Retinol-Some 1.9% NMN Boosting Serum
The MediCube Retinol-Some 1.9% NMN Boosting Serum is a serums, essence, ampoule. Our analysis of its 63 ingredients (51 low-risk) rates it Excellent (98/100). Based on its ingredients, it looks well-suited to oily / acne-prone, dry, and sensitive skin.
The MediCube Retinol-Some 1.9% NMN Boosting Serum is a serums, essence, ampoule. Our analysis of its 63 ingredients (51 low-risk) rates it Excellent (98/100). Based on its ingredients, it looks well-suited to oily / acne-prone, dry, and sensitive skin.
Summarised from our ingredient analysis — not brand marketing copy.
The evidence
| EWG | CIR | Ingredient Name & Cosmetic Functions | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
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Water
(Solvent) |
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Glycereth-26
(Humectant, Viscosity Decreasing Agent, Solvent, Viscosity Controlling) |
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Niacinamide
(Hair Conditioning, Skin Conditioning, Smoothing) |
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Glycerin
(Denaturant, Fragrance, Hair Conditioning, Humectant, Oral Care Agent, Oral Health Care Drug, Skin Protecting, Viscosity Decreasing Agent, Perfuming, Solvent) |
Good for Dry Skin
Fungal Acne Trigger
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Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
(Emollient, Masking, Perfuming, Skin Conditioning, Solvent) |
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Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil
(Emollient) |
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Butylene Glycol
(Fragrance, Skin Conditioning, Solvent, Viscositydecreasing Agent, Humectant, Masking, Viscosity Controlling) |
Good for Dry Skin
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Hydrogenated Lecithin
(Skin Conditioning, Emulsifying, Surfactant, Suspending Agent Nonsurfactant) |
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Retinol
(Skin Conditioning) |
Bad for Sensitive Skin
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Brassica Campestris Sterols
(Skin Conditioning, Skin Conditioning Emollient) |
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1,2-Hexanediol
(Solvent) |
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Cholesterol
(Emulsion Stabilising, Skin Conditioning, Viscosity Increasing Agent, Emollient, Emulsifying, Stabilising, Viscosity Controlling) |
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Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate
(Skin Conditioning, Emulsifying, Surfactant) |
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Phytosteryl/Behenyl/Octyldodecyl Lauroyl Glutamate
(Skin Conditioning) |
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Aluminum/Magnesium Hydroxide Stearate
(Emulsion Stabilising, Viscosity Controlling) |
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Pentaerythrityl Tetra-di-t-butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
(Antioxidant) |
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Potassium Cetyl Phosphate
(Emulsifying, Surfactant) |
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Tris(Tetramethylhydroxypiperidinol)Citrate
(Light Stabilizer) |
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Glyceryl Citrate/Lactate/Linoleate/Oleate
(Skin Conditioning, Emollient, Emulsifying) |
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ELAEIS GUINEENSIS OIL
(Skin Conditioning Emollient) |
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Cetyl Ethylhexanoate
(Skin Conditioning, Emollient) |
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Hydroxyacetophenone
(Antioxidant) |
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Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/VP Copolymer
(Viscosity Controlling) |
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Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6
(Emulsion Stabilising, Viscosity Controlling) |
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Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate
(Absorbent, Anticaking Agent, Viscosity Increasing Agent, Viscosity Controlling) |
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Retinal
(Skin Conditioning) |
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Squalane
(Emollient, Hair Conditioning, Refatting, Skin Conditioning) |
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Polyquaternium-51
(Film Forming, Humectant, Skin Conditioning) |
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TOCOPHEROL
(Antioxidant, Fragrance, Skin Conditioning) |
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Panthenol
(Antistatic Agent, Hair Conditioning, Skin Conditioning) |
Good for Dry Skin
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Allantoin
(Skin Conditioning, Skin Protecting, Soothing) |
Good for Oily Skin
Good for Sensitive Skin
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Adenosine
(Skin Conditioning) |
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Disodium EDTA
(Chelating Agent, Viscosity Controlling) |
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Bifida Ferment Lysate
