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Beauty of Joseon Glow Serum: Propolis + Niacinamide vs Medik8 Crystal Retinal 6

Same comparison whichever way you searched it: Medik8 Crystal Retinal 6 vs Beauty of Joseon Glow Serum: Propolis + Niacinamide.

The bottom line

Beauty of Joseon Glow Serum: Propolis + Niacinamide and Medik8 Crystal Retinal 6 are close on what they deliver, so it comes down to your skin: Beauty of Joseon Glow Serum: Propolis + Niacinamide is the kinder pick for sensitive or reactive skin since it is fragrance-free.

Beauty of Joseon Glow Serum: Propolis + Niacinamide keeps clear of pregnancy-flagged actives, while Medik8 Crystal Retinal 6 carries one that is best paused in pregnancy.

Reviewed by Maya FaourLast reviewed September 2026
Beauty of JoseonGlow Serum: Propolis + NiacinamideSerum · ~€16See every ingredient in Glow Serum: Propolis + Niacinamide, decoded
Medik8Crystal Retinal 6Serum · ~€86See every ingredient in Crystal Retinal 6, decoded

Which should you pick?

Pick Glow Serum: Propolis + Niacinamide if

  • you are dealing with breakouts and oiliness
  • your barrier feels stressed and needs the support
  • your skin is sensitive or reacts to fragrance

Pick Crystal Retinal 6 if

  • fine lines and firmness are the goal

What each delivers

HydrationBarrierBrighteningOil-controlAnti-aging
Glow Serum: Propolis + NiacinamideCrystal Retinal 6
  • Hydration
    1010
  • Barrier repair
    97
  • Brightening / tone
    78
  • Oil-control & blemishes
    84
  • Anti-aging
    69

Side by side

Glow Serum: Propolis + NiacinamideCrystal Retinal 6
TypeSerumSerum
Key activesGlycerin, Niacinamide, Hyaluronic acidGlycerin, Retinal, Squalane
TextureA light, fast-absorbing texture that layers cleanly under the rest of your routine, with no greasy film.A rich, cushiony cream that sinks in slowly.
FragranceNone detectedContains fragrance
Fungal-acne safeNot likelyNot likely
PregnancyNo flagged activesOne caution
Ingredients30 listed47 listed
Price~€16~€86

What's in one but not the other

The two labels share 6 of the 71 ingredients between them. The actives are where they part company.

What each one adds acts on The living epidermis, Not established, The stratum corneum for Beauty of Joseon Glow Serum: Propolis + Niacinamide and The living epidermis, The stratum corneum, Not established for Medik8 Crystal Retinal 6. That is the layer each is understood to act on, not how deep it travels.

Only in Glow Serum: Propolis + Niacinamide

Both share

Only in Crystal Retinal 6

Where each label stops telling you the dose

Ingredients are listed in order of how much is inside, but only down to 1%. Below that the brand may list them in any order it likes, so the bottom of a label is a set, not a ranking. These two stop being a ranking in very different places.

Beauty of Joseon Glow Serum: Propolis + Niacinamide

  1. 1Propolis Extract
  2. 2Dipropylene Glycol
  3. 3Glycerin
  4. 4Butylene Glycol
  5. 5Water
  6. 6Niacinamide
  7. 71,2-Hexanediol
  8. 8Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract
  9. 9Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract
  10. 10Sodium Hyaluronate
  11. 11Curcuma Longa (Turmeric) Root Extract
  12. 12Ocimum Sanctum Leaf Extract
  13. 13Theobroma Cacao (Cocoa) Seed Extract
  14. 14Melaleuca Alternifolia (Tea Tree) Extract
  15. 15Centella Asiatica Extract
  16. 16Corallina Officinalis Extract
  17. 17Lotus Corniculatus Seed Extract
  18. 18Calophyllum Inophyllum Seed Oil
  19. 19Betaine Salicylate
  20. 20Sodium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate
  21. 21Tromethamine
  22. 22Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate
  23. 23Caprylyl Glycol
  24. 24Ethylhexylglycerin
  25. 25Dextrin
  26. 26Pentylene Glycol
  27. 27Octanediol
  28. 28Tocopherol
  29. 29Xanthan Gum
  30. 30Carbomer

7 of 30 sit below the line, marked by Ethylhexylglycerin.

