Medicube Zero Pore Pad: a Guru Score of 55% from 8 experts

What the gurus are saying.

Every take we've logged from this product's reviews across YouTube. Click any row to watch the moment they said it.

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~Nay

"Medicube is more of like a trendy TikTok type brand than anything else. Not one of my favorite brands. The brand typically, the ingredients just were typically not great. Like the fifth product is denatured alcohol and then it's got lavender oil, eucalyptus oil, rosemary oil, orange peel oil, grapefruit peel oil, limonene. It's got all these fragrance ingredients that are not good for your skin, bergamot oil. They're not good for your skin, especially if you're going to go outside or they're a lot of these are phototoxic. But the bigger issue is this brand had batches recently in the late summer that according to official government research and publications contained an ingredient called Sudan red. Hong Kong Customs tested this product that was going to be sold to customers and it found one point five milligrams of Sudan red inside of it and Sudan red apparently is an extremely carcinogenic carcinogen. Not good for your skin, not good for topical, not good for anything. You don't want exposure to carcinogens at all if you can help it. Medicube is not a brand I use a lot and probably will avoid knowing that they're messing around with Sudan red."

All 2 takes from No BS Beauty

Trying The Popular Viral Medicube Skincare Products & Science Based Alternatives

"This product contains a ton of bergamot oil, rosemary oil, lavender oil, orange peel oil, grapefruit peel oil, and lime, orange, and lemon extract. It also contains denatured alcohol as the fourth ingredient after the lactic acid. I have a feeling this product could probably do much more damage and irritation to skin, especially acne-prone skin, than it would be beneficial. The ingredients are very drying, and in addition to all of those essential oils which can be very irritating, they include denatured alcohol and then on top of an exfoliant. Lactic acid should be paired with another soothing ingredient or used in a routine with another soothing ingredient. I really think this product could do much more damage than good. I would caution against using this at all."

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"Medicube is more of like a trendy TikTok type brand than anything else. Not one of my favorite brands. The brand typically, the ingredients just were typically not great. Like the fifth product is denatured alcohol and then it's got lavender oil, eucalyptus oil, rosemary oil, orange peel oil, grapefruit peel oil, limonene. It's got all these fragrance ingredients that are not good for your skin, bergamot oil. They're not good for your skin, especially if you're going to go outside or they're a lot of these are phototoxic. But the bigger issue is this brand had batches recently in the late summer that according to official government research and publications contained an ingredient called Sudan red. Hong Kong Customs tested this product that was going to be sold to customers and it found one point five milligrams of Sudan red inside of it and Sudan red apparently is an extremely carcinogenic carcinogen. Not good for your skin, not good for topical, not good for anything. You don't want exposure to carcinogens at all if you can help it. Medicube is not a brand I use a lot and probably will avoid knowing that they're messing around with Sudan red."

Doctorly

3.58M subs

~Yay

"My favorite product is the Zero Pore Pads, one of their best sellers, specifically the version for sensitive skin. It cleans out your pores, helps with exfoliation, helps with texture, but it plays well with sensitive skin, so it's much more generally recommended and easy to incorporate into a skincare routine. I use it after shaving, about twice a week. I've developed some texture along my temples after a laser procedure, and it's really helping to reduce some of that with time. It's a great addition to your retinoid, to use on the days you're not using your retinoid. It's probably my favorite product."

Allie Glines

829k subs

~Yay

"I also love the Medicube Zero Pore Pads. These are kind of viral on TikTok, which is what made me try them, and they really are worth the hype. I love a good Korean toner pad container, the whole experience is just the best."

Darnell Cox | 50+ Healthy Aging Expert

55k subs

~Yay

"I got this as well. This is by Medicube Zero Pore Pad. Amazing."

A

AliceintheRabbitHole

59k subs

~Nay

"I love Medicube's devices, but their skincare has been very hit or miss for me, and this one was a miss. These toner pads contain essential oils, so big heads up if you're a sensitive skin type. A lot of Korean products are fragrance free, but this is not one of them."

