MediCube Hyaluronic Multi Peptide Serum Versus MediCube Zero Pore One-Day Serum

MediCube Hyaluronic Multi Peptide Serum Versus MediCube Zero Pore One-Day Serum

This hydrating serum is formulated around Niacinamide and Sodium Hyaluronate to hydrate skin and soften the look of wrinkles.

This pore-care serum is formulated around Gluconolactone and Niacinamide to refine the look of pores and refine skin texture.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Neopentyl Glycol Dicaprate

Propanediol

Glycerin

1,2-Hexanediol

Niacinamide

Trehalose

Glyceryl Glucoside

Sorbitol

Sodium Hyaluronate

Sodium Chloride

Panthenol

Ethylhexylglycerin

Allantoin

Adenosine

Disodium EDTA

Glucose

Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract

Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract

Butylene Glycol

Alpha-Arbutin

Squalane

Coccinia Indica Fruit Extract

Solanum Melongena Fruit Extract

Sodium DNA

Aloe Barbadensis Flower Extract

Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil

Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer

Ocimum Sanctum Leaf Extract

Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil

Corallina Officinalis Extract

Curcuma Longa Root Extract

Acetyl Hexapeptide-8

Acetyl Tetrapeptide-3

Arginine/Lysine Polypeptide

Collagen Extract

Copper Tripeptide-1

Dipeptide-2

Hexapeptide-11

Nonapeptide-1

Oligopeptide-1

Palmitoyl Hexapeptide-12

Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4

Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7

Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1

Tripeptide-1

Hyaluronic Acid

Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid

Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate

Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate

Potassium Hyaluronate

Pentylene Glycol

Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate

Water, Neopentyl Glycol Dicaprate, Propanediol, Glycerin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Niacinamide, Trehalose, Glyceryl Glucoside, Sorbitol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Chloride, Panthenol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Allantoin, Adenosine, Disodium EDTA, Glucose, Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract, Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract, Butylene Glycol, Alpha-Arbutin, Squalane, Coccinia Indica Fruit Extract, Solanum Melongena Fruit Extract, Sodium DNA, Aloe Barbadensis Flower Extract, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Ocimum Sanctum Leaf Extract, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Corallina Officinalis Extract, Curcuma Longa Root Extract, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Acetyl Tetrapeptide-3, Arginine/Lysine Polypeptide, Collagen Extract, Copper Tripeptide-1, Dipeptide-2, Hexapeptide-11, Nonapeptide-1, Oligopeptide-1, Palmitoyl Hexapeptide-12, Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Tripeptide-1, Hyaluronic Acid, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate, Potassium Hyaluronate, Pentylene Glycol, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate

Gluconolactone

Methylpropanediol

Tromethamine

Polyglycerin-3

Citric Acid

Dimethicone

C12-14 Pareth-12

Hydroxyethylcellulose

Salicylic Acid

Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer

Sodium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate

Lecithin

Lactic Acid

Glycolic Acid

Dextrin

Indigofera Tinctoria Extract

Sodium Citrate

Hemerocallis Fulva Flower Extract

Gardenia Florida Fruit Extract

Trisodium Phosphate

Myosotis Sylvatica Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract

Centella Asiatica Extract

Madecassoside

Lactobacillus Ferment Lysate

Taraxacum Officinale Leaf Extract

Water, Gluconolactone, Methylpropanediol, Glycerin, Propanediol, Tromethamine, Polyglycerin-3, Niacinamide, 1,2-Hexanediol, Citric Acid, Dimethicone, Butylene Glycol, C12-14 Pareth-12, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Salicylic Acid, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Sodium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Lecithin, Allantoin, Lactic Acid, Glycolic Acid, Ethylhexylglycerin, Adenosine, Dextrin, Indigofera Tinctoria Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Citrate, Hemerocallis Fulva Flower Extract, Gardenia Florida Fruit Extract, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Trisodium Phosphate, Myosotis Sylvatica Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract, Pentylene Glycol, Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Centella Asiatica Extract, Madecassoside, Lactobacillus Ferment Lysate, Taraxacum Officinale Leaf Extract

Reviews

Alternatives

Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.

1,2-Hexanediol is a synthetic liquid and another multi-functional powerhouse.

It is a:

Humectant, drawing moisture into the skin

Emollient, helping to soften skin

Solvent, dispersing and stabilizing formulas

Preservative booster, enhancing the antimicrobial activity of other preservatives

Adenosine is a purine nucleoside that your body already makes in every cell. In skincare, it acts mainly as a skin conditioning and anti-aging agent.

The way it works is fairly well mapped out:

Your skin has cells called fibroblasts that build collagen (the stuff that keeps skin firm and smooth). Adenosine basically flips a switch on these cells that tells them to get to work making more collagen and other proteins. These cells slow down on their own as skin ages, so Adenosine helps give them a little nudge to keep going.

The clinical backing is pretty solid too.

A blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial of 126 women aged 45-65 tested a 0.1% cream twice daily and found real improvements in crow's feet and frown lines using a precise 3D skin-mapping technique; these changes showed up by week 3 and held at 2 months.

