K-Beauty Collagen Balms Are All Over My Feed, So I Tried the Two Most Popular Brands

In the age of Instagram and TikTok, it's easy to be tempted by every beauty product that pops up on your feed—especially when creators make each launch seem like a life-changing discovery. While revelatory skincare, haircare, and makeup formulas absolutely exist, not every product is worth the hype.

That's why we set out to uncover the truth about TikTok's current obsession: Korean multibalm sticks. The top contenders are the Dr.Melaxin Cemenrete Calcium Volume Multi Balm and the Medicube PDRN Pink Collagen Volume Multi Balm Stick. The consensus is that both sticks work wonders at hydrating, plumping, and smoothing the skin, with some even going so far as to say they're "filler in a stick."

As someone with a strong forehead who used to get Botox every six to eight months while working as a beauty writer in New York, and who has yet to find a dermatologist or facialist since moving out West, I figured who better to put the products to the test than myself. Ahead, learn about the collagen balms everyone is talking about online, and find out once and for all if they're truly worth working into your routine. 

What Is the Dr.Melaxin Collagen Multi Balm Stick? 

The Dr.Melaxin Collagen Multi Balm Stick is a skincare balm in ultra-convenient stick form (perfect for at-home and on-the-go use) that's designed to hydrate, plump, and smooth the skin. It's formulated with patented Rebornic Technology, which combines calcium and vitamin D to strengthen and support the skin barrier, along with hydrolyzed collagen and elastin to target fine lines and thin skin, for an instantly bouncier, more youthful complexion.

To reap the rewards of this stick, you can swipe it on as the final step in your skincare routine, or tap it over makeup for a glowy, plump finish. The trick is in knowing where to apply it, though. Since this K-beauty skincare stick boosts volume, it's specifically designed for hollow areas of the face, as well as for sagging or wrinkled areas. Think: under the eyes, along crow's feet (or, as Kat Stickler rebranded them, "rays of sunshine"), over smile lines, and across neck lines. 

What Is the Medicube PDRN Pink Collagen Volume Multi Balm Stick?

Medicube released its Pink Collagen Volume Multi Balm Stick in March 2026. Like other skincare balms in stick form, it's designed to hydrate, plump, and smooth the skin, but its formula leans into some of beauty's buzziest ingredients. The balm contains PDRN, NAD, liposomal EGF, peptides, retinol, caffeine, and Volufiline—a combination intended to support skin elasticity, encourage cell turnover, and soften the appearance of fine lines over time. The addition of caffeine and Volufiline may also help temporarily reduce puffiness and create a fuller-looking, more radiant complexion immediately after application.

My Reviews

Curious to see if the claims lived up to the hype, I put the Medicube Pink Collagen Volume Multi Balm Stick and Dr.Melaxin Collagen Multi Balm Stick to the test. Since both sticks—and seemingly everyone on TikTok—promise instant results, I took photos of each side of my face before, swiped the balms across my forehead lines, crow's feet, smile lines, and around the edges of my lips, waited a few minutes, and snapped after photos. Keep reading for my real-life results.

Medicube PDRN Pink Collagen Volume Multi Balm Stick 

Knowing that the medicube Multi Balm Stick promises even deeper penetration and regeneration, I applied the medicube Pink Collagen Volume Multi Balm Stick to the left side of my face, where my left eyebrow is considerably stronger than my right and has a trio of wrinkles above it from habitually lifting it every time I smile. The balm went on very smoothly and didn’t feel the slightest bit sticky. It was lightweight and imparted a glowy finish and hydrated feel. It didn’t, however, miraculously erase every indentation on my face—it just made my skin look healthy and radiant (which, if you ask me, is a blessing in itself).

Dr.Melaxin Collagen Multi Balm Stick

The Dr.Melaxin Collagen Multi Balm Stick is equally as smooth and lightweight to apply. It left my skin feeling hydrated and lit from within. While neither collagen balm stick made a shocking difference in the appearance of my fine lines or deeper wrinkles, I did notice that the Dr.Melaxin Collagen Multi Balm Stick seemed to soften them a bit more and reduce my redness a bit. Upon further inspection of the ingredients, I learned that this effect is thanks to the inclusion of adenosine, a popular anti-inflammatory, anti-aging skincare ingredient. 

At the end of the day, do I think viral collagen balm sticks are an absolute must? No. Do I think they can be beneficial (and easy to use!) barrier-supporting solutions? For sure. As someone with combo dry/oily, reactive skin and rosacea, I plan to keep the Dr. Melaxin Collagen Multi Balm Stick on hand, especially during the driest months of the year.