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Product Comparison

Here's our complete breakdown comparing the ingredients, attributes, and more of MediCube Zero Pore Pad 2.0 versus COSRX One Step Original Clear Pad .

Last updated on November 18, 2023. Published on December 11, 2023

Overview

What they are

These products are both cruelty-free and reef safe . They have a total of 9 ingredients in common

Cool Features

They both contain BHA and hyaluronic acid

Suited For

They're both likely to be good for dry skin, brightening skin, sensitive skin, oily skin, reducing pores and scar healing

Free From

They both do not contain any parabens, silicones or sulfates

What's Inside

They both contain fragrances and oils

We independently verify ingredients, and our claims are backed by peer-reviewed research. Spot a product that need an update? Let us know.

Toner South Korean Brand South Korea
Exfoliator South Korean Brand South Korea

Toner

Toners are used as a “last-step” cleanser, a pH balancer, add moisture to the skin, or may help in reducing impurities on the skin. They have a liquid consistency and are usually used after cleansers but before treatments.

Exfoliator

Exfoliators are used to exfoliate the skin, or remove dead skin cells from the skin. Exfoliators may be chemical or physical.

Price

Shop

Buy Zero Pore Pad 2.0

Shop

Buy One Step Original Clear Pad

Starts at $23.00

Ingredient Info

Click any item below to learn more and view relevant ingredients.
alcohol-free
silicon-free
fragrance-free
sulfate-free
paraben-free
oil-free
fungal-acne safe
reef-safe
eu-allergen-free
vegan
cruelty-free
alcohol-free
silicon-free
fragrance-free
sulfate-free
paraben-free
oil-free
fungal-acne safe
reef-safe
eu-allergen-free
vegan
cruelty-free

At a glance

Click on any of the items below to learn more

Notable Ingredients

AHA
BHA (2)
Hyaluronic Acid

Benefits

Hydrating (2)
Good For Oily Skin (3)
Redness Reducing (3)
Reduces Irritation (4)
Skin Texture
Reduces Large Pores (3)
Anti-Aging
Dark Spots
Scar Healing (4)
Acne Fighting
Brightening (3)

Concerns

Drying (2)
May Worsen Oily Skin
Irritating (4)
Rosacea (4)
Eczema (3)

Notable Ingredients

BHA
Hyaluronic Acid

Benefits

Hydrating
Good For Oily Skin (3)
Redness Reducing
Reduces Irritation (2)
Reduces Large Pores
Scar Healing
Brightening

Concerns

Rosacea
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Ingredients Compared

Ingredients that are highlighted in purple are present in both products.

Ingredients Side-by-side

Ingredients that are highlighted in purple are present in both products.

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Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

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

1
What it does: Skin Conditioning, Solvent
Community Rating: Mixed

1,2-Hexanediol is a multi-tasker ingredient. It acts as a preservative to increase shelf-life and can aid other preservatives in preventing microbe growth. 1,2-Hexanediol also helps the skin retain moisture as a humectant.

In products that are water-based, this ingredient can help stabilize perfumes and fragrances. It can also help make the texture of products softer and more smooth.

MediCube Zero Pore Pad 2.0 contains this as ingredient number 5.

COSRX One Step Original Clear Pad contains this as ingredient number 5.

2
What it does: Skin Conditioning
Community Rating: Loved

Panthenol (also referred to as pro-vitamin B5) is a common ingredient that helps hydrate and soothe the skin.

lt is a humectant, meaning that it helps the skin attract and retain moisture.

Another benefit is the anti-inflammatory abilities. This means that it's great for sensitive, irritation-prone skin.

Once oxidized, panthenol converts to pantothenic acid. Panthothenic acid is found in all living cells.

Learn more about Panthenol

MediCube Zero Pore Pad 2.0 contains this as ingredient number 6.

COSRX One Step Original Clear Pad contains this as ingredient number 8.

3
What it does: Humectant, Skin Conditioning, Skin Protecting, Solvent
Community Rating: Loved

Glycerin is already naturally found in your skin. It helps moisturize and protect your skin.

A study from 2016 found glycerin to be more effective as a humectant than AHAs and hyaluronic acid.

As a humectant, it helps the skin stay hydrated by pulling moisture to your skin. The low molecular weight of glycerin allows it to pull moisture into the deeper layers of your skin.

Hydrated skin improves your skin barrier; Your skin barrier helps protect against irritants and bacteria.

Glycerin has also been found to have antimicrobial and antiviral properties. Due to these properties, glycerin is often used in wound and burn treatments.

In cosmetics, glycerin is usually derived from plants such as soybean or palm. However, it can also be sourced from animals, such as tallow or animal fat.

This ingredient is organic, colorless, odorless, and non-toxic.

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

Learn more about Glycerin

MediCube Zero Pore Pad 2.0 contains this as ingredient number 14.

COSRX One Step Original Clear Pad contains this as ingredient number 3.

4
What it does: Skin Conditioning, Skin Protecting, Soothing
Community Rating: Loved

Allantoin plays a role in soothing and moisturizing the skin. Because of this, it is often added to products with strong active ingredients.

