Medicube
Deep Vita A Retinol Serum
Medicube Deep Vita A Retinol Serum carries five separate retinol forms on its own ingredient panel, including Retinal, Retinol, Retinyl Palmitate, Retinyl Linoleate.
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- Suited to
- normal skincombination skindry skin
- Helps with
- early fine lines and uneven texturegeneral 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
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- Dispatched within 2 business days
How it works
The panel on this serum names five forms of retinol rather than one: Retinal, Retinol, Retinyl Palmitate, Retinyl Linoleate, Retinyl Retinoate. Retinal is retinaldehyde, a vitamin A derivative one chemical step closer to retinoic acid than retinol is. It is yellow-orange and unstable in light, so products carrying it are usually opaque. On this panel it sits alongside Niacinamide, Hydroxypinacolone Retinoate and Allantoin. 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.
Key benefits
- Five forms of retinol on one panel, not a single token inclusion
- Niacinamide on the same panel, the formula's active
- Hydroxypinacolone Retinoate on the same panel, the formula's active
- 30 ml to a unit
- Korean GS1 barcode matched against a Korea sourcing supplier's record for this item
Key actives
Retinal
Retinal is retinaldehyde, a vitamin A derivative one chemical step closer to retinoic acid than retinol is. It is yellow-orange and unstable in light, so products carrying it are usually opaque.
Retinol
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.
Retinyl Palmitate
Retinyl Palmitate is retinol bound to a fatty acid. It is the mildest common retinoid because skin has to make three conversions before it becomes active, which also makes it the least likely to cause flaking.
Niacinamide
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.
Hydroxypinacolone Retinoate
Hydroxypinacolone Retinoate is a retinoid ester that binds skin's retinoid receptors directly, with no conversion step. Brands use it where they want retinoid-style results with less of the flaking retinol brings.
Allantoin
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.
Medicube Deep Vita A Retinol Serum
What does the Deep Vita A Retinol Serum actually contain?
Its ingredient list is led by Niacinamide, 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 Deep Vita A Retinol 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 Deep Vita A Retinol Serum the same formula sold in Korea, or a US version?
This Deep Vita A Retinol 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 Deep Vita A Retinol 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 Deep Vita A Retinol Serum suited for?
It suits most skin types looking for treatment step right after toner rather than a single acute problem. It comes in a 30ml format. Anyone with a known sensitivity to a specific ingredient should check the full ingredient panel on this page before buying.
- Ships from
- California
Duties are prepaid. Nothing is owed at delivery. Returns are accepted for 30 days, by mail.
Orders ship from our California warehouse, dispatched within 2 business days, and arrive in 3 to 5 days. Shipping is free on orders of $100 or more.
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 - 2Customs
Duty paid by us before it enters the US - 3California
Ships domestically, no international leg
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.
Import duties are paid by us before the parcel reaches you, so nothing is owed at the door, 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.
Payment and security
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How to use
- Use it at night only, after toner and before moisturizer, on skin that is completely dry.
- Two or three drops for the whole face is the entire dose, kept off the corners of the eyes and mouth.
- Moisturizer goes over it every time, and sunscreen the next morning without exception.
- Start at two nights a week for a fortnight before going nightly. Do not use it with an acid or a second retinoid.
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.
Reviews
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Medicube, Korean-market original
Medicube's Korean-market serum led by Niacinamide, 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.
Vitamin A has a molecular structure that's tiny enough to get into the lower layers of your skin, where it finds and boosts collagen and elastin, which is a protein that strengthens your skin's flexibility.
Wilma Bergfeld, MDDermatologist, 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
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