Azelaic Acid 16 Calming Serum
Medicube Azelaic Acid 16 Calming Serum is a Korean-market serum built around Azelaic Acid, formulated in Korea and sold here in its original Korean-market formula rather than a US-shelf reformulation.
No reviews yet- Korean-market formula
- Ships from California or direct from Korea
- Korean barcode and batch code intact
- Suited to
- normal skincombination skindry skinsensitive skin
- Helps with
- occasional redness and reactivitygeneral day-to-day maintenance as part of a full routinea routine that wants a Korean-market step in this category
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- 30-day returns
- Free US shipping on orders of $100 or more
- Tracked delivery to your door
Key benefits
- Built around Azelaic Acid, positioned for clarity and tone.
- Built around Niacinamide, positioned for tone and texture.
- Built around Allantoin, positioned for comfort.
- Formulated as a serum for the treatment step right after toner.
- The Korean-market Medicube formula for Azelaic Acid 16 Calming Serum, matching what Medicube sells in Korea rather than a US-reformulated line.
Key actives
2Azelaic AcidClarity and tone
Azelaic Acid sits near the top of the ingredient list, where the formula puts its heaviest-weighted ingredients. It is an ingredient chosen for clarity and tone: a multitasking acid known for evening out the look of blemish-prone, redness-prone skin without the sharper feel of some other acids.
9NiacinamideTone and texture
Niacinamide sits in the middle stretch of the ingredient list, a supporting rather than a headline role. It is an ingredient chosen for tone and texture: a form of vitamin B3 that supports a more even-looking tone and a smoother surface texture with regular use, and layers comfortably under most other actives.
18AllantoinComfort
Allantoin sits further down the ingredient list, in a supporting, lower-weighted role. It is an ingredient chosen for comfort: a comfort ingredient with a long safety record, added to keep the finish gentle on skin that is dealing with dryness or mild sensitivity.
19Centella Asiatica ExtractComfort
Centella Asiatica Extract sits further down the ingredient list, in a supporting, lower-weighted role. It is an ingredient chosen for comfort: a cica extract long used in Korean formulation for its calming reputation, chosen here to keep the finish comfortable on skin that flares easily.
20PanthenolComfort
Panthenol sits further down the ingredient list, in a supporting, lower-weighted role. It is an ingredient chosen for comfort: provitamin B5, a humectant and comfort ingredient that softens the finish and helps a formula feel less drying over repeated use.
Inside the formula
Inside the formula
- 2Azelaic Acid
- 9Niacinamide
- 18Allantoin
- 20Panthenol
Where each key active sits on the declared ingredient list, by entry number. Position is proportion: the further forward, the larger its share.
Medicube Azelaic Acid 16 Calming Serum
What does the Azelaic Acid 16 Calming Serum actually contain?
Its ingredient list is led by Azelaic Acid, with the rest of the formula built to support that active rather than compete with it. We list the ingredients in the order the manufacturer prints them, so the ones near the top of the panel are doing the most work in the formula.
How do I use the Azelaic Acid 16 Calming Serum?
Use this serum as the treatment step right after toner. To apply, smooth or press onto cleansed, toned skin and follow with moisturizer. Keep it to AM/PM unless the packaging states otherwise, and give the rest of the routine a moment to settle before layering the next step. Give it a full bottle or box before judging the result, since most Korean routines are built for steady use rather than a single application.
Is the Azelaic Acid 16 Calming Serum the same formula sold in Korea, or a US version?
This Azelaic Acid 16 Calming Serum is the Korean-market formula, not a version reformulated for US shelves. It arrives with its original Korean-market barcode and batch code intact so the formula can be checked against the box on arrival.
Can I use the Azelaic Acid 16 Calming Serum with other actives in my routine?
Yes, as long as it is used in its own step, the treatment step right after toner, and not layered on top of a product doing the same job. Introduce any new step gradually over the first week or two and keep an eye on how the skin responds before adding a second new active alongside it.
Who is the Azelaic Acid 16 Calming Serum suited for?