A later study using Adenosine-loaded dissolving microneedle patches reported gains in wrinkle depth, dermal density, elasticity, and hydration.

On concentrations, South Korea's Ministry of Food and Drug Safety has set 0.04% as the approved functional anti-wrinkle level. You'll typically see this ingredient used somewhere in the 0.04-0.1% range since it works at low doses.

This ingredient has been found safe for cosmetics with the data showing no irritation or sensitization.

Overall, this is a great ingredient for any anti-aging routine and has no photosensitizing effect, so it suits both AM and PM use.

Allantoin is a soothing ingredient known for its protective and moisturizing properties; it's basically a quiet workhorse ingredient you can find in a huge range of cosmetics.

Though it can be derived from the comfrey plant, allantoin is produced synthetically for cosmetic products to ensure purity.

Research shows it can encourage your skin cells to turn over and renew by stimulating keratinocyte and fibroblast proliferation.

It also has mild keratolytic properties to help loosen and shed dead skin cells without being harsh.

Studies also suggest allantoin can help calm inflammation by dialing down some of the chemical signals your skin sends out when it is irritated.

This ingredient is typically used in the 0.1-0.5% range, and the FDA recognizes it as a skin protectant in OTC products up to 2%.

Overall, allantoin is a wonderful addition to most routines; it is stable across a wide pH range (~4-8), works well with other ingredients, and is considered non-sensitizing/non-irritating.

Fun fact: Allantoin is naturally occurring in comfrey root, beets, chamomile, and wheat sprouts. Our bodies even produce it as a byproduct of uric acid metabolism.

Butylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:

Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient that works well with other ingredients.

Though this ingredient works well with most skin types, some people with sensitive skin may experience a reaction such as allergic rashes, closed comedones, or itchiness.

Ethylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that:

The CIR Expert Panel found minimal skin absorption or sensitization of any kind in a safety assessment. Though this ingredient is considered well-tolerated, a small number of cases of allergic dermatitis have been published since 2002. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure.

Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.

Glycerin (or glycerol) is a compound naturally found in your skin. It's a powerhouse humectant that pulls water into the stratum corneum.

Topically, glycerin does several things at once:

Your skin makes glycerin on its own (mostly from sebaceous oil breakdown) and shuttles it to your outermost layer of skin, or your epidermis, via aquaporin-3.

Aquaporin-3 is a transporter that is essential for normal skin hydration, elasticity, and repair. Interestingly, mice lacking in AQP3 have dry and less elastic skin that can be fully corrected with glycerin.

This ingredient is non-irritating, plays well with almost every ingredient, and works across all skin types. Typical use is anywhere between 3-10% but can go up to 79% in some leave-on products.

Just know very high concentrations (>40%) can feel tacky in low humidity.

Glycerin is the name for this ingredient in American English. British English uses Glycerol/Glycerine.

Hyaluronic acid (HA) is a glycosaminoglycan (basically a long sugar chain) that your skin already makes on its own. In your skin, HA lives in the extracellular matrix and acts as the body's moisture reservoir.

Topically, HA is a humectant that binds water and helps skin look more plump, smooth, and hydrated.

The only catch is that HA isn't a single thing; it actually comes in a wide range of molecular weights (~50 - 2,000+ kDA) and size matters.

Some clinical evidence links low molecular weight versions to improved wrinkle depth, elasticity, anti-inflammatory effects, and barrier repair.

This is why the best HA serums blend the two sizes together so you get the best of both worlds.

The majority of cosmetic HA is produced by bacterial fermentation, typically using Streptococcus or Bacillus strains. Typical use levels in skincare sit around 0.1-2%.

A clinical study using a 0.2% low-molecular weight HA gel showed improvement in facial seborrheic dermatitis with excellent tolerance.

These are some other common types of Hyaluronic Acid:

Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid is hyaluronic acid (HA) that is broken down into lower molecular weight fragments.

It's a humectant that pulls and holds water in the skin to help with hydration, plumpness, and reduce transepidermal water loss.

Because hydrolyzed hyaluronic acid is smaller in size, it can slip past your outermost layer of skin more easily than full-sized HA.

Most formulations will combine all sizes to get the best of both worlds.

Typical usage levels range from 0.01-1%. Any percentage higher than 2% might become goopy and tacky.

This ingredient is created by putting sodium hyaluronate through hydrolysis.

You might know this as 'mini' or 'ultra low-molecular weight' hyaluronic acid. The small molecule size means it is able to travel deeper in the skin.

According to studies, low molecular-weight hyaluronic acid can:

One study from 2011 found ultra-low weight HA to show pro-inflammatory properties. Another study from 2022 found it to downregulate UV-B induced inflammation.

Hydrolysis is a process of changing a molecule using water or enzymes.

This ingredient is water-soluble.

Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate is a positively charged version of hyaluronic acid.

