COSRX
RED RICE INOSITOL Exfoliating Care Pore Wash-Off Peel Serum
A wash-off peel serum on rice seed water, pairing glycolic and salicylic acids with seven hyaluronate forms so the exfoliation stays cushioned.
No reviews yet- Korean-market formula
- Ships from California or direct from Korea
- Korean barcode and batch code intact
- Suited to
- SensitiveCompromised barrierTexturedCongested
- Helps with
- Barrier weaknessEarly environmental damageRough surface textureUneven tone and dullness
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Key benefits
- Rice appears as both seed water and extract on the list
- Glycolic and salicylic acids handle the visible smoothing
- Inositol, the second half of the name, is on the list
- Seven hyaluronate entries plus squalane keep the peel comfortable
Key actives
18Squalane
a weightless emollient cushion
Inside the formula
Inside the formula
- 18Squalane
- 40Glycolic Acid
- 45Salicylic Acid
Where each key active sits on the declared ingredient list, by entry number. Position is proportion: the further forward, the larger its share.
COSRX RED RICE INOSITOL Exfoliating Care Pore Wash-Off Peel Serum
What is this wash-off peel serum actually meant to do?
Rice seed water sits ninth on the ingredient list, with inositol nineteenth and rice extract further down, giving the formula its named base. Glycolic acid and salicylic acid also appear on the list, positioned well toward the end among the final entries, alongside a run of hyaluronate forms and ceramide NP earlier on. The formula is built as a rinse-off exfoliating step rather than a leave-on serum, meant to be massaged on, left briefly, then washed away.
Is this peel serum gentle enough for sensitive skin?
No fragrance, essential oil, denatured alcohol, silicone, paraben, sulfate surfactant, mineral oil, or added colourant appear anywhere on this ingredient list. Glycolic acid and salicylic acid do appear, though both sit near the very end of a 48-entry list, well behind the panthenol, niacinamide, and multiple hyaluronate forms that make up the bulk of the formula. Anyone with reactive or acid-sensitive skin should still patch test first and start with a shorter contact time before leaving it on for the full recommended window.
Will one use of this peel serum visibly smooth my skin?
A wash-off exfoliating step like this one works through repeated, spaced-out use rather than a single dramatic result, since the acids on the list sit toward the end rather than the front of the formula. Coptis japonica root extract and dipotassium glycyrrhizate are positioned mid-list as calming support for the exfoliating step. Using it a few times a week and watching how skin responds over several weeks is the realistic way to judge whether it is working for you.
Can I use another exfoliating acid on the same night as this peel?
This is already an acid-based wash-off step, with both glycolic and salicylic acid on the list, so layering a separate leave-on AHA or BHA treatment the same night would stack two exfoliating steps at once. Niacinamide, panthenol, and the hyaluronate forms further up the list are the ingredients this formula pairs with afterward for hydration. Spacing this peel out from other acid treatments in your routine, rather than combining them in one session, is the safer approach for most skin.
How can I tell this is the real Korean-market formula and not a repackaged version?
COSRX runs its own authentication system rather than leaving it to a reseller: the verification page on cosrx.com asks for the batch number and expiration date printed directly on your unit's carton. Checking those codes against what is actually printed on your box, rather than a description in a listing, is the reliable way to confirm what you have. This bottle does not carry a barcode we can confirm here, so the batch and expiration codes remain the check to rely on.
