Side-by-side comparison

Beauty of Joseon Glow Serum : Propolis + Niacinamide vs The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%

Both are serums. They share a 99% active-ingredient overlap, so the real decision is about price, texture and the supporting ingredients. Here's the side-by-side.

99%Active overlap
Beauty of Joseon
Glow Serum : Propolis + Niacinamide
SerumBudgetMorning or evening
DullnessDamaged BarrierDrynesssensitive

60% propolis extract with 2% niacinamide — brightening, barrier-supporting, very gentle. The hero K-beauty serum for dull, dehydrated or mildly congested skin. Skip if you have a bee allergy; otherwise this one is hard to mess up.

Full analysis →Find dupes →
The Ordinary
Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%
SerumBudgetEvening only
OilinessAcneDark SpotsRough Texture

High-dose niacinamide serum targeting sebum regulation, visible pore appearance and post-acne marks. Water-based, fragrance-free, and compatible with almost every other active on the shelf — the default oil-control serum for combination and oily skin.

Full analysis →Find dupes →
The verdict

Which should you choose?

Both sit in the Budget tier, so cost isn't the deciding factor here — choose on texture, finish and the supporting ingredients. On how you'd use them, the Beauty of Joseon is flagged Morning or evening while the The Ordinary is flagged Evening only. The Beauty of Joseon leans toward Damaged Barrier, Dryness, Dullness. The The Ordinary leans toward Acne, Dark Spots, Oiliness.

The overlap

What they share

At 99% active overlap, these are the ingredients doing comparable work in both formulas:

Niacinamide
The formulation

Ingredient stacks, side by side

Beauty of Joseon — top of the list

  • Propolis Extract60%
  • Butylene Glycol~5–25%
  • Glycerin~3–10%
  • Niacinamide2%
  • 1,2-Hexanediol~1.5–4%

The Ordinary — top of the list

  • Aqua (Water)~50–80%
  • Niacinamide10%
  • Pentylene Glycol~3–10%
  • Zinc PCA1%
  • Dimethyl Isoso…~1.5–4%

● marks ingredients that appear near the top of both lists. Percentages are positional estimates from INCI order, not disclosed doses.

At a glance

The specs

Beauty of JoseonThe Ordinary
CategorySerumSerum
Price tierBudgetBudget
Best forDullness, Damaged Barrier, DrynessOiliness, Acne, Dark Spots
Usage notesMorning or eveningEvening only
Active overlap99% — Niacinamide
Questions

Common questions

Is the Beauty of Joseon Glow Serum : Propolis + Niacinamide or the The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% better?
Neither is clearly better — they overlap 99% on active ingredients and sit in the same price tier. The difference comes down to texture, finish and the supporting ingredients, so the right choice depends on your skin type and preferences.
What's the difference between the Beauty of Joseon Glow Serum : Propolis + Niacinamide and the The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%?
Both are serums that share Niacinamide. Where they differ: the Beauty of Joseon is Morning or evening; the The Ordinary is Evening only; the Beauty of Joseon targets Damaged Barrier, Dryness; the The Ordinary targets Acne, Dark Spots.
Are the Beauty of Joseon Glow Serum : Propolis + Niacinamide and The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% dupes for each other?
They share 99% active-ingredient overlap based on published INCI lists, so one can stand in for the other on the actives that matter — chiefly Niacinamide. A dupe matches the hero actives, not the full sensory experience, so expect differences in texture, fragrance and exact concentrations.
Can I use the Beauty of Joseon Glow Serum : Propolis + Niacinamide and The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% together?
They both fill the serum slot in a routine, so you'd normally pick one rather than layer both. If you want to use both, treat one as your daytime option and the other for evening, and patch-test when introducing anything new.
Keep comparing

Related comparisons

Beauty of Joseon Glow Serum : Propolis + Niacinamide vs Byoma Brightening Serum
77% overlapBeauty of Joseon Glow Serum : Propolis + Niacinamide vs Good Molecules Discoloration Correcting Serum
77% overlapBeauty of Joseon Glow Serum : Propolis + Niacinamide vs Haruharu Wonder Black Rice Hyaluronic Serum
77% overlapBeauty of Joseon Glow Serum : Propolis + Niacinamide vs Naturium Niacinamide Serum 12%
77% overlapBeauty of Joseon Glow Serum : Propolis + Niacinamide vs The Inkey List Niacinamide Serum
77% overlapBeauty of Joseon Glow Serum : Propolis + Niacinamide vs Krave Beauty Great Barrier Relief
77% overlap

Want a deeper, personalised read? Drop both products into the live comparison tool for an ingredient-by-ingredient breakdown tuned to your skin profile.

Compare these yourself →