Face Off of the Propolis Serums: iUNIK vs COSRX vs Beauty of Joseon

So you want a propolis serum. Maybe you’ve heard about it’s glow-inducing power, or are trying to tackle some acne / aging concerns, or just want to catch one more ingredient in the game that is skincare Pokemon. It is my not so humble opinion that just about everyone can benefit from a propolis serum, but picking which one can be tricky. So let’s talk about the three most popular ones.

But First — What is Propolis?

Propolis is, first and foremost, not vegan, so if that’s how you skincare, look no further. It’s produced by bees in order to create their beehives. Specifically, it’s a resin typically made from coniferous trees’ sap, beeswax and other bee goo, which is used to build their hives — ergo the name (pro for before, polis for city). Propolis is rich in antioxidants known as polyphenols. Those various types of polyphenols cause all sorts of magic to happen, specifically on the anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial and antifungal front. Propolis can obviously be an issue if you have a bee allergy, and it can occasionally cross-react with fragrance allergies, but otherwise it can benefit just about every skin type and concern, and I’m a huge proponent of bee products, generally, in skincare.

iUNIK Propolis Vitamin Synergy Serum

The iUNIK Propolis Vitamin Synergy Serum is one of the first you’re apt to come across by browsing k-beauty sites. It includes propolis at 70% and sea buckthorn extract at 12%. Sea buckthorn is a natural source of vitamin c and vitamin e, which is why the brand refers to this as having vitamin c at 12%.

It also includes niacinamide and honey extract, amplifying its brightening power, plus a host of fruit extracts to amplify its antioxidant power. It includes a variety of hydrating ingredients like glycerin, rose water, sodium hyaluronate and beta glucan, as well as skin-soothing ingredients. It merits pointing out that this does include bergamot fruit oil, a fragrance ingredient, which can irritate some people.

This serum was what I used when I first fell in love with propolis’s brightening and anti-acne power. It has a slightly sticky texture, but is quite spreadable. It’s one of the most cost effective propolis serums out there (under $20 USD for 50 mL, and available in a mini, as well).

Propolis Extract, Hippophae Rhamnoides Fruit Extract, Water, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Methylpropanediol, Niacinamide, Dipropylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Rosa Damascena Flower Water, Sodium Hyaluronate, Betaine, Glycosyl Trehalose, Honey Extract, Beta-Glucan, Hydrogenated Starch Hydrolysate, Allantoin, Carbomer, Arginine, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Adenosine, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Pentylene Glycol, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia (Bergamot) Fruit Oil, Centella Asiatica Extract, Portulaca Oleracea Extract, Hamamelis Virginiana (Witch Hazel) Extract, Punica Granatum Fruit Extract, Ficus Carica (Fig) Fruit Extract, Morus Alba Fruit Extract, Ginkgo Biloba Nut Extract, Caprylyl Glycol

Ingredients for the iUNIK Propolis Vitamin Synergy Serum

COSRX Full Fit Propolis Light Ampoule

COSRX is a cult-favorite k-beauty brand, and their propolis line has become one of the most popular ones of the company (though the snail essence still reigns supreme in the minds of most people). If you’re wondering what an ampoule is doing in a post about serums, well, it’s because ampoules are basically smaller sizes of serums with higher percentages of active ingredients.

In this case, the COSRX Propolis Light Ampoule includes propolis at 83.5% and very little else some hydrators (glycerin, betaine, sodium hyaluronate), antioxidants (cassia obtusifolia seed extract, arginine) and skin-soothers (panthenol).

This ampoule has a fairly unusual texture — it feels almost syrupy or gel-like, and has a lot of slip to it. I found that I went through it very fast, in part because it is only 30 mL (for $28 USD), and my face needs a certain amount of product just to be fully covered, regardless of how potent it is.

Propolis Extract, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Betaine, 1,2-Hexanediol, Cassia Obtusifolia Seed Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Carbomer, Panthenol, Arginine

Ingredients for the cosrx full fit propolis light ampoule

Beauty of Joseon Glow Serum

Beauty of Joseon is steadily becoming a more popular k-beauty brand, bringing Hanbang (traditional Korean herbal ingredients) to more markets. The Beauty of Joseon Glow Serum has 60% propolis extract and 2% niacinamide.