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 (48): AQUA/WATER, DIPROPYLENE GLYCOL, TRIPROPYLENE GLYCOL, CELLULOSE, PROPANEDIOL, GLYCERIN, CARBOMER, STEARTRIMONIUM METHOSULFATE, ORYZA SATIVA (RICE) SEED WATER, ISOPROPYL ALCOHOL, SACCHARIDE ISOMERATE, HYDROXYACETOPHENONE, GLYCERETH-25 PCA ISOSTEARATE, 1,2-HEXANEDIOL, CAPRYLYL GLYCOL, CETYL ETHYLHEXANOATE, ETHYLHEXYL PALMITATE, SQUALANE, INOSITOL, BUTYLENE GLYCOL, HYDROGENATED LECITHIN, HYDROLYZED JOJOBA ESTERS, ETHYLHEXYLGLYCERIN, CAPRYLIC/CAPRIC TRIGLYCERIDE, SODIUM HYALURONATE, SODIUM PHYTATE, CYANOCOBALAMIN, COPTIS JAPONICA ROOT EXTRACT, CITRIC ACID, SODIUM CITRATE, HYDROXYPROPYLTRIMONIUM HYALURONATE, DIPOTASSIUM GLYCYRRHIZATE, ORYZA SATIVA (RICE) EXTRACT, HYDROLYZED HYALURONIC ACID, SODIUM ACETYLATED HYALURONATE, PANTHENOL, GLUCONOLACTONE, NIACINAMIDE, HYALURONIC ACID, GLYCOLIC ACID, PHYTIC ACID, HYDROLYZED SODIUM HYALURONATE, SODIUM HYALURONATE CROSSPOLYMER, TOCOPHEROL, SALICYLIC ACID, CERAMIDE NP, BETAINE, TROMETHAMINE
Ingredient list read from jolse.com on 9 September 2026.
47 of 48 explained
- AQUA/WATER solvent
- Water is the base almost every serum, toner and cream is built on. It dissolves the water-loving ingredients and sets how light the finished texture feels. On an INCI list it is usually first, which only means it is the largest single ingredient by weight.
- DIPROPYLENE GLYCOL humectant
- Dipropylene Glycol is a glycol used as a solvent and a light humectant. Its main job is keeping the rest of the formula dissolved and the texture fluid rather than adding hydration of its own.
- TRIPROPYLENE GLYCOL solvent
- Tripropylene Glycol is a glycol used mainly as a solvent, keeping the rest of the formula dissolved and the texture fluid.
- CELLULOSE absorbent
- Cellulose is plant fibre. In a formula it thickens, absorbs oil and, in a sheet mask, is often the fabric itself.
- PROPANEDIOL humectant
- Propanediol is a plant-derived glycol used in place of propylene glycol. It hydrates, carries actives into solution, and gives a lighter, less sticky slip than glycerin at the same strength.
- GLYCERIN humectant
- Glycerin is the most used humectant in skincare. It draws water into the outer layer of skin and holds it there, and it is one of the very few ingredients whose hydrating effect is settled science rather than marketing. Higher amounts feel tacky, which is why it is usually blended.
- CARBOMER thickener
- Carbomer is a synthetic polymer that only gels once a base neutralises it, which is why arginine or tromethamine sits nearby on the list. It gives the clear, non-stringy gel texture a xanthan formula cannot reach.
- STEARTRIMONIUM METHOSULFATE surfactant
- A positively charged conditioning agent for hair. Despite the name the methosulfate part is not a cleansing sulfate and does not foam.
- ORYZA SATIVA (RICE) SEED WATER plant extract
- Rice water, the liquid from steeping or washing the grain, and the oldest ingredient in the Korean rice tradition. It stands in for part of the plain water in a formula.
- ISOPROPYL ALCOHOL solvent
- Isopropyl Alcohol is rubbing alcohol. It dissolves ingredients water cannot, evaporates quickly, and in quantity can leave skin feeling tight.
- SACCHARIDE ISOMERATE humectant
- A plant-sugar complex whose structure resembles the sugars already bound to the skin surface, so it stays through washing. It is used as a long-acting humectant.
- HYDROXYACETOPHENONE preservative booster
- Hydroxyacetophenone is an antioxidant that also strengthens a preservative system, so a formula needs less traditional preservative. Korean formulas pair it with 1,2-hexanediol constantly.
35 more explained
- GLYCERETH-25 PCA ISOSTEARATE emollient
- Glycereth-25 PCA Isostearate is a water-dispersible emollient that softens skin and helps oils and water stay mixed. It reads as light rather than rich on the skin.
