MediCube PDRN Pink Niacinamide Milky Toner Versus MediCube PDRN Pink Peptide Toner

MediCube PDRN Pink Niacinamide Milky Toner Versus MediCube PDRN Pink Peptide Toner

This brightening toner is formulated around Niacinamide and Adenosine to brighten dull-looking skin and strengthen the skin barrier.

This anti-aging toner is formulated around Niacinamide and Sodium DNA to soften the look of wrinkles and refine skin texture.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Glycerin

Niacinamide

Cetyl Ethylhexanoate

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

1,2-Hexanediol

Pentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate

Ethylhexyl Palmitate

Polyglyceryl-3 Distearate

Octyldodecanol

Diisostearyl Malate

C12-14 Alketh-12

Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer

Tromethamine

Glyceryl Stearate

Ethylhexylglycerin

Trehalose

Glyceryl Stearate Citrate

Adenosine

Disodium EDTA

Cyanocobalamin

Saccharide Hydrolysate

Oryza Sativa Bran Oil

Oryza Sativa Bran Water

Butylene Glycol

Prunus Amygdalus Amara Kernel Oil

Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract

Pyrus Malus Leaf Extract

Sorbitol

Panthenol

Propanediol

Vanilla Planifolia Fruit Extract

Jasminum Officinale Flower Water

Xylitylglucoside

Anhydroxylitol

Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil

Dipropylene Glycol

Sucrose Stearate

Xylitol

Beta-Carotene

Sodium DNA

Polyglyceryl-10 Oleate

Vaccinium Myrtillus Fruit Extract

Centella Asiatica Root Extract

Centella Asiatica Leaf Extract

Centella Asiatica Extract

Tocopherol

Pueraria Lobata Root Extract

Pentylene Glycol

Madecassoside

Milk Protein Extract

Lycopodium Clavatum Extract

Equisetum Arvense Extract

Phragmites Communis Extract

Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Fruit Extract

Lecithin

Tremella Fuciformis Extract

Tabebuia Impetiginosa Bark Extract

Trifolium Pratense Extract

Acetyl Glutamine

Asiatic Acid

Bacillus/Soybean Ferment Extract

Madecassic Acid

Asiaticoside

Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein

Hydrolyzed Soy Protein

Hydrolyzed Rice Protein

Hydrolyzed Rice Bran Protein

Hydrolyzed Corn Protein

Caprylyl Glycol

Sodium Hyaluronate

Folic Acid

Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4

Ceramide Ns

Ceramide NP

Ceramide EOP

Ceramide AP

Oligopeptide-3

Oligopeptide-2

Oligopeptide-1

Hexapeptide-11

Water, Glycerin, Niacinamide, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, 1,2-Hexanediol, Pentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Polyglyceryl-3 Distearate, Octyldodecanol, Diisostearyl Malate, C12-14 Alketh-12, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Tromethamine, Glyceryl Stearate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Trehalose, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Adenosine, Disodium EDTA, Cyanocobalamin, Saccharide Hydrolysate, Oryza Sativa Bran Oil, Oryza Sativa Bran Water, Butylene Glycol, Prunus Amygdalus Amara Kernel Oil, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Pyrus Malus Leaf Extract, Sorbitol, Panthenol, Propanediol, Vanilla Planifolia Fruit Extract, Jasminum Officinale Flower Water, Xylitylglucoside, Anhydroxylitol, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Dipropylene Glycol, Sucrose Stearate, Xylitol, Beta-Carotene, Sodium DNA, Polyglyceryl-10 Oleate, Vaccinium Myrtillus Fruit Extract, Centella Asiatica Root Extract, Centella Asiatica Leaf Extract, Centella Asiatica Extract, Tocopherol, Pueraria Lobata Root Extract, Pentylene Glycol, Madecassoside, Milk Protein Extract, Lycopodium Clavatum Extract, Equisetum Arvense Extract, Phragmites Communis Extract, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Fruit Extract, Lecithin, Tremella Fuciformis Extract, Tabebuia Impetiginosa Bark Extract, Trifolium Pratense Extract, Acetyl Glutamine, Asiatic Acid, Bacillus/Soybean Ferment Extract, Madecassic Acid, Asiaticoside, Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein, Hydrolyzed Soy Protein, Hydrolyzed Rice Protein, Hydrolyzed Rice Bran Protein, Hydrolyzed Corn Protein, Caprylyl Glycol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Folic Acid, Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4, Ceramide Ns, Ceramide NP, Ceramide EOP, Ceramide AP, Oligopeptide-3, Oligopeptide-2, Oligopeptide-1, Hexapeptide-11

