Where does this toner go in my routine?

Straight after cleansing, morning and evening, while the face is still damp. Anything thinner than a toner goes on before it, and anything richer goes on after. If you are adding it to a routine you already like, give it a week on its own first, so what you see is the Niacinamide and not three changes at once.

Is this the Korean-market toner or a US version?

The Korean-market one, Niacinamide and all. We match this toner to its Korean barcode before it reaches the shelf, which is the check that tells you which market release you are holding.

Does this toner contain fragrance?

Yes. The ingredient list names Citronellol and Fragrance. They sit on the panel printed on this page, so you can read the position for yourself before you buy. If fragrance components are something you avoid, this toner is not the one.

What else is on the list besides Niacinamide?

Adenosine, Methyl Diisopropyl Propionamide and Retinol. The order they are printed in on this toner's panel is the order on the box, so you can see where Niacinamide sits relative to them. Further down the same panel: Gluconolactone, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8 and Dipeptide Diaminobutyroyl Benzylamide Diacetate.

Dr. Melaxin

Cactox Cactus Essence Pore Relief Toner 150ml

Name: Dr. Melaxin Cactox Cactus Essence Pore Relief Toner 150ml
Brand: Dr. Melaxin
SKU: 2215
Price: 37.5 USD
Availability: InStock

Dr. Melaxin Cactox Cactus Essence Pore Relief Toner is a 150ml toner whose ingredient list carries Niacinamide alongside Adenosine and Methyl Diisopropyl Propionamide.

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$37.50

150 ml

$25.00 per 100 ml

Korean-market formula
Ships from California or direct from Korea
Korean barcode and batch code intact

Suited to: Congested skinUneven textureDry skinCompromised barrier

Helps with: Shoppers looking for Niacinamide in a tonerRoutines that want Niacinamide and Adenosine in one stepFilling the toner step with a Korean-market formulaAnyone who wants the Niacinamide toner sold on Korean shelves

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$37.50

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How it works

The Cactox Cactus Essence Pore Relief Toner is a 150ml toner, used straight after cleansing, morning and evening, while the face is still damp. The active it is built around is Niacinamide, named fifth on its own ingredient list. The same list carries Adenosine, Methyl Diisopropyl Propionamide and Retinol, so the active is not the only thing on it worth naming. How much of the Niacinamide stays on the skin, and for how long, is decided by the toner format rather than by the list alone. This is the Original Korean Formula, the toner Dr. Melaxin sells in Korea, Niacinamide and all.

Key benefits

Niacinamide, the active this toner is built around
Adenosine, Methyl Diisopropyl Propionamide and Retinol on the same list, actives
Gluconolactone on the same list, an exfoliant
Acetyl Hexapeptide-8 and Dipeptide Diaminobutyroyl Benzylamide Diacetate further down the same list
Hexapeptide-9 and Nonapeptide-1 further down the same list
Niacinamide named fifth on the manufacturer list printed on this page

Inside the formula

Ingredients declared

#20

Fragrance on the list

1 of 3

Contains fragrance (parfum)

Not on the ingredient list below: denatured or SD alcohol, essential oils, silicones, parabens, sulfate surfactants, mineral oil or petrolatum and added color.

Full INCI (80): Water, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Pentylene Glycol, Niacinamide, Sodium Citrate, Propanediol, Erythritol, Gluconolactone, 1,2-Hexanediol, Glyceryl Glucoside, Hydroxyacetophenone, Glycereth-25 PCA Isostearate, Citric Acid, Ethylhexylglycerin, Adenosine, Methyl Diisopropyl Propionamide, Carthamus Tinctorius (Safflower) Flower Extract, Cellulose Gum, Fragrance, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate, Dextrin, Gardenia Florida Fruit Extract, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Citrus Limon (Lemon) Fruit Extract, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Actinidia Chinensis (Kiwi) Fruit Extract, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Brassica Oleracea Acephala Leaf Extract, Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil, Malus Domestica Fruit Extract, Panthenol, Retinol, Polyglutamic Acid, Brassica Campestris (Rapeseed) Sterols, Cholesterol, Phytosteryl/Behenyl/Octyldodecyl Lauroyl Glutamate, Aluminum/Magnesium Hydroxide Stearate, Apium Graveolens (Celery) Extract, Ceramide NP, Lysolecithin, Phosphatidylcholine, Polysorbate 80, Stearic Acid, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Malachite Extract, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Lactobacillus Ferment, Copper Tripeptide-1, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Ascorbic Acid, Chitosan, Bioflavonoids, Tris(Tetramethylhydroxypiperidinol) Citrate, Dimethylsilanol Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Brassica Oleracea Italica (Broccoli) Extract, Opuntia Ficus-Indica Flower Extract, Opuntia Ficus-Indica Fruit Extract, Opuntia Ficus-Indica Stem Extract, Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Sodium Hyaluronate Dimethylsilanol, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Dipeptide Diaminobutyroyl Benzylamide Diacetate, Hexapeptide-9, Nonapeptide-1, Palmitoyl Hexapeptide-12, Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5, Pentapeptide-3, Tripeptide-1, Citronellol

