The $36 Eye Cream I've Been Using For Over 10 Years
Juna Xu is a freelance writer and journalist with over 11 years of experience covering beauty, fashion, lifestyle, interiors and health. Her work has appeared in publications including Adore Beauty, Body+Soul, Mamamia, News.com.au, Who, marie claire and ELLE Australia. Alongside running her own e-commerce interiors business, Juna has a not-so-secret obsession with skincare (especially K-beauty, which she proudly admits is her ultimate addiction).
From a very young age, my mum drilled three non-negotiables into my beauty routine: wear sunscreen, don’t forget your neck, and always, always use an eye cream.
So when I say I’ve been consistently using an eye product for over a decade, that’s not an exaggeration. Eye cream has been part of my routine longer than contour, skin tint or even vitamin C. And while I’ve flirted with plenty of luxe formulas over the years, I keep coming back to affordable, hard-working options that actually deliver.
Enter: the Beauty of Joseon Revive Eye Serum: Ginseng + Retinal. And for $36 a pop, it punches well above its price point.
Wait, Retinol or Retinal?
Confusing, right?!
Both retinol and retinal (short for retinaldehyde) are vitamin A derivatives, but the main difference is that retinal works faster and more efficiently than retinol, while still being gentler than you might expect. As someone with hypersensitive skin who hasn’t always reacted well to traditional retinol products, you can probably see why this one stood out to me straight away.
To explain this a bit further, retinal only needs one conversion step in the skin to become active (retinoic acid), whereas retinol needs two. Because of this, you tend to see results sooner, with a lower risk of irritation, which, let’s be honest, is especially important when we’re talking about the delicate eye area.
So if you’ve been curious about retinoids but nervous to take the plunge, this is one of the most beginner-friendly ways to ease into it.
What is the Beauty of Joseon Revive Eye Serum: Ginseng + Retinal?
For those of you who have dabbled in K-beauty, you’re probably very familiar with other Beauty of Joseon best-sellers, namely the Glow Serum: Propolis + Niacinamide and Dynasty Cream.
But it’s the brand’s eye cream that has really taken the spotlight. The lightweight eye serum combines encapsulated retinal (0.02%) with ginseng root extract, a traditional Korean ingredient known for improving elasticity and supporting skin vitality.
The lightweight cream texture is fragrance-free, leaves no greasy or sticky residue, and absorbs into the skin in literal seconds, which makes it perfect for both morning and night use (yes, even under makeup).
My Beauty of Joseon Revive Eye Serum: Ginseng + Retinal Review
As a beauty writer (who’s particularly obsessed with K-beauty), I’m lucky enough to test hundreds of products every year. From new launches to reformulations and a heap of trending items, my routine is constantly changing. And yet, somehow, this eye serum has never been pushed aside.
Despite the steady rotation of new products coming through my bathroom, this is the one I keep repurchasing over and over again.
Vitamin A formulas and my hypersensitive skin don’t usually get along, but the Beauty of Joseon eye cream has well and truly earned my trust. It’s gentle, dependable and never triggers redness, flaking or irritation around my eye area.
I also appreciate how practical it is. The lightweight texture layers beautifully under makeup and doesn’t contribute to milia or congestion, even with daily use. It’s so gentle that I also use it over my lips and smile lines, making it a real multi-tasker.
And not to toot my own horn, but I’m in my thirties now, and the skin around my eyes still feels smooth, supported and very much like it did years ago, with not a dark circle in sight. Does this eye cream have a lot to do with this? Most probably.
That said, retinal is still an active ingredient, so if you’re new to vitamin A, it’s best to start slowly. A small amount every second night around the eyes is plenty to begin with. Build up gradually, listen to your skin, and always pair it with a good broad-spectrum SPF during the day.
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