Sodium Citrate

Allantoin

Citric Acid

Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate

Polyglyceryl-4 Laurate

Caprylyl/Capryl Glucoside

Rosa Damascena Extract

Gluconolactone

Prunus Mume Fruit Extract

Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract

Carica Papaya Fruit Extract

Vitis Vinifera Fruit Extract

Zea Mays Leaf Extract

Copper Tripeptide-1

Acetyl Hexapeptide-8

Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7

Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1

Glycine

Glutamic Acid

Arginine

Water, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Niacinamide, 1,2-Hexanediol, Xylitol, Sodium Citrate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Allantoin, Caprylyl Glycol, Citric Acid, Adenosine, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Disodium EDTA, Polyglyceryl-4 Laurate, Caprylyl/Capryl Glucoside, Cyanocobalamin, Rosa Damascena Extract, Sodium DNA, Gluconolactone, Prunus Mume Fruit Extract, Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract, Carica Papaya Fruit Extract, Vitis Vinifera Fruit Extract, Centella Asiatica Leaf Extract, Centella Asiatica Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Zea Mays Leaf Extract, Copper Tripeptide-1, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Glycine, Glutamic Acid, Arginine

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.

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.

Caprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created.

Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin.

Because it is not a free-fatty acid, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).

Centella Asiatica Extract (Centella) is one of the most researched botanical extracts in skincare with decades of studies backing its effects on inflammation, collagen, and the skin barrier.

That research keeps pointing back to the same four triterpenoid saponins: Asiaticoside, Madecassoside, Asiatic Acid, and Madecassic Acid.

These compounds allow centella to dial back inflammation, encourage the skin to build and hold onto collagen, support the barrier and hydration, and bring solid antioxidant activity to protect against signs of aging.

Centella also carries a nice supporting cast of Vitamin A, vitamin C, several B vitamins, and amino acids. Put it all together and you get an ingredient that soothes, hydrates, and protects, all at once.

Most of centella's magic comes from the four big compounds (Asiaticoside, Madecassoside, Asiatic Acid, and Madecassic Acid). These are the actives doing the heavy lifting in almost every centella study.

Here is the short version of what they do in the skin:

So it is not just soothing for the sake of soothing. Centella calms the skin AND helps it rebuild.

Just FYI, not all centella on an ingredient list is the same. What you are getting actually depends on the extract:

Fun fact on the ratios: the leaves tend to be richest in Madecassoside and Asiaticoside, and lower in the two acids. The exact amounts shift with where the plant is grown and how it is processed. This means purity really does vary brand to brand.

Centella is one of the most easygoing actives out there.

It layers well with basically everything: niacinamide, hyaluronic acid, peptides, and vitamin C, and also pairs nicely with stronger actives like retinoids and exfoliating acids where it can help take the edge off irritation.

On the safety side, centella and its triterpenes are classified as weak sensitizers, meaning allergic reactions are possible but uncommon.

Patch tests at 1% and 5% came back negative in test panels, and creams at typical use levels did not cause allergic reactions across large groups of people.

But as with any new active, a patch test is still a smart move for very reactive skin.

Centella is widely used because it is effective at low percentages. For context, human safety testing found no meaningful irritation from creams containing centella extract at everyday use levels (the tested amounts were well under 1%).

The irritancy threshold in animal testing was also above 30% (so real-world formulas sit far below anything concerning).

In collagen lab studies, higher concentrations drove more collagen synthesis, so serums built around centella tend to feature it more prominently.

Bottom line: you will find centella working nicely anywhere from a fraction of a percent up to hero-ingredient levels depending on whether it is a supporting soother or the main event.

Fun fact: Centella has been used as a medicine and in food for many centuries. As a medicine, it is used to treat burns, scratches, and wounds.

Centella Asiatica Leaf Extract comes from the leaves of an herb plant native to Southeast Asia. Centella Asiatica is rich in antioxidants and amino acids. It can help reduce irritation and soothe the skin.

Many active components found in centella asiatica, such as Madecassic Acid and Asiaticoside, encourage the skin to naturally produce hyaluronic acid. This helps keep our skin hydrated. Many of these components also show antioxidant activity and may help reduce the signs of aging.

Research shows centella asiatica can help increase Type I collagen production by increasing fibroblast production. Fibroblast helps form connective tissue.

The combination of all these properties makes centella asiatica leaf extract effective at soothing the skin.

