Beauty of Joseon has been one of the most purchased Korean brands in France since 2023, particularly thanks to its sunscreen and ginseng serum. The brand deserves a real analysis: composition, realistic results, products that deliver on their promises, and those to avoid. This guide reviews the flagship products, user reviews, and the questions no one openly asks.
What is Beauty of Joseon? The essentials in 30 seconds ✨
Beauty of Joseon is a South Korean brand founded in 2010, positioned on revisited traditional Korean beauty. Its formulas are based on ingredients from classical Korean pharmacopoeia: ginseng, fermented rice, propolis, and barley honey. The brand is distributed in over 40 countries and regularly features in the bestsellers of global K-Beauty platforms.
What distinguishes Beauty of Joseon from more mainstream Korean brands like COSRX or Some By Mi is its aesthetic and formulation approach: textures inspired by remedies from the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1897), often richer, and a less standardized palette of ingredients. The brand offers about forty products, focused on facial care.
If you're hesitant between several Korean brands before taking the plunge, our guide to the best Korean skincare brands will help you compare their positioning.
Is Beauty of Joseon's composition clean? 🌿
This is the question most asked by new customers, especially after the Que Choisir and Yuka rankings. The honest answer: the composition varies greatly depending on the product. Some formulas are remarkably minimalist, while others contain ingredients that deserve attention.
The positive points across the entire range:
- Absence of parabens in almost all formulas
- Use of botanical extracts at functional (not just decorative) concentrations
- Fragrance present in some products but generally at low levels
- No denatured alcohol at the top of the ingredient list
What's worth knowing: the Dynasty Cream contains fragrance, which can be problematic for very sensitive or reactive skin. The Glow Deep serum and Relief Sun, however, are among the most tolerated formulas. The Yuka app rates Beauty of Joseon products variably depending on the references, with day creams rated lower than serums due to texturizing agents.
Expert tip: Avoid evaluating the entire brand based on a single product. The fact that Dynasty Cream contains fragrance says nothing about the tolerability of the sunscreen or serums. Read the INCI list of each product individually before purchasing, especially if your skin is reactive.
Product-by-product review: what really works 🧴
Here are reviews of the best-selling products, based on observed customer feedback and performance data.
| Product | Strengths | Limitations | For whom |
|---|---|---|---|
| Relief Sun SPF50+ | Natural finish, no white residue, rare lightness for an SPF50 | Not hydrating enough alone for very dry skin | All skin types, especially oily and combination |
| Dynasty Cream | Long-lasting hydration, rich texture, mature skin | Fragrance, can congest acne-prone skin | Dry and mature skin, not acne-prone |
| Glow Serum (propolis + niacinamide) | Visible radiance in 2-3 weeks, evens skin tone | Slightly sticky texture if poorly applied | All skin types, ideal for mild hyperpigmentation |
| Revive Serum (ginseng + snail mucin) | Intense hydration, supports skin barrier | Thicker texture, better for evening care | Dehydrated, dry, mature skin |
| Calming Serum (heartleaf) | Rapid soothing, well tolerated on sensitive skin | Limited brightening effect compared to other serums | Sensitive, reactive skin, diffuse redness |
The Relief Sun SPF50+ with probiotics and rice extract is by far the product that generates the most repeat purchases. It is formulated without octocrylene, without denatured alcohol, and its finish is natural enough to be worn alone, without foundation. For oily skin, it is one of the few Korean SPFs that doesn't feel heavy.
The Dynasty Cream is often misused: it's a rich treatment designed for nighttime or for very dry skin in winter. Applying it in a thick layer in the morning on oily or combination skin will create a feeling of discomfort and potentially clog pores.
Yuka and Que Choisir reviews: should you trust them? 🔍
Searches around "beauty of joseon yuka review" and "beauty of joseon composition review" are among the most frequent for the brand in France. Here's what you need to understand.
