Beauty of Joseon Glow Serum: Propolis + Niacinamide for skin with dark spots
High
- HighNormal Skin Fit
- HighEffectiveness
- ExcellentSafety
A great choice for skin with dark spots; a few serums fit it even better.
This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with dark spots: hyperpigmentation, sun spots, and uneven skin tone. For scores and recommendations based on your full skin profile, including your 12D face scan results and any goals or preferences you have, please use the Lovi app.
Page built Nov 8, 2026How the Fit score works
Lovi Assistant explains
- Offers excellent treatment for acne and blemishes, as niacinamide and propolis extract work to reduce acne lesions and improve skin tone, which is beneficial for your normal skin.
- The formula also provides moderate effectiveness for pigmentation concerns due to the presence of niacinamide and propolis extract, while glycerin supports hydration for your normal skin.
- The product is safe for your normal skin, with no risks of irritation from harsh ingredients and the inclusion of soothing agents like niacinamide and centella asiatica extract.
How to apply
- Apply this serum as part of your PM routine starting 3x/week and build up to daily use if your skin likes it.
- Place the serum after cleansing and toning, but before your moisturizer.
- Gently press 2-3 drops of the serum into your skin and wait a minute for it to absorb.
- Apply the serum on dry skin to help fade pigmentation effectively.
- Avoid the eye area and always use SPF 30+ during the day.
People Say
★4.6Overall rating based on 5.3k+ reviewsBased on a very large amount of data, this serum is widely praised for delivering a "glass skin" finish, effectively calming acne-prone and sensitive skin while providing deep hydration without heaviness. Most users report a noticeable reduction in redness and an immediate healthy glow, though a minority experienced breakouts or found the effects too subtle.
Highlights
Imparts healthy glow Mostly Mentioned
- “Gives a dewy, glass-skin finish immediately.”
- “Skin looks radiant and healthy, not oily.”
- “Leaves a lovely sheen that looks great under makeup.”
Calms redness Often Mentioned
- “Significantly reduced redness from active acne.”
- “Soothed my irritated, sensitive skin overnight.”
- “Helps calm down angry breakouts quickly.”
Hydrating lightweight Often Mentioned
- “Honey-like consistency that absorbs surprisingly fast.”
- “Deeply hydrating but doesn't feel heavy or greasy.”
- “Plumps up dry patches and dehydration lines.”
Acne pore control Sometimes Noted
- “Helped minimize the appearance of my pores.”
- “Kept hormonal breakouts at bay.”
- “Faded post-acne marks faster than usual.”
No visible results Sometimes Noted
- “Finished the bottle but saw no difference.”
- “Hydrating, but didn't brighten or fix texture.”
- “Just felt like a basic moisturizer, nothing special.”
Caused breakouts Rarely Noted
- “Triggered fungal acne bumps on my forehead.”
- “Broke me out in small whiteheads after three days.”
- “My sensitive skin reacted poorly to it.”
Poor packaging Rarely Noted
- “Dropper doesn't reach the last bit of product.”
- “Hard to get the remaining serum out of the bottom.”
- “Pipette struggles to pick up the thick liquid.”
Sticky residue Rarely Noted
- “Left a tacky film that didn't fully dry down.”
- “Felt too sticky to layer under my sunscreen.”
- “Hair kept sticking to my face after application.”
Sources: lovi.care, iherb.com, yesstyle.com, stylevana.com, sokoglam.com, reddit.com, and more
Questions and answers
What makes Beauty of Joseon Glow Serum a great fit for skin with dark spots?
This serum is a great fit because niacinamide and propolis extract help improve uneven skin tone and reduce dark spots. Additionally, ingredients like glycerin and sodium hyaluronate boost hydration while keeping your skin calm and smooth.
The British Journal of Dermatology, 2002Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017
Which ingredients make this serum a good fit for skin with dark spots?
Niacinamide and propolis extract make this serum a great fit because they help fade dark spots and even out your skin tone. Niacinamide is known to reduce dark patches, while propolis and centella asiatica calm the skin with a very low risk of irritation.
