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Product photo: beautyofjoseon.com (official brand store). The pack size shown may differ from the Korean 100ml.
Green Plum Refreshing Cleanser
Beauty of Joseon's gel-to-foam cleanser made with 24.5% green plum water and mild surfactants (a sulteine and sodium cocoyl isethionate), with no fragrance on the Korean label.
Buyer verdictA gentle, refreshing everyday cleanser for most skin types, good in the morning or as a second cleanse. It's not built to remove heavy makeup alone. Seoul is cheaper than Amazon US for the same 100ml tube; the UK is about level.
- Key ingredient
- Green plum (maesil) water, 24.5%, Cocamidopropyl hydroxysultaine
- Texture
- Clear gel that turns into a light, soft foam
- Routine step
- cleanser · AM & PM
- Korean pack
- 100ml
Overview
Key ingredients
- Green plum (maesil) water, 24.5% The second ingredient and the product's theme
- Cocamidopropyl hydroxysultaine Mild amphoteric surfactant behind the soft lather
- Sodium cocoyl isethionate Gentle, creamy cleansing agent
- Glycerin Keeps skin comfortable after rinsing
- Mung bean, neem, gardenia, green tea and heartleaf extracts Small amounts of botanicals
From the US, it's 29% cheaper in Seoul after tax and refund. From the UK, it's 1% cheaper in Seoul.
What it is
Beauty of Joseon’s cleanser is themed around green plum (maesil, 매실), a fruit used in traditional Korean cooking and drinks. It’s a clear gel in a 100ml tube that foams up lightly with water, and it’s sold in Korea as a refreshing green plum cleanser.
The Korean ingredient list puts green plum water at 24.5%, second after water. The main cleansers are cocamidopropyl hydroxysultaine, a mild surfactant, and sodium cocoyl isethionate, a gentle, creamy one. Glycerin follows, then salt and preservatives. Further down are small amounts of mung bean, neem, gardenia, green tea, heartleaf, lotus, black rice and blueberry extracts.
There’s no fragrance and no essential oil.
Who it suits (and who should skip it)
Good pick if
- You want a gentle daily cleanser that doesn’t leave skin tight
- You have normal, combination, oily or sensitive skin
- You like a gel cleanser with a little more lather than a low-foam gel
Skip it if
- You want a single cleanser to remove full makeup
- You want an exfoliating or acne-treating cleanser
- Your skin is very dry and prefers a cream or milk cleanser
What the ingredients do
Cocamidopropyl hydroxysultaine and sodium cocoyl isethionate are both on the gentle end of cleansing agents. They remove oil and daily grime with a soft lather, and they’re less stripping than classic sulfate foams. Glycerin helps keep the skin from feeling tight after rinsing.
Green plum water gives the product its identity and a fresh feel. In a rinse-off cleanser, it’s mainly part of the base rather than a treatment. The botanical extracts are in small amounts, a pleasant extra rather than the reason to buy it.
Without acids or strong surfactants, it’s a reliable cleanser for daily use, morning and night.
How to use it
Beauty of Joseon’s directions: wet your face, work a small amount into a lather, massage gently over the face and rinse with lukewarm water. A pea-sized amount is enough.
At night, use it as the second cleanse after an oil or balm. In the morning, it can be your only cleanser.
How it compares
COSRX Low pH Good Morning Gel Cleanser is a lower-foaming gel with a little BHA, aimed at oily skin. Round Lab 1025 Dokdo Cleanser is a creamier foam with a richer lather. Anua Heartleaf Quercetinol Foam is the pick for oily, congested skin that wants salicylic acid.
See our double cleansing guide for how to pair cleansers.
Is it worth buying in Seoul?
Yes, against Amazon US. Olive Young sells the same 100ml tube, and Seoul is clearly cheaper than the US listing. Amazon UK sells a larger 150ml tube that works out about the same per ml.
One tube is below the ₩15,000 tax refund minimum, so add it to a bigger basket. At 100ml, it fits in a carry-on liquids bag.
FAQ
Does it contain fragrance?
No. The Korean ingredient list has no fragrance or essential oils. It has a faint fresh scent from the plum water.
Does it exfoliate?
No. Green plum contains natural fruit acids, but here it's used as a water base, and there's no added AHA or BHA. Citric acid is listed only to adjust the pH.
Will it remove sunscreen?
It removes light sunscreen. For water-resistant sunscreen or makeup, use a cleansing oil or balm first.
Is it good for dry skin?
It's gentle enough for most dry skin in the morning. Very dry skin may prefer a milk or cream cleanser at night.
