Calming serum with azelaic acid, vitamin B3 and B5
Medicube Azelaic Acid 16 Calming Serum is Medicube’s serum for oily, troubled skin. The brand builds it on a high concentration of its Azelaic Acid Complex together with niacinamide (vitamin B3) and pantothenic acid (vitamin B5): in the brand’s words, it helps calm troubled skin, refine skin texture, remove excess sebum and care for marks left after breakouts. The texture is smooth, lightweight and non-sticky. Medicube does not say what the 16 in the name stands for, and gives no percentage for the azelaic acid.
Key ingredients (from the official ingredient list)
Azelaic acid: second on the list, right after water; the brand calls the concentration high.
Niacinamide (B3) and pantothenic acid (B5), with panthenol and allantoin: the calming, conditioning part.
Centella asiatica, neem, turmeric and aloe flower extracts: the plant part of the formula.
Also on the list: squalane, shea butter, olive oil and ceramide NP near the end; the formula contains denatured alcohol.
Skin type
Oily and troubled skin, in the brand’s words.
How to use
After toner, apply a few drops, spread them following the skin’s texture and pat in. Apply a thin layer at a time and let it absorb fully before adding more: because of the high concentration of azelaic acid, a slight white residue or layering may appear. This is normal, and a moisturizer on top makes it disappear.
