Another internet sensation with virally popular products, Beauty of Joseon is the next brand we are covering in the Brand Basics series. Let's explore the origins of the brand together! At the end, we'll also deep dive into our best selling Beauty of Joseon product as has become evident over the years we've been supplying Korean skincare to London and the UK.
The Joseon Dynasty
The word 'Joseon' refers to a specific era of history, called a dynasty in Korea. The Joseon Dynasty, spanning the years 1392 to 1897, was the last of the Korean Dynasties, being replaced by the Korean Empire in 1897. Technological developments boomed over this 500 year period, including the creation of Hangul by King Sejong. Hangul, the Korean lettering system, is based on the forms of the mouth when speaking, making the phonetic lettering easy to learn for all. Apart from social and technological advancements, the dynasty was known for its minimal, clean standard of beauty -- flashy looks were seen as obscene. We can still see remnants of this standard in today's Korean beauty trends, where glasslike skin and glowy bases remain in vogue.
Gyuhap Chongseo
A female scholar, Yi Bingheogak, published the Gyuhap Chongseo in 1809. It became widely known as the Encyclopedia of the Joseon Dynasty, and is where Beauty of Joseon drew historical knowledge and inspiration from when creating their skincare products. This wealth of information included records of women's lives in the Joseon Dynasty, from prenatal care to methods for healthy hair and skin. Hanbang, or traditional Korean herbal medicine, was also recorded in this tome. Herbal medicines are widely used across Asia and are a staple of both culture and health in many Asian countries, bringing a unique cultural perspective to skincare in these regions. Beauty of Joseon combines this cultural aspect with modern ingredients to create a wholistic and effective line for beautiful skin. One of the favourites of herbal medicine is ginseng, an anti-inflammatory and cooling herb which is often ingested as tea. Beauty of Joseon uses ginseng prolifically in their skincare offerings, namely the popular Ginseng Essence Water and Ginseng Cleansing Oil!
Our Best Seller: The Relief Sun Sunscreen
Sunscreen is a key step of the skincare process -- even if you like to keep your routine simple, a simple two step cleanser and sunscreen combo can deal with most of the worries of the day.
This iconic, viral sunscreen is a lightweight chemical sunscreen that leaves no white cast on all skintones. It reached a deserved cult classic status recently with Tiktok jumping on the hype that has been known to skincare fanatics for time. It leaves a dewy appearance to skin and has a host of effective ingredients along with SPF 50++ for the perfect all rounder. Four kinds of UV protectors combine with key health ingredients such as niacinamide, rice bran water, and vitamin E -- you can't find a better all rounder to finish off your skincare routine. The ingredients focus on anti-inflammatory and hydrating properties with a little glow thrown in. Our customers have returned to this classic again and again, with rave reviews.
We hope this blog gave you a little insight into what Beauty of Joseon is all about. Maybe you'll be inspired to look up some of the historic notes or learn a little Hangul alongside your skincare hobby!