- 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.
- CAPRYLYL GLYCOL preservative booster
- Caprylyl Glycol is a glycol that conditions skin and, more importantly, strengthens a preservative system so less of the traditional preservative is needed. It appears in most modern formulas built without parabens.
- CETYL ETHYLHEXANOATE emollient
- Cetyl Ethylhexanoate is a synthetic ester used as a dry-feeling emollient. It spreads easily, leaves a silky rather than oily finish, and helps disperse pigments and UV filters evenly.
- ETHYLHEXYL PALMITATE emollient
- Ethylhexyl Palmitate is a palm-derived ester used as a light emollient and a solvent for pigment. It gives a smooth, non-greasy slip.
- SQUALANE emollient
- Squalane is the stable, saturated version of squalene, a lipid human skin already makes. It is a light emollient that absorbs quickly, does not oxidise, and is one of the few oils widely considered safe for blemish-prone skin. Most cosmetic squalane is now from sugarcane or olive rather than shark.
- INOSITOL humectant
- Inositol is a sugar-like compound found in the body. In skincare it is a humectant that also helps a formula feel conditioning rather than merely wet.
- 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.
- HYDROGENATED LECITHIN emulsifier
- Hydrogenated Lecithin is lecithin with its unsaturated bonds filled in, which makes it far more stable. It emulsifies and is the standard shell for the liposomes that carry actives into the outer layer of skin.
- HYDROLYZED JOJOBA ESTERS emollient
- Jojoba Esters are jojoba wax rebuilt into a softer, meltable form. They condition skin and give body to balms without the heaviness of a butter.
- ETHYLHEXYLGLYCERIN preservative booster
- Ethylhexylglycerin softens skin and boosts a preservative system, which is why it is nearly always sitting beside phenoxyethanol or 1,2-hexanediol. It also cuts down the odour bacteria produce, so it turns up in deodorising products.
- CAPRYLIC/CAPRIC TRIGLYCERIDE emollient
- Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride is the light fraction of coconut oil, with the heavy parts removed. It is the workhorse emollient of modern formulas: it softens skin, dissolves oil-soluble actives and absorbs without the greasy weight of a whole plant oil.
- 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.
- SODIUM PHYTATE chelator
- Sodium Phytate is a rice-derived chelator used in place of EDTA. It ties up trace metals so the formula stays stable and its colour and scent hold.
- CYANOCOBALAMIN vitamin
- Cyanocobalamin is vitamin B12, and it is a deep pink-red, which is why a formula carrying it often has a colour nobody added on purpose. It is used as a conditioning vitamin.
- COPTIS JAPONICA ROOT EXTRACT plant extract
- Coptis Japonica is a traditional East Asian medicinal root, bright yellow from its berberine content. In skincare its extract is used for the look of congested, oily skin.
- CITRIC ACID pH adjuster
- Citric Acid is used in tiny amounts to bring a formula to the pH its actives need, not as an exfoliant at that level. It is an AHA, so at much higher concentrations it can also exfoliate.
- SODIUM CITRATE pH adjuster
- Sodium Citrate is the salt of citric acid, used as a buffer: it holds a formula at a steady pH rather than pushing it in one direction. It is also a mild chelator.
- HYDROXYPROPYLTRIMONIUM HYALURONATE humectant
- Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate carries a positive charge, and skin carries a slight negative one, so it is attracted to the surface and stays through rinsing. It is the hyaluronic used where a formula gets washed off.
- DIPOTASSIUM GLYCYRRHIZATE active
- Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate is a water-soluble salt derived from licorice root. It is the licorice fraction Korean formulas use for the look of redness, and it is far more stable in water than the whole extract.
- ORYZA SATIVA (RICE) EXTRACT plant extract
- Rice Extract is the anchor of the Korean rice-skincare category. It carries starches, amino acids and ferulic acid, and it is used for the look of dullness and for a soft, blurred finish.