The British Journal of Dermatology, 2002Clinical Pharmacology, 2018
What does Propolis Extract do for skin with dark spots?
Propolis extract helps calm skin and may improve the look of dark spots by reducing redness and evening out your skin tone. It works well because it contains helpful antioxidants that support skin healing.
What does Niacinamide do for skin with dark spots?
Niacinamide helps fade dark spots and uneven pigmentation by slowing down the transfer of pigment in the skin. It is generally well tolerated and may improve overall skin brightness with consistent use.
Where does this serum go in a skincare routine for skin with dark spots?
This treatment goes in the evening routine after cleansing and before moisturizing, which keeps things simple and safe around sun exposure. Niacinamide and propolis extract help improve skin tone and fade dark spots, while glycerin supports hydration.
Can I use this serum with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this serum with retinol by applying this treatment first and following with your retinol. This approach helps keep your skin calm while working on dark spots.
How often should I use this serum?
This serum is used in the evening as part of your routine. It is a great fit for your skin, and the formula is safe to use with very little risk of irritation.
Can this serum clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for skin with dark spots?
This serum is unlikely to cause breakouts or clog pores for skin with dark spots, as it is safe and free of harsh ingredients, though a small number of reviewers have reported minor breakouts. Soothing ingredients like niacinamide and centella asiatica extract help keep skin calm.
Is this serum fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
Yes, it has no fragrance and no drying alcohol.
What the research says
A cream combining propolis, tea tree oil, and Aloe vera reduced erythema scars, acne severity index, and total lesion count better than erythromycin cream in sixty patients with mild to moderate acne vulgaris compared to placebo.
Clinical Pharmacology, 2018Niacinamide significantly decreased hyperpigmentation and increased skin lightness compared with vehicle alone after 4 weeks of use in women by inhibiting melanosome transfer.
The British Journal of Dermatology, 2002A single application of a moisturizing fluid containing hyaluronic acid 1%, glycerin 5%, and Centella asiatica stem cells extract significantly increased skin hydration by 29% and reduced transepidermal water loss at 24 hours compared to baseline and an untreated control site in twenty healthy women.
Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017Topical treatment of nicotinamide, alone or in combination with other active ingredients, reduces the progression of skin aging and hyperpigmentation in clinical trials while being well tolerated.
Antioxidants, 2021Cosmetic formulations containing 5% Centella asiatica extract showed the best efficacy in improving skin moisture and decreasing transepidermal water loss, while also exhibiting antiinflammatory properties in 25 volunteers compared to baseline measurements.
Indian Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2016Topical propolis application significantly reduced postoperative pain, hemorrhage, and accelerated wound healing in patients undergoing tonsillectomy compared to a control group.
Clinical and Experimental Otorhinolaryngology, 2018Topical treatment with ethanol propolis extract resulted in complete mycological and clinical cure in 56.25% of patients with onychomycosis, demonstrating non-toxicity and effective antifungal activity against Trichophyton spp. both in vitro and in patients.
Frontiers in Microbiology, 2018Topical hydrogel formulations containing hydroalcoholic extract of red propolis exhibited stability, non-Newtonian and pseudoplastic behavior, in vivo skin compatibility, and no skin irritancy.
Heliyon, 2022Topical post-laser application of human adipocyte-derived mesenchymal stem cell media combined with niacinamide significantly improved wrinkle index, melanin index, patient satisfaction, and investigator esthetic improvement scores compared to vehicle cream in patients with aging skin.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2021Topical nicotinamide prevented solar-simulated UV-induced immunosuppression in healthy volunteers, and men experienced immunosuppression at solar-simulated UV doses three times lower than those required for women.
The Journal of Investigative Dermatology, 2008Topical 5% niacinamide applied twice daily for 12 weeks reduced fine lines and wrinkles, hyperpigmented spots, red blotchiness, and skin sallowness, and improved skin elasticity compared to vehicle control in 50 female white subjects with facial photoaging.
