Beauty of Joseon origin and history: the Korean brand of modern hanbang

A white bottle, a label with Korean calligraphy and a little red stamp: you can’t miss Beauty of Joseon. In just a few years, this brand went from the shadows into the spotlight, carried by a sunscreen everyone is snapping up on social media.

Beauty of Joseon origin, name, philosophy, key products: in this guide, we explain where the brand really comes from (no, it’s not Japanese!), why it talks about a royal dynasty, and above all which product to start with for your skin.

Beauty of Joseon origin: the story of the brand

Beauty of Joseon is a South Korean brand. Its Korean name, 조선미녀 (Joseon Minyeo), means “the beauty of Joseon”. Joseon is the dynasty that ruled Korea for more than five centuries, starting in 1392. Choosing this name sets the tone: the brand draws on Korean beauty traditions and brings them up to date.

Its real turning point came in 2019. That year, the brand was bought by Goodai Global, a young Korean company founded at the end of 2016. It was actually its very first acquisition. Its boss, Cheon Joo-hyuk, repositioned Beauty of Joseon as a “modern hanbang” brand and aimed first at North America, then Europe.

The bet paid off. Thanks to TikTok and Instagram, the Relief Sun rice + probiotics sunscreen got noticed and climbed to first place among sunscreens on Amazon in the United States.

In July 2025, Beauty of Joseon arrived at Sephora in the United States, in around 600 stores. By September 2026, it already had more than 640 points of sale there. As of mid-October 2026, the brand is still part of Goodai Global, alongside other K-beauty brands like TIRTIR, SKIN1004 and Round Lab.

Its philosophy: hanbang, the modern way

Hanbang is traditional Korean medicine, based on plants and natural ingredients. Beauty of Joseon takes inspiration from it, but in a specific way: it cites as its source the Gyuhap Chongseo, a kind of encyclopedia of everyday life written in 1809 by a Joseon-era scholar, Yi Bingheogak. A book of advice written by a woman, for women, at a time when they had little access to knowledge.

The brand explains that its eight key ingredients come from this world: rice, ginseng, red bean, mugwort, green plum, honey (and propolis), green tea and centella. In practice, that means:

• A traditional ingredient + a modern active: it’s written on every bottle (“Propolis + Niacinamide”, “Ginseng + Retinal”…). You know right away what you’re buying.
• Formulas designed for all skin types, including sensitive skin, according to the brand.
• Gentle prices for products that layer easily in a Korean routine.

The key ingredients of Beauty of Joseon

Each product pairs an ingredient from Korean tradition with a more modern active. Here are the ones to know.

Rice

This is the ingredient Beauty of Joseon highlights the most, in all its forms: extract, rice bran water, powder. In the Relief Sun sunscreen, of course, but also in the Dynasty Cream, which combines rice bran water, ginseng root water, squalane and niacinamide for comfortable hydration, and in the rice milk toner.

Ginseng

An essential root in hanbang. It helps keep skin hydrated and supple. You’ll find it in the Ginseng Essence Water, in the ginseng cleansing oil and in the Revive Eye Serum, where it’s paired with retinal, a form of vitamin A, to smooth the look of fine lines around the eyes.

Propolis and honey

Made by bees, propolis helps hydrate and soothe. In the Glow Serum, it’s paired with niacinamide (which balances sebum) and a gentle BHA that helps refine the look of pores. Honey, for its part, teams up with rice powder in a glow mask.

Red bean

A staple of Korean cooking, red bean is the base of the purifying pore mask, with its pink clay texture, and of a serum with PDRN, the trending K-beauty ingredient.

Green plum

Green plum is paired with AHA and BHA in the Green Plum toner for gentle exfoliation and a clearer complexion. It also has its own cleanser.

Green tea, centella and mugwort

The trio for skin that heats up: green tea and panthenol in the Calming Serum, centella and vitamin C in the Light On Serum, and mugwort in the matte sun stick.

The Beauty of Joseon ranges to know

Which Beauty of Joseon for your skin?

Pick your need: we give you our favorite product, plus two others to round it out.

A complete Beauty of Joseon routine, morning and night

In the morning

1. CleanseThe Green Plum cleanser, on damp skin, then rinse.
2. HydrateA few drops of Ginseng Essence Water, patted in with your hands.
3. SerumThe Light On Serum for radiance, or the Glow Serum if you have oily skin.
4. NourishA small dab of Dynasty Cream (or the 100 ml tube version).
5. ProtectThe Relief Sun, as the last step, even when it’s cloudy.

In the evening

1. Remove makeupThe Radiance cleansing balm or the ginseng oil, on dry skin, to remove makeup and sunscreen.
2. CleanseThe Green Plum cleanser for a double cleanse.
3. ToneThe rice milk toner, gentle and hydrating. Keep the Green Plum toner for the morning, two to three times a week.
4. Eye areaOne or two pumps of Revive Eye Serum, patted in with your ring finger.
5. HydrateFinish with the Dynasty Cream.

Our tips for using Beauty of Joseon well

• Sunscreen goes on every morning, as the last step of your routine, and you reapply during the day if you’re outside.
• A small amount is enough: go light on the Dynasty Cream if your skin is oily or combination. The brand recommends half a dab.
• Go easy on acids: the Green Plum toner (AHA + BHA) and the apricot peeling gel aren’t for daily use at first.
• Keep retinal and acids apart: the brand advises against mixing the Revive Eye Serum with AHA, BHA or PHA.
• Pregnant or breastfeeding? The Revive Eye Serum contains retinal: the brand recommends avoiding it.
• One new product at a time, tested first on a small area, so you know what really suits your skin.

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Jihyun, team Ma Petite Corée