This small change does a lot in a formula:

Regular hyaluronic acid carries a negative charge and so does the surface of your skin. This means the two repel each other and hyaluronic acid can be washed away easily. The positive charge here does the opposite: it makes the ingredient cling to your skin (also called "substantivity") so it keeps hydrating even in rinse-off products where it lays down a light, moisture-holding film.

The research backs this up too; a 2025 clinical study on a shower gel containing 0.1% positively charged hyaluronic acid increased skin hydration by 6.6% versus the baseline and 11.1% versus the placebo. This was measured 6 hours after 1 minute of contact and rinse, and on volunteers with very dry skin.

The same team's lab work showed it adhered to skin far better than unmodified hyaluronic acid (+107% vs. low molecular weight, +23% versus high molecular weight). They also found it increased two proteins tied to skin hydration, aquaporin-3 by 16% and filaggrin by 35%.

A separate 2024 study reached a similar conclusion and credited the hydrating benefits to its film-forming properties.

Both studies used the ingredient at 0.1% which also matches how much it usually shows up in products (at fractions of a percent).

One honesty note worth keeping in mind: the published research comes from the company that manufactures the ingredient so independent data would strengthen the picture. However, the results are consistent and the mechanism makes sense.

As a Hyaluronic Acid derivative, it has a well-tolerated profile and suits most skin types.

Niacinamide is a multitasking form of vitamin B3 that strengthens the skin barrier, reduces pores and dark spots, regulates oil, and improves signs of aging.

And the best part? It's gentle and well-tolerated by most skin types, including sensitive and reactive skin.

You might have heard of "niacin flush", or the reddening of skin that causes itchiness. Niacinamide has not been found to cause this.

In very rare cases, some individuals may not be able to tolerate niacinamide at all or experience an allergic reaction to it.

If you are experiencing flaking, irritation, and dryness with this ingredient, be sure to double check all your products as this ingredient can be found in all categories of skincare.

When incorporating niacinamide into your routine, look out for concentration amounts. Typically, 5% niacinamide provides benefits such as fading dark spots. However, if you have sensitive skin, it is better to begin with a smaller concentration.

When you apply niacinamide to your skin, your body converts it into nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD). NAD is an essential coenzyme that is already found in your cells as "fuel" and powers countless biological processes.

In your skin, NAD helps repair cell damage, produce new healthy cells, support collagen production, strengthen the skin barrier, and fight environmental stressors (like UV and pollution).

Our natural NAD levels start to decline with age, leading to slower skin repair, visible aging, and a weaker skin barrier. By providing your skin niacinamide, you're recharging your skin's NAD levels. This leads to stronger, healthier, and younger looking skin.

Another name for vitamin B3 is nicotinamide. This vitamin is water-soluble and our bodies don't store it. We obtain Vitamin B3 from either food or skincare. Meat, fish, wheat, yeast, and leafy greens contain vitamin B3.

The type of niacinamide used in skincare is synthetically created.

Pentylene Glycol (1,2-pentanediol) is a multitasking little diol with three main roles in a formula:

Research on alkanediols (the family pentylene glycol belongs to) show they work by disrupting microbial cell membranes. This disruption helps the primary preservative system in a product work more effectively at lower doses.

On the safety side, the Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has concluded this ingredient to be safe as used in current cosmetic practices + concentrations.

Typical use levels in a formula run about 1-5%.

Propanediol is an all-star ingredient. It softens, hydrates, and smooths the skin.

It’s often used to:

Propanediol is not likely to cause sensitivity and considered safe to use. It is derived from corn or petroleum with a clear color and no scent.

Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate is a type of Hyaluronic Acid.

Hyaluronic Acids help moisturize, soothe, and protect the skin.

Read about common types of Hyaluronic Acid here:

Sodium Hyaluronate is the salt form of hyaluronic acid. It is a long sugar chain that is naturally found in your skin, joints, and connective tissue that maintains hydration and elasticity.

In skincare, it works as a humectant. It pulls water from the environment and deeper layers of skin and binds it to the surface.

Interestingly, the size of the molecule affects its behavior:

Many serums use a blend of both weights so you can get surface hydration plus longer-lasting and deeper effects.

You'll typically see concentrations between 0.1-2% for this ingredient.

Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer is a crosslinked version of sodium hyaluronate. This just means it's linked into a 3D mesh network that lets it be more stable and sit on skin as a cohesive, gel-like film rather than sinking into skin.

A 2016 human skin study found crosslinked HA increased epidermal water content by 7.6% over the control group and reduced transepidermal water loss by 27.8%.

A follow-up clinical trial found that a topical crosslinked HA serum applied after fillers, microneedling, or chemical peels was well-tolerated and enhanced skin quality at 14 / 28 days.

More recent research suggests that concentrations as low as 0.03% can act as a penetration enhancer for other skincare actives.

Water. It's the most common cosmetic ingredient of all. You'll usually see it at the top of ingredient lists, meaning that it makes up the largest part of the product.

So why is it so popular? Water most often acts as a solvent - this means that it helps dissolve other ingredients into the formulation.

You'll also recognize water as that liquid we all need to stay alive. If you see this, drink a glass of water. Remember to stay hydrated!

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