Beauty of Joseon Glow Serum: a Guru Score of 81%

What the experts use it for.

The concerns the experts tie this product to, in their own words. Paid and founder takes don't count.

Breakouts and acne1 expert

“The Beauty of Joseon Glow Serum is secretly an amazing serum for acne prone skin.”

Redness1 expert

“This also contains propolis, which is an amazing very gentle antibacterial and anti-inflammation ingredient that really helps to soothe acne prone skin, take down the swelling and the redness and the look of the pimples.”

Kelly Driscoll, watch at 13:43

Skin barrier support1 expert

“This contains 2% of niacinamide which is great for brightening but it's also great for strengthening your skin barrier, one of the first defenses against the acne bacteria.”

Kelly Driscoll, watch at 13:43

What the gurus are saying.

Every take we've logged from this product's reviews across YouTube. Click any row to watch the moment they said it.

All takes Yay takes Nay takes Mixed takes Hide sponsored

Mad About Skin

735k subs

✓Yay

"Used together, a recent study showed that vitamin C and centella asiatica in the same formula quadruples the amount of additional collagen produced versus using vitamin C on its own. You could swap out a standalone vitamin C serum [...] for this and still get the calming and soothing from the centella while maintaining your vitamin C results. It comes in a convenient pump and is really inexpensive, often around 11 or 12, though price can differ retailer to retailer."

Top Pick: vitamin c serum for anti-aging

All 3 takes from Mad About Skin

5 BEST BRIGHTENING SERUMS - Glowing Skin Guaranteed

"You've got niacinamide, and you've also got some other glow-enhancing ingredients too. So yes, definitely one of the most gentle of the brightening serums on the market, but a really, really nice one all the same. You don't get a whole lot of product in this, but I would probably only use a couple of drops, spread evenly over the skin, morning and evening. Over time you'll definitely see that boost to radiance and luminosity, and you'll get practically zero sensitivity and irritation."

VITAMIN C SERUM BACKLASH - What's Really Going On

"If you turbocharge it with Centella asiatica, it kind of kicks it up a notch, meaning it really is a high performance collagen booster. I love this and I think it's a great option for anyone that's using their vitamin C primarily for anti-aging. This is the one that I would go for. Really inexpensive but packs a punch."

5 KOREAN SKINCARE PRODUCTS YOU NEED TO TRY - Must-Have K-Skincare 2026

"Used together, a recent study showed that vitamin C and centella asiatica in the same formula quadruples the amount of additional collagen produced versus using vitamin C on its own. You could swap out a standalone vitamin C serum [...] for this and still get the calming and soothing from the centella while maintaining your vitamin C results. It comes in a convenient pump and is really inexpensive, often around 11 or 12, though price can differ retailer to retailer."

Dr. Aleksandra Brown

154k subs

✓Yay

"The next one worth mentioning here is the Beauty of Joseon Glow Serum. This one's really lightweight. It's almost like this honey-like serum designed to soothe irritation while adding a nice glow. It's very beneficial for sensitive or reactive skin thanks to its calming and barrier-supporting formula. It has a high concentration, up to 60%, of propolis extract, which is a resin-like material made by bees with really strong anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties."

CYoung

96k subs

✓Nay

"If it's summer and you have normal skin you could just try it on. [...] Except for me, nobody else on the team had used it before and I didn't even recognize it. Even though it has propolis it doesn't have a strong scent, it's a small bottle, but I didn't even finish it, which means I didn't really see that much difference. Yuna, who has drier skin than me, said it doesn't feel like it's working well for hydration. It's affordable, but nah."

All 2 takes from CYoung

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"If it's summer and you have normal skin you could just try it on. [...] Except for me, nobody else on the team had used it before and I didn't even recognize it. Even though it has propolis it doesn't have a strong scent, it's a small bottle, but I didn't even finish it, which means I didn't really see that much difference. Yuna, who has drier skin than me, said it doesn't feel like it's working well for hydration. It's affordable, but nah."

Beauty of Joseon Top 16 products Rated Best to Worst (Not Sponsored)

"The rice and green tea Glow Serum is relatively light, which is fine for oily skin. It just makes my skin feel moisturized, but it doesn't last long, it wears off quickly. The size is also small, which is good for carrying around, but it's okay to use and I don't feel the need to buy it again since there are more affordable and better working versions out there."

AliceintheRabbitHole

59k subs

✓Yay

"I used the Beauty of Joseon serum with centella and a vitamin C derivative, three-O-ethyl ascorbic acid, at ten percent. Even at the end of this trial I [...] still do think the Beauty of Joseon is a good option."

