Beauty of Joseon Glow Serum for oily acne-prone skin

Propolis Extract
Niacinamide
Lotus Corniculatus Seed Extract
Betaine Salicylate
Sodium Hyaluronate
Average
- SuperiorOily Skin Fit
- HighEffectiveness
- HighSafety
Works for oily acne-prone skin; other serums fit it better.
This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with oily acne-prone skin: shine, breakouts, blemishes, and enlarged pores. 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 moderate benefits for your acne, blemishes, and breakouts, and oiliness or shiny skin due to the presence of niacinamide and betaine salicylate in concentrations that offer mild exfoliation and sebum control.
- The formula is well-suited for oily skin, with niacinamide and betaine salicylate working to regulate sebum and gently exfoliate.
- The safety profile is excellent, with no risks of irritation for your oily skin due to the absence of prohibited or harsh ingredients.
How to apply
- Could be used as part of your PM routine. Start 3 times a week and build up to daily use if your skin tolerates it well.
- Apply your serum after cleansing and toning, but before putting on your moisturizer.
- Gently press 2 to 3 drops of the serum into your skin and let it absorb for a minute.
- Apply the serum on clean, dry skin to help manage your blemishes safely.
- Do a patch test before your first use and avoid the delicate eye area.
People Say
★4.6Overall rating based on 29.0k+ reviewsBased on a very large amount of data, this serum is widely celebrated for delivering a "glass skin" finish, effectively calming acne-prone and sensitive skin while providing lightweight hydration. Users with oily and combination skin particularly value its ability to balance sebum and minimize pores without feeling heavy, though results on hyperpigmentation can be subtle and require consistent long-term use.
Highlights
Radiant glow effect Mostly Mentioned
- “gives a glass skin look”
- “leaves a healthy dewy shine”
- “skin looks plump and radiant”
- “instant glow after application”
Calms redness & acne Often Mentioned
- “reduced my redness significantly”
- “calmed my active breakouts”
- “soothed irritated skin overnight”
- “great for hormonal acne”
Elegant texture Often Mentioned
- “thick but absorbs quickly”
- “honey texture without the stickiness”
- “lightweight on the skin”
- “layers well under makeup”
Pore & oil control Sometimes Noted
- “pores look smaller”
- “helped control my T-zone oil”
- “skin feels balanced”
- “texture is much smoother”
No visible changes Sometimes Noted
- “did nothing for my hyperpigmentation”
- “just a basic hydrator”
- “saw no difference after a whole bottle”
- “overhyped”
Packaging/size issues Sometimes Noted
- “dropper doesn't reach the bottom”
- “finished it too quickly”
- “bottle is tiny for the price”
- “hard to get the last drops out”
Breakouts Rarely Noted
- “caused tiny whiteheads”
- “broke me out in cystic acne”
- “skin reacted to the propolis”
- “clogged my pores”
Sticky finish Rarely Noted
- “left my face feeling sticky”
- “too tacky for daytime”
- “hair sticks to my face”
- “felt heavy on my oily skin”
Sources: lovi.care, iherb.com, stylekorean.com, stylevana.com, yesstyle.com, amazon.com, and more
Questions and answers
How well does Beauty of Joseon Glow Serum work for oily acne-prone skin?
Beauty of Joseon Glow Serum offers moderate benefits for your oily and acne-prone skin by helping to control oil and gently exfoliate with niacinamide and betaine salicylate. It has an excellent safety profile with no risk of irritation, though a product of this type needs stronger oil control and soothing ingredients like Vitamin C and propolis to be an optimal fit for this skin.
Which ingredients make this serum a good fit for oily acne-prone skin?
Niacinamide and betaine salicylate help control shine and gently clear pores for oily acne-prone skin. To fit this skin even better, a treatment needs high amounts of proven oil-controlling ingredients and soothing extracts that keep skin calm and balanced.
What does Propolis Extract do for oily acne-prone skin?
Propolis extract helps calm breakouts and redness on oily, acne-prone skin while fighting the bacteria that cause pimples. It works to reduce redness scars and clear up lesions, making it a helpful addition to your routine for clearer skin.
What does Niacinamide do for oily acne-prone skin?
Niacinamide helps balance oil production, calms redness, and is unlikely to irritate oily, acne-prone skin while improving blemishes. Clinical tests show it reduces excess oil and helps clear up both inflammatory and non-inflammatory acne breakouts.
Journal of Cosmetic and Laser Therapy, 2006Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024
Where does it go in a skincare routine for oily acne-prone skin?
This treatment goes in your evening routine, as treatments with active ingredients are usually placed at night for simplicity and extra safety around sun exposure. It is unlikely to cause irritation on oily skin, and oily acne-prone skin often needs ingredients like niacinamide and salicylic acid for oil control and gentle exfoliation.
Can I use this serum with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this serum with retinol by applying the serum first and following it with your retinol product. Because this serum contains gentle exfoliating ingredients and niacinamide, it is unlikely to irritate oily skin when paired carefully with retinol.
How often should I use it?
You can use this serum in your evening routine once a week to start, and gradually increase frequency if your skin tolerates it well. It is very unlikely to irritate oily skin, but to better target stubborn breakouts and oiliness, this skin type needs stronger oil-controlling ingredients and dedicated acne treatments.
Can it clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for oily acne-prone skin?
Beauty of Joseon Glow Serum is unlikely to cause irritation on oily acne-prone skin, though breakouts are a low possibility for some users. To best support acne-prone skin, this type of product needs gentle oil-controlling ingredients like niacinamide and mild exfoliants to help keep pores clear without harshness.
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, 2018Topical 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 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 Lotus corniculatus seed extract reduced skin sebum contents and area in 30 subjects with oily skin compared with a vehicle control by inhibiting lipogenesis through the LA and DHT pathways.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2023Topical 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, 2019
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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