Medicube
Red Acne Succinic Acid Peeling Serum
Medicube Red Acne Succinic Acid Peeling Serum is a Korean-market serum built around Succinic Acid, formulated in Korea and sold here in its original Korean-market formula rather than a US-shelf reformulation.
No reviews yet40g
$52.47 per 100 g
- Korean-market formula
- Ships from California or direct from Korea
- Korean barcode and batch code intact
- Suited to
- normal skincombination skindry skinoily skin
- Helps with
- breakout-prone skingeneral 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
How it works
Medicube Red Acne Succinic Acid Peeling Serum is a serum built for the treatment step right after toner. Its ingredient list leads with Succinic Acid, Salicylic Acid, and Panthenol, 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. Succinic Acid does the most work here as a clarity, 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 Red Acne Succinic Acid Peeling Serum line rather than a US-reformulated variant, the texture and finish match what Medicube sells through Korean retail.
Inside the formula
Inside the formula
- 14Succinic Acid
- 20Salicylic Acid
- 25Panthenol
- 27Allantoin
Where each key active sits on the declared ingredient list, by entry number. Position is proportion: the further forward, the larger its share.
How to use
- Use the Red Acne Succinic Acid Peeling Serum after toner and before moisturizer, in the evening.
- Three or four drops covers the whole face. Press it in with flat palms instead of rubbing it around.
- Toner first so the surface is damp, then this, then about a minute before your moisturizer goes over the top. Glycolic acid is the entry that puts this step in the evening rather than the morning.
- Start at two or three evenings a week and build up from there, because glycolic acid is on this list. Do not use it in the same routine as another resurfacing acid or a retinoid.
Medicube Red Acne Succinic Acid Peeling Serum
What does the Red Acne Succinic Acid Peeling Serum actually contain?
Its ingredient list is led by Succinic 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 Red Acne Succinic Acid Peeling 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 Red Acne Succinic Acid Peeling Serum the same formula sold in Korea, or a US version?
This Red Acne Succinic Acid Peeling 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 Red Acne Succinic Acid Peeling 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 Red Acne Succinic Acid Peeling 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 40g format. 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: essential oils, silicones, parabens, sulfate surfactants, mineral oil or petrolatum and added color.
Full INCI (36): Water(Aqua), Lactic Acid, Alcohol, Glycerin, Dipropylene Glycol, Glycereth-26, Methylpropanediol, Sorbeth-30 Tetraoleate, Tromethamine, Butylene Glycol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, 1,2-Hexanediol, Fragrance, Succinic Acid, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Coptis Japonica Extract, Lithospermum Erythrorhizon Root Extract, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/VP Copolymer, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Salicylic Acid, Ethylhexylglycerin, o-Cymen-5-ol, Ribes Nigrum (Black Currant) Fruit Extract, Punica Granatum Fruit Extract, Panthenol, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Allantoin, Indigofera Tinctoria Extract, Glycolic Acid, Cynanchum Atratum Extract, t-Butyl Alcohol, Hemerocallis Fulva Flower Extract, Myosotis Sylvatica Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract, Xanthan Gum, Sorbitan Sesquioleate, C12-14 Pareth-12
Ingredient list read from medicube.us on 30 August 2026.
36 of 36 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.
- Lactic Acid exfoliant
- Lactic Acid is a larger AHA than glycolic, so it works nearer the surface and is easier on skin, and it is a humectant as well as an exfoliant. It is the AHA of choice for dry skin.
- Alcohol solvent
- Alcohol here means ethanol. It dissolves ingredients water cannot, evaporates fast so a formula sets quickly and does not feel heavy, and thins texture. In quantity it can leave dry or reactive skin feeling tight, which is why many Korean formulas avoid it and some deliberately use it for a fast, weightless finish.
- 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.
- 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.
- Glycereth-26 humectant
- Glycereth-26 is a modified glycerin that hydrates with far less stickiness than glycerin itself. It is a common way to load water into a formula that has to stay light.
- Methylpropanediol humectant
- Methylpropanediol is a small glycol used to hydrate and to help water-soluble actives penetrate the outer layer of skin more evenly. It leaves almost no tack, which suits watery textures.
- Sorbeth-30 Tetraoleate emulsifier
- Sorbeth-30 Tetraoleate is an emulsifier used in cleansing oils so the oil can be rinsed off with water rather than wiped away.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
24 more explained
- 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.
- Succinic Acid active
- Succinic Acid is a small organic acid used for the look of blemish-prone skin and as a pH adjuster. It is far milder than an AHA at the levels used here.
