Which Medicube Cleanser Should You Buy? Foams, Jellies and Oils

Which Medicube cleansers contain exfoliating acids?

6 of the 8 Medicube cleansers with a published list carry at least one of the exfoliating acids we track: BHA, AHAs, PHAs or azelaic acid.

Where each acid sits:

• Facial Cleanser Zero Pore Capsule Cleansing Foam: salicylic acid (BHA) 9th, gluconolactone 30th, mandelic acid 31st of 44
• Facial Cleanser PDRN Pink Glutathione Capsule Foam Cleanser: gluconolactone 25th, glycolic acid 27th of 54
• Facial Cleanser Turmeric Capsule Foam Cleanser: salicylic acid (BHA) 13th of 47
• Facial Cleanser Red Foam Cleanser: salicylic acid (BHA) 15th of 23
• Facial Cleanser Azelaic Acid Capsule Foam Cleanser: salicylic acid (BHA) 17th, gluconolactone 28th, glycolic acid 30th, azelaic acid 35th of 54
• Kojic Acid Turmeric Jelly To Foam Cleanser: salicylic acid (BHA) 10th of 42

2 list none of those acids. A product can still exfoliate in other ways, through plant extracts or a rub-off gel texture, which an ingredient list cannot measure:

• Facial Cleanser Zero Foam Cleanser for Pore & Excess
• Cleansing Oil Zero Pore Blackhead

Which Medicube cleansers list no fragrance?

3 of the 8 Medicube cleansers with a published ingredient list show no fragrance on it:

• Facial Cleanser Red Foam Cleanser
• Facial Cleanser Azelaic Acid Capsule Foam Cleanser
• Kojic Acid Turmeric Jelly To Foam Cleanser

Fragrance sits in the first fifteen places on 3 of them, which matters most if fragrance is a trigger for you:

• Cleansing Oil Zero Pore Blackhead: fragrance 3rd of 50
• Facial Cleanser Zero Foam Cleanser for Pore & Excess: fragrance 11th of 37
• Facial Cleanser Zero Pore Capsule Cleansing Foam: fragrance 14th of 44

No fragrance on the list is not the same as no scent: plant extracts and oils can carry a smell of their own. It does mean no added fragrance blend is declared.

Medicube cleansers with a retinoid the title doesn't mention

One of the 8 Medicube cleansers with a published list contains a retinoid that the Amazon listing title does not mention:

• Facial Cleanser Turmeric Capsule Foam Cleanser: retinol, 23rd of 47

It sits in the front half of the list, so treat it as a retinoid product. It still matters if you are pregnant, breastfeeding or already using a prescription retinoid. Our list of Medicube products with retinol covers every format we track.

Foam, jelly or oil: which Medicube cleanser type suits you

The three Medicube cleanser types suit different skin and different jobs. Foaming cleansers suit oily and combination skin and a quick morning wash. Jelly-to-foam cleansers start as a gel and lather lightly, so they suit normal and drier skin that still likes a foam. Cleansing oils dissolve sunscreen and makeup and are the first step of a double cleanse, followed by a foam.

A tight, squeaky feeling after washing is not a sign of a deep clean. It means the cleanser took more oil than your skin wanted to lose, and skin that feels that way every day tends to become more reactive, not less.

Why some Medicube cleansers contain exfoliating acids

Some Medicube cleansers contain exfoliating acids because they are sold for pores, blackheads or uneven tone, and the acid is the active doing that job. In a rinse-off product the acid has seconds on the skin, so it does far less than the same acid in a toner or serum left on overnight.

Seconds still add up when an acid cleanser runs twice a day on top of acid pads and a retinoid. Choose a cleanser with no acid on its list if you already exfoliate with another product, and let the leave-on product do that work.

How to double cleanse with Medicube

To double cleanse with Medicube, massage a cleansing oil into dry skin for about a minute, add a splash of water to turn it milky, rinse, then follow with a foaming or jelly cleanser. The oil lifts sunscreen and makeup; the second cleanser removes what is left, including the oil itself.

Double cleansing is an evening habit. In the morning a single gentle cleanse, or just water if your skin is dry, is enough.

Who should skip which Medicube cleansers

Every product we read in full has a note on who it does not suit. These are the notes for the cleansers not picked above:

• Facial Cleanser Zero Pore Capsule Cleansing Foam: You react to fragrance. It sits 14th of 44 in a product used on the face daily.
• Facial Cleanser Turmeric Capsule Foam Cleanser: You are buying it for the turmeric. It sits 36th of 47 in a product you rinse off.
• Facial Cleanser Red Foam Cleanser: Your skin already feels tight after cleansing. This base chemistry pulls hard in that direction.
• Facial Cleanser Azelaic Acid Capsule Foam Cleanser: You want azelaic acid for redness or marks. The list declares 31 ppm, and leave-on products work at thousands of times that.
• Cleansing Oil PDRN Mild for Pore & Sebum Care: You want PDRN to do something for your skin. In a rinse-off oil it is gone within minutes.
• Kojic Acid Turmeric Jelly To Foam Cleanser: Your skin is dry or easily stripped. An olefin sulfonate leads the cleansing base.

Common questions

Do Medicube cleansers contain fragrance?

Some do. 5 of the 8 with a published ingredient list include fragrance and 3 do not. The ones without it are listed in the fragrance section above.

Is the Medicube Zero Foam Cleanser good for sensitive skin?

Its published list has fragrance in 11th place of 37 and no exfoliating acid. That does not rule it out, but if fragrance is a trigger for you, start with a cleanser from the table that lists none.

Do you need to double cleanse?

On days you wear sunscreen or makeup, yes. A single foam often leaves sunscreen behind, and an oil first removes it more gently than scrubbing harder with one product.

Can you use a Medicube cleanser with acid pads?

Yes, as long as the cleanser has no exfoliating acid on its list, or you keep the acid cleanser for nights you skip the pads.

How long should you cleanse for?

About a minute of gentle massage is enough for a foam and a little longer for an oil. With an acid cleanser, longer contact means more exfoliation, so keep those brief.

More Medicube guides

These guides pick up where this one stops, by product type, by skin concern and by ingredient:

• Which Medicube Toner Should You Buy? Toners and Pads Compared
• The Medicube Zero Pore Range: What to Buy and What to Skip
• Which Medicube Mask Should You Buy? Wrapping, Jelly, Mud and Sheet
• Which Medicube Moisturizer Should You Buy?
• Best Medicube for Oily Skin
• Best Medicube for Sensitive Skin, and What to Skip
• Best Medicube for Pores and Blackheads
• Where the headline ingredient sits, for the whole Medicube range