It suits most skin types looking for treatment step right after toner rather than a single acute problem. Check the listing for the exact size in stock. Anyone with a known sensitivity to a specific ingredient should check the full ingredient panel on this page before buying.
Not on the ingredient list below: fragrance or parfum, essential oils, silicones, parabens, sulfate surfactants, mineral oil or petrolatum and added color.
Full INCI (31): WATER (AQUA), AZELAIC ACID, BUTYLENE GLYCOL, PROPANEDIOL, SODIUM HYDROXIDE, PROPYLENE GLYCOL, ALCOHOL DENAT., 1,2-HEXANEDIOL, NIACINAMIDE, CITRIC ACID, GLYCERYL CAPRYLATE, MELIA AZADIRACHTA LEAF EXTRACT, MELIA AZADIRACHTA FLOWER EXTRACT, COCCINIA INDICA FRUIT EXTRACT, ALOE BARBADENSIS FLOWER EXTRACT, SOLANUM MELONGENA (EGGPLANT) FRUIT EXTRACT, OCIMUM SANCTUM LEAF EXTRACT, ALLANTOIN, CENTELLA ASIATICA EXTRACT, PANTHENOL, CURCUMA LONGA (TURMERIC) ROOT EXTRACT, CORALLINA OFFICINALIS EXTRACT, PANTOTHENIC ACID, NICOTINAMIDE MONONUCLEOTIDE, HYDROLYZED PEA PROTEIN, PHYTOSTEROLS, LECITHIN, OLEA EUROPAEA (OLIVE) FRUIT OIL, SQUALANE, BUTYROSPERMUM PARKII (SHEA) BUTTER, CERAMIDE NP
30 of 31 explained
- WATER (AQUA) 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.
- AZELAIC ACID active
- Azelaic Acid is a grain-derived acid used for the look of redness and uneven tone. It is not an exfoliant in the AHA sense and is usually formulated at 10 percent or below in cosmetics.
- 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.
- 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.
- PROPYLENE GLYCOL humectant
- Propylene Glycol is a small glycol used as a humectant and solvent. It hydrates and helps actives dissolve; newer formulas often swap it for propanediol, which does the same job with a lighter feel.
- ALCOHOL DENAT solvent
- Alcohol Denat. is ethanol with a bitter additive that makes it undrinkable, which is a tax rule rather than a formulation choice. It behaves like alcohol: a fast-evaporating solvent that gives a weightless finish and can feel drying at higher levels.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- GLYCERYL CAPRYLATE emulsifier
- Glyceryl Caprylate is a mild emulsifier that also makes a formula less hospitable to microbes, so it is often part of a preservative-free system.
- MELIA AZADIRACHTA LEAF EXTRACT plant extract
- Melia Azadirachta is neem. Its leaf and flower extracts are long-standing Ayurvedic ingredients, and Korean formulas use them in products aimed at the look of congested, blemish-prone skin.
18 more explained
- COCCINIA INDICA FRUIT EXTRACT plant extract
- Coccinia Indica is ivy gourd. Its fruit extract is used as a conditioning, hydrating plant extract in Korean formulas.
- ALOE BARBADENSIS FLOWER EXTRACT plant extract
- Aloe Flower Extract comes from the flower rather than the leaf gel. It is used as a conditioning plant extract.
- SOLANUM MELONGENA (EGGPLANT) FRUIT EXTRACT plant extract
- Eggplant Fruit Extract carries nasunin, the antioxidant pigment in aubergine skin. It is used as an antioxidant plant extract.
- OCIMUM SANCTUM LEAF EXTRACT plant extract
- Ocimum Sanctum is holy basil, or tulsi. Its leaf extract carries plant antioxidants and is used in formulas built for the look of stressed, reactive skin.
- ALLANTOIN active
- Allantoin is a comfrey-derived compound used to condition skin and soften the outer layer so it feels smoother. It is one of the standard additions to a formula built for easily irritated skin.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- CORALLINA OFFICINALIS EXTRACT plant extract
- Corallina Officinalis is coral seaweed, which holds calcium and magnesium in its structure. Its extract is used as a mineral-rich conditioning ingredient.
