All scans / Exfoliants / Medicube Zero Pore Pads 2.0
Medicube Zero Pore Pads 2.0 ingredients: is it worth it?
High-strength but brutally fragranced acid pads that trade pore care for needless irritation risk.
High-strength but brutally fragranced acid pads that trade pore care for needless irritation risk.
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The formula has clinically relevant exfoliant levels (around 4.5% lactic acid plus ~0.45% salicylic acid) and decent humectant/soothing support, but heavy denatured alcohol high in the list and a cocktail of citrus, lavender, eucalyptus and rosemary essential oils drag efficacy down by increasing barrier stress and sensitivity rather than improving exfoliation results.
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DemythSkin rates Medicube Zero Pore Pads 2.0 4.3/5 for efficacy and 2.8/5 for safety.
CONTAINS COMMON SENSITISERS⌄
Fragrance components and essential oils that more often cause reactions in sensitive skin: Citrus Aurantium Dulcis (Orange) Peel Oil, Citrus Limon (Lemon) Peel Oil, Citrus Grandis (Grapefruit) Peel Oil, Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Oil, Eucalyptus Globulus Leaf Oil, Limonene. Most people tolerate them; patch test if your skin reacts easily.
ACTIVE INGREDIENTS BY TIER
Gold Standards
High clinical proof | Skin-transformativeReliable
Proven resultsPotent
Developing evidenceOverhyped | Marketing
Hype | Limited dataDocumented Irritants
Evidence-backed flagFORMULATION BASE (11)⌄
FULL INGREDIENT LIST⌄
Water, Methylpropanediol, Tromethamine, Lactic Acid, Alcohol Denat., 1,2-Hexanediol, Panthenol, Glycereth-26, Salicylic Acid, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/VP Copolymer, Betaine, Trehalose, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Glycerin, Allantoin, Polyglyceryl-10 Myristate, Disodium EDTA, Butylene Glycol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Betaine Salicylate, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis (Orange) Peel Oil, Citrus Limon (Lemon) Peel Oil, Citrus Grandis (Grapefruit) Peel Oil, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia (Bergamot) Fruit Oil, Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Oil, Eucalyptus Globulus Leaf Oil, Lavandula Angustifolia (Lavender) Oil, Vitis Vinifera (Grape) Fruit Extract, Citrus Aurantifolia (Lime) Fruit Extract, Citrus Limon (Lemon) Fruit Extract, Pyrus Malus (Apple) Fruit Extract, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis (Orange) Fruit Extract, Ethyl Hexanediol, Centella Asiatica Extract, Salix Alba (Willow) Bark Extract, Origanum Vulgare Leaf Extract, Chamaecyparis Obtusa Leaf Extract, Lactobacillus/Soybean Ferment Extract, Cinnamomum Cassia Bark Extract, Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract, Portulaca Oleracea Extract, Oenothera Biennis (Evening Primrose) Flower Extract, Pinus Palustris Leaf Extract, Ulmus Davidiana Root Extract, Pueraria Lobata Root Extract, Limonene
WHAT EACH INGREDIENT DOES (24)⌄
- Water
- Solvent base
- Methylpropanediol
- Solvent, penetration enhancer
- Tromethamine
- pH adjuster / buffering agent
- Lactic Acid
- AHA exfoliant for texture and tone
- Alcohol Denat.
- Solvent, penetration enhancer, potential irritant
- 1,2-Hexanediol
- Solvent, preservative booster
- Panthenol
- Humectant, soothing agent
- Glycereth-26
- Humectant, helps hydration
- Salicylic Acid
- BHA exfoliant, pore-clearing
- Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/VP Copolymer
- Viscosity control, texture stabilizer
- Betaine
- Osmolyte humectant, moisturising
- Trehalose
- Humectant, water-binding sugar
- Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate
- Emulsifier, mild surfactant
- Ethylhexylglycerin
- Preservative booster, humectant
- Glycerin
- Core humectant for hydration
- Allantoin
- Soothing, skin-conditioning
- Polyglyceryl-10 Myristate
- Emulsifier, mild surfactant
- Disodium EDTA
- Chelating agent, stabilizes formula
- Butylene Glycol
- Humectant and solvent
- Sodium Hyaluronate
- Hyaluronic acid salt, hydration
- Betaine Salicylate
- Gentler BHA derivative, exfoliant
- Citrus Aurantium Dulcis (Orange) Peel Oil
- Fragrant essential oil, potential irritant
- Citrus Limon (Lemon) Peel Oil
- Fragrant essential oil, potential irritant
- Citrus Grandis (Grapefruit) Peel Oil
- Fragrant essential oil, potential irritant
EXTERNAL CITATIONS
Lactic Acid: Wilkinson, J. et al. Alpha-hydroxy acids in dermatology. J Am Acad Dermatol. Demonstrates lactic acid’s exfoliating and moisturizing benefits in the 5–12% range at pH ~3–4.
Salicylic Acid: Kligman, A.M. et al. Salicylic acid as a comedolytic agent. Arch Dermatol. Shows 0.5–2% BHA effectiveness for comedones and acne in leave-on formulas.
Denatured Alcohol: Lachenmeier, D.W. Safety evaluation of alcohol-containing cosmetics. Cosmetics. Discusses barrier disruption potential of high-concentration ethanol in topical products.
Essential Oils (Lavender, Citrus): CIR Expert Panel safety assessments. Documents irritation and allergen potential of common fragrance essential oils in leave-on products.
DISCLAIMER: THIS ANALYSIS IS FOR INFORMATION ONLY. NOT MEDICAL ADVICE. AI-GENERATED DATA BASED ON PUBLICLY AVAILABLE INGREDIENT LISTS. VERIFY WITH A MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL.
A cheaper exfoliant that scores as high or higher
A different formula for the same concern (exfoliation) that scores at least as high on both efficacy and safety.
Medicube Zero Pore Pads 2.0: common questions
Is Medicube Zero Pore Pads 2.0 worth it?
Medicube Zero Pore Pads 2.0 scores 4.3 out of 5.0 for efficacy (Effective) and 2.8 out of 5.0 for safety (Irritating) on DemythSkin's independent ingredient analysis. High-strength but brutally fragranced acid pads that trade pore care for needless irritation risk.
What are the key active ingredients in Medicube Zero Pore Pads 2.0?
Medicube Zero Pore Pads 2.0 contains these gold-standard actives with strong clinical evidence: Lactic Acid, Salicylic Acid.
Does Medicube Zero Pore Pads 2.0 contain fragrance or known irritants?
DemythSkin flags these ingredients in Medicube Zero Pore Pads 2.0 as documented irritants: Alcohol Denat., Citrus Aurantium Dulcis (Orange) Peel Oil, Citrus Limon (Lemon) Peel Oil, Citrus Grandis (Grapefruit) Peel Oil, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia (Bergamot) Fruit Oil, Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Oil, Eucalyptus Globulus Leaf Oil, Lavandula Angustifolia (Lavender) Oil, Citrus Limon (Lemon) Fruit Extract, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis (Orange) Fruit Extract, Cinnamomum Cassia Bark Extract, Limonene.
How is Medicube Zero Pore Pads 2.0 scored?
DemythSkin grades every product on two independent scores: efficacy (whether the ingredients have clinical evidence of working) and safety (irritation and sensitisation risk). Ingredients are graded S through D against a database of over 3,000 compounds. Brand and price are not part of the score, and no brand pays for one.
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