Medik8 Crystal Retinal 6

  1. 1Aqua (Water)
  2. 2Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
  3. 3Glycerin
  4. 4Isododecane
  5. 5Cetearyl Olivate
  6. 6Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
  7. 7Cetearyl Alcohol
  8. 8PPG-12/SMDI Copolymer
  9. 9Sorbitan Olivate
  10. 10Tocopheryl Acetate
  11. 11Titanium Dioxide
  12. 12Eclipta Prostrata Extract
  13. 13Cyclodextrin
  14. 14Squalane
  15. 15Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
  16. 16Phenoxyethanol
  17. 17Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract
  18. 18Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose
  19. 19Sodium Hyaluronate
  20. 20Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate
  21. 21Rubus Chamaemorus (Cloudberry) Seed Oil
  22. 22Alumina
  23. 23Isostearic Acid
  24. 24Lecithin
  25. 25Polyglyceryl-3 Polyricinoleate
  26. 26Polyhydroxystearic Acid
  27. 27Stearic Acid
  28. 28Pentylene Glycol
  29. 29Retinal
  30. 30Moringa Oleifera Seed Oil
  31. 31Sodium Polyaspartate
  32. 32Climbazole
  33. 33Disodium EDTA
  34. 34Lonicera Japonica (Honeysuckle) Flower Extract
  35. 35Lonicera Caprifolium (Honeysuckle) Flower Extract
  36. 36Daucus Carota Sativa (Carrot) Seed Oil
  37. 37Ethylhexylglycerin
  38. 383-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid
  39. 39Dipteryx Odorata (Tonka) Bean Extract
  40. 40Hydroxyacetophenone
  41. 41Polysorbate 60
  42. 42Sorbitan Isostearate
  43. 43Vanilla Planifolia (Vanilla) Fruit Extract
  44. 44Decylene Glycol
  45. 451,2-Hexanediol
  46. 46BHT
  47. 47Coumarin

32 of 47 sit below the line, marked by Phenoxyethanol. Including what it is sold on: Retinal.

Below the line is not too little to work: ceramides, retinoids and peptides all act far under a percent. It means the position stops carrying information. Where the line falls is inferred from the first ingredient whose whole job is done at a fraction of a percent, so it is a close read of the label rather than a number from the formula sheet.

The molecule doing the work

Glow Serum: Propolis + NiacinamideGlycerin
Crystal Retinal 6Glycerin

Better for…

  • Dark spots & uneven toneEither works
  • Fine lines & firmnessCrystal Retinal 6
  • Breakouts & congestionGlow Serum: Propolis + Niacinamide
  • Dryness & dehydrationEither works
  • Sensitive, reactive skinGlow Serum: Propolis + Niacinamide

Beauty of Joseon Glow Serum: Propolis + Niacinamide is the cheaper of the two (~€16 vs ~€86).

Ready to pick one?

Glow Serum: Propolis + Niacinamide on amazon.comCrystal Retinal 6 on amazon.com

Affiliate links, so a purchase sends us a small commission at no extra cost to you. As an Amazon Associate, Glow Simplified earns from qualifying purchases. We make and sell nothing here, so the verdict above never bends toward a sale.

Common questions

Is Beauty of Joseon Glow Serum: Propolis + Niacinamide or Medik8 Crystal Retinal 6 better for fine lines & firmness?

For fine lines & firmness, Medik8 Crystal Retinal 6 is the stronger pick by our read of the two formulas. Beauty of Joseon Glow Serum: Propolis + Niacinamide and Medik8 Crystal Retinal 6 are close on what they deliver, so it comes down to your skin: Beauty of Joseon Glow Serum: Propolis + Niacinamide is the kinder pick for sensitive or reactive skin since it is fragrance-free. Beauty of Joseon Glow Serum: Propolis + Niacinamide keeps clear of pregnancy-flagged actives, while Medik8 Crystal Retinal 6 carries one that is best paused in pregnancy.

Which is cheaper, Beauty of Joseon Glow Serum: Propolis + Niacinamide or Medik8 Crystal Retinal 6?

Beauty of Joseon Glow Serum: Propolis + Niacinamide is the cheaper of the two (~€16 vs ~€86).

Can I use Beauty of Joseon Glow Serum: Propolis + Niacinamide and Medik8 Crystal Retinal 6 together?

They are both serums, so you would normally pick one rather than layer both in the same step. You can keep both and alternate them (morning and night, or on different days) if you like variety, but you do not need two.

What the scene shows

The cross-section at the top of this page is not decoration and not a diagram of the skin in general: it places the molecules these two are sold on at the layer each is understood to act on. Beauty of Joseon Glow Serum: Propolis + Niacinamide is placed by Glycerin (the stratum corneum), Niacinamide (the living epidermis), Hyaluronic acid (the stratum corneum). Medik8 Crystal Retinal 6 is placed by Glycerin (the stratum corneum), Retinal (the living epidermis), Squalane (the stratum corneum). A layer is where an ingredient does its work, never how deep it travels, and never a claim about how well it works.

Back up to the scene

Compare it with…

VSSKIN1004Madagascar Centella AmpouleShares Centella Asiatica ExtractVSCelimaxThe Vita A Retinal Shot Tightening BoosterShares Retinal and Caprylic/Capric TriglycerideVSEucerinAnti-Pigment Dual SerumShares Vitamin E and Hyaluronic acid
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