If you’re not very familiar with Korean beauty products and are looking to start incorporating them into your routine, propolis-based serums are probably one of the first few things I would recommend - especially if you have sensitive skin. Aiming to soothe and restore, propolis serums are a more “natural” product to use if you worry about the side effects of harsh acids on your skin. Surprisingly though, propolis is not really as hyped up as it is in Western skincare as it is in Korea. I can’t seem to find proper Western dupes for propolis serum so far so it would appear that propolis is staying in the K-Beauty market for now.
To date, I have tried three different brands of propolis serums: Lee Gee Haam (who made waves with their Tea Tree collection), COSRX (another popular K-Beauty brand) and Answer 19+.
Surprisingly enough, my first propolis serum was from Answer 19+ (I am now on my third bottle of this stuff). I was serendipitously introduced to it by a Korean salesperson in one of the LOHB’s in Seoul last year. I thought I was being taken for a ride at first because Answer19+ is a relatively unknown brand online, but I was swayed by the salesperson’s adamance that this product worked wonders for her. If you’ve been to Seoul before, you would know that almost everyone there has *~perfect~* skin, making all their skincare claims so easy to buy into.
She was right though; after 2-3 weeks of consistent use I felt as though my face looked plumper and smoother. It didn’t really give me this lit-from-within glow that she told me about, but my skin definitely did take on an almost “tofu-like” texture. I actually tried going without this for a couple of weeks, and the difference afterward is apparent: I just felt like my skin didn’t look as healthy as it did before and the plump texture was definitely gone. In the end, I liked the effect it had on my skin so much that I went on to purchase two other more popular propolis serums in the K-beauty market from COSRX and Lee Gee Haam.
Across the board though, I feel all three propolis serums here give similar results when used. The differences in these three serums only lie in the overall texture of the various serums, the additional skin benefits each serum gives, and of course, the different price points.
Texture: Out of the three serums, Answer 19+ is the most opaque, and COSRX and Lee Gee Haam are clear liquids. I find COSRX the most viscous - the serum comes out all gooey and sticky-looking from the dropper. Surprisingly though, it actually doesn’t go on tacky like I expected. The gooey texture immediately becomes runny when you rub it in between your palms (that’s how I usually apply my serums), and it dries down pretty quickly. Lee Gee Haam’s comes out runnier, has a slightly sweet scent to it and also dries down rather quickly. I would say that the stickiest serum would be Answer 19+. In spite of this, it’s not so sticky until it feels heavy on the skin, although it doesn’t dry as quickly as the other two.
Extra skin benefits: If you’re looking for a more well-rounded serum, then you might want to consider getting the serums from Lee Gee Haam or Answer19+. Lee Gee Haam’s propolis serum is made up of 50% propolis extract, and the other components include ingredients like niacinamide and rose water to help calm irritated skin. I expected this from Lee Gee Haam because their products are more gentle and soothing. Answer19+ has 52% propolis extract, with other ingredients like hyaluronic acid to boost moisture, which will definitely help dry skin types.
COSRX, however, has the highest propolis percentage in its serum at 83%, with no other skin-boosting ingredients that I am aware of. This isn’t a bad thing though - propolis still has a host of benefits as I’ve mentioned earlier. However, if you feel like you need that extra boost in your serum, then COSRX might not be the best option.
Price point: I have to make a disclaimer that all three serums are not insanely priced. In fact, I found them quite reasonable for a serum, costing around $20-$30 for one. Out of the three serums, Lee Gee Haam is definitely the most expensive. I have to say that I wasn’t too surprised since Lee Gee Haam does market themselves as a more “luxury” skincare brand than the likes of COSRX and Answer19+. I got a 15ml bottle at $20 SGD on Shopee, which is around $1.30/ml. COSRX was $23 SGD on Shopee, putting it at $1.15/ml. Answer19+ from LOHB was $29 for 29ml, which is around $1/ml. That might seem like it’s a lot, but I actually took around 6-7 months to finish my first Answer19+ bottle, and this was with daily usage. I would say a bottle could last around 4-5 months if you’re generous, and perhaps even longer if you switch up your serums every once in awhile.
Now that we’ve gotten the rather clinical review out of the way, I would recommend the Answer19+, followed by the COSRX serum. I might be a little biased to Answer19+ because of how I chanced upon the brand, but objectively, I think it is the most value for money and well-rounded. Firstly, the Answer19+ propolis serum might be $29, but it currently comes with two deluxe samples (10ml each) of Answer19+’s other two serums: Real Vitamin and Tea Tree. I’ve used both, and they are also not too bad! I also like the additional moisture that I am getting with the serum because it helps to boost the propolis component in the serum. Although Lee Gee Haam also has skin-boosting ingredients, I find that the smaller dosage of these components might not be enough to see real effects for people who are struggling with skin irritation or acne. The only downside to Answer19+ is that it might not be easily attainable. From what I know, you can only buy it on G-Market, which might increase its cost because of the additional shipping fees. For this, COSRX is definitely easier to obtain. COSRX’s focus on propolis as its key ingredient really does bring out the nourishing effects of propolis, which might be overshadowed in the other two serums because of the additional ingredients present.
Nevertheless, results wise, I would say that all three propolis serums give similar results. Therefore, there is no “best solution” in choosing which propolis serum works for you! I would say to go with a brand that is more familiar to you if you’re having trouble deciding.
Update: I think Lee Gee Haam has rebranded into Dr. Ceuracle. They are one and the same, so just giving a heads up if you are wondering why the Lee Gee Haam products have been replaced by Dr. Ceuracle!
