Beauty of Joseon has worked hard to become a ubiquitous part of Korean beauty and they have quickly soared to the top, with their simple and natural formulas that are a dreamy part of any skincare routine. After loving and using their golden Propolis + Niacinamide serum and protecting daily with their protective rice-based and cast-less sunscreen.  

They have made hit after hit, but one of their top selling product has been excelling without making a unique mark. The Beauty of Joseon Glow Deep Serum: Rice + Alpha Arbutin. Alpha arbutin is a small molecule extracted from fresh berries (like blueberries and cranberries) and inhibits an enzyme that forms pigment in the skin. This means, regular use stops new freckles, blemishes and tan forming – to create lighter and brighter skin tone. 

So, essentially it's a gentle and effective way to help reduce hyperpigmentation – although it takes time to show results, as layers of skin takes up to 6 weeks to refresh. Beauty of Joseon has blended 2% arbutin with a rice bran base, as rice itself can hydrate and brighten skin tone. 

Alpha arbutin (2%): extracted from berries, inhibits tyrosinase, which prevents melanin formation in the skin. It leads to reduced melanin formation over time and lightens skin, without causing high irritation or altering skin structure. 

Rice Bran (68%): rich in natural antioxidants, rice bran is rich in fatty acids for deep hydration and skin barrier repair, soothing for sensitive skin and provides improved, softer skin texture over time. 

Panthenol: soothing vitamin B5 that calms redness and irritation and provides lasting protection for damaged and sensitive skin. 

Japanese Goldthread extract: a plant famous for its anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial properties to soothe and calm skin. 

Barley extract: gentle, hydrating and soothing extract that helps improve skin softness and strengthen skin barrier. 

Sesame seed extract: rich in antioxidants, sesame seeds provide deep protection and repair to damaged skin cells, along with re-building fatty acids. 

Wheat extract: gentle and moisturizing oil extract that helps soften skin and is rich in soothing vitamin E to protect against sun damage. 

Apart from grains, arbutin and vitamins – this serum is literally a few polymers to stabilize the serum, sensitive-skin safe preservatives, glycerin and butylene glycol to hydrate and little else. Where other companies would have enjoyed sneaking in a little niacinamide or centella, Beauty of Joseon has maintained their characteristic simplicity and just let the bottle speak for itself. 

Alpha arbutin and rice extracts are genuinely quite gentle; making this serum safe for sensitive skin types. It has a host of hydrating agents that make it a good option for dry or dehydrated skin yet has nothing occlusive to stop it being used in oily or combination skin. 

In fact, this is designed to be fairly universal. If you have a sensitivity to grains, butylene glycol or other ingredient in the list – it will likely cause more harm than good, but otherwise it is a simple formulation for a plain, hydrating and brightening serum. 

I used this serum daily (in morning and night routine) for 6 whole weeks to really test its effect. I have combination, acne-prone skin and was struggling with a series of remaining acne scars with pigment.  

Alpha arbutin does take that long to work and I wanted it to be a fair trial. The serum itself is delightful to use, it’s watery and lightweight and absorbs gently into skin. It became a favourite of my winter routine due to its hydrating nature and I would apply an entire applicator FULL morning and night (like 10 drops!) I had little blemishes on my cheeks that I was hoping this serum could tackle. 

Before I ventured to examine my before picture and compare it to the after – I was fairly sure that the difference was minimal. After a dutiful 6 weeks of use, I reflected and found that there was a noticeable change to my skin texture. Although I still had spots, there were much fewer, with less intensity and giving me more uniform skin.  

If you are looking for a serum to provide a rapid improvement in hyperpigmentation, this serum would not really fit that picture. I would more recommend it if you are looking for a soothing, sensitive-skin friendly serum that hydrates and, with a lot of patience, will help improve skin texture. It fit well with every other serum in my rotation, including azelaic acid, AHA/BHA/PHA, Vitamin C and retinol – and in fact provided a great boost of moisture when using acne treatments. 

This serum is a perfect serum for sensitive skin, with low-irritation and gently improves skin texture over time (including slowly lifting pigment). If you are in need of quicker results or are using other agents to lift pigment, this serum might disappoint due to weaker results. I would actually just recommend it to hydrate, soothe alongside a stronger hyperpigmentation treatment to create a boosted and lifting effect.

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