Beauty of Joseon
Glow Deep Serum: Rice + Alpha-Arbutin
The 60 ml size of Beauty of Joseon's Glow Deep Serum, the brightening step for uneven tone and the marks left after a breakout. It goes after toner, morning and evening, before moisturizer.
No reviews yet60ml
$28.32 per 100 ml
- Korean-market formula
- Ships from California or direct from Korea
- Korean barcode and batch code intact
- Suited to
- NormalCombinationDryOily
- Helps with
- A concentrated brightening stepLayering under moisturizerAM or PM use
Sold out.
Tell us where to send it
One email, the moment this exact unit is back in stock. Not a newsletter and not a sequence, and your address comes off the list the second it is sent.
- 30-day returns
- Free US shipping on orders of $100 or more
- Tracked delivery to your door
How it works
Beauty of Joseon builds the Glow Deep Serum: Rice + Alpha-Arbutin around Arbutin, Trehalose and Panthenol. Arbutin appears further down the list as the brightening active aimed at the look of dark spots and uneven tone, working alongside supporting humectants trehalose and glyceryl glucoside for hydration. Panthenol sits nearby for comfort. Because arbutin is light-sensitive, the brand recommends using this serum in the evening rather than the morning. The light gel texture is fragrance-free and alcohol-free, layering cleanly into either an AM or PM routine.
Key benefits
- Rice bran water is the first ingredient, ahead of plain water
- Arbutin works on the look of dark spots and uneven tone
- Trehalose and glyceryl glucoside hold hydration in
- Light gel texture layers cleanly, AM and PM
Inside the formula
Inside the formula
Beauty of Joseon Glow Deep Serum: Rice + Alpha-Arbutin
Where does arbutin sit on this serum's ingredient list?
Arbutin appears on the list behind the rice bran water base, water, and the glycol carriers, positioned as the formula's brightening active. Panthenol and glyceryl glucoside sit nearby to carry the hydration and comfort side of the formula.
Why is this recommended for evening use?
Arbutin is a light-sensitive ingredient, so the brand recommends using this serum at night rather than during the day. Following any evening brightening step with a morning sunscreen is the standard pattern Korean brands recommend for this class of active.
Does this serum contain fragrance or alcohol?
No parfum, fragrance, or drying alcohol appears on this serum's own ingredient list. That fragrance-free, alcohol-free formulation is part of why it is positioned for layering into both AM and PM routines.
What is the base ingredient of this serum?
Oryza Sativa (rice) bran water is the first ingredient, ahead of plain water, making it the structural liquid the rest of the formula is built on rather than a marketing flourish.
How can I confirm this is the authentic Korean-market Beauty of Joseon formula, not a US reformulation?
Beauty of Joseon verifies its products by sourcing chain rather than a scan, because the brand has retired its own QR verification and is phasing out its authenticity seal. Your unit arrives with its Korean-market barcode and batch code intact, not swapped for an export label, and we publish exactly where we buy. That intact packaging is the record the brand itself points to now that its earlier scan-based check is gone.
Not on the ingredient list below: fragrance or parfum, denatured or SD alcohol, essential oils, silicones, parabens, sulfate surfactants, mineral oil or petrolatum and added color.
Full INCI (32): Oryza Sativa (Rice) Bran Water, Water, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Dipropylene Glycol, Arbutin, Methyl Gluceth-20, Panthenol, Polyglycerin-3, Trehalose, Glyceryl Glucoside, Hydrolyzed Jojoba Esters, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Ethylhexylglycerin, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Xanthan Gum, Arginine, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Disodium EDTA, Coptis Japonica Root Extract, Sorbitan Isostearate, Glucose, Cyclohexane, Coix Lacryma-Jobi Ma-Yuen Seed Extract, Glycine Soja (Soybean) Seed Extract, Hordeum Distichon (Barley) Extract, Oryza Sativa (Rice) Extract, Sesamum Indicum (Sesame) Seed Extract, Triticum Vulgare (Wheat) Seed Extract, Vigna Radiata Seed Extract, Zea Mays (Corn) Kernel Extract
Ingredient list read from incidecoder.com on 30 August 2026.
31 of 32 explained
- Oryza Sativa (Rice) Bran Water plant extract
- Rice Bran Water is the water from washing or steeping rice bran, the traditional Korean and Japanese rinse. It is used in place of plain water as a formula base.
- Water solvent
- Water is the base almost every serum, toner and cream is built on. It dissolves the water-loving ingredients and sets how light the finished texture feels. On an INCI list it is usually first, which only means it is the largest single ingredient by weight.
- Glycerin humectant
- Glycerin is the most used humectant in skincare. It draws water into the outer layer of skin and holds it there, and it is one of the very few ingredients whose hydrating effect is settled science rather than marketing. Higher amounts feel tacky, which is why it is usually blended.
