Brand Comparison

Skinfood 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 7.5)

Skinfood Beauty of Joseon

Rating7.5/109/10

Price RangeBudget ($)Budget ($)

Founded19572014

OriginSeoul, South KoreaSouth Korea

Products519

Best ForOily, Combo, DryCombo, Oily, Sensitive, Dry

PhilosophyThe original food-ingredient skincare brand. Uses real food extracts — black sugar, egg, avocado, honey — in effective, affordable formulations.Hanbang (traditional Korean herbal medicine) meets modern cosmetic science. Heritage ingredients like rice, ginseng, and propolis in contemporary formulations.

Skinfood

Skinfood pioneered the food-to-face concept decades before it became trendy. Their Black Sugar Mask is a genuine cult product that delivers visible results. The brand went through bankruptcy in 2018 and relaunched stronger. Their hero products are excellent, though the broader range can be hit-or-miss.

Pros

✓ Black Sugar Mask is a must-try
✓ Unique food-based formulations
✓ Long heritage brand
✓ Great physical exfoliants

Cons

✗ Went through bankruptcy (now recovered)
✗ Some products feel gimmicky
✗ Fragrance in most products
✗ Availability can be spotty

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