Brand Comparison

Typology 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)

Typology Beauty of Joseon

Rating7.5/109/10

Price RangeBudget ($)Budget ($)

Founded20192014

OriginParis, FranceSouth Korea

Products519

Best Fornormal, Combo, DryCombo, Oily, Sensitive, Dry

PhilosophySingle-ingredient serums, minimalist design, DTC-native — the French Ordinary with better packaging.Hanbang (traditional Korean herbal medicine) meets modern cosmetic science. Heritage ingredients like rice, ginseng, and propolis in contemporary formulations.

Typology

The Ordinary arrived in Paris and got a face-lift. Typology sells single-ingredient serums at €15–30, with a clean ingredient-first architecture. Formulation quality is real but mostly unspectacular — you're paying for French minimalist packaging and convenience, not clinical superiority. Very on-brand for the 'French chemistry student' aesthetic.

Pros

✓ Single-active serums at approachable prices
✓ Beautiful minimalist packaging
✓ Strong DTC experience
✓ Honest ingredient labeling

Cons

✗ Formulations are competent but not superior to dupes
✗ Limited testing data on newer launches
✗ Some serums underperform vs. The Ordinary equivalents

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