- Butylene Glycol humectant
- Butylene Glycol is a small glycol that does two jobs at once: it holds water in the top layer of skin and it dissolves plant extracts and actives that plain water cannot. It also thins a formula, which is why watery Korean essences lean on it.
- 1,2-Hexanediol humectant
- 1,2-Hexanediol is a glycol used for two reasons: it holds water like glycerin, and it makes a formula harder for microbes to live in, so less traditional preservative is needed. Korean formulas use it heavily for that second reason.
- Dipropylene Glycol humectant
- Dipropylene Glycol is a glycol used as a solvent and a light humectant. Its main job is keeping the rest of the formula dissolved and the texture fluid rather than adding hydration of its own.
- Arbutin active
- Arbutin is the naturally occurring form of the same compound, from bearberry and related plants, used for the look of uneven tone. The alpha isomer is the more stable of the two.
- Methyl Gluceth-20 humectant
- Methyl Gluceth-20 is a sugar-derived humectant. It holds water in the outer layer of skin and gives a smooth, cushioned slip that plain glycerin does not.
- Panthenol humectant
- Panthenol is pro-vitamin B5: skin converts it to pantothenic acid. It is a humectant that holds water and leaves skin feeling soft and less tight, and it is one of the ingredients formulators reach for when a formula also contains something harsh.
- Polyglycerin-3 humectant
- Polyglycerin-3 is a short chain of glycerin units used as a gentler, less sticky humectant. It also helps oils and water stay blended.
- Trehalose humectant
- Trehalose is a sugar that some desert plants use to survive drying out. In skincare it is a humectant that holds water in the outer layer and helps a formula feel comfortable rather than tight.
- Glyceryl Glucoside humectant
- Glyceryl Glucoside is glycerin bound to glucose, from the resurrection plant. It is a humectant that holds water in the outer layer of skin.
19 more explained
- Hydrolyzed Jojoba Esters emollient
- Jojoba Esters are jojoba wax rebuilt into a softer, meltable form. They condition skin and give body to balms without the heaviness of a butter.
- Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer thickener
- This is the thickener behind most gel-cream textures. It builds a soft, bouncy gel that collapses to a light fluid as it is rubbed in.
- Ethylhexylglycerin preservative booster
- Ethylhexylglycerin softens skin and boosts a preservative system, which is why it is nearly always sitting beside phenoxyethanol or 1,2-hexanediol. It also cuts down the odour bacteria produce, so it turns up in deodorising products.
- Hydroxyethylcellulose thickener
- Hydroxyethylcellulose is a cellulose thickener that builds a clear, smooth gel and holds the rest of the formula in suspension.
- Xanthan Gum thickener
- Xanthan Gum is a polysaccharide made by fermenting sugar. It thickens a watery formula into a gel and holds the whole thing in suspension so nothing separates. Too much of it and a serum turns stringy, which is why it appears in fractions of a percent.
- Arginine amino acid
- Arginine is an amino acid that does two jobs here: it holds water in the outer layer of skin, and it neutralises acidic gelling agents, which is why it often stands in for a synthetic pH adjuster.
- Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer thickener
- This is a carbomer relative with fatty side chains, so it thickens and stabilises an emulsion at the same time. It gives a light gel-cream body rather than a heavy one.
- Disodium EDTA chelator
- EDTA is a chelator: it locks up trace metal ions from water and packaging that would otherwise turn a formula cloudy, off-colour or rancid. It does nothing to skin and appears at a fraction of a percent.
- Coptis Japonica Root Extract plant extract
- Coptis Japonica is a traditional East Asian medicinal root, bright yellow from its berberine content. In skincare its extract is used for the look of congested, oily skin.
- Sorbitan Isostearate emulsifier
- Sorbitan Isostearate is a mild emulsifier that holds water into oil, the direction a cleansing balm or an oil-based cream needs.
- Glucose humectant
- Glucose is a simple sugar used as a humectant and as food for the ferment ingredients in the same formula. It hydrates mildly and adds a soft slip.
- Coix Lacryma-Jobi Ma-Yuen Seed Extract plant extract
- Adlay, or Job tears, a grain used in both Korean cooking and Korean herbal practice. The seed extract carries starch-derived sugars and amino acids.
- Glycine Soja (Soybean) Seed Extract plant extract
- Soybean Seed Extract carries isoflavones, plant sterols and soy proteins. It is used as a conditioning antioxidant extract.
- Hordeum Distichon (Barley) Extract plant extract
- Barley extract, carrying beta-glucan, amino acids and B vitamins. It hydrates and is used as a conditioning grain extract.
- Oryza Sativa (Rice) Extract plant extract
- Rice Extract is the anchor of the Korean rice-skincare category. It carries starches, amino acids and ferulic acid, and it is used for the look of dullness and for a soft, blurred finish.
