Beauty of Joseon Dynasty Cream: rich comfort for dry skin

Which ingredients soften the skin

Beauty of Joseon names this cream after the Joseon dynasty and markets it on hanbang, the Korean herbal tradition. The ingredients that soften dry skin are the glycerin and the emollient oils. Glycerin pulls water into the skin and holds it there. A set of lightweight emollient oils does the softening — one is a synthetic emollient called hydrogenated polydecene, another is squalane, close to an oil your own skin makes. These make the cream easy to spread and leave a soft finish.

Dynasty Cream is silicone-free and fragrance-free. The brand’s own FAQ says so, and its ingredient list carries no silicones. That makes it a reasonable choice if your skin reacts to added fragrance.

The ginseng root water and rice bran water the brand is named for are in the cream as heritage ingredients, included because of the brand’s herbal tradition.

What’s in it?

Glycerin does most of the water-binding. It is one of the most reliable humectants in skincare — it draws water into the upper layers of skin and holds it there. Hyaluronic acid is in the formula too. It is another humectant that binds water, but it does less of this work than glycerin.

The softening comes from the cream’s emollient oils. Hydrogenated polydecene is a lightweight synthetic emollient. Squalane is in the formula as well. Together they make the cream easy to spread and leave a soft finish on the skin. Two olive-derived ingredients keep the oil and water mixed, so the cream feels rich instead of waxy.

Niacinamide is the only ingredient in this cream with solid research behind it. It is a form of vitamin B3 that helps even out tone and supports the skin’s barrier — the outer layer that keeps water in and irritants out. In a small study of 28 people with atopic (eczema-prone) dry skin, a 2% niacinamide cream used on one forearm for four to eight weeks lowered how fast skin lost water and raised its surface hydration, compared with white petrolatum on the other forearm. Beauty of Joseon does not publish how much niacinamide is in the Dynasty Cream, so the trial shows what niacinamide can do in general. Because the amount is unknown, the study does not show what this cream will do.

The formula also carries honey extract, a little ceramide NP and other plant extracts. It also contains ceramide NP. Ceramides are fats that help hold the skin’s barrier together, but this cream has only a little. If you want a cream for its ceramides, buy one that contains a lot more of them.

How does it feel, and how do you use it?

It is noticeably thicker than a gel-cream, but it spreads into a thin layer and sinks in instead of staying on top of the skin. The emollient oils make the cream spread smoothly over the skin. A little covers the face, so a 50 ml pot lasts a long time. It leaves skin feeling soft, with no shine or stickiness.

Use it as the last step of your routine, after your serum or essence, so it sits on top of the other products. Dry and mature skin gets the most from it at night, and through the cold months when a light moisturizer stops being enough. In the morning you can use it under sunscreen if your skin still feels dry — warm it between your fingers first and press it in gently. Do not rub it in.

Glycerin and a few lightweight emollient oils soften dry skin. The ginseng and rice bran are heritage ingredients the brand is named for.

Who’s it for — and who should skip it?

Buy it if your skin is dry, tight or flaky, or if it is mature skin that needs more comfort than a gel gives. It is also useful if a light moisturizer stops feeling like enough by midday, or if your usual cream feels too light in winter. It has no fragrance and no silicone, so it is a reasonable option for dry skin that reacts easily. Patch-test it first, as with any new product.

It is the wrong cream for oily or breakout-prone skin. It is also the wrong cream for a humid summer, because it is rich and feels heavy in hot weather. In that case the lighter Round Lab Birch Juice Cream is easier to use every day, and our Korean moisturizers roundup compares the two. It is also not a treatment: nothing here resurfaces, exfoliates or fades marks, so use a retinoid or a vitamin C as well if you want those results.

Is it worth it?

For dry or mature skin, yes. It is a well-made, silicone-free cream that softens skin without leaving a film. The ingredients that do this are sensible choices. The ginseng and rice bran it is named for are heritage ingredients, and the ceramide is a small supporting amount. It suits dry skin in the cold months and feels too heavy in a hot, humid summer. If your skin is dry and you use it in the colder months, it works well as a regular part of a simple routine.