How to Build a Medicube PDRN Routine: Serum, Cream and Mask in the Right Order

Medicube's PDRN Pink line is a full skincare routine, built around one ingredient: PDRN from salmon. The routine also uses collagen and peptides, and it has three main steps. You use a serum each day, a cream each day, and a mask once a week. Each step layers on the one before it, and here is how the routine works.

Step 1: cleanse

Any gentle cleanser works well here, and in the Medicube range, the Zero Foam Cleanser is a great fit. It is a soft, low-foam gel that cleans your skin without stripping it, which matters because the rest of the routine adds moisture back in.

Step 2: PDRN Pink Peptide Serum

The PDRN Pink Peptide Serum is the heart of this routine. It has 10,000 ppm PDRN, five peptides and hydrolysed collagen, and the formula is light and pink. Cleanse your skin, then apply two to three drops while it is still damp, in the morning and at night. Press the serum in gently, and do not rub it. New to PDRN? Read our short guide on what PDRN is, which takes two minutes.

Step 3: PDRN Pink Collagen Capsule Cream

The Capsule Cream locks the serum in, and it is rich but feels comfortable on skin, with the same PDRN and collagen base plus niacinamide. Use it as your last step at night, and in the morning, use it before sunscreen. Does your skin run oily? Try the lighter Collagen Jelly Cream during the day instead.

Weekly: PDRN Pink Collagen Gel Mask

Once or twice a week, use the PDRN Pink Collagen Gel Mask in place of your serum. It is a hydrogel sheet soaked in the same active ingredients. Cleanse first, then wear it for 20 to 30 minutes, and follow with your Capsule Cream to seal it in. It gives you the biggest dose in the whole routine, so it suits a night before a big event.

Shop the routine

Morning vs night

Time	Routine
Morning	Cleanse, PDRN serum, Jelly Cream or Capsule Cream, sunscreen
Night	Cleanse, PDRN serum, Capsule Cream
1-2x weekly	Cleanse, Gel Mask (20-30 min), Capsule Cream

Adding a retinoid

PDRN works well with retinoids, and many people use both. You will see two names on packs: retinol and retinal, and they are not the same ingredient. Retinal is one step closer to the form your skin uses, so it tends to work faster, while retinol is the gentler place to start. Pick one, use it at night, and use PDRN to help keep your skin barrier calm. Our PDRN vs retinol comparison explains the difference and the right order, and our retinal vs retinol guide helps you pick between the two.

Frequently asked questions

Do I use the Pink Peptide Serum before the Collagen Capsule Cream?
Yes, serum first and cream second, because the serum is light and the cream is rich. Thin layers always go on before thick ones, so put the serum on damp skin, then use the cream to lock it in.

What is the Medicube PDRN routine in order?
Cleanse, then serum, then cream, and that is the whole routine, with sunscreen as your last step in the morning. Once or twice a week, the gel mask takes the place of your serum.

Do I use the gel mask on top of the serum?
No, swap it in and do not layer it on top. Cleanse first, then wear the mask for 20 to 30 minutes, and follow with your Capsule Cream to seal it in.

Can I use the PDRN serum in the morning and at night?
Yes, twice a day is how the line is meant to work. Use two to three drops each time, and press it in gently on damp skin without rubbing.

My skin runs oily. Is the Capsule Cream too rich?
It can feel heavy in the day, so use the lighter Collagen Jelly Cream in the morning instead. Keep the Capsule Cream for night, and your skin still gets the same PDRN and collagen base.

Can I add a retinol or retinal to this routine?
Yes, many people use both, so put the retinoid on at night, after your serum. PDRN helps the skin barrier feel calm while you adjust, and retinal is the faster one, retinol the gentler start.

Is this routine suitable if I have a fish allergy?
Every PDRN step in this line comes from salmon. Do you have a fish or seafood allergy? Then talk to your doctor before you use them.

You can find the full range on our Medicube collection page. Do you have questions about adding PDRN to your routine? Email us at contact@dlux-essentials.com.