Other components of centella asiatica leaf extract include Vitamin A, vitamin C, several B vitamins, and Asiatic Acid.

Recent studies found madecassoside may help prevent damage from UV rays by preventing UV-induced inflammation. Further research is needed.

This plant has been used as a medicine and in food for many centuries. As a medicine, it is used to treat burns, scratches, and wounds.

Cyanocobalamin is the manufactured version of vitamin B12. It has skin soothing, antioxidant, and barrier protecting properties. Topical cyanocobalamin is used to treat skin irritation and atopic dermatitis.

Disodium EDTA is a chelating agent. It grabs onto and deactivates metal ions that sneak into your products from water, packaging, or air.

This ingredient mainly works behind the scenes and helps with:

On top of that, this ingredient can counteract the effects of hard water by binding to the minerals in it.

One thing worth knowing is that Disodium EDTA has been shown to be a mild penetration enhancer. It can help other ingredients absorb into skin more effectively which can be a double-edged sword (great for actives, but can also make the active too strong if you have sensitive skin).

Clinical patch testing showed no significant skin irritation at typical use concentrations and minimal dermal absorption.

You'll most likely see this ingredient near the end of an ingredient list. It's typically found in concentrations less than 1%.

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.

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.

You might know this ingredient as Matrixyl. It is a synthetic peptide made up of five amino acids attached to a palmitic acid, a fatty acid that helps it absorb into skin more easily.

As a signal peptide, Matrixyl acts like a little messenger. Once it reaches your skin cells, it tells them to ramp up production of collagen, elastin, and other proteins that keep skin looking firm and smooth.

A 12 week clinical study found that a moisturizer containing just 3 ppm of Matrixyl led to a significant improvement in fine-lines and wrinkles. Another study showed an 18% reduction in wrinkle depth, 37% reduction in wrinkle thickness, and a 21% improvement in skin firmness after just 28 days of twice-daily use.

The coolest part is that it works at incredibly low concentrations (like 0.0003%) and it plays well with other actives.

The CIR (Cosmetic Ingredient Review) panel found it to be non-sensitizing across multiple tests and human patch tests also showed no irritation or sensitization.

Fun fact: Matrixyl was originally developed by French company Sederma and Procter & Gamble.

Read more about other common types of peptides here:

Sodium DNA is an emerging anti-aging ingredient.

It is created by taking deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and purifying it with sodium hydroxide.

The DNA is extracted from several different animal sources, including: calf thymus, the gonadic tissue of a male sturgeon, or herring / salmon sperm.

You have probably seen this ingredient in anti-aging skincare. But what is it?

DNA is composed of nucleotides, or chemical building blocks. Nucleotides include adenine (A), thymine (T), guanine (G), and cytosine (C). Talk about a flashback to biology! Nucleosides are formed from these nucleotides.

The science behind Sodium DNA is based on an ingredient called Polydeoxyribonucleotide or PDRN.

PDRN are DNA fragments mainly extracted from the sperm cells of trout or salmon. Meaning, PDRN can be derived from Sodium DNA.

PDRN consists of chains of nucleotides and nucleosides mentioned above. They can range anywhere from 80 - 2000 pairs.

Studies show PDRN has the following properties:

Most of the research on PDRN has been done using injectable forms. That’s important, because PDRN is a large molecule and doesn’t absorb well through the skin. So if you’re applying it topically, the effects are likely to be much milder.

Still, topical Sodium DNA is emerging as a trendy anti-aging ingredient. It’s generally well-tolerated and offers good biocompatibility with human skin, making it a low-risk addition to most routines.

Further studies are needed to truly confirm this ingredients anti-aging ability (Remember, retinol has decades of research!).

Sodium DNA may be sourced from fish, animal tissue, or plants. Since this isn’t always disclosed, we recommend asking the brand directly if the ingredient’s origin is important to you.

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:

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

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.

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!

Xylitol is a humectant and prebiotic. It can help with dry skin.

In studies, xylitol has been shown to improve dry skin. It decreased transepidermal water loss, or when water passes through the skin and evaporates. Xylitol also showed to help improve the biomechanical properties of the skin barrier.

The prebiotic property of xylitol may also help reinforce our skin's natural microbiome. Having a healthy microbiome prevents infection by bad bacteria and helps with hydration.

As a humectant, Xylitol helps draw moisture from both the air and from deeper skin layers. This helps keep skin hydrated.

Xylitol is a sugar alcohol and commonly used as a sugar substitute. It is naturally occurring in plants such as strawberries and pumpkin.

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