Versus

Beauty of Joseon Glow Serum: Propolis + Niacinamide Versus iNNBEAUTY PROJECT Refine Texture & Pore Serum

Serum
Serum
Korean Brand South Korea
American Brand United States

Updated on April 07, 2025

Overview

What they are

These products are both cruelty-free and reef safe serums. They have a total of 9 ingredients in common

Cool Features

They both contain hyaluronic acid and Vitamin E

Suited For

They're both likely to be good for anti aging, dry skin, brightening skin, sensitive skin, oily skin, reducing pores, scar healing and dark spots

Free From

They both do not contain any harsh alcohols, common allergens, parabens, silicones or sulfates

What's Inside

They both contain oils

We independently verify ingredients, and our claims are backed by peer-reviewed research. Spot a product that needs an update? Let us know.

Ingredient Info

Click any item below to learn more and see relevant ingredients

About this product

About this product

At a glance

Click on any of the items below to learn more

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

found in both products
Glow Serum: Propolis + Niacinamide
Refine Texture & Pore Serum

Water

Skin Conditioning

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

Masking

Glycerin

Humectant
0 / 0 Helps hydrate Dry Skin IconHelps brighten skin Icon

Propanediol

Solvent

Arginine

Masking
Good for Scar Healing IconNot safe for Fungal Acne Icon

Lactic Acid

Buffering
AHA IconGood for Oily Skin IconGood for Skin Texture IconGood for Minimizing Pores IconHelps with Anti-Aging IconGood for Dark Spots IconGood for Scar Healing IconHelps brighten skin IconMay worsen Eczema IconMay worsen Rosacea Icon

Squalane

Emollient
1 / 0 Helps hydrate Dry Skin Icon

Salix Alba Bark Extract

Astringent
Good for Oily Skin Icon

Gluconolactone

Skin Conditioning
PHA IconGood for Skin Texture IconGood for Minimizing Pores IconHelps with Anti-Aging IconGood for Scar Healing IconHelps brighten skin Icon

Cetearyl Alcohol

Emollient
2 / 1 Fatty Alcohol IconMay worsen Oily Skin IconBad for Acne Prone Skin IconNot safe for Fungal Acne Icon

Glycolic Acid

Buffering
AHA IconGood for Oily Skin IconGood for Skin Texture IconGood for Minimizing Pores IconHelps with Anti-Aging IconGood for Dark Spots IconGood for Scar Healing IconHelps brighten skin IconMay worsen Rosacea Icon

Isodecyl Neopentanoate

Emollient

Triethylhexanoin

Masking

Sodium Citrate

Buffering

Silica

Abrasive
Exfoliant IconMay worsen Eczema IconMay worsen Rosacea Icon

Arachidyl Alcohol

Emollient

Butylene Glycol

Humectant
1 / 0 Helps hydrate Dry Skin Icon

Hydrogenated Polydecene

Emollient

Nicotiana Benthamiana Hexapeptide-40 Sh-Polypeptide-76

Skin Conditioning
Peptide Icon

Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5

Skin Conditioning
Peptide IconHelps with Anti-Aging IconNot safe for Fungal Acne Icon

Saccharomyces Ferment

Skin Conditioning
Not safe for Fungal Acne Icon

Harungana Madagascariensis Extract

Skin Conditioning

Tasmannia Lanceolata Fruit/Leaf Extract

Antioxidant
Antioxidant Icon

Oryza Sativa Bran Extract

Skin Conditioning
Helps hydrate Dry Skin Icon

Fomes Officinalis Extract

Skin Protecting

Oryza Sativa Starch

Absorbent

Pistacia Lentiscus Gum

Masking

Sodium PCA

Humectant
0 / 0

Centella Asiatica Leaf Extract

Skin Conditioning
Helps reduce Skin Redness IconHelps reduce irritation Icon

Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract

Masking
Helps reduce Skin Redness IconHelps reduce irritation Icon

Sodium Hyaluronate

Humectant
0 / 0 Hyaluronic Acid Icon

Helianthus Annuus Extract

Emollient

Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil

Masking
0-2 / 0 Oil IconNot safe for Fungal Acne Icon

Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract

Antimicrobial

Xanthan Gum

Emulsifying

Coco-Glucoside

Cleansing

Coco-Caprylate/Caprate

Emollient
Not safe for Fungal Acne Icon

Behenyl Alcohol

Emollient
Fatty Alcohol Icon

Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6

Emulsion Stabilising

Microcrystalline Cellulose

Absorbent

Hydroxyethyl Urea

Humectant

Glyceryl Caprylate

Emollient

Castor Oil/Ipdi Copolymer

Oil IconNot safe for Fungal Acne Icon

Glucose

Humectant

Tocopherol

Antioxidant
0-3 / 0-3 Vitamin E IconAntioxidant IconHelps hydrate Dry Skin IconHelps with Anti-Aging IconGood for Scar Healing Icon

Ethylhexylglycerin

Skin Conditioning

Citric Acid

Buffering
AHA IconGood for Oily Skin IconGood for Skin Texture IconGood for Minimizing Pores IconGood for Scar Healing IconHelps brighten skin IconMay worsen Rosacea Icon

Hydrogenated Lecithin

Emulsifying

Phenethyl Alcohol

Masking

Arachidyl Glucoside

Emulsifying

Hydroxyacetophenone

Antioxidant
Antioxidant Icon

Lauroyl Lysine

Skin Conditioning

Stearic Acid

Cleansing
2-3 / 0 May worsen Oily Skin IconNot safe for Fungal Acne Icon

C9-12 Alkane

Solvent

Dilinoleic Acid/Butanediol Copolymer

Sodium Phytate

Triheptanoin

Skin Conditioning

Caprylyl Glycol

Emollient

1,2-Hexanediol

Skin Conditioning

Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.