- HYDROLYZED HYALURONIC ACID humectant
- Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid is hyaluronic acid cut into much shorter fragments. The smaller the fragment, the further into the outer layer it can settle, which is why serums stack several sizes together instead of using one.
- SODIUM ACETYLATED HYALURONATE humectant
- Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate is hyaluronic acid modified to be part oil-loving, so it clings to skin instead of rinsing away. Formulators call it the one that stays put.
- 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.
- GLUCONOLACTONE exfoliant
- Gluconolactone is a PHA, the gentlest exfoliant class. Its molecule is too large to penetrate quickly, so it smooths the surface without the sting of an AHA, and it is a humectant at the same time.
- 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.
- HYALURONIC ACID humectant
- Hyaluronic Acid is a sugar chain the body already makes, and one gram of it can hold several litres of water. In a formula it is a humectant that pulls water to the surface of skin and holds it in a film, which is what makes skin look plumper while it is there.
- 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.
- PHYTIC ACID chelator
- Phytic Acid comes from rice bran and other seed husks. It binds metal ions, which keeps a formula stable, and it is also used as a very mild exfoliant.
- SODIUM HYALURONATE CROSSPOLYMER humectant
- Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer is hyaluronic acid linked into a mesh. It holds water in a soft gel on the surface rather than sinking in, and it releases that water slowly through the day.
- TOCOPHEROL antioxidant
- Tocopherol is vitamin E. It is an oil-soluble antioxidant that protects the oils in a formula from going rancid and works on skin as an emollient, and it is regularly paired with vitamin C because each keeps the other going for longer.
- SALICYLIC ACID exfoliant
- Salicylic Acid is a BHA, and the only common exfoliant that is oil soluble, so it can work inside a pore rather than only on the surface. It loosens the dead cells that block pores and is used for the look of congested, oily skin.
- CERAMIDE NP barrier lipid
- Ceramide NP is the most used cosmetic ceramide, the same class of lipid that makes up roughly half the mortar between cells in the outer layer of skin. Added to a cream it slots into that structure, which is why ceramide formulas feel less leaky rather than merely greasy.
- BETAINE humectant
- Betaine is a sugar-beet-derived humectant that cells use to hold water. In a formula it hydrates and takes the edge off cleansers and acids, which is why it often appears alongside them.
- TROMETHAMINE pH adjuster
- Tromethamine neutralises acidic thickeners such as carbomer so they gel, and holds a formula near skin-friendly pH. It is used at a fraction of a percent.
- Market
- Korean market, the version sold in Korea
- Made in
- Republic of Korea
- Category
- Serum & Ampoule
- Actives
- Ceramide NP, Glycolic Acid, Hyaluronic Acid, Licorice Root, Niacinamide, Panthenol, Rice Extract, Salicylic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate, Squalane
- 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.
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
Rough texture and congested pores are often met with a nightly leave-on acid serum rather than a rinsed-off step. This formula builds on rice seed water and rice extract, saving glycolic and salicylic acid for the final stretch of a 48-entry list. Niacinamide and a run of hyaluronate forms cushion those acids rather than leaving skin unbuffered. Rinsing off rather than staying on overnight keeps the acid contact time shorter than a leave-on treatment. Massage it over damp skin a few times a week, then rinse and follow with moisturizer.
How to use
- Use the RED RICE INOSITOL Pore Wash-Off Peel Serum in the evening, after cleansing, on damp skin.
- A thin layer massaged over the face in light circles, kept clear of the eye area.
- Leave it briefly, rinse it off, then carry on with toner, serum and moisturizer the same evening.
- Two or three evenings a week. Do not use it on the same evening as another exfoliant 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.
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COSRX RED RICE INOSITOL Exfoliating Care Pore Wash-Off Peel Serum
How it felt, how your skin took it, what you layer it with. Straight answers help the next person choose.
COSRX, Korean-market original
Rice wash-off peel serum with Glycolic Acid and Inositol.
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 Squalane comes from a lipid that occurs naturally in your skin.
Alok Vij, MDDermatologist, Cleveland Clinic
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