Brand Comparison
Balea vs Beauty of Joseon
A head-to-head comparison of two popular K-beauty brands. Which one is right for your skin?
Our Pick
Beauty of Joseon
Higher editor rating (9 vs 7)
Rating7/109/10
Price RangeBudget ($)Budget ($)
Founded19912014
OriginGermanySouth Korea
Products419
Best Fornormal, Oily, ComboCombo, Oily, Sensitive, Dry
PhilosophyDrugstore skincare for everyone — aggressive price, covers every category, dm's mass-market house brand.Hanbang (traditional Korean herbal medicine) meets modern cosmetic science. Heritage ingredients like rice, ginseng, and propolis in contemporary formulations.
Balea
The dm private-label colossus. Some products punch way above their price (Beauty Effect serums, the vitamin C ampoules); the rest is pure drugstore.
Pros
- ✓ Shockingly cheap
- ✓ Massive range
- ✓ Often repeatedly sold out
Cons
- ✗ Formula variance is huge
- ✗ Fragrance-heavy staples
- ✗ Mass-market gloss
Beauty of Joseon
Beauty of Joseon has quietly become one of the most impressive value propositions in K-beauty. Their Relief Sun is arguably the best budget sunscreen globally, and the Glow Serum delivers genuine results at a price that undercuts competitors by half. The hanbang angle could be gimmicky, but they back it with solid formulation science.
Pros
- ✓ Exceptional price-to-performance ratio
- ✓ Relief Sun SPF 50+ is a standout product
- ✓ Hanbang ingredients backed by real formulation
- ✓ Elegant textures despite budget pricing
Cons
- ✗ Limited product range compared to larger brands
- ✗ Hanbang marketing can feel vague
- ✗ Some products sell out frequently
