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Medicube’s social-media popularity has been built around highly visual products promising hydrated, glossy-looking skin. A four-month NBC Selected test, however, looked beyond viral demonstrations to examine how the Korean beauty brand’s products performed across different routines and skin concerns.
Nine editors tested dozens of items spanning toner pads, cleansers, moisturizers, serums, masks, sunscreen, facial spray and electronic skin care tools. Their resulting shortlist crossed nearly every step of a routine, but the testers also reported sensitivity, strong fragrance and cost concerns that complicate any blanket recommendation of the brand.
What the four-month test found
The Zero Pore Pad 2.0 was the clearest point of agreement. NBC Selected reported that every participating editor shared it as a favorite, although their routines and skin types differed. The dual-sided pads have a textured surface for exfoliation and a softer side intended for hydration.
The toner-pad category extended beyond that viral product. The editors also selected Medicube’s Red Succinic Acid Peeling Pad, Deep Vita Pads and PDRN Pink Collagen Toning Gel Toner Pad. Their reported uses varied: the Red pads were associated with acne-prone skin, the Deep Vita version with brightening and the PDRN gel pads with a cooling, mask-like application.
That range is important because NBC’s findings did not identify one Medicube formula as universally appropriate. The Deep Vita Pads, for example, received positive comments for moisture and texture but were also flagged as potentially irritating for sensitive skin. Several testers likewise reacted to the original Zero Pore Pads, despite the product being the group’s shared favorite.
The standouts beyond toner pads
Among moisturizers, the editors chose the Collagen Jelly Cream, particularly for oily and acne-prone skin. Testers described a lightweight gel that initially felt tacky before drying to a more transparent, matte finish. Its formula includes hydrolyzed collagen, squalane and niacinamide.
The Zero Pore Clear Blue Capsule Facial Deep Cleanser led the cleanser category. Editors liked its creamy, lightly exfoliating texture, although its artificial scent was identified as a drawback.
Two different mask formats made the selection. The Salmon DNA PDRN Pink Collagen Jelly Gel Mask is a sheet-style product that changes from pink to clear as it is worn. The Collagen Night Wrapping Face Mask begins as a thick gel, dries into a peelable layer and was the article writer’s personal favorite after consistent use.
The chosen serums also represented two distinct approaches. The One Day Exosome Shot Serum produces a noticeable tingling sensation through microscopic spicules and was tested for skin texture. The PDRN Pink Peptide Serum was presented as the gentler option, combining salmon-derived PDRN, peptides and niacinamide. Medicube’s official product page lists dryness, dullness, uneven skin and loss of firmness among the concerns targeted by the serum.
Devices expand the range—and the price
Medicube’s electronic tools occupied the most expensive end of the test. NBC Selected included the Booster Pro X2, an updated model with a larger treatment head, seven modes and six intensity levels per mode. The earlier Booster Pro was marketed by Medicube as a six-in-one facial device.
The Mini Booster Pro Plus Cleansing Device Set was also selected. Unlike a conventional topical product, it combines a cleansing attachment with adjustable red and blue light modes. Tester observations were positive, but NBC listed five-minute operating intervals as a limitation.
The final routine categories included Collagen Glow Sunscreen SPF 50 and Power Soothing Spray. The sunscreen received praise from a tester with a dark skin tone for blending without a white cast, though possible eye stinging was noted. The spray was selected for its fine mist and matte finish, with initial stinging and subtle fragrance listed as potential drawbacks.
Background: Medicube’s viral products became an entry point
Medicube’s toner pads and Collagen Jelly Cream helped establish the brand’s social-media visibility around the “glass skin” look. The NBC test effectively asked whether that attention could extend into a complete routine rather than remaining concentrated on one or two photogenic products.
The results show Medicube widening that proposition. Its catalog now connects topical skin care with masks, sunscreen, facial mists and app-linked or light-based devices. The updated Booster Pro X2 is the clearest example of that expansion, moving the brand from relatively accessible daily products into higher-priced beauty technology.
Why it matters for international K-beauty shoppers
The test offers a more useful conclusion than simply declaring the viral brand “worth it.” Medicube’s strongest products depended on the tester’s skin type, tolerance for fragrance and willingness to use active ingredients or specialized tools.
For shoppers discovering Korean skin care through social media, that distinction changes how the range should be approached. The review supports selecting individual products by concern rather than assuming every item associated with the same glossy finish will behave similarly. It also separates lower-cost routine products from devices and bundles that NBC reported can reach several hundred dollars.
The findings are based on editors’ personal experiences rather than a clinical comparison. Even within the nine-person testing group, a shared favorite could produce irritation for some users. That mixed result is the clearest takeaway from the four-month review published on September 19, 2026.
Sources: NBC News — NBC Selected Medicube review; Medicube — PDRN Pink Peptide Serum official product page; Medicube — Booster Pro official product page.
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