Brand Comparison
Galénic 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 7.8)
Rating7.8/109/10
Price RangePremium ($$$)Budget ($)
Founded19772014
OriginFranceSouth Korea
Products319
Best Fornormal, Combo, MatureCombo, Oily, Sensitive, Dry
PhilosophyPharmacist-founded Pierre Fabre house — exfoliation and glow-focused formulas rooted in French pharmacy tradition.Hanbang (traditional Korean herbal medicine) meets modern cosmetic science. Heritage ingredients like rice, ginseng, and propolis in contemporary formulations.
Galénic
The Secret d'Excellence line is genuinely luxe and the AHA-forward formulas are better than most US peels. Positioning is confusing because Pierre Fabre also owns bigger pharmacy names.
Pros
- ✓ Serious pharmacist heritage
- ✓ AHA/BHA formulations are excellent
- ✓ Pretty, apothecary-coded packaging
Cons
- ✗ Brand awareness outside France is weak
- ✗ Premium pricing for French pharmacy tier
- ✗ Fragrance in several hero SKUs
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
