The Best Beauty of Joseon Products in Australia: A Guide to the Range

Beauty of Joseon is one of the most searched Korean skincare brands in Australia, and nearly all of the range costs between $19 and $27. The brand builds its formulas around hanbang, the old Korean herbal way, so rice, ginseng, green plum and propolis turn up on almost every label. This guide covers the eight skincare products we stock, what each one is best at, and who should skip it.

Every pick below is in stock and dispatched from our Sydney warehouse. The brand's Relief Sun is in stock too, but we cover sunscreen on its own, so this post sticks to the skincare.

What Beauty of Joseon is known for

The name comes from the Joseon dynasty, the stretch of Korean history that ran from the late 1300s to 1897. The brand takes beauty ideas from that time and pairs them with modern actives. So one serum carries 60% propolis on one side of the label and 2% niacinamide on the other.

Three things define the range. The textures are light, even the creams, and the prices are low for what is in the bottle, with nothing over $27. And the brand prints the numbers on the label, so you know what you are paying for.

Is it a brand for people who are new to this? Yes, and that is a good thing. Nothing in the range is harsh, and most of it suits sensitive skin. If you want a first Korean routine that will not sting, this is a good place to build it.

Best overall: Beauty of Joseon Glow Serum Propolis + Niacinamide

If you buy one product from the range, make it this one. The Glow Serum is 60% propolis extract with 2% niacinamide, in a light, slightly glossy texture. It sinks in fast and leaves a dewy finish rather than a sticky one.

Propolis is the resin bees make to seal their hive, and in skincare it is valued for comfort and glow. The niacinamide is there to support an even-looking tone over time. Both suit dry, dull or sensitive skin, and they work morning or night.

Who it is not for: very oily skin in summer. The glossy finish can read as shine on skin that already makes plenty of oil, so pick the Light On Serum below instead.

Best moisturiser: Beauty of Joseon Dynasty Cream

The Dynasty Cream is the richest product in the range, and it is still lighter than most Western night creams. It carries 29% rice bran water, 5% ginseng water, 2% squalane and 2% niacinamide. Ceramide NP and hyaluronic acid are in there too, to hold water in, and the finish is soft and plump, not greasy.

Dry and normal skin will like it most, and it works morning or night. It also pairs well with any serum in this guide, because it adds moisture without adding another active. Our guide to Korean moisturisers puts it next to creams from other brands.

Who it is not for: oily skin, or anyone who breaks out from richer creams. The Rice Milk below is the lighter option from the same brand.

Best for dark spots and uneven tone: Beauty of Joseon Glow Deep Serum Rice + Alpha-Arbutin

The Glow Deep Serum is the pick for tone. It pairs 68.6% rice bran water with 2% alpha-arbutin, plus niacinamide and panthenol. Alpha-arbutin is a gentle brightening agent that supports an even-looking tone, so this is the serum for the marks a spot leaves behind.

The texture is a thin fluid, lighter than the Glow Serum, and it layers under a moisturiser without pilling. Use it morning and night, and give it eight to twelve weeks before you judge it. Daily sunscreen matters a lot to how well it works.

Who it is not for: skin that wants moisture first. This serum is about tone, not moisture, so dry skin should pair it with the Dynasty Cream or use the Glow Serum instead.

Best for redness and dullness together: Beauty of Joseon Light On Serum Centella + Vita C

The Light On Serum does two jobs at once. It is 68% centella asiatica extract, the calming plant Korean skincare is built on. The other half is 10% of a stable form of vitamin C called 3-O-ethyl ascorbic acid. So it calms the look of redness while it supports a brighter tone.

The texture is a light milk that absorbs fast with no sticky feel. Because the vitamin C is a stable form rather than the pure one, it does not sting, and it keeps in the bottle for longer. If you have wanted a vitamin C but found them harsh, start here. Our centella guide covers the calming side of it.

Who it is not for: anyone who wants a strong vitamin C. Ten per cent of the stable form is gentler than ten per cent of the pure one. That is the point of this serum, but it does mean slower results.

Best light moisturiser: Beauty of Joseon Glow Replenishing Rice Milk

The Rice Milk is a thin, milky lotion with rice extract, centella, panthenol, ceramide NP and hyaluronic acid. It gives a soft, slightly blurred finish and sits well under sunscreen or makeup. Oily and combo skin get moisture without weight.

It is also a good summer swap for the Dynasty Cream: same brand, same rice story, about a third of the richness. In winter you can layer it under the Dynasty Cream if your skin needs both.

Who it is not for: very dry skin in a Sydney winter. It hydrates, but it does not seal, so go to the Dynasty Cream for that.

Best cleanser: Beauty of Joseon Green Plum Refreshing Cleanser

The Green Plum Refreshing Cleanser is a low-pH gel with 73% green plum fruit water and 3% mung bean extract. It foams lightly, rinses clean and leaves no tight feeling. It is the second step in a double cleanse, or the only cleanse in the morning.

