Beauty of Joseon
Beauty of Joseon Glow Serum: Propolis + Niacinamide 30ml
Propolis and niacinamide, with an acid built in.
Betaine salicylate at position eight of thirty — a BHA, in a serum that never calls itself one.
Tacky for a minute, then not.
What this serum does
A 30 ml serum built on Propolis Extract and Niacinamide at positions five and six, with Betaine Salicylate — a salicylic acid derivative — at eight.
Betaine Salicylate, explained
Betaine Salicylate is salicylic acid bound to betaine. It is the ingredient Korean brands reach for when they want BHA behaviour in a formula that has to stay comfortable — it releases more slowly and is milder at equal weight, which is why formulas using it are dosed higher than a salicylic acid product would be.
At position eight, above the thickeners and the emulsifier, it is present in a real amount. This is not a trace.
That is good news if you bought this for congested skin. It is something to check if you did not: layering it on top of a glycolic toner, a retinoid, or another salicylic product is three exfoliants in one routine, and the reason your skin is stinging will not be obvious from the packaging.
Propolis at five, and what that means for who can use it
Propolis Extract is the resin honeybees make to seal a hive. It is the ingredient this serum is named for, and at position five it is a substantial fraction rather than a claim.
Two consequences. This product is not vegan, and it is not suitable if you react to bee products — propolis is a known contact sensitiser for a minority of people, more so than honey. Patch test if you have never used it.
Key ingredients
Ingredient · What it is, and what it is used for
- Propolis Extract
- Extract of bee propolis, the resin used to seal a hive. Fifth on this list. Not vegan.
- Niacinamide
- Vitamin B3. Studied for evening out the look of tone, for the look of pores, and for breakout-prone skin — which is why it turns up in so much of this catalogue.
- Betaine Salicylate
- Salicylic acid bound to betaine. A slower-releasing BHA — oil-soluble, so it works inside the follicle.
- Tromethamine
- Amino alcohol. Sets the pH — it sets the pH the salicylate needs to work at.
- Centella Asiatica Extract
- Extract of Centella asiatica, whole plant. Used to calm irritation; used to slow oxidation, in the formula and on skin.
- Melaleuca Alternifolia (Tea Tree) Extract
- Extract of tea tree — the extract, not the essential oil, so no volatile fraction.
- Sodium Hyaluronate
- Sodium salt of hyaluronic acid. A material skin already contains, so it reads as its own; used to pull in water and hold it.
- Curcuma Longa (Turmeric) Root Extract
- Extract of turmeric root. Used to slow oxidation, in the formula and on skin.
- Ocimum Sanctum Leaf Extract
- Extract of holy basil leaf.
- Calophyllum Inophyllum Seed Oil
- Tamanu oil, pressed from the seed. The only oil on this list, and it is second from last.
- Tocopherol
- Vitamin E. Used to slow oxidation, in the formula and on skin — here it also protects the tamanu oil.
- Sodium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate
- Anionic polymer. Sets how thick it is; gives the serum its slip without an oil phase.
How the formula works together
The top of the list is unusually plain: water, three glycols, then the two ingredients on the label. No silicone, no film former, essentially no oil. That is why it applies wet and disappears rather than sitting on the surface — a texture that suits oily and congested skin, which is who this is for.
Tromethamine at ten is the quiet load-bearing ingredient. A salicylate only works in an acidic formula, and tromethamine is what holds the pH in that window. Sodium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Xanthan Gum and Carbomer give it body; Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate keeps the tamanu oil and tocopherol dispersed.
Positions fifteen to twenty-two are a botanical block — neem flower, holy basil, neem leaf, turmeric root, cocoa and coralline algae. Those six travel together as a prepared complex; the same group appears in the same order in other products. Below it, tea tree extract and centella.
Who it is for
Worth checking before you buy: If you already use an acid, count this one — the BHA is not mentioned on the front of the bottle.
Labelled for hydration and brightness. In practice it is a congestion serum with a brightening active — best on oily or blemish-prone skin. Contains a BHA and a bee product: not vegan, not for a bee allergy, and not to be stacked with other acids. Wear sunscreen.
How to use it
- Dispense 2 to 3 drops into the palm.
- Apply to face and neck, focusing where you want it most.
- Tap with the fingertips until it has absorbed.
- Start once daily at night, and check what else in your routine is exfoliating before you use it twice.
Details
- Size
- 30 ml
- Made in
- Korea
- Contains
- A BHA (Betaine Salicylate, 8th) and a bee product — not vegan
- Ingredients
- 30, published in full below
Full ingredient list
Water, Dipropylene Glycol, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Propolis Extract, Niacinamide, 1,2-Hexanediol, Betaine Salicylate, Sodium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Tromethamine, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Xanthan Gum, Carbomer, Ethylhexylglycerin, Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract, Ocimum Sanctum Leaf Extract, Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Curcuma Longa (Turmeric) Root Extract, Dextrin, Theobroma Cacao (Cocoa) Extract, Corallina Officinalis Extract, Melaleuca Alternifolia (Tea Tree) Extract, Centella Asiatica Extract, Methylpropanediol, Lotus Corniculatus Seed Extract, Pentylene Glycol, Octanediol, Calophyllum Inophyllum Seed Oil, Tocopherol
In label order, unedited.
Ships from Korea.