Ingredient list read from melaxin.com on 30 August 2026.

75 of 80 explained

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.
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.
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.
Pentylene Glycol humectant: Pentylene Glycol hydrates and, like the other longer-chain glycols, makes a formula less hospitable to microbes so the preservative system can be lighter. It also improves how evenly a product spreads.
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 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.
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.
Erythritol humectant: Erythritol is a sugar alcohol humectant with a faint cooling feel as it dissolves. It hydrates and helps a formula spread without tack.
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.
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.
Glyceryl Glucoside humectant: Glyceryl Glucoside is glycerin bound to glucose, from the resurrection plant. It is a humectant that holds water in the outer layer of skin.
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.

63 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.
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.
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.
Adenosine active: Adenosine is a nucleoside that Korea's own cosmetic authority recognises as a wrinkle-care functional ingredient, which is why it appears on so many Korean lists at a low level. It is used for the look of fine lines and is stable and well tolerated.
Methyl Diisopropyl Propionamide active: A synthetic cooling agent that gives the cool feeling of menthol without the mint smell. It is used where a formula wants the sensation but not the scent.
Carthamus Tinctorius (Safflower) Flower Extract plant extract: Safflower Flower Extract is a traditional East Asian dye and skincare plant. It is used as a conditioning antioxidant extract and can tint a formula.
Cellulose Gum thickener: Cellulose Gum is plant cellulose modified to dissolve in water. It thickens, holds particles in suspension and gives a smooth, slippery body.
Fragrance fragrance: Fragrance, or Parfum, is a single declaration standing for a whole scent blend, which can be dozens of materials. Regulators allow it as a trade secret, so a list showing only this word does not say what the scent is made of. It is the most common trigger named by people with reactive skin.
Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate chelator: A readily biodegradable chelator used in place of EDTA. It ties up trace metal ions in the water so they cannot spoil the formula.
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.
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.
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.
Dextrin thickener: Dextrin is a starch fragment used to thicken and to give a formula a light, powdery finish. It is also a common carrier for powdered extracts.
Gardenia Florida Fruit Extract plant extract: Gardenia Fruit Extract is the traditional East Asian yellow dye plant. In skincare it is used as an antioxidant extract, and it can tint a formula.
Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate emulsifier: Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate is a sugar-derived emulsifier and solubiliser, mild enough to be a standard choice in Korean essences. It dissolves small amounts of oil into water without any tightening feel.
Citrus Limon (Lemon) Fruit Extract plant extract: Lemon fruit extract, carrying citric acid, sugars and flavonoids. It is the water-based fruit extract rather than the peel oil, so it brings the fruit acids without the aromatic terpenes.
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.
Actinidia Chinensis (Kiwi) Fruit Extract plant extract: Kiwi fruit extract, high in vitamin C and fruit acids. It is used as a conditioning antioxidant extract.
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.
Brassica Oleracea Acephala Leaf Extract plant extract: Kale leaf extract, carrying carotenoids, vitamin C and glucosinolates. It is used as a plant antioxidant.
Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil emollient: Macadamia Seed Oil is unusually high in palmitoleic acid, a fatty acid that human sebum also contains, which is why it absorbs faster than most nut oils. It is a cushioning emollient for dry skin.
Malus Domestica Fruit Extract plant extract: Apple fruit extract, carrying malic acid, sugars and polyphenols. It is used as a conditioning extract and a mild source of fruit acid.
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.
Retinol active: Retinol is the alcohol form of vitamin A and the strongest retinoid available without a prescription. Skin converts it in two steps to retinoic acid, and it is used at night, at low percentages, for the look of fine lines and rough texture. It can leave skin flaking while it acclimatises.
Polyglutamic Acid humectant: Polyglutamic Acid comes from fermented soy and holds several times more water than hyaluronic acid for its weight. It forms a light film on the surface, so it is often layered with hyaluronic rather than replacing it.
Brassica Campestris (Rapeseed) Sterols emollient: Phytosterols are plant sterols, structurally close to the cholesterol in skin's own lipid layer. They soften skin and help the oil phase of a formula hold together.
Cholesterol barrier lipid: Cholesterol is the third of the three lipids the outer layer of skin is built from, with ceramides and fatty acids. Formulas that carry all three are following the ratio skin itself holds.
Phytosteryl/Behenyl/Octyldodecyl Lauroyl Glutamate barrier lipid: An amino-acid-based lipid built on plant sterols. It structures the oil phase of a cream and echoes the lipid mix that already sits between skin cells.
Aluminum/Magnesium Hydroxide Stearate dispersant: A mineral soap used to suspend powders and thicken an oil phase, which is what stops pigment settling to the bottom of a bottle.
Apium Graveolens (Celery) Extract plant extract: Celery extract, carrying flavonoids, minerals and plant acids. It is used as a light conditioning extract.
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.
Phosphatidylcholine emulsifier: Phosphatidylcholine is the main phospholipid in lecithin and in cell membranes. It emulsifies and forms the liposome walls a formula uses to carry an active.
