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Meta description: This article is a concise review of Beauty of Joseon’s most popular skin care products and whether they’re suitable for melanin-rich skin.
NB: We haven’t tested these products yet among our community members. Our research was done using reviews from Reddit, Amazon, beauty bloggers as well as data from the company website. We’ll update this article with results from our community members as soon as testing is finished.
Beauty of Joseon Brand
Beauty of Joseon was started by Sumin Lee in the mid-2010s. It is based on Hanbang which is Korean herbal medicine. The company also uses recipes from the Gyuhap Chongseo which was like an encyclopaedia that women in the Joseon era used.
Beauty of Joseon is like a version of the luxury Hanbang products made by brands like Sulwhasoo. Beauty of Joseon uses ingredients like ginseng and rice. These ingredients are also used in products by Sulwhasoo but not as expensive.
This is why Beauty of Joseon has become so popular so fast. The company uses ingredients that you do not see in other products. Also the prices are so low that people can try the products without spending a lot of money.
Relief Sun: Rice + Probiotics (The Most Popular Product)
This is the most popular product in BoJ’s line. However, you’re probably wondering if it leaves a white cast on the skin. According to our research (reviews from dark skinned women), the product doesn’t leave any white cast on the skin as it uses chemical UV filters instead of mineral filters. The product also blends in quickly into the skin. However, some light skinned women noticed a white or grey cast on their skin immediately they applied it but it fades away quickly. So, you may want to do a patch test on your skin first.
Several users in the UK love the product because it’s great for cold weather as it layers perfectly underneath makeup products. It also doesn’t sting. For women in the US, where the climate is hotter and more humid, some found it overwhelming on oily skin. Others in drier US climates had no issues with it. If you live in the hotter part of the US and have oily-skin, you may want to go for the newer, lighter Relief Sun Aqua-Fresh variant.
Price: If you’re in Nigeria, you can get it here. It goes for $17–18 in the US, and roughly £15 — 15.50 in the UK via Boots and other stockists.
Glow Deep Serum: Rice + Alpha-Arbutin (the best for dark spots)
Women with melanin-rich skin who struggle with dark spots and hyperpigmentation will benefit from this product as it contains alpha arbutin which slows down melanin production. It’s not a bleaching agent and only reduces the appearance of dark spots and post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation which looks more obvious on darker skin.
However, don’t expect results immediately. Our research discovered that users start seeing results after two weeks but for those with very dark spots, results begin to show from six to twelve weeks of consistent nightly use. If you’re looking for an overnight change, you may be disappointed.
This product is best applied at night because sunlight breaks down alpha arbutin. Also, you must never skip sun protection or else you’ll be countering the effects of the product via sun exposure.
The price starts from $17 in the US; UK pricing sits in a similar range through the same stockists as the rest of the line.
Glow Serum: Propolis + Niacinamide (the best for pores and oil control)
Don’t mix this up with the Glow Deep Serum, as they tackle different skin issues. This one in particular takes care of sebum control and refines pores, but doesn’t deal with hyperpigmentation. According to our research, users praised the product for making their skin feel less oily and look clearer and calmer after a few weeks. The brand’s own clinical trial wasn’t huge, just 21 people over three weeks, but the testers did see more glow and less oil.
If you have melanin-rich skin, think of this as a good serum to layer on, not the answer to dark spots. If fading hyperpigmentation is what you’re after, then stick with the Glow Deep Serum.
Revive Eye Serum: Ginseng + Retinal
This one really stood out in our research, because it uses retinal instead of retinol actually makes a difference. Retinal changes into active retinoic acid with fewer steps than retinol, so it works faster and usually causes less irritation, plenty of skincare-savvy reviewers pointed that out. Most people, even those with sensitive skin, said they noticed little to no stinging or sensitivity. Many also saw smoother under-eyes and fewer fine lines after a few weeks of steady use.
Still, if you’re hoping for help with dark spots or PIH around your eyes, especially on deeper skin tones, you might want to keep looking. We just didn’t find any reviews that really talked about improvements there. So if that’s your main goal, there isn’t much to go on yet.
Price: roughly £15.81 in the UK; US pricing runs in a comparable range through the brand’s retailers.
Where to Buy Apart from Beyond Amazon
In the UK: Boots, Cult Beauty, and YesStyle all carry the range. In the US: the brand’s own site, iHerb, and Stylevana are reliable beyond Amazon.
What Our Community Says
This range of products hasn’t been tested among the Floom WhatsApp and Telegram community. However, we’re actively working on getting the products to our Floom members so ensure to check back regularly as we will update this article with our results immediately after testing.
The Floom Verdict: Beauty of Joseon Overall
For melanin-rich skin: The Relief Sun (patch-test first) and the Glow Deep Serum, are the two products which seem to deliver what they promise regarding PIH and dark spots so you’re most likely to get good results with them.
Not a good fit: All the products in this range are good but the Glow Serum (Propolis + Niacinamide) is an excellent general-purpose pore-and-oil product that doesn’t particularly address any skin concern that dark skinned women are prone to. If you must get this product, treat it as a nice multi purpose product and not as a treatment.
Best skincare types: The products are good for all skin types but if you have oily skin and live in Nigeria or in the UK heat wave, avoid the original Relief Sun and go for the Aqua-Fresh variant instead.
You can start with the Glow Deep Serum alone if you just want to try BoJ out for this first time. It’s the best product that takes care of skin concerns peculiar to dark skinned women. It’s also affordable and within two weeks, you can tell if the gentle ingredients work well for your skin or not.