Some studies have shown this ingredient can promote wound healing with higher concentrations.

Allantoin is derived from the comfrey plant but produced synthetically for cosmetic products to ensure purity.

Learn more about Allantoin

MediCube Zero Pore Pad 2.0 contains this as ingredient number 15.

COSRX One Step Original Clear Pad contains this as ingredient number 9.

5
What it does: Humectant, Masking, Skin Conditioning, Solvent
Community Rating: Mixed

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

  • It is a solvent, meaning that it helps to dissolve other ingredients. This also enhances the absorption of the product into one's skin.
  • It is a humectant, which means that it helps attract moisture into the skin.
  • It helps improve product application.

Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient. It is unlikely to irritate skin, and works well with pretty much all other ingredients.

MediCube Zero Pore Pad 2.0 contains this as ingredient number 18.

COSRX One Step Original Clear Pad contains this as ingredient number 2.

6
What it does: Humectant, Skin Conditioning
Community Rating: Loved

Sodium Hyaluronate is hyaluronic acid's salt form. It is commonly derived from the sodium salt of hyaluronic acid.

Like hyaluronic acid, it is great at holding water and acts as a humectant. This makes it a great skin hydrating ingredient.

Sodium Hyaluronate is naturally occurring in our bodies and is mostly found in eye fluid and joints.

These are some other common types of Hyaluronic Acid:

Learn more about Sodium Hyaluronate

MediCube Zero Pore Pad 2.0 contains this as ingredient number 19.

COSRX One Step Original Clear Pad contains this as ingredient number 14.

7
What it does: Antimicrobial
Community Rating: Liked

Betaine Salicylate is considered a salicylic acid alternative.

Limited studies exist proving this ingredient to be a complete alternative to salicylic acid. Based on existing research, this ingredient does not penetrate as deeply and is not shown to be as effective.

However, this makes it a great choice for those with sensitive skin or need gentle BHA action.

This ingredient is created using betaine and salicylic acid.

This ingredient is oil-soluble and is most effective at a pH range of 3.8-4.2.

Learn more about Betaine Salicylate

MediCube Zero Pore Pad 2.0 contains this as ingredient number 20.

COSRX One Step Original Clear Pad contains this as ingredient number 4.

8
What it does: Masking, Skin Conditioning
Community Rating: Very Disliked

Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil is oil from the peel of an orange fruit.

Limonene and linalool make up the majority of oils from citrus peels. Limonene has a "citrus" fragrance. Citrus peels also contain flavonoids, which have anti-inflammatory properties.

Citrus peel is also a rich source of flavonoids. Flavonoids are natural antioxidants and help protect your skin against damage. Flavonoids are a group of compounds naturally found in vegetables and fruits.

The term 'fragrance' is not regulated in many countries. In many cases, it is up to the brand to define this term. For instance, many brands choose to label themselves as "fragrance-free" because they are not using synthetic fragrances. However, their products may still contain ingredients such as essential oils that are considered a fragrance.

Learn more about Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil

MediCube Zero Pore Pad 2.0 contains this as ingredient number 21.

COSRX One Step Original Clear Pad contains this as ingredient number 11.

9
What it does: Solvent
Community Rating: Mixed

Ethyl Hexanediol is an aliphatic alcohol. It is a solvent.

Solvents are used to keep ingredients together in a product. They can help dissolve ingredients to stable bases or help evenly distribute ingredients throughout the product.

MediCube Zero Pore Pad 2.0 contains this as ingredient number 33.

COSRX One Step Original Clear Pad contains this as ingredient number 10.

Here's what our community thinks of the ingredients in these two products.

46% are loved or liked
15% have mixed ratings
30% are disliked or very disliked
9% have no rating yet
43% are loved or liked
43% have mixed ratings
14% are disliked or very disliked
0% have no rating yet

Usage

Here's some more info on how this product is used by our community.

When to use

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Reviews

Here's what our community thinks

MediCube Zero Pore Pad 2.0 46 ingredients

5.0 /5
from 2 ratings
SaraPerlman_240's avatar

SaraPerlman_240

7 months ago · Sensitive Skin
Review

Keeps my skin hydrated and glowing all day. When I don’t use them my skin always feels dry and tight.

COSRX One Step Original Clear Pad 14 ingredients

5.0 /5
from 1 rating
Absorbs Well (1) Great Value (1) Light (1) Light Scent (1) Works Well (1)
ImYuuuuuu's avatar

ImYuuuuuu

5 months ago · Combination Skin
Review

It has really saved my skin from so many problems! I bought it because of all the good reviews and it did not disappoint! After a month and a half...

It has really saved my skin from so many problems! I bought it because of all the good reviews and it did not disappoint! After a month and a half of using it (I use it every night) I have noticed the following changes:

I no longer have those massive breakouts. Only one or two spots when I'm about to have my period.

My skin is much smoother.

The bumps on my chin have disappeared.

I no longer have clogged pores

It has regulated my oil production (my skin is not so oily anymore. Yay :))

I hope it helped you ;)

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