Kisocare Azelaic Acid Serum 20% — Efficacy 4.4/5.0, Safety 4.4/5.0 | DemythSkin
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[ DemythSkin Verdict ]
Kisocare Azelaic Acid Serum 20%
Kisocare

Kisocare Azelaic Acid Serum 20%

SerumAcne / Oil Control
Efficacy
Strong
4.4 / 5.0
Safety
Safe
4.4 / 5.0
System Verdict
A legitimately potent azelaic-acid serum with a strong treatment backbone, but not a flawless formula. The efficacy score is driven primarily by azelaic acid listed immediately after water and marketed at 20%, a concentration aligned with established topical treatment use for acne, post-inflammatory discoloration, and rosacea-related inflammation. The hydrating and soothing support from panthenol, multiple hyaluronic-acid forms, and centella derivatives improves tolerability, but the formula does not disclose its pH, and azelaic acid performance and irritation potential depend substantially on pH, vehicle, and dispersion. Gluconolactone, succinic acid, and citric acid may add mild acid activity, but their concentrations and final pH are unknown, so they do not justify a higher efficacy score. The NAD-related ingredient and botanical compounds are supporting or marketing elements rather than the reason this product works.
Active Ingredients Detected
S Tier: Gold StandardsHigh Clinical Proof | Skin-Transformative
Azelaic Acid
A Tier: Good BasicsProven Results
PanthenolMadecassosideAsiaticosideGluconolactoneSuccinic AcidSodium Acetylated HyaluronateSodium HyaluronateHyaluronic Acid Crosspolymer-2-SodiumHydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate
B Tier: Supporting IngredientsPromising Ingredients
DPGPEG-6PEG-32Nicotinamide Adenine DinucleotideCentella Asiatica ExtractBG
What Each Ingredient Does
Water
Solvent and formula base
Azelaic Acid
Anti-inflammatory treatment acid
DPG
Solvent and humectant
Propanediol
Solvent and humectant
Sodium Hydroxide
pH adjuster
Tromethamine
pH adjuster and buffer
Pentylene Glycol
Humectant and solvent
PEG-6
Solubilizer and solvent
PEG-32
Humectant and solvent
Panthenol
Humectant and soothing agent
Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide
Coenzyme and antioxidant
Madecassoside
Soothing botanical compound
Asiaticoside
Centella-derived soothing compound
Gluconolactone
Polyhydroxy acid and humectant
Succinic Acid
Acidifying and conditioning agent
Citric Acid
pH adjuster and chelator
Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
Modified hyaluronic humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Hyaluronic acid humectant
Hyaluronic Acid Crosspolymer-2-Sodium
Crosslinked hyaluronic humectant
Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate
Low-molecular humectant
Centella Asiatica Extract
Soothing botanical extract
BG
Humectant and solvent
Ethylhexylglycerin
Preservative booster and humectant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Full Ingredient List (INCI)

Water, azelaic acid, DPG, propanediol, sodium hydroxide, tromethamine, pentylene glycol, PEG-6, PEG-32, panthenol, nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide, madecassoside, asiaticoside, gluconolactone, succinic acid, citric acid, sodium acetylated hyaluronate, sodium hyaluronate, hyaluronic acid crosspolymer-2-sodium, hydrolyzed sodium hyaluronate, centella asiatica extract, BG, ethylhexylglycerin, phenoxyethanol, hydroxyethylcellulose More Ingredients subject to change at manufacturer's discretion. For the most complete and up-to-date list of ingredients, please refer to product packaging. More Information: Made in: Japan Catalog No.: 1136549077 UPC: 4580050291123 Notes: Images are for reference only. Colors on your computer monitor may differ slightly from actual product colors depending on your monitor settings

Frequently Asked

Is Kisocare Azelaic Acid Serum 20% worth it?

Kisocare Azelaic Acid Serum 20% scores 4.4 out of 5.0 for efficacy (Strong) and 4.4 out of 5.0 for safety (Safe) on DemythSkin's independent ingredient analysis. A legitimately potent azelaic-acid serum with a strong treatment backbone, but not a flawless formula. The efficacy score is driven primarily by azelaic acid listed immediately after water and marketed at 20%, a concentr

What are the key active ingredients in Kisocare Azelaic Acid Serum 20%?

Kisocare Azelaic Acid Serum 20% contains these gold-standard actives with strong clinical evidence: Azelaic Acid.

Does Kisocare Azelaic Acid Serum 20% contain fragrance or known irritants?

DemythSkin's analysis found no flagged irritants in Kisocare Azelaic Acid Serum 20%. It scores 4.4 out of 5.0 for safety.

How is Kisocare Azelaic Acid Serum 20% scored?

DemythSkin grades every product on two independent axes: efficacy (whether the ingredients have clinical evidence of working) and safety (irritation and sensitisation risk). Ingredients are classified S through D against a database of over 3,000 compounds. No brand pays for a score.

Analyze on DemythSkin →

Analysis last updated: 2026-10-07. DemythSkin is an independent ingredient analyzer. Scores are computed by a deterministic rubric from published clinical evidence — no brand pays for a score.