Brand Comparison

Biossance 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 8)

Biossance Beauty of Joseon

Rating8/109/10

Price RangeMid-Range ($$)Budget ($)

Founded20032014

OriginSan Francisco, USASouth Korea

Products719

Best ForDry, Sensitive, normalCombo, Oily, Sensitive, Dry

PhilosophySugarcane-derived squalane as the house ingredient — clean, biotech-led skincare that avoids the extraction problems (shark liver, olive) of traditional squalane.Hanbang (traditional Korean herbal medicine) meets modern cosmetic science. Heritage ingredients like rice, ginseng, and propolis in contemporary formulations.

Biossance

The squalane oil is a genuinely great single-ingredient face oil and the best argument for the brand. Serums are competent but not category-defining. The 'clean beauty' positioning is better-earned here than at most brands because the biotech story is real. Mid-premium pricing.

Pros

✓ Sugarcane-derived squalane is a real biotech innovation
✓ Solid barrier-focused lineup
✓ Strong sustainability credentials
✓ Squalane oil is the cult hero

Cons

✗ Flagship active (squalane) is widely available
✗ Serums less differentiated than the oil
✗ Premium-tier for clean-beauty positioning

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