Beauty of Joseon vs Anua: Which K-Beauty Brand Is Better?
Beauty of Joseon and Anua are arguably the two most talked-about “new generation” Korean skincare brands internationally over the past few years, both riding a wave of social media virality that’s brought them into direct competition on retailer shelves and TikTok recommendation lists worldwide. But they’re built on genuinely different philosophies and target somewhat different skin priorities. Here’s a full comparison.
Brand Background
Beauty of Joseon
Founded with a distinct branding concept: drawing on traditional Korean hanbok imagery and the historical Joseon dynasty (1392-1897) as an aesthetic and philosophical reference point, positioning itself around the idea of blending traditional Korean beauty ingredients — like rice, ginseng, and hanbang (Korean herbal medicine) botanicals — with modern skincare science. This traditional-meets-modern branding is genuinely distinctive in a market often dominated by minimalist or clinical-looking packaging.
Anua
A newer brand built around a more straightforward, ingredient-focused, “clean” aesthetic, with branding that leans into simplicity and a slightly more clinical, understated presentation. Anua’s rise has been closely tied to a small number of viral hero products, particularly its Heartleaf line, which built the brand’s reputation around gentle, barrier-supporting formulations.
Signature Ingredients and Philosophy
Beauty of Joseon leans heavily into hanbang-inspired ingredients — rice extract and rice bran water appear across much of the line (most famously in their Relief Sun sunscreen and Rice Water toner), alongside ginseng in their more anti-aging-focused products. This reflects a broader philosophy of connecting modern formulation to traditional Korean beauty wisdom, a positioning that resonates strongly with both domestic Korean consumers interested in cultural heritage and international consumers drawn to the “traditional secret” marketing angle.
Anua centers its identity around heartleaf (an anti-inflammatory, soothing botanical related to but distinct from Centella asiatica) and a broader “barrier-first” formulation philosophy, prioritizing gentle, low-irritant ingredient lists across most of its catalog. Where Beauty of Joseon’s branding emphasizes heritage and tradition, Anua’s emphasizes minimalism and sensitive-skin safety.
Head-to-Head: Signature Products
Sunscreen
Beauty of Joseon’s Relief Sun: Rice + Probiotics SPF50+ is widely considered the more internationally famous product between the two brands — it became a genuine viral sensation specifically for its lightweight, no-whitecast finish. Anua does not have an equivalently famous sunscreen in its current lineup, making this category a clear point in Beauty of Joseon’s favor for sun protection specifically.
Toner
Beauty of Joseon’s Ginseng Essence Water and Rice Water Bright toners both have strong followings, but Anua’s Heartleaf 77% Soothing Toner is arguably the more universally recommended toner between the two brands, particularly for sensitive or irritated skin, due to its high concentration of soothing heartleaf extract and minimal added ingredients.
Serum
Beauty of Joseon’s Glow Deep Serum (propolis + niacinamide) targets brightening and hydration together, appealing to users chasing the “glow” aesthetic. Anua’s Heartleaf Quercetinol Pore Deep Cleansing Serum takes a different approach, focused specifically on pore care and gentle exfoliation rather than brightening, making the two less directly comparable and more complementary depending on your specific concern.
Sleeping Mask
Beauty of Joseon’s Dynasty Cream and various sleeping mask offerings lean into richer, more traditional textures. Anua doesn’t compete as directly in this specific category, having built its reputation more around toners and serums than overnight treatments.
Which Brand Fits Which Skin Type?
Beauty of Joseon tends to suit:
- Skin seeking brightening and glow-focused results
- Anyone specifically wanting sun protection (their sunscreen line is a genuine standout)
- Those drawn to hanbang/traditional ingredient philosophy
- Combination to dry skin types generally respond well to their moisturizing formulas
Anua tends to suit:
- Highly sensitive, reactive, or barrier-compromised skin
- Those prioritizing a minimal, low-irritant ingredient philosophy above all else
- Oily or acne-prone skin, given the brand’s strength in pore-care and soothing serums together
- Users who prefer simpler, shorter ingredient lists over multi-benefit complex formulas
Price Comparison
Both brands sit in a similar accessible-to-mid-range price bracket relative to the broader K-beauty market — generally $12-25 USD per product depending on category, positioning both well below prestige Korean brands like Sulwhasoo or Sum37 while still offering more targeted, “trend-forward” formulations than ultra-budget drugstore lines.
Availability
Both brands have achieved strong international distribution over the past few years through major retailers (Amazon, Yesstyle, Stylevana, and increasingly Sephora/Ulta for Beauty of Joseon specifically), making availability a non-issue for most shoppers outside Korea at this point — a genuine shift from just a few years ago when K-beauty shopping required more specialized retailers.
Can You Use Both Brands Together?
Absolutely, and many Korean skincare enthusiasts do exactly this — there’s no brand loyalty requirement in building an effective routine. A common combination approach: Anua’s Heartleaf toner for its soothing, barrier-supporting properties, layered with Beauty of Joseon’s Glow Serum for brightening, finished with Beauty of Joseon’s Relief Sun for daytime protection — taking each brand’s strongest category rather than committing exclusively to one line.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which brand is more “authentic” Korean skincare? Both are genuinely Korean-founded and formulated brands — the “authenticity” question sometimes raised online usually reflects marketing style preferences (traditional/heritage vs. minimalist/clinical) rather than any real difference in how Korean or legitimate either brand is.
Which brand is better for beginners to K-beauty? Anua’s simpler, shorter ingredient lists and lower irritation risk make it a slightly gentler starting point for total beginners, while Beauty of Joseon’s more established, iconic hero products (especially the sunscreen) make it an easier brand to research and find trustworthy reviews for.
Is one brand more “clean” or natural than the other? Both use a mix of naturally-derived and synthetic ingredients typical of modern cosmetic formulation — neither brand markets itself as strictly “clean beauty” in the way some Western brands do, and ingredient safety profiles are broadly comparable between them.
Do both brands test on animals? Neither brand markets itself as officially cruelty-free certified by international standards, though this varies by specific market and regulatory requirement (China’s import regulations, for instance, have historically required animal testing for certain product categories, which has complicated cruelty-free claims for many Korean brands selling there).
The Bottom Line
Beauty of Joseon and Anua aren’t really direct competitors so much as brands with complementary strengths — Beauty of Joseon excels in sun protection and glow-focused, heritage-inspired formulations, while Anua excels in gentle, barrier-supporting, sensitive-skin-friendly products. Rather than choosing one exclusively, many Korean skincare routines benefit from picking each brand’s strongest specific products rather than treating this as an either-or decision.