Dermatologic Surgery, 2005Topical application of 0.1% hyaluronic acid formulations of different molecular weights led to significant improvements in skin hydration and elasticity, with low-molecular-weight formulations also significantly reducing wrinkle depth in seventy-six female subjects compared to a vehicle control.
Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2011Topical application of hyaluronic acid in conjunction with free gingival graft significantly reduced donor site postoperative pain until day 7 compared to normal saline, with no significant differences in graft dimensions or patient satisfaction.
Clinical Oral Investigations, 2022Treatment with a hyaluronic acid-containing mouth rinse or topical gel led to significant lesion reduction, pain relief, and normalization of lesion color in adult patients with minor recurrent aphthous stomatitis, with the gel formulation showing an earlier healing onset at 3 days.
BMC Oral Health, 2019Topical application of 0.05% w/w ECa 233 gel reduced erythema index by 0.03 U and improved early crusting and general wound appearance compared to placebo in thirty individuals undergoing facial laser resurfacing.
Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, 2020Moisturizer containing 5% panthenol, madecassoside, and copper-zinc-manganese decreased adverse reactions and downtime after ablative fractional carbon dioxide laser resurfacing with comparable efficacy to 0.02% triamcinolone acetonide cream in 20 subjects.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2019Topical treatment with 5% vitamin C and 0.1% madecassoside significantly improved clinical scores for wrinkles, suppleness, firmness, roughness, and skin hydration, along with functional and structural remodeling of the elastic fiber network in 20 female volunteers with photoaged skin after 6 months compared to baseline.
Experimental Dermatology, 2008Topical application of curcumin or turmeric treats various skin conditions by leveraging antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial properties.
Skin Pharmacology and Physiology, 2023Topical formulations of curcumin target oxidative damage and inflammation to improve wound healing in animal models.
Drug Discovery Today, 2017A curcumin-loaded spanlastic anti-aging gel utilizing formula F5 incorporated into 2% HPMC E50 demonstrated sustained release action, compatibility, and the ability to penetrate skin layers to a depth of about 112.5 um without signs of irritation.
Saudi Pharmaceutical Journal, 2024
Ingredients
Propolis Extract, Dipropylene Glycol, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Water, Niacinamide, 1,2-Hexanediol, Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract, Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Curcuma Longa Root Extract, Ocimum Sanctum Leaf Extract, Theobroma Cacao Seed Extract, Melaleuca Alternifolia Tree Extract, Centella Asiatica Extract, Corallina Officinalis Extract, Lotus Corniculatus Seed Extract, Calophyllum Inophyllum Seed Oil, Betaine Salicylate, Sodium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Tromethamine, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Dextrin, Pentylene Glycol, Octanediol, Tocopherol, Xanthan Gum, Carbomer
Behind this fit score
Lovi calculates every fit score from the full ingredient list with brand-independent rules our dermatologists and cosmetic chemists build and review, and personalizes every pick with AI trained on the real results of millions of users. Lovi trains its fit score models on a proprietary dataset built from more than 10,000 expert-labeled products and more than 100,000 simulated examples, following an internally consistent methodology presented at Cosmoprof, AMWC, and Skin of Color Update.
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Co-founder, Medical Director
Cosmetic chemist, cosmetologist, aesthetic products developer
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Co-founder, CEO and CTO
PhD in computer science, 3x US patent holder, ex-Google, ex-Yandex
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Dr. Sofía Perea Pérez, MD, MSc
Medical Board
Aesthetic medicine practitioner, MSc in Longevity and Anti-Aging Medicine
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Medical Board
Specialist dermatologist, MBBS, MD, IFAAD
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Medical Board
Cosmetic chemist, SCS, IFSCC member
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Medical Board, Medical Advisor
Dermatology MD
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Elina Nazarenko, MD
Medical Board
Dermatology and diagnostic consultant
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Victoria Derkova, MS
Medical Board
Cosmetic chemist, cosmetic development technologist
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