One of the key benefits of this serum is also the turmeric, which is a brightener, soother and antioxidant. These three, plus tamanu oil (calophyllum inophyllum seed oil) give this its “glow” power. It also includes tea tree extract and betaine salicylate, which are great gentle acne-fighting ingredients, plus cocoa seed extract and centella asiatica extract for a boost of antioxidants and skin-soothing.

This serum has an almost honey-like texture (presumably its relative balance of the solvents dipropylene glycol and butylene glycol help it retain more of that original glue texture), and I find myself needing about a dropper and a half to get adequate coverage of face, neck and chest. I find myself going through this 30 mL bottle (for $17 USD) about as fast as the COSRX.

Propolis Extract, Dipropylene Glycol, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Water, Niacinamide, 1,2-Hexanediol, Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract, Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Curcuma Longa (Turmeric) Root Extract, Ocimum Sanctum Leaf Extract, Theobroma Cacao (Cocoa) Seed Extract, Melaleuca Alternifolia (Tea Tree) Extract, Centella Asiatica Extract, Corallina Officinalis Extract, Lotus Corniculatus Seed Extract, Calophyllum Inophyllum Seed Oil, Betaine Salicylate, Sodium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Tromethamine, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Dextrin, Pentylene Glycol, Octanediol, Tocopherol, Xanthan Gum, Carbomer

Ingredients for the Beauty of Joseon Glow Serum

The Face Off: When To Use Which

Alright, so that’s the basic breakdown of the ingredients, but when they’re all serums and all relying on the same hero ingredient, just knowing what they all are doesn’t really help. So which should you use to get your glow on?

What you’ll get from all three: that good propolis glow. Truly, I don’t think anything gives glow quite like propolis. They’ll all help passively fight acne (if you’re dry and struggle with hormonal spots, you need propolis), as well as damage from pollution and sun thanks to all the polyphenols.

What you’ll get from iUNIK Propolis Vitamin Synergy Serum: even more brightening power, plus hydration, all in a really inexpensive formula.

What you’ll get from COSRX Full Fit Propolis Light Ampoule: a super elegant texture that’s incredibly non-irritating, both in ingredient list and user experience.

What you’ll get from Beauty of Joseon Glow Serum: enhanced acne-fighting benefits beyond the propolis, thanks to the tea tree extract, betaine salicylate and niacinamide.

So, which one should you pick? If you’re me, the answer is all of them, eventually. If you want to really notice that you’re using a propolis serum and don’t mind some fragrance or tackiness in texture, the iUNIK Propolis Vitamin Synergy Serum is a great pick. If your skin is a bit more sensitive and you know you love propolis, and don’t mind spending more for a more elegant texture, COSRX Full Fit Propolis Light Ampoule is where it’s at. If you can’t use more traditional acne-fighting ingredients, or are already using them and need more, you need the Beauty of Joseon Glow Serum in your life. No matter what you pick, you’ll reap the benefits of propolis and your skin will be better for it.

Honorable Mentions

Since I’m such a sucker for propolis, I wanted to also add some other options if you’re interested in propolis and other bee products.

The Skinfood Royal Honey Propolis Enrich Essence is really more of a serum than an essence, and includes royal jelly and honey in addition. It’s a fabulous pick for winter, when you need some additional skin soothing and moisturizing benefits with your propolis.

Some By Mi recently released their Propolis B5 Glow Barrier Calming Serum which I just ordered but haven’t had a chance to try yet. It has the bee trifecta like the Skinfood, as well as a bunch of ferments and almost every centella asiatica compound. My hopes are high, even though it includes some fragrance.

And last but certainly not least is the rest of the COSRX Propolis Line. Their Cosrx Propolis Light Cream is a good moisturizer for transitional weather, or as a night cream for oilier skin. Their toner was my first propolis love (I started it when I did the iUNIK serum) and remains one of my favorite toners and favorite propolis products, so if you’re in the market for both, I truly cannot recommend it enough.

Happy Bee-ing!