- PANTOTHENIC ACID vitamin
- Pantothenic Acid is vitamin B5, the form skin converts panthenol into. It is used as a conditioning humectant that leaves skin feeling soft rather than tight.
- NICOTINAMIDE MONONUCLEOTIDE active
- Nicotinamide Mononucleotide is a nucleotide built from vitamin B3 and a sugar phosphate. Korean formulas use it as a conditioning active, usually alongside niacinamide itself.
- HYDROLYZED PEA PROTEIN protein
- Pea protein cut into small fragments so it dissolves in water. It is a plant protein used as a humectant and a light film former.
- PHYTOSTEROLS 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.
- LECITHIN emulsifier
- Lecithin is a soy or sunflower-derived phospholipid, the same class of molecule cell membranes are built from. It emulsifies oil into water and is the basis of the liposomes formulators use to carry actives.
- OLEA EUROPAEA (OLIVE) FRUIT OIL emollient
- Olive Fruit Oil is high in oleic acid and plant sterols. It is a rich emollient that suits dry skin and is heavy enough that blemish-prone skin often does not get on with it.
- 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.
- BUTYROSPERMUM PARKII (SHEA) BUTTER emollient
- Shea Butter is the fat pressed from the shea nut, rich in oleic and stearic acids and unsaponifiable plant sterols. It is a heavy emollient and partial occlusive, which is why it sits in balms and night creams rather than in essences.
- 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.
- Market
- Korean market, the version sold in Korea
- Made in
- Republic of Korea
- Category
- Serum & Ampoule
- Actives
- Allantoin, Aloe Vera, Azelaic Acid, Centella Asiatica, Ceramide NP, Niacinamide, Panthenol, Shea Butter, 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
Medicube Azelaic Acid 16 Calming Serum is a serum built for the treatment step right after toner. Its ingredient list leads with Azelaic Acid, Niacinamide, and Allantoin, so the formula's stated purpose lines up with what actually sits near the top of that list rather than with a single marketing ingredient buried further down. Azelaic Acid does the most work here as a clarity and tone, and the remaining actives round out the texture and finish rather than compete for attention. Placed as the treatment step right after toner, it is meant to be used AM/PM rather than swapped freely between steps. Because this is the Korean-market version of the Azelaic Acid 16 Calming Serum line rather than a US-reformulated variant, the texture and finish match what Medicube sells through Korean retail.
How to use
- Use it in the evening after toner and before moisturizer, on skin that is dry to the touch.
- Three or four drops for the face, or only over the areas that run red, pressed in rather than rubbed.
- Follow with a moisturizer every time, and wear sunscreen the next morning.
- Start at two nights a week and build up. Do not use it alongside another acid or a retinoid on the same night.
Worth knowing
- Introduce it two to three nights a week at first and watch how the skin responds before moving to nightly use.
- Pair it with a daily sunscreen step, since brightening and exfoliating actives can make skin more reactive to sun exposure.
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Medicube Azelaic Acid 16 Calming Serum
How it felt, how your skin took it, what you layer it with. Straight answers help the next person choose.
Medicube, Korean-market original
Medicube's Korean-market serum led by Azelaic Acid, the same formula sold in Korea.
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.
Medicube prints a QR code on the inner box. Scan it with your phone camera and it resolves to the brand’s own verification site.
Verify on medicubeverify.com →Source: Medicube packaging and verification site
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.
Allantoin can tone down the dryness of the individual cells. It increases the water content of the skin, which means it helps to hydrate and moisturize.
Wilma Bergfeld, MDDermatologist, Cleveland Clinic Azelaic acid is a dicarboxylic acid molecule with anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, effective in the treatment of acne vulgaris and papulopustular rosacea, among other cutaneous conditions.
Zena AlaniDoctor and Clinical Researcher, DermNet NZ
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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