic acid, and stearic acid) nourish and moisturize the skin.
Betaine Salicylate: Betaine salicylate combines salicylic acid, a beta-hydroxy acid (BHA), and betaine, a moisturizing amino acid derivative.
It gently exfoliates the skin to remove dead surface cells without drying it, which reduces the appearance of flaky, dry skin and promotes a soft, smooth texture.
Beta hydroxy acids (BHAs) are powerful yet gentle actives for sensitive skin. It penetrates deep into the pores to exfoliate clogged pores, treating blemishes and blackheads.
It also treats the skin’s surface to smooth away roughness and flaking.
Vitamin E: Vitamin E is a potent antioxidant that protects the skin from free radical damage and UV rays.
This K Beauty serum is formulated at a pH of 6.3 and does not contain artificial fragrance, parabens, sulfates, artificial color, alcohol, silicone, mineral oil, and essential oils.
Beauty of Joseon Glow Serum Review
Beauty of Joseon Glow Serum was an easy purchase for me because of the two main ingredients: propolis extract and niacinamide.
Propolis extract is so soothing and healing, while niacinamide is one of my favorite skincare ingredients.
t is a multi-benefit active that works for most skin types with skin brightening, blemish control, and barrier repair benefits.
I’ve been reaching for this serum as my combination skin is experiencing dehydration due to the season and minor irritation from testing retinol products and more potent actives.
It has a thicker texture that looks like it could be sticky but once applied to your skin, it doesn’t leave any stickiness or tackiness.
It really does leave a pretty glow on your skin once absorbed, but it doesn’t look greasy.
I think it’s a tricky balance to find a product that doesn’t leave my combination skin too dewy, but this Korean serum provides a natural healthy glow.
It also helps reduce tightness in my skin that comes from dehydration. The serum’s sodium hyaluronate (hyaluronic acid) is a welcome humectant that helps hydrate my skin and retains moisture.
The serum has been very soothing to my skin and a nice alternative to one of my favorite Korean products, Cosrx Advanced Snail 96 Mucin Power Essence, a gentle repair essence/serum for healing and calming irritation.
Lastly, a big plus is that Glow Serum so affordable and is available at drugstore pricing.
Drawbacks? If you prefer a matte finish, this is not the serum for you. Also, the dropper sometimes dispenses the serum in clumps, as it is a little thicker than a watery serum.
Who’s It For?
This repair serum is suitable for most skin types, as it hydrates and supports a healthy skin barrier, which should appeal to dry skin, and has soothing and healing actives to calm irritated and sensitive skin.
If you have very oily skin, the serum may be too glowy, but this serum will be a great option if you have dryness mixed with oiliness or are struggling with dehydrated skin.
If you have acne-prone skin, the serum would be a good choice as it calms redness and inflammation.
Related Post: Purito Pure Vitamin C Serum Review
Final Thoughts on Beauty of Joseon Serum Review
There are so many Korean skincare products on the market, but quality products are not always easy to find.
I’ve tested many Korean skincare products since I started this website, and this Korean serum is a good one for calming, soothing, and hydrating the skin.
If you want to explore other serums from the Beauty of Joseon, they offer a Calming Serum formulated with green tea leaf water and propolis, a Glow Deep Serum with rice bran water and arbutin (an excellent ingredient for brightening the skin), and Revive Serum with ginseng and snail mucin. All of these serums are super affordable, too.
Thanks for reading, and until next time, here’s to your good skin health!