Dr. Melaxin
Peel Shot Exfoliating Kojic Acid Turmeric Serum
Dr. Melaxin Peel Shot Exfoliating Kojic Acid Turmeric Serum is Dr. Melaxin's 80ml serum, formulated with Kojic Acid.
No reviews yet80 ml
$26.46 per 100 ml
- Korean-market formula
- Ships from California or direct from Korea
- Korean barcode and batch code intact
- Suited to
- Congested skinUneven textureDehydrated skinSensitive skin
- Helps with
- Shoppers looking for Kojic Acid in a serumRoutines that want Kojic Acid and Niacinamide in one stepFilling the serum step with a Korean-market formulaAnyone who wants the Kojic Acid serum sold on Korean shelves
In stock. Arrives in 3 to 7 business days
We accept
You’re $100.00 away from free US shipping.
- 30-day returns
- Free US shipping on orders of $100 or more
- Tracked delivery to your door
Key benefits
- Kojic Acid, the active this serum is built around
- Niacinamide on the same list, an active
- Glycolic Acid and Gluconolactone on the same list, exfoliants
- Ascorbic Acid on the same list, an antioxidant
- Coptis Japonica Root Extract and Hydrolyzed Gardenia Florida Extract further down the same list
- Hydrolyzed Malt Extract and Hydrolyzed Viola Tricolor Extract further down the same list
Key actives
32Kojic Acidactive
Kojic Acid comes from the fermentation of rice by Aspergillus, the mould used to make sake. It is used in formulas addressed to the look of uneven tone, and it darkens in air. The name on the box points at it, and it is named thirty-second on this serum's own ingredient list.
33Niacinamideactive
Niacinamide is vitamin B3, and it is the most studied active in Korean formulation. The panel names it thirty-third on this serum's list, beside Kojic Acid.
35Glycolic Acidexfoliant
It loosens the bonds between dead surface cells and is used for the look of dullness and rough texture. The panel names it thirty-fifth on this serum's list, beside Kojic Acid.
41Ascorbic Acidantioxidant
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. The panel names it forty-first on this serum's list, beside Kojic Acid.
43Gluconolactoneexfoliant
Gluconolactone is a PHA, the gentlest exfoliant class. It is named forty-third on this serum's list, alongside Kojic Acid.
Inside the formula
Inside the formula
- 32Kojic Acid
- 35Glycolic Acid
- 41Ascorbic Acid
Where each key active sits on the declared ingredient list, by entry number. Position is proportion: the further forward, the larger its share.
Where does this serum go in my routine?
At the start of your routine, on a clean face: smooth it over the face avoiding the eyes, then rinse it off thoroughly with water and carry on with toner and the rest of your routine. 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 Kojic Acid and not three changes at once.
Is this the Korean-market serum or a US version?
The Korean-market one, Kojic Acid and all. We match this serum to its Korean barcode before it reaches the shelf, which is the check that tells you which market release you are holding.
Does this serum contain fragrance?
Yes. The ingredient list names Fragrance. It sits 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 serum is not the one.
What else is on the list besides Kojic Acid?
Niacinamide, Glycolic Acid and Gluconolactone. The order they are printed in on this serum's panel is the order on the box, so you can see where Kojic Acid sits relative to them. Further down the same panel: Ascorbic Acid, Coptis Japonica Root Extract and Hydrolyzed Gardenia Florida Extract.
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 (43): Water, Dipropylene Glycol, Tripropylene Glycol, Cellulose, Butylene Glycol, Propanediol, Carbomer, Steartrimonium Methosulfate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Glycerin, Saccharide Isomerate, Isopropyl Alcohol, Hydroxyacetophenone, Coptis Japonica Root Extract, Glycereth-25 Pca Isostearate, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Squalane, Sucrose Distearate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Hydrolyzed Gardenia Florida Extract, Hydrolyzed Malt Extract, Hydrolyzed Viola Tricolor Extract, Fragrance, Disodium Edta, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Hyaluronic Acid, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate, Curcuma Longa (Turmeric) Root Extract, Kojic Acid, Niacinamide, Panthenol, Glycolic Acid, Citric Acid, Sodium Citrate, Theobroma Cacao (Cocoa) Seed Extract, Dextrin, Red 33 (Ci 17200), Ascorbic Acid, Centella Asiatica Extract, Gluconolactone
Ingredient list read from jolse.com on 10 September 2026.
42 of 43 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Isopropyl Alcohol solvent
- Isopropyl Alcohol is rubbing alcohol. It dissolves ingredients water cannot, evaporates quickly, and in quantity can leave skin feeling tight.
30 more explained
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Sucrose Distearate emulsifier
- Sucrose Distearate is a sugar-based emulsifier that is mild and gives a light, silky feel. It also conditions skin.
- 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.