Polysorbate 80 emulsifier: Polysorbate 80 is an emulsifier and solubiliser used to keep oils, fragrance and oil-soluble actives dissolved in water.
Stearic Acid fatty acid: Stearic Acid is a saturated fatty acid from plant fats, and one of the three lipid classes skin's own barrier is built from. In a formula it thickens, stabilises the emulsion and can be turned into a soap-style cleanser by adding a base.
Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate antioxidant: This is a stabiliser that keeps the oils and fragrance in a formula from oxidising. Its job is the shelf life of the product rather than any effect on skin.
Malachite Extract mineral: Malachite is a green copper carbonate mineral. Its extract is used in a formula as a source of trace copper.
Potassium Cetyl Phosphate emulsifier: Potassium Cetyl Phosphate is an emulsifier prized for keeping powdered ingredients evenly suspended, which is why tinted and mineral-powder textures use it.
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract plant extract: Aloe Leaf Extract is mostly water with polysaccharides, amino acids and mild plant acids. It hydrates and leaves a light, cooling film, which is why it is the default after-sun ingredient.
Lactobacillus Ferment ferment: Lactobacillus Ferment is the liquid left after lactobacillus bacteria have fermented a plant or milk substrate. It carries the small molecules the fermentation produced, including lactic acid and amino acids, and is used for the look of dull, uneven skin.
Copper Tripeptide-1 peptide: Copper Tripeptide-1 is three amino acids bound to a copper ion, and the classic firming peptide in cosmetic chemistry. It is blue in solution, which is often why a serum carrying it is tinted, and it is used for the look of firmness and fine lines.
3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid antioxidant: 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid is a stable vitamin C derivative that skin converts to ascorbic acid. It survives in a formula far better than pure vitamin C and works at a gentler pH, so it suits skin that finds the pure acid uncomfortable.
Ascorbic Acid antioxidant: Ascorbic Acid is pure vitamin C, the most researched form and also the least stable: it needs a low pH and airtight packaging to stay active. It is an antioxidant used for the look of dullness and uneven tone.
Chitosan film former: Chitosan comes from the shells of crustaceans. It carries a positive charge, so it clings to skin and hair as a thin film, and it is a shellfish-derived ingredient.
Bioflavonoids antioxidant: Bioflavonoids is a collective declaration for the flavonoid fraction of a plant extract, usually citrus. It names a class of plant antioxidants rather than one compound.
Tris(Tetramethylhydroxypiperidinol) Citrate antioxidant: A hindered-amine antioxidant used to keep a formula from breaking down in light and air. It works on the product rather than on skin.
Dimethylsilanol Hyaluronate humectant: Dimethylsilanol Hyaluronate is hyaluronic acid joined to a silicon-based group. It hydrates and leaves a smoother, silkier finish than hyaluronic acid alone.
Brassica Oleracea Italica (Broccoli) Extract plant extract: Broccoli extract, carrying sulforaphane and vitamin C. It is used as a plant antioxidant.
Opuntia Ficus-Indica Stem Extract plant extract: Prickly pear cactus stem extract, from the pad rather than the fruit. The pad is full of mucilage, so the extract hydrates and leaves a cushioned feel.
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.
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.
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.
Acetyl Hexapeptide-8 peptide: Acetyl Hexapeptide-8 is a six-amino-acid peptide used for the look of expression lines, particularly around the eyes. It is the peptide sold under the name Argireline and is water soluble and stable.
Dipeptide Diaminobutyroyl Benzylamide Diacetate peptide: This is a two-amino-acid peptide, sold as Syn-Ake, used for the look of expression lines. Its structure was modelled on a component of snake venom, though nothing of the venom itself is in it.
Hexapeptide-9 peptide: Hexapeptide-9 is a six-amino-acid peptide used for the look of firmness and elasticity. It is water soluble and appears in peptide blends rather than alone.
Nonapeptide-1 peptide: Nonapeptide-1 is a nine-amino-acid peptide used for the look of uneven tone rather than for firmness, which makes it unusual among cosmetic peptides.
Palmitoyl Hexapeptide-12 peptide: Palmitoyl Hexapeptide-12 is a fatted six-amino-acid peptide used for the look of firmness, usually as part of a multi-peptide blend.
Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4 peptide: Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4 is the five-amino-acid peptide originally sold as Matrixyl. It is used for the look of fine lines and is one of the longest-standing cosmetic peptides.
Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7 peptide: Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7 is a four-amino-acid peptide with a fatty tail, used for the look of fine lines. With palmitoyl tripeptide-1 it forms the pairing sold as Matrixyl 3000.
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1 peptide: Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1 is a short peptide with a fatty tail added so it can travel through the oily outer layer of skin. It is used for the look of firmness and is almost always paired with palmitoyl tetrapeptide-7.
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5 peptide: Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5 is a fatted three-amino-acid peptide used for the look of firmness and fine lines. The palmitoyl tail is what lets it cross an oily surface.
Pentapeptide-3 peptide: Pentapeptide-3 is a five-amino-acid peptide used for the look of expression lines. It is water soluble and is supplied as one part of a peptide blend rather than alone.
Tripeptide-1 peptide: Tripeptide-1 is the copper-free version of the classic three-amino-acid peptide. It is used for the look of firmness in formulas that avoid copper's blue tint.
Citronellol fragrance component: Citronellol is a rose-geranium aromatic and one of the 26 fragrance components EU labelling names individually.