(Skin Conditioning) |
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Lactobacillus Ferment Lysate
(Skin Conditioning) |
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Lactococcus Ferment Lysate
(Skin Conditioning) |
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Dipropylene Glycol
(Fragrance, Solvent, Viscosity Decreasing Agent, Masking, Viscosity Controlling) |
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Centella Asiatica Leaf Extract
(Skin Conditioning) |
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Asiaticoside
(Antioxidant, Skin Conditioning, Perfuming) |
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Asiatic Acid
(Skin Conditioning, Stabilising) |
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Madecassic Acid
(Skin Conditioning) |
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Beta-Glucan
(Bulking Agent, Skin Conditioning) |
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Ceramide NP
(Hair Conditioning, Skin Conditioning) |
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Propanediol
(Solvent, Viscosity Decreasing Agent, Viscosity Controlling) |
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Eriobotrya Japonica Leaf Extract
(Skin Conditioning, Skin Protecting, Tonic) |
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Mentha Viridis Extract
(Fragrance, Oral Care) |
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Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
(Humectant, Skin Conditioning) |
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Pentylene Glycol
(Skin Conditioning, Solvent) |
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Ethylhexylglycerin
(Deodorant, Skin Conditioning) |
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Nicotinamide Mononucleotide
(Antioxidant) |
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Akebia Quinata Extract
(Skin Conditioning) |
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Caprylyl/Capryl Glucoside
(Cleansing, Foaming, Surfactant) |
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Camellia Japonica Flower Extract
(Emollient, Skin Conditioning) |
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Polyglyceryl-10 Oleate
(Skin Conditioning, Emulsifying, Surfactant) |
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Acetyl Hexapeptide-8
(Humectant, Skin Conditioning) |
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Acetyl Tetrapeptide-5
(Humectant) |
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Carnosine
(Skin Conditioning) |
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Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
(Skin Conditioning) |
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Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5
(Skin Conditioning) |
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Yeast Beta-Glucan
(Film Forming, Skin Conditioning, Viscosity Increasing Agent, Skin Protecting, Viscosity Controlling) |
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Ferulic Acid
(Antioxidant, Preservative, Uv Absorber, Antimicrobial) |
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3-O-ETHYL ASCORBIC ACID
(Skin Conditioning) |
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ASCORBIC ACID
(Antioxidant, Buffering, Fragrance, Skin Conditioning) |
No personal ingredient notes yet. Save ingredients to your profile to get good/bad alerts here.
EWG flags hazard, not real-world risk — ratings don't account for how much of an ingredient a product contains. Treat these as things to research, not verdicts. How we score →
How to use
General guidance from this product's category and active ingredients — always follow the directions on the package.
Trust & honesty
Contains ingredients some choose to avoid or double-check while pregnant or nursing.
Topical retinoids (retinol, retinaldehyde, retinyl esters) are widely advised against in pregnancy as a precaution. The strongest evidence is for ORAL retinoids; topical absorption is low, but most clinicians err on the side of caution.
This is general information, not medical advice. Pregnancy guidance varies and depends on concentration and your individual situation — always check with your doctor, midwife or pharmacist. How we flag this.
The concentrations these actives are typically effective at in research — not a measurement of this product.
Most studied between 0.1% and 1%. Higher is not automatically better — irritation climbs with dose, so a well-formulated lower strength is often the sweet spot.
Retinol, Retinal
L-ascorbic acid is usually used at 5–20% (around 10–15% is common). Above ~20% adds little and tends to irritate more; it also needs a low pH to work.
3-O-ETHYL ASCORBIC ACID, ASCORBIC ACID
Most research uses 2–5%; some formulas go to 10%. Very high levels can cause flushing in sensitive skin.
Niacinamide, Nicotinamide Mononucleotide
INCI lists don't disclose amounts, and we don't claim to know this product's levels — these are the ranges these ingredients are usually effective at, so you can tell a real formula from "fairy-dusting" a marketed active. How we estimate this.
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