Humectant, Skin Conditioning, Skin Protecting

Glycerin is already naturally found in your skin. It helps moisturize and protect your skin.

A study from 2016 found glycerin to be more effective as a humectant than AHAs and hyaluronic acid.

As a humectant, it helps the skin stay hydrated by pulling moisture to your skin. The low molecular weight of glycerin allows it to pull moisture into the deeper layers of your skin.

Hydrated skin improves your skin barrier; Your skin barrier helps protect against irritants and bacteria.

Glycerin has also been found to have antimicrobial and antiviral properties. Due to these properties, glycerin is often used in wound and burn treatments.

In cosmetics, glycerin is usually derived from plants such as soybean or palm. However, it can also be sourced from animals, such as tallow or animal fat.

This ingredient is organic, colorless, odorless, and non-toxic.

Glycerin is the name for this ingredient in American English. British English uses Glycerol/Glycerine.

Learn more about Glycerin
Humectant, Masking, Skin Conditioning

Butylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:

  • It is a solvent, meaning that it helps to dissolve other ingredients. This also enhances the absorption of the product into one's skin.
  • It is a humectant, which means that it helps attract moisture into the skin.
  • It helps improve product application.
  • It has mild preservative properties.

Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient that works well with other ingredients.

Skin Conditioning, Solvent

Water. It's the most common cosmetic ingredient of all. You'll usually see it at the top of ingredient lists, meaning that it makes up the largest part of the product.

So why is it so popular? Water most often acts as a solvent - this means that it helps dissolve other ingredients into the formulation.

You'll also recognize water as that liquid we all need to stay alive. If you see this, drink a glass of water. Stay hydrated!

Learn more about Water
Skin Conditioning, Solvent

1,2-Hexanediol is a synthetic liquid and another multi-functional powerhouse. 

It is a:

  • Humectant, drawing moisture into the skin
  • Emollient, helping to soften skin
  • Solvent, dispersing and stabilizing formulas
  • Preservative booster, enhancing the antimicrobial activity of other preservatives 
Humectant, Skin Conditioning

Sodium Hyaluronate is hyaluronic acid's salt form. It is commonly derived from the sodium salt of hyaluronic acid.

Like hyaluronic acid, it is great at holding water and acts as a humectant. This makes it a great skin hydrating ingredient.

Sodium Hyaluronate is naturally occurring in our bodies and is mostly found in eye fluid and joints.

These are some other common types of Hyaluronic Acid:

Learn more about Sodium Hyaluronate
Emollient, Humectant, Skin Conditioning

Caprylyl Glycol is a humectant and emollient, meaning it attracts and preserves moisture.

It is a common ingredient in many products, especially those designed to hydrate skin. The primary benefits are retaining moisture, skin softening, and promoting a healthy skin barrier.

Though Caprylyl Glycol is an alcohol derived from fatty acids, it is not the kind that can dry out skin.

This ingredient is also used as a preservative to extend the life of products. It has slight antimicrobial properties.

Learn more about Caprylyl Glycol
Skin Conditioning

Ethylhexylglycerin (we can't pronounce this either) is commonly used as a preservative and skin softener. It is derived from glyceryl.

You might see Ethylhexylglycerin often paired with other preservatives such as phenoxyethanol. Ethylhexylglycerin has been found to increase the effectiveness of these other preservatives.

Antioxidant, Masking, Skin Conditioning

Tocopherol (also known as Vitamin E) is a common antioxidant used to help protect the skin from free-radicals and strengthen the skin barrier. It's also fat soluble - this means our skin is great at absorbing it.

Vitamin E also helps keep your natural skin lipids healthy. Your lipid skin barrier naturally consists of lipids, ceramides, and fatty acids. Vitamin E offers extra protection for your skin’s lipid barrier, keeping your skin healthy and nourished.

Another benefit is a bit of UV protection. Vitamin E helps reduce the damage caused by UVB rays. (It should not replace your sunscreen). Combining it with Vitamin C can decrease sunburned cells and hyperpigmentation after UV exposure.

You might have noticed Vitamin E + C often paired together. This is because it is great at stabilizing Vitamin C. Using the two together helps increase the effectiveness of both ingredients.

There are often claims that Vitamin E can reduce/prevent scarring, but these claims haven't been confirmed by scientific research.

Learn more about Tocopherol
Emulsifying, Emulsion Stabilising, Gel Forming

Xanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.

On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.

Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.

Learn more about Xanthan Gum

When to use

2,920 Routines
49% use in am
51% use in pm
90% use every day
When to use See routines that use it ->
21 Routines
48% use in am
52% use in pm
90% use every day

Reviews

Here's what our community thinks

Beauty of Joseon Glow Serum: Propolis + Niacinamide 30 ingredients

2.9 /5
from 61 ratings
Doesn't Work (16) Sticky (15) Hydrating (14)
AllyW's avatar

Aliyah Williams

10 months ago
Review

Been using this for years. As a one with hotmonal, ance-prone skin, this one has helped reduce scarring significantly! Still get acne and scars but they never stick around for long. Compatible with my sensitive skin! Get ezcema flair ups around my eyes occasionally due to weather tho

#great value
#works well
natalieparalova's avatar

Nathall Paral 🤍

9 months ago
Review

absolute blessing. it has such a pretty smell and absorbs really well and is light. i don’t think it clogs your pores but i don’t feel it clogged mine (i struggled with closed comedones). definitely recommend for normal to oily/combo skin. makes my skin a little bit shiny but not that much

#expensive
#light
#absorbs well
#sticky

iNNBEAUTY PROJECT Refine Texture & Pore Serum 59 ingredients

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