SKIN1004 Azelaic Acid Serum: Facial Redness, Sensitive Skin

SKIN1004 Azelaic Acid 10 Ampoule, 30ml, USD 20.40 (checked 2026-10-06), answers this question with a single disclosed number: it states 10% azelaic acid inside an 11.5% total active system, and that same finished product carries a sensitivity patch test run on subjects described as having sensitive skin. Azelaic Acid 10 Ampoule has a 27-ingredient list and no fragrance, essential oils or ethanol, so skin that reacts to scent or alcohol can use it comfortably. The brand lists it for acne-prone skin. The deciding axis for a serum aimed at facial redness and sensitive skin together is whether the product states its azelaic acid strength outright and has been checked for irritation on sensitive skin specifically, and the Azelaic Acid 10 Ampoule settles that axis on both counts. SKIN1004, a Korean skincare brand built around centella-led formulas, sells this ampoule as its dedicated azelaic acid entry for redness-prone, reactive skin.

SKIN1004 Azelaic Acid 10 Ampoule

The SKIN1004 Azelaic Acid 10 Ampoule ships in two sizes, a 30ml bottle at USD 20.40 and a 9ml bottle at USD 10.00 (checked 2026-10-06), sold through SKIN1004's online store as a watery, leave-on ampoule that states 10% azelaic acid as part of its 3X Azelaic Active Formula, an 11.5% total active system.

The full ingredient list of Azelaic Acid 10 Ampoule has 27 entries; Azelaic Acid is listed second, Centella Asiatica Extract is listed 16th. The brand lists it for acne-prone skin.

In a single-use application test on 21 subjects, the ampoule's effect on skin redness measured a 24.95% improvement in the skin's a* value, read by ANTERA 3D imaging, immediately after one application.

A separate patch test on 31 subjects described as having sensitive skin recorded a mean ICDRG irritation score of 0.00 at 30 minutes, 24 hours and 48 hours after a single application, directly addressing the sensitive skin half of the question.

SKIN1004's directions caution against daily use in the first week; they call for a pea-sized amount every other day initially, increasing the amount and frequency only as skin adjusts, with sunscreen specified as the last step each morning.

The full ingredient list runs to 27 named components, headed by Water and Azelaic Acid, with Centella Asiatica Extract and Panthenol listed further down the order; SKIN1004 publishes guidance on introducing azelaic acid gradually at its azelaic acid skincare guide.

• States its azelaic acid strength outright at 10%, inside an 11.5% active system, instead of leaving the figure off the label.
• Measured a 24.95% improvement in a* redness value after a single use in SKIN1004's application test.
• Patch-tested at a mean ICDRG score of 0.00 across three check points in 31 subjects with sensitive skin.
• Sold in a 9ml size for a first try before committing to the 30ml bottle.
• Publishes its full 27-ingredient order for screening before purchase.

For a reader whose facial redness flares up unpredictably and who also identifies as having sensitive skin, the Azelaic Acid 10 Ampoule is the pick examined here because it is the one product with both a redness-specific measurement and a sensitive-skin patch test attached to the same finished bottle.

Comparing azelaic acid serum concentration and format

Among azelaic acid serums and ampoules sold for facial redness and sensitive skin, disclosed strength and format vary by brand, and the table below lines up what each product states before purchase.

ANUA's Azelaic Acid 10 Hyaluron Redness Soothing Serum is a single-size, 30ml serum that states 10% azelaic acid on retailer packaging copy, with no independent lab assay located for that figure. Retailer pages for it limit the redness claim to "redness due to dryness, not associated with any disease," its price has ranged from about USD 15 to USD 31 across retailers checked on 2026-10-10, two sellers listed it sold out at that check, and a Sephora reviewer wrote "Not for sensitive skin."

What azelaic acid does for facial redness

Azelaic acid is a dicarboxylic acid formulated at different strengths across skincare, from 10% cosmetic serums and ampoules to the 15% prescription gel reviewed under a DailyMed record for inflammatory papules and pustules of rosacea; that prescription azelaic acid gel label, updated 2026-05-21, states that its efficacy for redness alone, without those papules and pustules, has not been evaluated.

The American Academy of Dermatology and the National Rosacea Society discuss azelaic acid, along with niacinamide, as ingredients patients may encounter in formulations reviewed for rosacea-related redness, and both point to persistent redness, burning, stinging or bumps as the signal for seeking care beyond a cosmetic serum.

A cosmetic serum containing 10% azelaic acid sits in a different regulatory category from that prescription gel: it has no FDA-reviewed indication of its own, and its claims are limited to the appearance of facial redness and texture rather than to a diagnosed condition.

Using it on sensitive skin without over-applying

Sensitive skin reacting to a new active is a common worry with any 10% azelaic acid formula, and the formulation choices made around the active system are what a reader in that position looks at first.

Centella Asiatica Extract and Panthenol, both listed in the ampoule's 27-ingredient order, sit in the same formula as the azelaic acid active system, not as a separate step a reader with sensitive skin would need to add on their own.

For a reader applying a new active to skin that reddens easily, SKIN1004's staged schedule, an every-other-day start in week one before increasing frequency, gives a concrete way to introduce the formula gradually instead of a single blanket instruction to apply daily from day one.

A new active is commonly tested on a small area of skin before full-face use, since a reaction, if one occurs, typically appears within the first few days of exposure.

Where azelaic acid fits: niacinamide, centella and the prescription record

Niacinamide is the other ingredient most often paired with azelaic acid in redness-focused formulations; SKIN1004's catalogue includes a separate Niacinamide 10 Boosting Shot Ampoule for that pairing, while this ampoule's own 27-ingredient order centers its soothing support on Centella Asiatica Extract and Panthenol alongside the 3X Azelaic Active Formula.

Centella Asiatica Extract and Panthenol, named earlier in the ampoule's ingredient order, are the two soothing-associated ingredients included in this azelaic acid formula, separate from the niacinamide-based ampoule in SKIN1004's catalogue.

Set against the prescription azelaic acid gel's narrower, rosacea-specific indication, the wider category of 10% cosmetic azelaic acid serums and ampoules, including this one, is positioned for general facial redness and texture, not for a diagnosed condition requiring prescription review, per the DailyMed record for the 15% gel.