- Hydroxyethylcellulose thickener
- Hydroxyethylcellulose is a cellulose thickener that builds a clear, smooth gel and holds the rest of the formula in suspension.
- Coptis Japonica Extract plant extract
- Japanese goldthread extract, the whole plant rather than only the root. It carries berberine, is bright yellow, and is used for the look of congested skin.
- Lithospermum Erythrorhizon Root Extract plant extract
- Purple gromwell root, long used in Korean and Chinese herbal practice. The root is deep red-purple, so it colours a formula, and it is used for the look of reactive skin.
- Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/VP Copolymer thickener
- This is a synthetic thickener that gels quickly and holds an emulsion stable across a wide pH range. It gives a light, non-tacky body.
- Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6 thickener
- Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6 is a thickener chosen for a notably fresh, bouncy gel feel that breaks down to water on the skin.
- 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.
- 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.
- o-Cymen-5-ol preservative
- O-Cymen-5-Ol is a thymol relative used as a preservative. Korean formulas aimed at the look of congested skin use it often.
- Ribes Nigrum (Black Currant) Fruit Extract plant extract
- Blackcurrant fruit extract, unusually high in vitamin C and anthocyanins. It is used as a plant antioxidant.
- Punica Granatum Fruit Extract plant extract
- Pomegranate fruit extract, carrying ellagic acid and punicalagins. It is used as a plant antioxidant.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Indigofera Tinctoria Extract plant extract
- True indigo extract, the plant natural indigo dye is made from. In a formula it both colours and conditions.
- 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.
- Cynanchum Atratum Extract plant extract
- Cynanchum Atratum is a root used in Korean traditional practice. Its extract is used as a conditioning plant extract in formulas for reactive skin.
- t-Butyl Alcohol solvent
- t-Butyl Alcohol is the bittering agent added to cosmetic ethanol so it cannot be drunk. It appears in tiny amounts alongside alcohol denat. and does no formulation work of its own.
- Hemerocallis Fulva Flower Extract plant extract
- Orange daylily flower extract, from an edible flower in Korean cooking. It is used as a conditioning floral extract.
- Myosotis Sylvatica Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract plant extract
- Forget-me-not extract, taken from the whole plant above ground. It is used as a gentle conditioning botanical.
- Xanthan Gum thickener
- Xanthan Gum is a polysaccharide made by fermenting sugar. It thickens a watery formula into a gel and holds the whole thing in suspension so nothing separates. Too much of it and a serum turns stringy, which is why it appears in fractions of a percent.
- Sorbitan Sesquioleate emulsifier
- Sorbitan Sesquioleate is a water-in-oil emulsifier and pigment disperser. Cleansing oils use it so water can be worked into the oil at the rinse.
- C12-14 Pareth-12 emulsifier
- C12-14 Pareth-12 is a solubiliser that keeps oils and fragrance in solution so a clear formula stays clear.
- Market
- Korean market, the version sold in Korea
- Made in
- Republic of Korea
- Volume
- 40g
- Category
- Serum & Ampoule
- Actives
- Allantoin, Glycolic Acid, Lactic Acid, Licorice Root, Panthenol, Salicylic Acid
- 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.
Key benefits
- Built around Succinic Acid, positioned for clarity.
- Built around Salicylic Acid, positioned for pore care.
- Built around Panthenol, positioned for comfort.
- Formulated as a serum for the treatment step right after toner.
- The Korean-market Medicube formula for Red Acne Succinic Acid Peeling Serum, matching what Medicube sells in Korea rather than a US-reformulated line.
Key actives
14Succinic AcidClarity
Succinic Acid sits in the middle stretch of the ingredient list, a supporting rather than a headline role. It is an ingredient chosen for clarity: a mild acid chosen for blemish-prone skin, included to support a clearer-looking surface without the sharper sting of stronger exfoliating acids.
20Salicylic AcidPore care
Salicylic Acid sits further down the ingredient list, in a supporting, lower-weighted role. It is an ingredient chosen for pore care: a BHA that works inside the pore lining, included at a level meant for regular use on textured, congestion-prone skin.
25PanthenolComfort
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.
27AllantoinComfort
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.
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 Red Acne Succinic Acid Peeling 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 Succinic 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.
BHAs like salicylic acid get really deep into the pores, whereas the water-soluble ones don't go as deep.
Samantha Stein, PA-CDermatology physician assistant, Cleveland Clinic Pantothenol is a common ingredient in skin care and hair products I recommend, particularly for people who are prone to dryness.
Taylor Bullock, MDDermatology resident, Cleveland Clinic
1 more professional perspective
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
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