Medicube Zero Pore Blackhead Mud Mask for sensitive skin
Salicylic Acid
Charcoal Powder
Kaolin
Bentonite
Centella Asiatica Extract
Low
- HighNormal Skin Fit
- HighEffectiveness
- ConcerningSafety
A weak match for sensitive skin; the cleansing masks alongside fit it better.
This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with sensitive skin: redness, stinging, and reactions to new products. For scores and recommendations based on your full skin profile, including your 12D face scan results and any goals or preferences you have, please use the Lovi app.
Page built Nov 8, 2026How the Fit score works
Lovi Assistant explains
- Offers moderate exfoliation and pore cleansing for your normal skin, as kaolin and bentonite effectively absorb excess sebum and impurities, while salicylic acid provides mild exfoliation.
- While ingredients like Centella Asiatica Extract and Allantoin offer some benefits for redness and irritation, the formula lacks sufficient specialized ingredients to counteract your sensitive skin's needs.
How to apply
- Use this cleansing mask once a week as part of your weekly routine, starting slowly to see how your skin reacts.
- Apply this product after cleansing and enzyme powder, and before your hydrating toner and moisturizer.
- Smooth an even layer of the cleansing mask over your face, making sure to gently avoid rubbing.
- Put the mask on clean and dry skin to keep your sensitive face calm and comfortable.
- Do a patch test before your first use and avoid getting the mask too close to your eyes.
People Say
★4.6Overall rating based on 2.8k+ reviewsBased on a very large amount of data, this clay mask is highly favored by users with oily and combination skin for its rapid 3-minute drying time and immediate cooling effect. It effectively refines skin texture and reduces the appearance of surface oil and pores. Some users with sensitive skin report it can be drying, and it may not fully extract deep blackheads in one application.
Highlights
Cooling sensation Mostly Mentioned
- “feels amazing and cooling”
- “lowers skin temperature”
- “soothing upon application”
- “refreshing menthol feel”
Fast drying time Often Mentioned
- “dries super fast”
- “efficient for busy routines”
- “sets in 3 minutes”
- “no long wait”
Smoother skin texture Often Mentioned
- “skin feels baby soft”
- “nose felt incredibly smooth”
- “texture looks refined”
- “makeup applies better”
Drying and tightness Often Mentioned
- “skin felt very tight”
- “too drying for dry areas”
- “need moisturizer immediately”
- “left face feeling parched”
Oil control Sometimes Noted
- “great for oily t-zone”
- “removes surface gunk”
- “skin feels detoxed”
- “less oily next day”
Pore tightening Sometimes Noted
- “pores look tighter”
- “skin feels firm”
- “visible reduction in pore size”
- “tightens up the skin”
Incomplete extraction Sometimes Noted
- “didn't remove deep blackheads”
- “surface clean only”
- “blackheads still visible”
- “better for oil than extraction”
Mild irritation Rarely Noted
- “skin was slightly red”
- “caused mild irritation”
- “tingling sensation”
- “sensitive skin turned pink”
Removal difficulty Rarely Noted
- “hard to wash off completely”
- “residue left in pores”
- “requires scrubbing to remove”
- “messy removal process”
Strong scent Rarely Noted
- “smells medicinal”
- “strong essential oil scent”
- “scent lingers”
- “perfume smell is concerning”
Sources: lovi.care, amazon.com, medicube.us, yesstyle.com, stylekorean.com, oliveyoung.com, and more
Questions and answers
Why is the Zero Pore Blackhead Mud Mask a weak match for sensitive skin?
This mask is a weak match for sensitive skin because its strong clays and exfoliating acid may cause redness and irritation. A cleansing mask for this skin type needs extra soothing plant extracts and gentle, hydrating ingredients to calm and protect delicate skin.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2025Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024
Which ingredients make this mud mask a poor fit for sensitive skin?
This cleansing mask is a poor fit for sensitive skin because its salicylic acid, charcoal, kaolin, and bentonite are strong exfoliants and oil absorbers that may easily trigger redness and irritation. A product of this type needs extra soothing and barrier-repairing ingredients to keep sensitive skin calm and comfortable.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2025Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024
What does Salicylic Acid do for sensitive skin?
