Serum Review: Beauty of Joseon Hanbang Serum Discovery Kit

Today's review will be for the Beauty of Joseon Hanbang Serum Discovery Kit

For anyone else wondering, to quote from myglamm.com "hanbang" refers to: 'Hanbang' means traditional Korean holistic medicine. This medicine includes different herbal ingredients that bring balance and calmness to the body and mind. Some of these herbal ingredients are mixed with topical skincare products too to improve the skin's health and texture.

Availability: This retails from $15-$27 and can be found at stylevana.com, yesstyle.com, stylekorean.com, beautynetkorea.com, and beautyofjoseon.com; the set includes 4 serums with each being 10 ml  (0.33 fl. oz.).

Would I buy this again?: No. If purchased individually, each serum retails around $12-$15, so unless the kit were closer to the $15 price point I think it's more economical to just buy a full-sized (30 ml) serum unless you wanted to give them all a try in these travel-friendly bottles.

An interesting thing to note with each of the four serums is that, while they contain water, none of them is water-based. This was a popular selling point for Amore Pacific back in the day, as the implication was that the formula isn't watered down and you get the benefits of a more antioxidant packed liquid instead; in their case it was green tea. 

What is this product designed to address?

According to beautyofjoseon.com:

Solution: Ginseng Root Water 63% + Snail Mucin 3%

Notable ingredients: Ginseng Root Extract, Adenosine, Matsutake Extract

Texture: Lightweight, Mucin-like texture

Benefits: Anti-wrinkle, Anti-pigmentation

Does it contain any special/beneficial ingredients?

Once again, from beautyofjoseon.com:

Ginseng Root Water/Extract: Has anti-aging, brightening, anti-inflammatory, elasticity-boosting, and wrinkle-smoothing properties.

Snail Mucin: I was today (1/29/23) years old when I learned that snail mucin is a source of glycolic acid! It helps smooth out the skin's texture, provides a glow, and the snail mucin itself also has hydrating properties. 

Adenosine: Has wrinkle-smoothing properties. 

Matsutake Extract: Has elasticity-boosting, antioxidant, and hydrating properties.

What is the texture like?

I agree with the above description, this has a slightly gelatinous but mostly watery texture to it. It feels refreshing to apply. 

Is it scented?

This has an extremely faint, floral scent to it which I can only assume is the ginseng. 

My overall experience/comments on the product:

While this product is clearly geared to both prevent, and reduce the appearance of, aging on the skin I don't have notable lines or wrinkles that I can speak on. And knock on wood for that because I'm nearing my mid-30s. In any case, I really like the texture of this serum and the boost of hydration it gives me. I can't say that it has very obvious brightening effects either - I've used this about 5 times though, so perhaps I need to use it more frequently - but I did notice that after using this serum my skin has more clarity and my redness is fainter. 

What is this product designed to address?

According to beautyofjoseon.com:

Solution: Rice bran water 68% + Alpha-Arbutin 2%

Notable ingredients: Glycerin, Niacinamide, Soybean Seed Extract, Barley Extract, Rice Extract, Sesame Extract

Texture: Watery and lightweight texture

Benefits: Anti-pigmentation, Brightening

Does it contain any special/beneficial ingredients?

Once again, from beautyofjoseon.com:

Rice Bran Water/Extract: Has skin-smoothing and softening properties; helps treat hyperpigmentation and acne.

Alpha-Arbutin: Has brightening properties and helps lighten dark spots caused by UV damage.  

Glycerin: Helps draw moisture into the skin.

Niacinamide: Helps boost collagen production and has skin brightening properties, helps skin retain moisture. 

Soybean Seed Extract: Has anti-inflammatory, collagen-stimulating, antioxidant, and brightening properties; helps prevent UV damage. 

Barley Extract: Helps soothe and moisturize skin. 

Sesame Extract: Has anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antibacterial properties.

What is the texture like?

I agree with the above description, this has a barely gelatinous but mostly watery texture to it. My skin absorbs this pretty much instantaneously. 

Is it scented?

This doesn't have any obviously discernable scent to it.

My overall experience/comments on the product:

Personally, I find it strange that despite all the hydrating and skin-barrier protecting ingredients and qualities this serum is meant to have; it leaves my skin in want of hydration. In other words, I don't feel like it's hydrating enough. I don't particularly have any dark spots on my skin so I can't say how good this is at lightening any of those up. However, I wouldn't say that this gives my skin any type of glow at all. 

What is this product designed to address?

According to beautyofjoseon.com:
Solution: Propolis Extract 60% + Niacinamide 2%
Notable ingredients: Betaine Salicylate (BHA), Tamanu Oil, Tea Tree Extract
Texture: Honey-like texture
Benefits: Anti-acne, Anti-inflammation

Does it contain any special/beneficial ingredients?

Once again, from beautyofjoseon.com:

Propolis Extract: Has wrinkle-smoothing, brightening, and anti-aging properties.

Niacinamide: Helps boost collagen production and has skin brightening properties, helps skin retain moisture. 

Betaine Salicylate: Helps exfoliate skin and smooth the skin's texture. 

Tamanu Oil: Helps boost collagen production. 

Tea Tree Extract: Has anti-bacterial and antifungal properties. 

What is the texture like?

This has a slightly gelatinous but mostly watery texture to it, I wouldn't say it's honey-like because it isn't sticky at all. It feels hydrating when I apply it. 

Is it scented?

This has an extremely faint, warm scent to it which I can only assume is the propolis. 

My overall experience/comments on the product:

I haven't used this product long enough, nor do I have obvious signs of aging, where I can say how much of a glow I got out of it. That being said, I really enjoy using this particular serum because it makes my skin feel very hydrated and comfortable. I'm looking forward to using it more often and seeing if it does anything other than hydrate. 

What is this product designed to address?

According to beautyofjoseon.com:

Solution: Green tea leaf water 76% + Panthenol 2%

Notable ingredients: Centella Asiatica Extract, Artemisia Vulgaris Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate

Texture: Watery and lightweight texture

Benefits: Soothing, Calming

Does it contain any special/beneficial ingredients?

Once again, from beautyofjoseon.com:

Green Tea Leaf Water: Has anti-inflammatory, hydrating, and antioxidant properties.

Panthenol: Has hydrating properties and helps skin retain moisture. 

Centella Asiatica Extract: Has anti-inflammatory and skin soothing properties, helps heal skin barrier.

Artemisia Vulgaris Extract: Has anti-inflammatory properties. 

Sodium Hyaluronate: Helps lock moisture into the skin.

What is the texture like?

I agree with the above description, this has a texture that's just slightly thicker than water. It feels refreshing to apply. 

Is it scented?

This has an extremely faint tea scent to it.

My overall experience/comments on the product:

We all know with both my eczema and redness that I love a product filled with anti-inflammatory, hydrating ingredients. In fact, I'd argue the only thing missing in this lineup is squalane BUT I mix this in with my squalane oil so all is, in fact, in place. This feels lightweight but also very hydrating when applied and instantly smooths my skin's texture. I also noticed that a lot of the redness I used to get on my lower cheeks and jaw area is nearly nonexistent and only a tiny bit of my upper cheek area and eczema patch on my chin are red. I am excited to see what this will do for my skin when used long-term. 

Please let me know if you have any questions or comments.

Disclaimer: I purchased this myself.