AHA 7 Whitehead Power Liquid
COSRX's AHA liquid exfoliant, swept on with a cotton pad in the evening for skin that looks bumpy and rough. 100 ml.
No reviews yet100ml
$21.99 per 100 ml
- Korean-market formula
- Ships from California or direct from Korea
- Korean barcode and batch code intact
- Suited to
- DryDehydratedSensitiveCompromised barrier
- Helps with
- DehydrationBarrier weaknessRough surface textureUneven tone and dullness
Sold out.
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- 30-day returns
- Free US shipping on orders of $100 or more
- Tracked delivery to your door
Key benefits
- Apple fruit water, not plain water, is the first ingredient
- Glycolic acid, at the 7 percent named on the label, sits third on the list
- Niacinamide follows directly at fourth for tone
- Panthenol and sodium hyaluronate cushion the acid so the formula does not read as harsh
- Sodium hydroxide's only job here is pH balance, not activity
Key actives
3Glycolic AcidDeclared at 7% in the product name, third on the list
The smallest AHA molecule, working across the whole surface to loosen the bonds holding dead cells together for a smoother, brighter-looking result.
4NiacinamideFourth on the list
Supports a more even tone as the acid clears surface buildup.
7PanthenolCushioning ingredient
Keeps a nightly acid liquid from tipping into a stripped, over-exfoliated feel.
8Sodium HyaluronateHydration alongside the acid
Replaces surface water an AHA can otherwise draw off.
Inside the formula
Inside the formula
- 3Glycolic Acid
- 4Niacinamide
- 7Panthenol
- 8Sodium Hyaluronate
Where each key active sits on the declared ingredient list, by entry number. Position is proportion: the further forward, the larger its share.
COSRX AHA 7 Whitehead Power Liquid
How strong is the glycolic acid in this liquid exfoliant?
Glycolic acid sits third on the ingredient list, after the apple fruit water base and butylene glycol, with no percentage declared on the label. That early position on the list is the only strength signal available; without a declared number, the exact percentage cannot be stated, so starting with limited frequency is the safer approach.
Is this exfoliant suitable for sensitive skin?
Glycolic acid is an AHA and can be more irritating on sensitive or reactive skin than a BHA formula, though niacinamide, panthenol and sodium hyaluronate further down the list are included to support comfort. Anyone new to AHA exfoliants should start with limited frequency and watch how the skin responds.
Does this product contain niacinamide alongside the acid?
Yes, niacinamide sits fourth on the list, right behind the glycolic acid and ahead of sodium hyaluronate and panthenol. Pairing a brightening-support ingredient with an AHA is a common formulation choice in Korean liquid exfoliants, and applying it as a leave-on step after cleansing gives both ingredients time to work before the next layer goes on.
What does 'Whitehead Power' mean for how this product is used?
The naming points to surface texture and visible whiteheads as the target, which is the classic use case for an AHA like glycolic acid: it works on the skin's surface to loosen the bonds between dead cells rather than reaching inside a clogged pore the way a BHA does.
Can this be layered with a moisturizer right after use?
Yes, sodium hyaluronate and xanthan gum sit near the end of the list to support the skin's moisture level after the acid step, and following with a moisturizer is standard practice after any leave-on exfoliating liquid.
Not on the ingredient list below: fragrance or parfum, denatured or SD alcohol, essential oils, silicones, parabens, sulfate surfactants, mineral oil or petrolatum and added color.
Full INCI (10): Pyrus Malus (Apple) Fruit Water, Butylene Glycol, Glycolic Acid, Niacinamide, Sodium Hydroxide, 1,2-Hexanediol, Panthenol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Xanthan Gum, Ethyl Hexanediol
Ingredient list read from incidecoder.com on 9 September 2026.
10 of 10 explained
- Pyrus Malus (Apple) Fruit Water plant extract
- Apple distillate used in place of plain water. Like every fruit water it is far more dilute than the extract of the same fruit.
- Butylene Glycol humectant
- Butylene Glycol is a small glycol that does two jobs at once: it holds water in the top layer of skin and it dissolves plant extracts and actives that plain water cannot. It also thins a formula, which is why watery Korean essences lean on it.
- Glycolic Acid exfoliant
- Glycolic Acid is the smallest AHA, which is why it is also the most penetrating and the most likely to sting. It loosens the bonds between dead surface cells and is used for the look of dullness and rough texture.
- Niacinamide active
- Niacinamide is vitamin B3, and it is the most studied active in Korean formulation. It is used at roughly 2 to 5 percent for the look of uneven tone and visible pores, and it is water soluble, stable and comfortable beside almost every other active, which is why it turns up in so many lists.
- Sodium Hydroxide pH adjuster
- Sodium Hydroxide is a strong base used in traces to bring an acidic formula up to skin-friendly pH. None of it remains as itself once the formula is neutralised.