Nipun Kapur

413k subs

✓Yay

"You can use it if you have oily skin, but you're better suited for it if you have normal or combination skin, because it has propolis. Propolis is a super moisturizing ingredient, and honey is a moisturizing ingredient too. So the Glow Serum, which is niacinamide and propolis, is for anyone who has normal to combination skin. If you're not looking for anything that's 5% or 10%, then this one is for you."

Cassandra Bankson

2.46M subs

✓Mixed

"When I'm talking to patients or clients, I want to give them informed consent, and I'll tell them straight up that it's a great product, it works well, and people see good before and afters. But it's not something that I put my money towards. So for me, it doesn't get the cast pass, but I'm going to be honest and say it as it is: it's a really good product. I won't buy it and I won't spend my money on it, but it's really good. Other products from this brand, like their sunscreen, are better."

Dr. Jenny Liu

324k subs

✓Yay

"This is a really nice, slightly thicker serum, but very lightweight and non-sticky, and it leaves your skin very hydrated. Ingredient-wise, with the propolis and the niacinamide, I can see this being beneficial for individuals who are suffering from hyperpigmentation or uneven skin tone. Niacinamide can be really helpful with that, and then the propolis, as I mentioned, can really help to hydrate and plump the skin. It's just a really nice hydrating serum."

Hyram

4.33M subs

✓Yay

"It just annoys me, because Beauty of Joseon has some of the highest quality skincare ingredients out there in beautiful formulas that are already accessible. I can understand the logic behind making a ripoff of brands like Crème de la Mer, La Prairie, or Dior Capture, these brands that overcharge like crazy, but when you're ripping off a brand that is already really affordable and has incredible quality products, come on. That is so disappointing and really pisses me off."

All 3 takes from Hyram

Can You Trust Skincare From Marshalls?

"I mean, that's like what, 70% markdown? Crazy. I'm kind of blown away that they can have prices this low, you guys. Oh my God, not only do they have Korean skincare, but they have Beauty of Joseon, like one of my favorite skincare brands ever. How much is this? $1, a little bit less than the normal one. Oh my God. And I have not used the Beauty of Joseon Glow Serum in a while, so I'm definitely going to get it, because I need more of this. It's a freaking amazing product."

Korean Viral Skin Care: Smash or Pass? 🇰🇷

"Oh my gosh, absolutely yes, I love all the Beauty of Joseon serums. They're all great. I've tried the Beauty of Joseon Glow Serum too. Y'all have seen the popularity of the Beauty of Joseon sunscreens, but I was actually using the serums way back in the day, like back in 2019 and 2020. They're awesome. Definitely smash."

Shopping SHEIN Skin Care (i'm... surprised??)

"It just annoys me, because Beauty of Joseon has some of the highest quality skincare ingredients out there in beautiful formulas that are already accessible. I can understand the logic behind making a ripoff of brands like Crème de la Mer, La Prairie, or Dior Capture, these brands that overcharge like crazy, but when you're ripping off a brand that is already really affordable and has incredible quality products, come on. That is so disappointing and really pisses me off."

Kelly Driscoll

91k subs

✓Yay

"For acne-prone skin that also deals with hyperpigmentation, I have the serum for you, the Beauty of Joseon Glow Serum. I love it because it is everything you want in one bottle. [...] It contains propolis, which is healing, anti-inflammatory, and antibacterial, and it takes down inflammation, [...] redness, and swelling of pimples. It has 2% niacinamide, the clinical amount for brightening, and it helps with overproduction of sebum."

What the evidence says.

Independent of what the gurus think, this is what the published research supports about the main active ingredients here.

Frequently asked.

What is Beauty of Joseon Glow Serum?

Beauty of Joseon Glow Serum is a lightweight, honey-textured face serum made with propolis and niacinamide. It is designed to soothe skin, add hydration and give a healthy-looking glow.

Is Beauty of Joseon Glow Serum worth it?

Mostly yes. 9 of the 11 gurus who reviewed it give it their stamp of approval, for a Guru Score of 81%.

What is Beauty of Joseon Glow Serum's Guru Score?

Beauty of Joseon Glow Serum holds a Guru Score of 81%. That is our read on how warmly the experts talk about it, based on the verdicts of 11 expert reviewers we have collected. At least one expert has named it a Top Pick in its category.

Who is Beauty of Joseon Glow Serum best for?

Beauty of Joseon Glow Serum is generally suited to oily skin, dry skin, combination skin, normal skin and sensitive skin.

What is Beauty of Joseon Glow Serum good for, according to the experts?

In their reviews, experts say Beauty of Joseon Glow Serum is good for breakouts and acne (1 expert), redness (1 expert) and skin barrier support (1 expert).