- Hydrolyzed Gardenia Florida Extract plant extract
- Hydrolyzed Gardenia Florida Extract is gardenia extract broken into smaller fragments so a water-based formula can carry it evenly.
- Hydrolyzed Malt Extract plant extract
- Malt extract with its sugars and proteins already broken into smaller pieces. It is used as a hydrating, conditioning extract.
- Hydrolyzed Viola Tricolor Extract plant extract
- Heartsease, the wild pansy, with its extract broken into smaller fragments. It is used as a conditioning plant extract.
- 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.
- Disodium Edta chelator
- EDTA is a chelator: it locks up trace metal ions from water and packaging that would otherwise turn a formula cloudy, off-colour or rancid. It does nothing to skin and appears at a fraction of a percent.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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 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.
- Curcuma Longa (Turmeric) Root Extract plant extract
- Turmeric Root Extract carries curcuminoids, well studied plant antioxidants. It is used for the look of dullness and uneven tone, and it tints a formula faintly yellow.
- Kojic Acid active
- Kojic Acid comes from the fermentation of rice by Aspergillus, the mould used to make sake. It is used in formulas addressed to the look of uneven tone, and it darkens in air.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Theobroma Cacao (Cocoa) Seed Extract plant extract
- Cocoa Extract carries polyphenols and a little caffeine. It is used as an antioxidant plant extract and gives a faint warm tint.
- 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.
- 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.
- Centella Asiatica Extract plant extract
- Centella Asiatica is the plant behind the whole cica category, sold as gotu kola or Madagascar centella. Its extract is the anchor of Korean formulas built for easily reddened skin, and its work is done by four triterpenes: asiaticoside, madecassoside, asiatic acid and madecassic acid.
- 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.
- Market
- Korean market, the version sold in Korea
- EAN (barcode)
- 8809886482946
- Made in
- Republic of Korea
- Volume
- 80 ml
- Category
- Serum & Ampoule
- Actives
- Centella Asiatica, Glycolic Acid, Hyaluronic Acid, Niacinamide, Panthenol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Squalane, Vitamin C
- 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
The Peel Shot Exfoliating Kojic Acid Turmeric Serum is an 80ml rinse-off peeling serum: smoothed over the face, avoiding the eyes, then rinsed off thoroughly with water. The active it is built around is Kojic Acid, named thirty-second on its own ingredient list. The same list carries Niacinamide, Glycolic Acid and Gluconolactone, so the active is not the only thing on it worth naming. How much of the Kojic Acid stays on the skin, and for how long, is decided by the serum format rather than by the list alone. This is the Original Korean Formula, the serum Dr. Melaxin sells in Korea, Kojic Acid and all.
How to use
- Use the Peel Shot Exfoliating Kojic Acid Turmeric Serum on a clean face, avoiding the eye area.
- Apply an appropriate amount on skin while avoiding eye area. Rinse with lukewarm water to remove dead skin cells.
- After rinsing, go on with toner and the rest of your routine.
- Do not stack it with another exfoliating step in the same routine.
Worth knowing
- Patch test this serum on a small area and wait a day before using it more widely, especially with Kojic Acid on the list.
- This list names Fragrance, so skip it if fragrance components are something you avoid.
- Citric Acid and Gluconolactone on this list makes this serum an exfoliating step, so do not stack it with another one on the same night.
Complete the routine
- This itemDr. Melaxin Peel Shot Exfoliating Kojic Acid Turmeric Serum$21.17
- 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$128.67
Reviews
No reviews yet. Tell us how much you love the product!
Write a reviewWrite a review
Dr. Melaxin Peel Shot Exfoliating Kojic Acid Turmeric Serum
How it felt, how your skin took it, what you layer it with. Straight answers help the next person choose.
We’re on gram!
Creators trying on authentic Korean skincare routines and products from us.
Rating a shelf of Dr. Althea products one by one.
Jasmine Loo · YouTube
Two hydrating serums side by side, IUNIK and Dr. Althea.
Kristin · YouTube
A walk through the Dr. Althea serum lineup and who each one suits.
auraofmahmuda · YouTube
A blunt first take on the Dr. Althea range.
Lexi Chang · YouTube
A first look at the viral 345 Relief Cream before buying.
Shelley Nayak · YouTube
A first try of the Dr. Althea serum on camera.
Hannah Ziad · YouTube
Dr. Melaxin, Korean-market original
Dr. Melaxin Peel Shot Exfoliating Kojic Acid Turmeric Serum, a rinse-off peeling gel with kojic acid, turmeric root 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.
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 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
1 more professional perspective
This means that gluconolactone acts as an exfoliating acid, but also as a moisturizer. It has moisturizing, soothing, and lightening properties, working well on dry skin.
Paola PeruginiPhD, Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology
Ask an AI assistant about this product
Ask an AI assistant about this product
Opens ChatGPT, Perplexity or Claude in a new tab with the question prefilled. Claude asks you to sign in first.