How to use

Apply within a minute of cleansing while the face is still wet, so it spreads without dragging.
Press it over the face from damp palms, then give the nose and chin a second pass.
Move on to serum and cream while the surface is still slightly tacky rather than waiting for it to dry.
Do not sweep it off with a dry cotton pad, since the cotton takes a share of the dose and gives no control by zone.

Worth knowing

Patch test this toner on a small area and wait a day before using it more widely, especially with Niacinamide on the list.
This list names Citronellol and Fragrance, so skip it if fragrance components are something you avoid.
Retinol is on this list, so keep this toner to the evening and build the nights up slowly rather than starting nightly.
Citric Acid and Gluconolactone on this list makes this toner an exfoliating step, so do not stack it with another one on the same night.

Complete the routine

This itemDr. Melaxin Cactox Cactus Essence Pore Relief Toner 150ml$37.50
Seal the routine in as the last stepDr.Melaxin Cactox Pore Relief Dual Capsule Cream 65g$75.00
From the same Korean-market lineDr.Melaxin Cactox 3-Step Nose Pore Pack 3P$32.50

Total for 3 items$145.00

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Dr.Melaxin Cactox Cactus Essence Pore Relief Toner 150ml

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Dr. Melaxin, Korean-market original

The Original Korean Formula toner from Dr. Melaxin, 150ml formulated with Niacinamide and Adenosine, shipped from California or direct from Korea.

Verify your unit when it arrives

Korean-market stock with the original barcode and batch code intact, exactly as it left Korea.

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 skin-care professionals say about skin care, quoted from the medical sources linked beside each.

Your skin barrier is basically your outer layer of the skin.
Melissa Piliang, MDDermatologist, Cleveland Clinic
Pretty much every step of a Korean skin care routine is going to have some component of hydration.
Alok Vij, MDDermatologist, Cleveland Clinic