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Product Comparison

Here's our complete breakdown comparing the ingredients, attributes, and more of Beauty of Joseon Glow Serum: Propolis + Niacinamide versus Some By Mi Propolis B5 Glow Barrier Calming Serum .

Last updated on October 22, 2023. Published on August 13, 2021

Overview

What they are

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

Cool Features

They both contain hyaluronic acid and niacinamide

Suited For

They're both likely to be good for fighting acne, dry skin, brightening skin, sensitive skin, oily skin, reducing pores 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 fragrances

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

Serum South Korean Brand South Korea
Serum South Korean Brand South Korea

Serum

Serums are highly concentrated with ingredients to provide skin with benefits. They should be used after cleansing and before moisturizing.

Serum

Serums are highly concentrated with ingredients to provide skin with benefits. They should be used after cleansing and before moisturizing.

Price

Shop

Buy Glow Serum: Propolis + Niacinamide

Starts at $13.60
Shop

Buy Propolis B5 Glow Barrier Calming Serum

Starts at $19.70

Ingredient Info

Click any item below to learn more and view relevant ingredients.
alcohol-free
silicon-free
fragrance-free
sulfate-free
paraben-free
oil-free
fungal-acne safe
reef-safe
eu-allergen-free
vegan
cruelty-free
ph level
6.3
alcohol-free
silicon-free
fragrance-free
sulfate-free
paraben-free
oil-free
fungal-acne safe
reef-safe
eu-allergen-free
vegan
cruelty-free

At a glance

Click on any of the items below to learn more

Notable Ingredients

BHA
Vitamin E
Niacinamide
Hyaluronic Acid

Benefits

Hydrating
Good For Oily Skin (3)
Redness Reducing (2)
Reduces Irritation
Reduces Large Pores (2)
Dark Spots
Acne Fighting (2)
Brightening (3)

Concerns

Rosacea

Notable Ingredients

Niacinamide
Ceramides
Hyaluronic Acid (3)

Benefits

Hydrating (2)
Good For Oily Skin
Redness Reducing (5)
Reduces Irritation (5)
Reduces Large Pores
Anti-Aging (2)
Dark Spots
Scar Healing (2)
Acne Fighting (2)
Brightening (2)

Concerns

Rosacea
Eczema
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Ingredients Compared

Ingredients that are highlighted in purple are present in both products.

Ingredients Side-by-side

Ingredients that are highlighted in purple are present in both products.

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Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

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

1
What it does: Skin Conditioning
Community Rating: Liked

Propolis Extract is also known as bee glue. It is a resinous mixture created from beeswax, bee saliva, and parts of trees.

Propolis Extract has antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, wound healing, and antioxidant properties. Studies show propolis helps fight against bacteria, viruses, and fungi. This may help with reducing acne and accelerate wound healing.

The flavonoids found in propolis extract are potent antioxidants. Antioxidants may help with reducing the signs of aging.

A study from 2020 found propolis to help reverse skin damage from UV.

Bees use propolis as a sealant to close any gaps in their hives.

speeding up new healthy cell growth.

Learn more about Propolis Extract

Beauty of Joseon Glow Serum: Propolis + Niacinamide contains this as ingredient number 1.

Some By Mi Propolis B5 Glow Barrier Calming Serum contains this as ingredient number 1.

2
What it does: Humectant, Skin Conditioning, Skin Protecting, Solvent
Community Rating: Loved

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

Beauty of Joseon Glow Serum: Propolis + Niacinamide contains this as ingredient number 3.

Some By Mi Propolis B5 Glow Barrier Calming Serum contains this as ingredient number 3.

3
What it does: Skin Conditioning, Solvent
Community Rating: Loved

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. Talk about multi-purpose! If you see this, drink a glass of water. Stay hydrated!

Learn more about Water

Beauty of Joseon Glow Serum: Propolis + Niacinamide contains this as ingredient number 5.

Some By Mi Propolis B5 Glow Barrier Calming Serum contains this as ingredient number 36.

4
What it does: Smoothing
Community Rating: Loved

Niacinamide has emerged as an all-star ingredient due to its many benefits.

It is known to treat acne by reducing inflammation. It also helps fade dark-spots and strengthen the skin by promoting the growth of the ceramide barrier.

Other benefits include smoothing wrinkles and minimizing redness.

The cherry on top? Niacinamide can also help build keratin, a protein that keeps skin firm.

When incorporating niacinamide into your routine, look out for concentration amounts. Typically, 5% niacinamide provides benefits such as fading dark spots. However, if you have sensitive skin, it is better to begin with a smaller concentration.

Niacinamide can be mixed with other ingredients to boost benefits. For instance, it has shown to be effective when used with copper, folic acid, and zinc to treat acne.

Learn more about Niacinamide

Beauty of Joseon Glow Serum: Propolis + Niacinamide contains this as ingredient number 6.

Some By Mi Propolis B5 Glow Barrier Calming Serum contains this as ingredient number 4.

5
What it does: Skin Conditioning, Solvent
Community Rating: Mixed

1,2-Hexanediol is a multi-tasker ingredient. It acts as a preservative to increase shelf-life and can aid other preservatives in preventing microbe growth. 1,2-Hexanediol also helps the skin retain moisture as a humectant.

In products that are water-based, this ingredient can help stabilize perfumes and fragrances. It can also help make the texture of products softer and more smooth.