- Sesamum Indicum (Sesame) Seed Extract plant extract
- Sesame seed extract. It carries sesamol and sterols and is used as a conditioning, antioxidant-rich extract.
- Triticum Vulgare (Wheat) Seed Extract plant extract
- Wheat seed extract, carrying proteins, sugars and vitamin E. It is used as a conditioning grain extract.
- Vigna Radiata Seed Extract plant extract
- Mung bean seed extract, the nokdu of Korean cleansing powders. It carries starches, proteins and saponins and is used as a conditioning, mildly cleansing extract.
- Zea Mays (Corn) Kernel Extract plant extract
- Corn kernel extract, mostly starch-derived sugars with some amino acids. It is used as a conditioning, water-holding extract.
- Market
- Korean market, the version sold in Korea
- EAN (barcode)
- 8809968131038
- Made in
- Republic of Korea
- Volume
- 60ml
- Category
- Serum & Ampoule / Brightening serum
- Actives
- Arbutin, Panthenol, Rice Extract, Trehalose
- Ships from
- California or Korea
Orders ship from California or direct from Korea with tracked delivery to your door, and both routes carry the same Korean-market release. Shipping is free on orders of $100 or more. Returns are accepted for 30 days, by mail.
We split shipments free, so one out-of-stock item never holds up the rest of your order.
Where this unit came from
- 1Seoul
Bought as Korean-market stock - 2Barcode
Listed against the Korean barcode on its box - 3California or Korea
Ships to you from either, as the same Korean-market release
We stock the version of a formula that is sold in Korea, not the release a brand prepares for another market under the same name. The barcode in the specification above is the Korean-market one and it is printed on the box you receive.
Every unit keeps its original barcode and batch code intact, so the unit in your hands can be checked against the brand’s own records.
Every order ships from California or direct from Korea, and returns run for 30 days.
Every claim on this page traces to the unit in the box, the barcode, the batch code and the price you can read for yourself.
How to use
- Use the Glow Deep Serum: Rice + Alpha-Arbutin after toner and before moisturizer, morning and evening.
- Three or four drops covers the whole face. Press it in with flat palms instead of rubbing it around.
- Toner first so the surface is damp, then this, then about a minute before your moisturizer goes over the top.
- Twice a day, every day. Do not stack it with a second serum of the same kind; two hydrating serums in one routine do the work of one.
Worth knowing
- Patch-test on a small area first if you are new to this formula or to the brand.
- Oryza Sativa (Rice) Bran Water and this formula's other named actives are new to your skin the first time you use it, so introduce it a few times a week before moving to daily use if your skin runs sensitive.
Reviews
No reviews yet. Tell us how much you love the product!
Write a reviewWrite a review
Beauty of Joseon Glow Deep Serum: Rice + Alpha-Arbutin
How it felt, how your skin took it, what you layer it with. Straight answers help the next person choose.
We’re on gram!
Creators trying on authentic Korean skincare routines and products from us.
Rating a shelf of Dr. Althea products one by one.
Jasmine Loo · YouTube
Two hydrating serums side by side, IUNIK and Dr. Althea.
Kristin · YouTube
A walk through the Dr. Althea serum lineup and who each one suits.
auraofmahmuda · YouTube
A blunt first take on the Dr. Althea range.
Lexi Chang · YouTube
A first look at the viral 345 Relief Cream before buying.
Shelley Nayak · YouTube
A first try of the Dr. Althea serum on camera.
Hannah Ziad · YouTube
Beauty of Joseon, Korean-market original
Brightening serum, 60 ml, with Rice Bran Water and Arbutin on the ingredient list.
Verify your unit when it arrives
Verify your unit when it arrives
Korean-market stock with the original barcode and batch code intact, exactly as it left Korea.
For Beauty of Joseon, verification is by sourcing chain. Your unit arrives with its Korean-market barcode and batch code intact, and we publish where we buy. The brand has retired its QR scan and is phasing out its authenticity seal, so the box itself is the record.
Source: Beauty of Joseon help centre
On the unit itself
- The Korean-market barcode, unaltered from the retail package.
- The manufacturer’s batch code, exactly as the maker printed it.
정품Genuine article, Korean-market stock
What professionals say
What professionals say
What skin-care professionals say about skin care, quoted from the medical sources linked beside each.
Your skin barrier is basically your outer layer of the skin.
Melissa Piliang, MDDermatologist, Cleveland Clinic Pretty much every step of a Korean skin care routine is going to have some component of hydration.
Alok Vij, MDDermatologist, Cleveland Clinic
Ask an AI assistant about this product
Ask an AI assistant about this product
Opens ChatGPT, Perplexity or Claude in a new tab with the question prefilled. Claude asks you to sign in first.