Dr. Vanita Rattan

1.23M subs

~Nay

"As a fourth ingredient here, lactic acid is going to be at a high percentage. So that means you're exfoliating your skin daily with an AHA. That's a mistake. Then the fifth ingredient in here is ethanol. That's alcohol. So now you're exfoliating the skin and you're adding in alcohol, which dries the skin, by the way. Doesn't moisturize the skin. This is a really terrible product. And I feel like because of the alcohol, you get a sensation of tightening happening as water evaporates from the skin. And that's what makes you think it's tightening your pores. So, it's a bit of a con to be honest. It's not tightening the pores. There's no salicylic acid in this, which is what helps with pore tightening. There's no collagen boosters in here, which is what would help with pore tightening. So, this one is a bit of a con, and it's one that I would tell you to avoid."

Mad About Skin

727k subs

~Nay

"These are gentle, but I don't feel that we really need all these pads in our life. I think it's a little bit much. I think the marketing on here is a bit suspect because this isn't going to give you zero pores. It might help at the margins. I just don't think it's worth the price point. If you're looking for an exfoliating pad and you set your expectations right, this is okay, but it's nothing groundbreaking if you ask me."

C

CYoung

94k subs

~Nay

"Medicube is the global number one toner pad. It has an embossed AHA and PHA exfoliating side and a flat side, the manual says to wipe with the embossed side then go over it again with the flat side, but there isn't enough toner on it so I have to wipe really gently to not break my skin barrier. Don't use it every day, use it once or twice a week. Honestly this doesn't do anything for me, I would rather use a serum that actually helps my pores. People expect too much from a toner pad but it doesn't actually minimize your pores, it just helps a little bit. If you have oily or combo skin you can try it out, but it's not my style."

All 2 takes from CYoung

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"Medicube is the global number one toner pad. It has an embossed AHA and PHA exfoliating side and a flat side, the manual says to wipe with the embossed side then go over it again with the flat side, but there isn't enough toner on it so I have to wipe really gently to not break my skin barrier. Don't use it every day, use it once or twice a week. Honestly this doesn't do anything for me, I would rather use a serum that actually helps my pores. People expect too much from a toner pad but it doesn't actually minimize your pores, it just helps a little bit. If you have oily or combo skin you can try it out, but it's not my style."

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"I ended up with the mild version by mistake but it's almost the same as the original. As soon as it touches your skin you feel it cooling, one side is embossed and the other is soft. When I wiped it on my nose I could feel my pores getting clean, but when I wiped again it turned red, it's effective but it's too aggressive, it feels like my skin is being shaved off. Don't use it too often, only use it when your t-zone area is rough, and if you have sensitive skin just put it on your nose and wipe it off gently."

What the evidence says.

Independent of what the gurus think, this is what the published research supports about the main active ingredients here.

Salicylic acid

Salicylic acid dissolves in oil, so it can get into a pore rather than just working on the surface. That is why it has long-standing evidence for blackheads and milder acne.

Source: DermNet

Alpha hydroxy acids

Alpha hydroxy acids loosen the bonds holding dead cells at the surface. The evidence supports smoother texture and more even tone over time, and they can leave skin more sensitive to sun.

Source: NIH, National Library of Medicine

Humectants and emollients

Ingredients like these draw water into the surface layers and slow how fast it leaves. The evidence is for comfort, softness and hydration rather than for changing the structure of the skin.

Source: DermNet

Frequently asked.

What is Medicube Zero Pore Pad?

Exfoliating pads infused with lactic acid and botanical extracts, designed to cleanse pores and support skin texture.

Is Medicube Zero Pore Pad worth it?

The gurus are split. 3 of the 8 gurus give it their stamp of approval while 5 would skip it, which lands it in the middle at a Guru Score of 55%.

What is Medicube Zero Pore Pad's Guru Score?

Medicube Zero Pore Pad holds a Guru Score of 55%. That is our read on how warmly the experts talk about it, based on the verdicts of 8 expert reviewers we have collected.