Beauty of Joseon Glow Serum: Propolis + Niacinamide contains this as ingredient number 7.

Some By Mi Propolis B5 Glow Barrier Calming Serum contains this as ingredient number 5.

6
What it does: Humectant, Skin Conditioning
Community Rating: Loved

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

Beauty of Joseon Glow Serum: Propolis + Niacinamide contains this as ingredient number 10.

Some By Mi Propolis B5 Glow Barrier Calming Serum contains this as ingredient number 19.

7
What it does: Cleansing, Skin Conditioning, Smoothing, Soothing, Tonic
Community Rating: Loved

Centella Asiatica Extract is derived from an herb plant native to Southeast Asia. It is rich in antioxidants and amino acids. In skincare products, Centella Asiatica Extract is used for its anti-inflammatory and soothing properties.

Many active components found in Centella Asiatica Extract, such as Madecassic Acid and Asiaticoside, encourage the skin to naturally produce hyaluronic acid. This helps keep our skin hydrated. Many of these components also show antioxidant activity and may help reduce the signs of aging.

Research shows Centella Asiatica can help increase Type I collagen production by increasing fibroblast production. Fibroblast helps form connective tissue.

The combination of all these properties makes Centella Asiatica Extract effective at soothing the skin.

Other components of Centella Asiatic Extract include Vitamin A, vitamin C, several B vitamins, and Asiatic Acid.

Recent studies found madecassoside may help prevent damage from UV rays by preventing UV-induced inflammation. Further research is needed.

This plant has been used as a medicine and in food for many centuries. As a medicine, it is used to treat burns, scratches, and wounds.

Learn more about Centella Asiatica Extract

Beauty of Joseon Glow Serum: Propolis + Niacinamide contains this as ingredient number 15.

Some By Mi Propolis B5 Glow Barrier Calming Serum contains this as ingredient number 6.

8
What it does: Skin Conditioning
Community Rating: Mixed

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.

Beauty of Joseon Glow Serum: Propolis + Niacinamide contains this as ingredient number 24.

Some By Mi Propolis B5 Glow Barrier Calming Serum contains this as ingredient number 38.

9
What it does: Emulsion Stabilising, Gel Forming
Community Rating: Disliked

Carbomer is a polymer of acrylic acid. Its main role is to create gel consistency within products.

Carbomer is commonly found in many types of cosmetics products. It is found to be safe in concentrations up to 15%. However, a high amount of carbomer can cause pilling or balling up of products. Most products contain 1% of less of carbomer.

Beauty of Joseon Glow Serum: Propolis + Niacinamide contains this as ingredient number 30.

Some By Mi Propolis B5 Glow Barrier Calming Serum contains this as ingredient number 35.

Here's what our community thinks of the ingredients in these two products.

60% are loved or liked
17% have mixed ratings
13% are disliked or very disliked
10% have no rating yet
59% are loved or liked
15% have mixed ratings
12% are disliked or very disliked
15% have no rating yet

Usage

Here's some more info on how this product is used by our community.

When to use

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Reviews

Here's what our community thinks

Beauty of Joseon Glow Serum: Propolis + Niacinamide 30 ingredients

3.2 /5
from 24 ratings
Hydrating (3) Sticky (3) Heavy (2) Drying (1) Great Value (1) Absorbs Well (1)
tabby_274's avatar

tabby_274

1 year ago · Combination Skin
Review

not for me
i like the consistency but that’s about it. really tried to like this product as i went through two bottles of it. everytime i used this...

not for me
i like the consistency but that’s about it. really tried to like this product as i went through two bottles of it. everytime i used this product it would leave a shiny film on my skin that would pill under makeup and/or moisturizer no matter what i did. i suspect it also caused closed comedones from product buildup. after i ceased use the pilling and cc’s went away. didn’t improve my skin in any way.

TarteEcole_113's avatar

TarteEcole_113

1 year ago · Sensitive Skin
Review

Glow yes acne no
Well it's my first time trying niacinamide and I don't like it (new red spots appeared) , or maybe I am allergic to propolis idkn...

Glow yes acne no
Well it's my first time trying niacinamide and I don't like it (new red spots appeared) , or maybe I am allergic to propolis idkn tbh, but it does give glow

Some By Mi Propolis B5 Glow Barrier Calming Serum 41 ingredients

3.5 /5
from 2 ratings
jnlaohoo's avatar

jnlaohoo

2 years ago · Normal Skin
Review

Good quality and light on the pockets too!
Some By Mi Propolis Serum does the job of helping brighten old acne dark spots. I find that this product...

Good quality and light on the pockets too!
Some By Mi Propolis Serum does the job of helping brighten old acne dark spots. I find that this product worked better for my skin that TO's Niacinamide + Zinc. The consistency is just right, thick enough for my dry skin, but still lightweight enough for humid climates. Good value for money!

CustardBunny's avatar

CustardBunny

8 months ago · Sensitive Skin
Review

Felt good first..
I really liked the scent and feeling of this set at first but 2 weeks in and my face has never been so broken before. I have more...

Felt good first..
I really liked the scent and feeling of this set at first but 2 weeks in and my face has never been so broken before. I have more acne now than i have had in months! I will try this Companys other product line.. but this set was not for sensitive acne prone skin!

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