Salicylic acid may cause irritation on sensitive skin, so it requires careful use and good sun protection to keep skin comfortable. A product for this skin type needs gentle, soothing ingredients and a mild formula that respects the skin barrier.
The British Journal of Dermatology, 1999International Journal of Toxicology, 2003
What does Charcoal Powder do for sensitive skin?
Charcoal powder deep cleans by drawing out dirt and oil, but it can be too harsh for sensitive skin. Sensitive skin needs gentle, fragrance-free cleansers with soothing ingredients and mild synthetic detergents that do not strip away natural moisture or cause irritation.
Where does this mud mask go in a skincare routine for sensitive skin?
This mud mask is a weak match for sensitive skin and lacks enough soothing ingredients to keep this skin calm and comfortable. Sensitive skin needs products with extra calming and barrier-repairing ingredients to protect it from drying and irritation.
Can I use this mud mask with retinol, and in what order?
This cleansing mask may easily irritate sensitive skin when used alongside retinol because it combines strong clays and salicylic acid. To safely care for this skin type, a product of this type needs soothing ingredients and barrier-repairing elements like ceramides or centella to calm irritation and keep the skin smooth.
How often should I use this mud mask?
This mud mask is a weak match for sensitive skin, so it is unlikely to suit frequent use. A cleansing mask of this type needs extra soothing and barrier-repairing ingredients to keep sensitive skin calm and comfortable.
Can this mud mask clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for sensitive skin?
This cleansing mask is unlikely to clog pores since it contains clays and salicylic acid to clear oil, but it may cause dryness and tightness for sensitive skin. Sensitive skin needs hydrating ingredients like hyaluronic acid and soothing agents to keep the face soft and calm without irritation.
Is this mud mask fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
Yes, it has no fragrance and no drying alcohol.
What the research says
A bentonite-based facial mask with Alcea sulphurea extract combined with oral azithromycin significantly reduced total lesion count and acne severity index while enhancing patient satisfaction in patients with moderate acne compared to placebo plus azithromycin over 8 weeks.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2025Twice daily application of a multitargeted dermocosmetic cream provided comparable efficacy to benzoyl peroxide 5% gel in reducing inflammatory, non-inflammatory, and total lesions in 150 Caucasian subjects with mild-to-moderate acne over 56 days, while demonstrating superior skin tolerability.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024A moisturizer containing licochalcone A, 1,2-decanediol, L-carnitine, and salicylic acid significantly reduced noninflammatory, inflammatory, and total acne lesion counts compared to a vehicle control in Thai patients during a 12-week maintenance phase.
BioMed Research International, 2020Cosmetic formulations containing 5% Centella asiatica extract showed the best efficacy in improving skin moisture and decreasing transepidermal water loss, while also exhibiting antiinflammatory properties in 25 volunteers compared to baseline measurements.
Indian Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2016Co-delivery of paeonol and madecassoside via nanoemulsions improved transdermal delivery, promoted barrier repair proteins, inhibited inflammatory cytokine secretion in cellular and 3D models, and reduced transepidermal water loss and acne in human facial skin compared to free components.
Molecules, 2023Cryotherapy with liquid nitrogen achieved a higher cure rate (39%) than salicylic acid (24%) and a wait-and-see approach (16%) for cutaneous warts at 13 weeks in primary care patients.
CMAJ, 2010Treatment with 2% supramolecular salicylic acid hydrogel resulted in a regression and markedly improvement rate of 51.01% compared to 43.10% for Adapaline gel in patients with mild to moderate facial acne vulgaris, showing no significant difference in efficacy.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024Topical 5% benzoyl peroxide plus salicylic acid achieved the greatest lesion reduction at early 2 to 4 week time points compared to benzoyl peroxide, clindamycin, and combination benzoyl peroxide/clindamycin, while 5% benzoyl peroxide plus salicylic acid and combination benzoyl peroxide/clindamycin showed similar efficacy at 10 to 12 weeks in acne patients.
Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, 2010Soap-and-water wash and superactive charcoal paste applied topically at various times after T-2 toxin exposure effectively reduced skin lesion severity in swine compared to untreated controls.