Yuka evaluates cosmetics based on a list of ingredients considered problematic, without taking into account the formulation context (concentration, pH, interaction with other active ingredients). An ingredient classified as "at risk" by Yuka can be completely harmless at the concentration used in the product. Conversely, some natural ingredients can be irritating without triggering an alert.
Que Choisir adopts a more rigorous approach, but applies criteria that are sometimes stricter than current dermatological recommendations. Que Choisir's reviews of Beauty of Joseon mainly highlight the presence of fragrance in some formulas, which is genuine information for sensitive skin, but not a systematic contraindication.
The best approach: read the INCI list directly, identify the ingredients to which you are personally sensitive, and test on a small area before full use. A dermatologist or aesthetician can help if you have a history of allergies.
How to integrate Beauty of Joseon into your Korean routine? 💧
The Beauty of Joseon range is designed to be layered, following the logic of the Korean routine (from lightest to thickest). Here's how to integrate it according to your skin type.
Typical morning routine for combination to oily skin:
- Gentle cleanser (not Beauty of Joseon)
- Light hydrating toner or essence
- Glow Serum (propolis + niacinamide): 2-3 drops, patting in
- Light moisturizer
- Relief Sun SPF50+: mandatory last step
Typical evening routine for dry or mature skin:
- Double cleansing (oil then foam)
- Toner or essence
- Revive Serum (ginseng + snail mucin)
- Dynasty Cream in a thin layer on still slightly damp skin
An often overlooked point: the Glow Serum contains niacinamide at an estimated concentration of between 2 and 5%. Niacinamide improves radiance and reduces visible dark spots, but results are generally only noticeable after 4 to 6 weeks of regular use. If you don't see anything in 2 weeks, continue before concluding it's ineffective.
If you want to delve deeper into the Korean routine adapted to your skin type, our review of COSRX can help you complete your selection for other key steps in the routine.
Who is Beauty of Joseon really for? 👥
The brand is well suited to three distinct profiles.
Profile 1: K-Beauty beginner looking for an entry point with an iconic product. The Relief Sun is an excellent first purchase: effective, well tolerated, and serves as an entry point to discover the brand without risk. Budget: 13-16 euros.
Profile 2: minimalist skincare enthusiast who wants 2-3 products that really work. Glow Serum + Relief Sun is a solid base for the vast majority of skin types, with formulas that coexist well.
Profile 3: mature or dry skin looking for long-lasting hydration. The Dynasty Cream and Revive Serum address this need well, with ingredients (ginseng, silk extract, snail mucin) clinically associated with supporting skin elasticity and hydration.
However, Beauty of Joseon is less suitable for very active acne-prone skin (some rich formulas can aggravate comedones), and for hypersensitive skin with a history of reaction to fragrances (Dynasty Cream and some other products contain fragrances).
Customer reviews: what we really observe 💬
Feedback observed from several thousand K-Beauty orders in France paints a consistent picture. The Relief Sun generates the best satisfaction rate and the highest repurchase rate, with very positive feedback on the finish, lightness, and tolerability. The Glow Serum convinces customers who give it time to work (minimum 4 weeks), but disappoints those who expect results in less than 15 days.
The Dynasty Cream is more polarizing: highly appreciated by dry and mature skin, it generates negative feedback from combination skin types who use it in a too-thick layer in the morning. This is often a matter of usage, not intrinsic product quality.
The rare negative reviews concern two points: fragrance (very reactive skin) and the variable availability of some products. Feedback on composition remains minority and mainly comes from customers who used Yuka as their sole evaluation criterion.
Beauty of Joseon is a solid brand, with flagship products that have proven their effectiveness on a large scale. The Relief Sun and Glow Serum are safe bets for most skin types. The Dynasty Cream deserves to be used on the right profile (dry skin, night care) to deliver on its promises. Avoid judging the entire range on a single product or evaluation tool.
If you want to explore the full range available at Holy Skin, you will find all our selected Beauty of Joseon products stocked in France for 72-hour delivery: see the entire Beauty of Joseon selection.
