Beauty of Joseon

Beauty of Joseon is a South Korean skincare brand whose first product, Joseon Beauty Cream, launched in 2017. The name means 'beautiful woman of Joseon', a nod to Korea's Joseon dynasty, and its inspiration comes from the Gyuhap Chongseo, a Joseon-era household encyclopedia by female scholar Yi Bingheogak that includes skincare tips alongside advice on daily life.

Seoul company Goodai Global signed an exclusive worldwide distribution agreement for the brand in January 2017 and acquired it in March 2019, then rebuilt it for a global audience. Under CEO Cheun Ju-hyuk, Goodai pushed the brand into the US, where it became better known than in its home market, and has since added TIRTIR, SKIN1004 and Round Lab to its stable.

The philosophy is hanbang: herbal ingredients with a long history in Korea, paired with modern, lab-backed actives. In November 2021 the brand launched Relief Sun: Rice + Probiotics, the lightweight sunscreen that became its breakout hit. The range now spans the Aqua-Fresh sunscreen, Dynasty Cream, Glow Serum with propolis and niacinamide, Revive Eye Serum with ginseng and retinal, Green Plum Refreshing Cleanser and Ginseng Cleansing Oil, and the brand says it develops products without animal testing.

For shoppers, Beauty of Joseon is a gentle, affordable way into Korean skincare, with sunscreen as the obvious starting point. Build around it with a cleanser, a serum for your main concern and the Dynasty Cream if your skin loves richer moisture.