- 1,2-Hexanediol humectant
- 1,2-Hexanediol is a glycol used for two reasons: it holds water like glycerin, and it makes a formula harder for microbes to live in, so less traditional preservative is needed. Korean formulas use it heavily for that second reason.
- Panthenol humectant
- Panthenol is pro-vitamin B5: skin converts it to pantothenic acid. It is a humectant that holds water and leaves skin feeling soft and less tight, and it is one of the ingredients formulators reach for when a formula also contains something harsh.
- Sodium Hyaluronate humectant
- Sodium Hyaluronate is the salt of hyaluronic acid, and it is what most products labelled hyaluronic actually contain. The salt dissolves more readily and the molecule is smaller, so it sits in the outer layer of skin rather than only on top of it.
- Xanthan Gum thickener
- Xanthan Gum is a polysaccharide made by fermenting sugar. It thickens a watery formula into a gel and holds the whole thing in suspension so nothing separates. Too much of it and a serum turns stringy, which is why it appears in fractions of a percent.
- Ethyl Hexanediol humectant
- Ethyl Hexanediol is a glycol that hydrates and makes a formula less hospitable to microbes, the same double role 1,2-hexanediol plays.
- Market
- Korean market, the version sold in Korea
- EAN (barcode)
- 8809416470047
- Made in
- Republic of Korea
- Volume
- 100ml
- Category
- Exfoliator / AHA Liquid Exfoliant
- Actives
- Glycolic Acid, Niacinamide, Panthenol, Sodium Hyaluronate
- Ships from
- California or Korea
Orders ship from California or direct from Korea with tracked delivery to your door, and both routes carry the same Korean-market release. Shipping is free on orders of $100 or more. Returns are accepted for 30 days, by mail.
We split shipments free, so one out-of-stock item never holds up the rest of your order.
Where this unit came from
- 1Seoul
Bought as Korean-market stock - 2Barcode
Listed against the Korean barcode on its box - 3California or Korea
Ships to you from either, as the same Korean-market release
We stock the version of a formula that is sold in Korea, not the release a brand prepares for another market under the same name. The barcode in the specification above is the Korean-market one and it is printed on the box you receive.
Every unit keeps its original barcode and batch code intact, so the unit in your hands can be checked against the brand’s own records.
Every order ships from California or direct from Korea, and returns run for 30 days.
Every claim on this page traces to the unit in the box, the barcode, the batch code and the price you can read for yourself.
How it works
An acid exfoliant works at the surface, loosening what is already on its way off so the skin underneath looks smoother and takes the next layer more evenly. This is the AHA in COSRX's line, a thin liquid rather than a cream, swept over dry skin with a cotton pad in the evening. It stands in for the toner step on the evenings you use it, and moisturizer goes over the top afterwards. Two or three evenings a week is a sensible ceiling, and sunscreen the following morning is part of using an acid at all. It suits skin that looks bumpy across the forehead and chin and is not already on a retinoid.
How to use
- Use the AHA 7 Whitehead Power Liquid in the evening, after cleansing, in place of your toner step.
- Damp a cotton pad and sweep it over dry skin, keeping clear of the eyelids and the corners of the mouth.
- Wait a minute, then carry on with a hydrating layer and your moisturizer the same evening.
- Do not use it in the same routine as another exfoliating acid or a retinoid.
Worth knowing
- This formula carries an active acid, so pairing it with another exfoliant in the same routine is worth spacing out.
Reviews
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COSRX AHA 7 Whitehead Power Liquid
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COSRX, Korean-market original
AHA exfoliating liquid, 100 ml, with Glycolic Acid and Niacinamide.
Verify your unit when it arrives
Verify your unit when it arrives
Korean-market stock with the original barcode and batch code intact, exactly as it left Korea.
COSRX verifies units itself. Find the verification page on cosrx.com and enter the batch number and expiration date printed on your unit. Read them off the package rather than from us, which is the point.
Source: COSRX FAQ
On the unit itself
- The Korean-market barcode, unaltered from the retail package.
- The manufacturer’s batch code, exactly as the maker printed it.
정품Genuine article, Korean-market stock
What professionals say
What professionals say
What skin-care professionals say about the key actives in this formula, quoted from the medical sources linked beside each.
As we age, the glue that holds our skin cells together becomes denser, which slows down the natural cell turnover process.
Samantha Stein, PA-CDermatology physician assistant, Cleveland Clinic Pantothenol is a common ingredient in skin care and hair products I recommend, particularly for people who are prone to dryness.
Taylor Bullock, MDDermatology resident, Cleveland Clinic
1 more professional perspective
Niacinamide helps reduce the appearance of pores in a few ways. By strengthening the skin barrier and improving elasticity, pores appear less noticeable and more even.
Ashlyn YankeAesthetician, Cleveland Clinic
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