Which Medicube Serum Should You Buy? The Range Compared

Where the named ingredient sits in each Medicube serum

Of the 14 Medicube serums named after an ingredient whose full list we read, 9 carry that ingredient in the front half of their own list and 5 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:

• Deep Vita C Serum 2.0: vitamin C, 2nd of 46
• Triple Collagen Serum: niacinamide, 5th of 43
• Salmon DNA PDRN Pink Peptide Serum, Pink glow serum: niacinamide, 6th of 40

Named ingredient lowest on its own list:

• Collagen Glow Booster Milk Twist & Click Serum: collagen, 38th of 41
• PDRN Pink Peptide Serum with Rose PDRN: rose PDRN, 30th of 38
• Zero Pore One Day 10 Peptide Serum: peptides, 41st of 60

Which Medicube serums list no fragrance?

9 of the 14 Medicube serums with a published ingredient list show no fragrance on it:

• NAD EGF Firming Serum for Face & Neck
• Jelly Mist Serum with Kojic Acid Turmeric
• Jelly Mist Serum with Pink PDRN Collage
• Salmon DNA PDRN Pink One Day Serum
• PDRN Pink Peptide Serum with Salmon DNA
• AGE-R Glutathione Glow Serum
• PDRN Pink Collagen Bubble Serum
• Zero Pore One Day 10 Peptide Serum
• PDRN Pink Collagen Glow Jelly Serum

Fragrance sits in the first fifteen places on one of them, which matters most if fragrance is a trigger for you:

• Collagen Glow Booster Milk Twist & Click Serum: fragrance 15th of 41

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 serums with a retinoid the title doesn't mention

One of the 14 Medicube serums with a published list contains a retinoid that the Amazon listing title does not mention:

• PDRN Pink Collagen Bubble Serum: retinol, 27th of 44

It sits 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.

How to choose a Medicube serum by skin goal

Choose a Medicube serum by matching its ingredient family to your goal, because the range is organised by ingredient line rather than by skin type. Four families cover almost everything on the shelf:

• PDRN, collagen and peptide serums for hydration, bounce and a dewy finish.
• Vitamin C, kojic acid, tranexamic acid and niacinamide serums for dark spots, post-blemish marks and uneven tone.
• Retinoid serums for fine lines and rough texture, introduced slowly.
• Spicule and peel shots for congested pores and texture. They behave more like an exfoliating treatment, so they have their own guide.

Start with the goal you would notice most in a month when two goals compete. Hydration shows the same day; tone and texture take two to three months of steady use, so judge those serums on that timescale.

How to read a Medicube serum ingredient list

A Medicube serum ingredient list runs from the largest amount to the smallest for everything above 1%, so the first five entries are most of the bottle. The law in both the US and the UK sets that order, which makes it the one part of the box marketing can't rearrange. Three things on the list tell you most of what you need:

• The position of the named ingredient. In the front half, the name and the formula agree. In the back half, the headline ingredient is a supporting note however large it is on the front.
• A declared strength in brackets. Some Medicube lists print a figure such as a ppm value next to an ingredient. That is the maker's own declaration and the most precise number on the label.
• The position of fragrance and drying alcohol. Neither is a problem for most skin, but if yours reacts easily, their place on the list tells you how much of each is in there.

The comparison table above does that reading for every serum in the range.

How to layer Medicube serums in a routine

Layer Medicube serums thinnest first, after toner and before moisturiser, and keep it to two at most. Watery serums and ampoules go on before gels and milky textures, and a cream always goes last to hold the water in.

Some pairings work against each other. Keep vitamin C to the morning and a retinoid to the evening, and keep spicule shots and exfoliating serums off the nights you use a retinoid. Those are the combinations most likely to leave skin stinging.

Give a new serum two weeks on its own before adding another one, so you know which product is doing what.

Who should skip which Medicube serums

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

• PDRN Pink Peptide Serum with Rose PDRN: You react to fragrance, or you are using it on irritated skin.
• Salmon DNA PDRN Pink One Day Serum: PDRN is the purchase reason. At 28th it is an accent on a niacinamide base.
• Collagen Glow Booster Milk Twist & Click Serum: Collagen is why you clicked. It holds 38th place while fragrance holds 15th, and that ratio is the review.
• PDRN Pink Peptide Serum with Salmon DNA: You want peptides to lead. They start at 22nd of 39, behind the hydration core.
• Zero Pore One-day Serum: You want a verified formula. We do not hold one for this listing.
• Deep Vita C Serum 2.0: Your skin is sensitive or reactive. Pure ascorbic acid at second position is a strong active, not a gentle one.

Common questions

Do Medicube serums contain fragrance?

Some do. 5 of the 14 with a published ingredient list include fragrance and 9 do not. The ones without it are listed in the fragrance section above.

Can you use two Medicube serums together?

Yes, as long as they don't double up on strong actives. A hydrating PDRN or collagen serum layers easily under almost anything. Two brightening serums at once, or a retinoid with an exfoliating serum, is where it goes wrong.

Which Medicube serum is best for beginners?

A hydrating serum with no retinoid and no exfoliating acid on its list. The comparison table shows both for every serum, so you can rule out the stronger ones at a glance before you buy.

Is the Medicube PDRN serum better than the collagen serum?

They are built for slightly different jobs rather than one being better. Our PDRN vs collagen guide compares the two lines in detail.

How long does a Medicube serum take to work?

Hydration you can feel the same day, because humectants such as glycerin and hyaluronic acid hold water at the surface straight away. Changes in tone or texture take at least eight to twelve weeks of daily use, so give a brightening or retinoid serum that long before deciding.

More Medicube guides

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

• Which Medicube Moisturiser Should You Buy?
• Which Medicube Toner Should You Buy? Toners and Pads Compared
• Which Medicube Products Contain Retinol? Checked List by List
• Best Medicube for Glow and Hydration
• Best Medicube for Dark Spots and Hyperpigmentation
• Best Medicube for Wrinkles and Ageing Skin
• Where the headline ingredient sits, for the whole Medicube range