Low pH matters because skin sits at about 5.5, and a cleanser that matches it will not strip the barrier. This one suits combo and oily skin best, and it works for normal skin too. It pairs with any first cleanse on our cleanser page.

Who it is not for: taking off heavy makeup or sunscreen on its own. A gel cleanser will not lift a full face of SPF, so use an oil or balm first, then this.

Best gentle peel: Beauty of Joseon Apricot Blossom Peeling Gel

The Apricot Blossom Peeling Gel is the gentlest way to buff off dead skin in the range. It holds 19% apricot blossom flower water and 8% plant cellulose. Massage it onto dry skin and the cellulose balls up, lifting dead cells with it, then rinse.

There is no grit and no acid in it, so it suits skin that stings with scrubs and peels. Use it once or twice a week, in the evening, on clean dry skin. It leaves skin smooth enough that serums sink in better after.

Who it is not for: anyone chasing a strong peel. If you are used to glycolic or salicylic acid, this will feel mild, and that is by design.

Best eye treatment: Beauty of Joseon Revive Eye Patch Ginseng + Retinal

The Revive Eye Patch is a jar of 60 jelly hydrogel patches, so 30 pairs. Each one carries ginseng root water, fig extract, a gentle dose of retinal with bakuchiol, and hydrolysed collagen. Leave them on for 20 minutes and the under-eye looks plumper and better rested.

The retinal is low and buffered, which is the right call for eye skin. If a retinal serum has felt too strong near the eyes, patches a few times a week are a softer way in. Our retinal vs retinol guide explains why retinal is worth having.

Who it is not for: anyone who wants a daily eye cream. Patches are a treatment step, not a moisturiser. The Revive Eye Serum is the daily option, and it is out of stock at the moment.

Beauty of Joseon at a glance

Product	Best for	Size	Price
Glow Serum Propolis + Niacinamide	A first serum, glow and comfort	30ml	$20.50
Dynasty Cream	Dry and normal skin, day or night	50ml	$23
Glow Deep Serum Rice + Alpha-Arbutin	Dark spots and uneven tone	30ml	$20.50
Light On Serum Centella + Vita C	Redness and dullness together	30ml	$20.50
Glow Replenishing Rice Milk	Oily and combination skin, a light moisturiser	150ml	$27
Green Plum Refreshing Cleanser	Second cleanse, combination and oily skin	100ml	$19
Apricot Blossom Peeling Gel	Gentle weekly exfoliation	100ml	$19
Revive Eye Patch Ginseng + Retinal	Tired under-eyes, a few times a week	60 patches	$25

Shop the Beauty of Joseon range

All nine products are on our Beauty of Joseon page. These six are the ones most people start with.

Where to start with Beauty of Joseon

New to the brand? Start with the Glow Serum and a moisturiser. Dry skin takes the Dynasty Cream, oily or combo skin takes the Rice Milk. That pair costs under $50 and covers the two things most skin here needs, which are comfort and a bit of glow.

Next, pick one target serum: the Glow Deep Serum for tone, or the Light On Serum for redness. Do not run both at once until your skin has settled with one, because if something stings you want to know which bottle did it.

The cleanser, the peeling gel and the eye patches are the extras. Add them once the core routine has settled. A full Beauty of Joseon routine of cleanser, serum and moisturiser comes to about $63, which is less than many single serums from big-name brands.

A simple order: cleanser, serum, moisturiser, then sunscreen in the morning. Patches and the peeling gel go in the evening, before the serum. You can browse the rest of our serums and moisturisers if you want to mix brands.

Frequently asked questions

Which Beauty of Joseon product is the best?
The Glow Serum Propolis + Niacinamide. It suits the widest range of skin types, it costs $20.50, and it gives the glow the brand is known for. If you want a cream instead, the Dynasty Cream is the other safe first buy.

Is Beauty of Joseon good for sensitive skin?
Yes, most of it, because the textures are light, the actives sit at gentle levels, and there are no strong acids in the range. Start with the Glow Serum or the Dynasty Cream, and patch test any new product behind the ear first.

Can I use two Beauty of Joseon serums together?
Yes, but add them one at a time. A common split is the Light On Serum in the morning and the Glow Deep Serum at night. The Glow Serum layers over either of them.

Is Beauty of Joseon vegan?
Not all of it, because the Glow Serum uses propolis, which bees make, and the Dynasty Cream carries honey extract. The Glow Deep Serum, the Light On Serum, the Rice Milk and the cleanser do not list any animal ingredients. Check the label if this matters to you.

How long does Beauty of Joseon take to work?
The cream, the milk and the cleanser you will feel straight away. The tone serums are slow. Give the Glow Deep Serum or the Light On Serum eight to twelve weeks of daily use before you judge them.

Where is Beauty of Joseon made?
Every product in the range is made in Korea. Ours are genuine, imported from Korea sealed, and dispatched from our Sydney warehouse.

Not sure which one suits your skin? Email us at contact@dlux-essentials.com and we will help you narrow it down.