because who doesn’t want glowing skin?
Foreword
On my quest to find the best K-Beauty skincare gems, I came across Glow Deep Serum. Friends to the blog might recall me reviewing the brand’s Glow Serum and Revive Serum (spoiler alert: both of which I thoroughly enjoyed), so I figured why not give this Rice + Arbutin baby a try? Let’s find out whether it was a success or a failure.
Curious? Then please keep on scrolling
My Skin: dry, sensitive
About the Product
Beauty of Joseon Glow Deep Serum Rice + Arbutin (17 USD; Made in Korea) – is described as a lightweight, hydrating serum that brightens and evens out the skin tone. It should help fade dark spots and prevent hyperpigmentation.
Packaging: similar to the brand’s other face serums, this one too comes in a petite plastic bottle with a pipette, containing 30 ml/ 1.01 fl oz of product. It is practical and easy to store.
Formula: this Rice Water serum is rich in Glycerin (hydration), Arbutin (brightening), and Panthenol (anti-inflammation). Beauty of Joseon also lists Soybean Seed, Barley, Sesame, and Wheat Extracts towards the end of the ingredients list (which means their actual content is low).
Vegan🌱 Cruelty-free🐇
Texture: out of the three Beauty of Joseon serums that I have tried so far, this one is a lot runnier, whereas the other two felt more like a gel-like fluid. This serum is quite watery and sinks into the skin almost immediately, creating a semi-occlusive base for other skincare products to go on top of.
Scent: none.
Application: you can easily use the Glow Deep Serum as part of your AM or PM routine (or both). I find that it layers well with other products, feeling more like a toner upon application, rather than an actual serum. While some people might like that, I expected a bit more in terms of how I want a serum to feel on my skin (a bit more cushiony, balmy as opposed to watery).
First Impression
Skin is moderately hydrated.
Long-term results
After months of testing the Glow Deep Serum, I have concluded that I see little to no difference in the way my skin looks or feels. I find that other products in my current routine do most of the work, while this serum acts as an added hydrating step, doing little to nothing as far as skin brightening goes. I can’t say it did much in terms of healing my hyperpigmentation either. Most of the progress I’ve seen is thanks to using Vitamin C serums and Tranexamic Acid (discussed here). There was a week frame where I did not use the Glow Deep Serum because I was traveling, and guess what? I did not notice any difference with or without it.
Verdict
I think that the Glow Deep Serum Rice + Arbutin is not nearly as effective as other face serums that I have tried from the brand thus far. Skincare is very personal, so take my words with a grain of salt. I believe that one of the indicators of how potent a certain product is – is whether or not my skin is missing it when I no longer use it. In my case, this serum proved to just add a bit of moisture (in comparison: the Inkey List Hyaluronic Acid serum does a much better job at that and it only costs 9 USD; read about it here) and for that reason, I will not be recommending or repurchasing it. I think that the brand’s Revive Serum is a much better option to consider (reviewed here). All in all, I think this is an “okay” product and give it C.
More online:
stylevana.com (World)
yesstyle.com (World)
sokoglam.com (World)
Purchased product; full disclaimer here
