CELIMAX

Celimax is a Korean skincare brand from Absorblab (앱솔브랩), a company based in Gangnam, Seoul. The company was founded in 2016 and is led by CEO Kim Min-seok. Celimax describes itself as a derma skincare brand focused on real, visible results. Today its products are sold in around 50 countries, from Korea to the United States, Asia and Europe. In the US, the brand first grew online, especially on Amazon, before landing at Ulta Beauty. Its two best-known products are the Noni ampoule and the Ji Woo Gae pads, whose name means "eraser" in Korean.

• Ji Woo Gae: exfoliating pads with BHA and heartleaf, plus madecassoside and hyaluronic acid, along with a cleanser, a body mist and body pads.
• The Real Noni: noni, a tropical fruit, in an ampoule, toner, creams, eye cream and masks to hydrate and soothe.
• Pore+Dark Spot: tranexamic acid and niacinamide for dark spots, pores and dull skin.
• The Vita-A: retinol and retinal in a serum, booster, dual cream and gel mask.
• Dual Barrier: gentle care for dry, sensitive skin, from cleansing balm to cream.
• Oil Control: a light cream, essence and sunscreen for combination to oily skin.
• The Real Cica: centella asiatica and niacinamide to calm the skin.

If your skin feels rough or your pores show, start with the Ji Woo Gae pads two or three times a week. If you want a more even tone, the Pore+Dark Spot line is your best match: the Pore+Dark Spot Brightening Serum, the Pore+Dark Spot Brightening Cream and the Pore+Dark Spot Brightening Pad. If your skin is losing firmness, go for The Vita-A and start slowly, every other night. If your skin is dry or sensitive, the Dual Barrier line and its Dual Barrier Skin Wearable Cream are the gentlest option. For breakout-prone skin, pair the Ji Woo Gae Cica BHA Blemish Toner Pad with the The Real Cica Niacinamide AC Calming Serum. If your skin looks tired and dehydrated, the The Real Noni Energy Ampoule and the The Real Noni Moisture Balancing Toner are a great start. Cosmetic advice, not medical advice.

To build out your routine, browse our toners, Korean serums, cleansers and masks too. If your skin is oily, our oily skin edit helps you go further; if it's reactive, check out the sensitive skin edit.

Celimax starts from a simple idea: every product should solve one specific skin concern. Instead of betting on a single miracle product, the brand builds one line per need: pores and brightness, firmness, the skin barrier, excess oil and sensitive skin. According to the brand, each formula is shaped by customer feedback gathered through surveys, interviews and test groups, and relies on actives backed by research. The packaging is minimal and often lists the key actives and their percentages right on the bottle, like the niacinamide and tranexamic acid on the Pore+Dark Spot sunscreen.

Lately, the most popular Celimax product at Ma Petite Coree is the Pore+Dark Spot Brightening Care Sunscreen, an SPF 50+ that combines niacinamide and tranexamic acid. It's followed by the retinal Retinal Shot Tightening Dual Cream and the Tranexamic Acid Brightening Eye Patch, handy patches for your morning routine. The Retinol Shot Tightening Booster and the Retinol Shot Tightening Serum complete The Vita-A line. For oily skin, the Oil Control Moisturizing Cream hydrates with a light texture. And of course, there are the two products that made the brand famous: the Noni Ampoule Calming+Radiance and the Ji Woo Gae Heartleaf BHA Peeling Pad. For double cleansing, the Dual Barrier Purifying Cleansing Balm is a great place to start.