Fundamental and Applied Toxicology, 1989Vectorization of high molecular weight hyaluronic acid with clay enabled its penetration into deeper skin layers and led to a significant clinical reduction in fine lines in the crow's feet area compared to placebo after 28 days.
Skin Research and Technology, 2024Twice-weekly use of a clay mask over 4 weeks in 75 adults with oily or combination skin improved acne-related outcomes, sebum content, skin evenness, hydration, and reduced dryness and irritation.
Skin Research and Technology, 2023Clay jojoba oil facial masks reduced total skin lesions by a mean of 54% after 6 weeks in 133 participants with acne-prone, lesioned skin and mild acne compared to baseline.
Forschende Komplementarmedizin, 2012Quaternized carboxymethyl chitosan/organic montmorillonite nanocomposite demonstrated superior moisture-adsorption and retention compared to hyaluronic acid, good UV-protection ability, negligible dermal irritation, and prominent moisture-retention efficacy on human stratum corneum when formulated into a cosmetic cream.
Carbohydrate Polymers, 2017A novel water-in-oil emulsion with a lecithin-modified bentonite prevented epidermal degradation and inflammatory protein secretion induced by urban dust and cedar pollen more effectively than a conventional water-in-oil emulsion in a reconstructed human epidermis model.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2020Bentonite nanoparticles and honey co-administration improved skin wound healing in BALB/c mice by reducing inflammatory cell infiltration and increasing fibroblastosis, new epithelium thickness, granulation area, and collagen density compared to the untreated control group.
The International Journal of Lower Extremity Wounds, 2025Topical application of 0.05% w/w ECa 233 gel reduced erythema index by 0.03 U and improved early crusting and general wound appearance compared to placebo in thirty individuals undergoing facial laser resurfacing.
Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, 2020A single application of a moisturizing fluid containing hyaluronic acid 1%, glycerin 5%, and Centella asiatica stem cells extract significantly increased skin hydration by 29% and reduced transepidermal water loss at 24 hours compared to baseline and an untreated control site in twenty healthy women.
Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017Moisturizer containing 5% panthenol, madecassoside, and copper-zinc-manganese decreased adverse reactions and downtime after ablative fractional carbon dioxide laser resurfacing with comparable efficacy to 0.02% triamcinolone acetonide cream in 20 subjects.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2019
Why other cleansing masks fit sensitive skin better
Oral and topical botanical products containing ingredients like ashwagandha, saffron, l-theanine, and tocopherol reduced facial redness and pigmentation and improved sleep and certain mood parameters in healthy females with sensitive skin compared to baseline.
Journal of Clinical Medicine, 2022
Ingredients
Water, Kaolin, Bentonite, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Charcoal Powder, Salicylic Acid, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Centella Asiatica Extract, Witch Hazel Extract, Allantoin, Panthenol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Hyaluronic Acid, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin
Behind this fit score
Lovi calculates every fit score from the full ingredient list with brand-independent rules our dermatologists and cosmetic chemists build and review, and personalizes every pick with AI trained on the real results of millions of users. Lovi trains its fit score models on a proprietary dataset built from more than 10,000 expert-labeled products and more than 100,000 simulated examples, following an internally consistent methodology presented at Cosmoprof, AMWC, and Skin of Color Update.
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Co-founder, Medical Director
Cosmetic chemist, cosmetologist, aesthetic products developer
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Co-founder, CEO and CTO
PhD in computer science, 3x US patent holder, ex-Google, ex-Yandex
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Dr. Sofía Perea Pérez, MD, MSc
Medical Board
Aesthetic medicine practitioner, MSc in Longevity and Anti-Aging Medicine
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Medical Board
Specialist dermatologist, MBBS, MD, IFAAD
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Medical Board
Cosmetic chemist, SCS, IFSCC member
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Medical Board, Medical Advisor
Dermatology MD
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Elina Nazarenko, MD
Medical Board
Dermatology and diagnostic consultant
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Victoria Derkova, MS
Medical Board
Cosmetic chemist, cosmetic development technologist
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