Which Medicube Mask Should You Buy? Wrapping, Jelly, Mud and Sheet

The film-former and the named ingredient in each wrapping mask

In all 3 Medicube wrapping masks with a published list, polyvinyl alcohol, the film-former, sits near the top. Here is where it sits next to the ingredient each mask is named after:

• Wrapping Mask Collagen: polyvinyl alcohol 2nd, collagen 25th of 26
• Kojic Acid Turmeric Night Wrapping Mask: polyvinyl alcohol 2nd, turmeric 4th of 22
• PDRN Caffeine Overnight Wrapping Peel Off Facial Mask: polyvinyl alcohol 4th, PDRN 18th of 64

Where the named ingredient sits in each Medicube mask

Of the 6 Medicube face masks named after an ingredient whose full list we read, 3 carry that ingredient in the front half of their own list and 3 in the back half. The front half is where the bulk of a formula sits; the back half holds the supporting ingredients.

Named ingredient highest on its own list:

• Zero Pore Blackhead Mud Facial Mask: clay, 2nd of 50
• Kojic Acid Turmeric Night Wrapping Mask: turmeric, 4th of 22
• PDRN Caffeine Overnight Wrapping Peel Off Facial Mask: PDRN, 18th of 64

Named ingredient lowest on its own list:

• Wrapping Mask Collagen: collagen, 25th of 26
• Jelly Gel Mask with Salmon DNA PDRN Pink Collagen: collagen, 26th of 43
• Kojic Acid Turmeric Brightening Gold Jelly Gel Mask: turmeric, 21st of 37

Which Medicube face masks list no fragrance?

4 of the 6 Medicube face masks with a published ingredient list show no fragrance on it:

• Wrapping Mask Collagen
• Zero Pore Blackhead Mud Facial Mask
• Kojic Acid Turmeric Night Wrapping Mask
• PDRN Caffeine Overnight Wrapping Peel Off Facial Mask

No fragrance on the list is not the same as no scent: plant extracts and oils can carry a smell of their own. It does mean no added fragrance blend is declared.

Medicube face masks with a retinoid the title doesn't mention

2 of the 6 Medicube face masks with a published list contain a retinoid that the Amazon listing title does not mention:

• Kojic Acid Turmeric Night Wrapping Mask: retinol, 22nd of 22
• Kojic Acid Turmeric Brightening Gold Jelly Gel Mask: retinol, 37th of 37

All of them sit in the back half of the list, so the amount is small. It still matters if you are pregnant, breastfeeding or already using a prescription retinoid. Our list of Medicube products with retinol covers every format we track.

The kinds of Medicube face mask and what each does

The kinds of Medicube face mask do four different jobs:

• Overnight wrapping masks dry into a thin film that you peel off in the morning. The film slows water loss overnight, which is why skin looks plump and glossy when it comes off.
• Jelly gel masks are hydrogel sheets soaked in serum. They cool, hydrate and leave a dewy finish, which makes them a good choice before an event.
• Mud masks are clay-based and absorb oil from the surface and the top of the pore, so they suit oily skin and blackheads once or twice a week.
• Sheet masks are fibre sheets soaked in essence and the simplest hydration boost in the range.

None of these works like a serum. A mask gives a short, visible lift in hydration and finish; the lasting change comes from what you use every day.

Why the named ingredient sits low in a Medicube wrapping mask

The named ingredient sits low in a Medicube wrapping mask because the film-former has to come first. A peel-off mask needs a large share of film-forming polymer, polyvinyl alcohol on these lists, plus water and humectants to set into a sheet, and that leaves little room near the top for anything else.

Polyvinyl alcohol is a film-forming polymer and a different kind of ingredient from the drying alcohols such as alcohol denat. Its high position is what makes the mask peel; it says nothing about how drying the mask is.

How to use a Medicube mask in your routine

Use a Medicube mask in place of a step or on top of your routine, depending on the type. A wrapping mask goes on as the last step of your evening routine, over serum, and comes off in the morning. A jelly or sheet mask goes on after toner for the time on the pack; pat in what is left and follow with moisturiser. A mud mask goes on freshly cleansed skin and is rinsed off before anything else.

Keep a mud mask or any exfoliating mask off the nights you use acid pads, a retinoid or a spicule shot.

Who should skip which Medicube face masks

Every product we read in full has a note on who it does not suit. These are the notes for the face masks not picked above:

• PDRN Caffeine Overnight Wrapping Peel Off Facial Mask: You dislike peel-off masks. Polyvinyl alcohol at fourth means the film is the whole format, not an optional part of it.
• Kojic Acid Turmeric Brightening Gold Jelly Gel Mask: Kojic acid brought you here. It sits 33rd of 37, close to the end.

Common questions

Do Medicube face masks contain fragrance?

Some do. 2 of the 6 with a published ingredient list include fragrance and 4 do not. The ones without it are listed in the fragrance section above.

Can you use a Medicube wrapping mask every night?

You can, but there is little reason to. Two or three nights a week gives the plumping effect for less money, and a film every night can feel heavy on oily or breakout-prone skin.

Is the polyvinyl alcohol in wrapping masks drying?

No. Polyvinyl alcohol is a film-forming polymer, a different kind of ingredient from drying alcohols such as alcohol denat. It is what lets the mask set into a film you can peel.

How long should you leave a jelly or sheet mask on?

Follow the time on the pack, usually fifteen to twenty minutes. Leaving it on until it dries adds nothing, because once the sheet starts to dry it has nothing left to give.

More Medicube guides

These guides pick up where this one stops, by product type, by skin concern and by ingredient:

• Which Medicube Serum Should You Buy? The Range Compared
• Which Medicube Moisturiser Should You Buy?
• The Medicube Zero Pore Range: What to Buy and What to Skip
• Which Medicube Products Contain Retinol? Checked List by List
• Best Medicube for Glow and Hydration
• Best Medicube for Dry Skin
• Best Medicube for Pores and Blackheads
• Where the headline ingredient sits, for the whole Medicube range