🇦🇺Australia

Dr. Althea vs Medik8

Rated by Lovi · Unbiased, science-based skincare AI trained on real user outcomes · How the Fit score works

Dr. Althea and Medik8 are skincare brands offering soothing moisturizers, gentle cleansers, effective makeup removers, nourishing serums, eye products, and toners. Founded in 2014 and 2009 respectively, the Korean brand features thoughtful formulas driven by key ingredients, while the British brand builds its products around hyaluronic acid. Both brands suit dry skin best, though the former also suits acne-prone skin and the latter dry sensitive skin. They differ in their standout solutions, with the former providing the Amino Acid Gentle Bubble Cleanser, 345 Relief Cream, and Vitamin C Boosting Serum, and the latter featuring Surface Radiance Cleanse, Oxy-R Peptides, and Total Moisture Daily Facial Cream.

Dr. Althea is a Korean skincare brand founded in 2014 and owned by The Pure Lab Co., Ltd..

doctoraltheaglobal.comdoctoralthea.co.kr

Medik8 is a British skincare brand founded in 2009 and owned by L'Oréal Groupe since 2025.

loreal.commedik8.comtracxn.com

This page compares some of the most popular Dr. Althea and Medik8 products; for every product of both brands, with a fit score for your own skin, use the Lovi app.

Popular Dr. Althea vs Medik8 products

People Say

Dr. AltheaMedik8
  • Gentle Formula Mostly MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “doesn't dry out my face — Dr. Althea Amino Acid Gentle Bubble Cleanser”
    • “skin doesn't feel stripped — Dr. Althea Amino Gel Cleanser”
    • “zero irritation or peeling — Medik8 CRYSTAL RETINAL 3”
    • “only Vitamin C my sensitive skin can tolerate — Medik8 C-Tetra Serum”
  • Lightweight and Fast Absorbing Texture Mostly MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “absorbs beautifully — Dr. Althea 345 Relief Cream”
    • “rich but non-greasy — Dr. Althea Barrier Cream”
    • “Melts instantly — Dr. Althea Pure Grinding Cleansing Balm”
    • “absorbed effortlessly — Medik8 Total Moisture Daily Facial Cream”
  • Hydration and Moisture Often MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “hydrating but light — Dr. Althea 345 Relief Cream”
    • “consistently hydrated mornings — Dr. Althea Barrier Cream”
    • “Restores moisture — Medik8 Liquid Peptides”
    • “Instantly quenched the skin — Medik8 Hydr8 B5 Intense”
  • Brightening and Tone Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
    • “I wake up glowing. It adds back that youthful bloom that I've lost. — Medik8 Sleep Glycolic”
    • “unlocked a serious glow — Medik8 C-Tetra Serum”
    • “pigmentation lightened slightly — Medik8 Oxy-R Peptides”
    • “faded dark spots — Dr. Althea Vitamin C Boosting Serum”
  • Soothing and Calming Mostly MentionedRarely Noted
    • “calms redness — Dr. Althea 345 Relief Cream”
    • “instantly calms irritated skin — Dr. Althea Barrier Cream”
    • “perfect for sensitive skin — Dr. Althea Amino Acid Gentle Bubble Cleanser”
    • “calming effects — Medik8 Total Moisture Daily Facial Cream”
  • Skin Texture Improvement Rarely NotedOften Mentioned
    • “smoother skin — Medik8 Surface Radiance Cleanse”
    • “My skin was smoother, my skin texture felt more resurfaced. — Medik8 Sleep Glycolic”
    • “Reduces fine lines — Medik8 Liquid Peptides”
    • “faded acne scars — Dr. Althea 345 Relief Cream”
  • Price and Cost Rarely NotedOften Mentioned
    • “a bit pricey — Dr. Althea Barrier Cream”
    • “Expensive per bottle — Medik8 Liquid Peptides”
  • Scent and Irritation Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “stinging sensation — Medik8 Super C Ferulic”
    • “caused slight redness — Medik8 Crystal Retinal Ceramide Eye 3”
    • “metallic scent — Medik8 Super C Ferulic”
    • “smells like plants — Dr. Althea 345 Relief Cream”
  • Packaging Issues Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “Hard to see remaining amount — Dr. Althea Pure Grinding Cleansing Balm”
    • “hard to squeeze — Dr. Althea Barrier Cream”
    • “Glass bottle breaks easily — Medik8 Liquid Peptides”
    • “hard to get last bit — Medik8 CRYSTAL RETINAL 3”

Dr. Althea vs Medik8 routines for dry skin

Buy Medik8 routine · A$283.59 · 97% fitBuy Dr. Althea routine · A$223.85 · 91% fitSee multi-brand routine · 97% fit

Dr. Althea vs Medik8 routines for oily skin

Buy Medik8 routine · A$409.86 · 94% fitBuy Dr. Althea routine · A$403.84 · 89% fitSee multi-brand routine · 96% fit

Dr. Althea vs Medik8 routines for combination skin

Buy Medik8 routine · A$444.44 · 93% fitBuy Dr. Althea routine · A$337.14 · 87% fitSee multi-brand routine · 95% fit

Questions and answers

Dr. Althea or Medik8: which is better?

Both brands are great options, but Medik8 achieves a Superior routine fit for more skin types like oily, sensitive, and mature skin, whereas Dr. Althea matches that highest level specifically for dry skin, acne-prone skin, and oily skin. Reviewers note that Medik8 excels in brightening and skin texture improvement, while Dr. Althea stands out for its more affordable price point and soothing formulas.

What is the difference between Dr. Althea and Medik8?

Medik8 tends to do better for brightening and tone as well as skin texture improvement, whereas Dr. Althea provides an advantage for soothing and calming and is generally more affordable. Both brands offer solid options for hydration and moisture, though Medik8 reaches a Superior Lovi fit level across more skin types like oily and sensitive skin compared to Dr. Althea's High fit for those types.

Dr. Althea or Medik8 for dry skin?

Both brands achieve a Superior routine fit for dry skin, though Dr. Althea tends to be more affordable while Medik8 features deep hydration and plumping. Topical hyaluronic acid, found in Medik8 products, helps provide anti-aging and moisturizing benefits for skin quality.

Drug Delivery, 2017Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

Dr. Althea or Medik8: which cleanser is better?

Both brands offer strong options, but Dr. Althea's Amino Acid Gentle Bubble Cleanser achieves a Superior routine fit for acne-prone, oily, combination, and dry skin. Meanwhile, Medik8 features Surface Radiance Cleanse, which also reaches a Superior routine fit specifically for acne-prone skin, oily acne-prone skin, and skin with dark spots.

Which is more affordable, Dr. Althea or Medik8?

Dr. Althea is more affordable, as reviewers often note Medik8 has a high price point.

Between Dr. Althea and Medik8, which brand does better for brightening and tone?

Medik8 does better for brightening and tone than Dr. Althea. The products on this page help improve overall skin brightness and glow.

The British Journal of Dermatology, 2002Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2020

How do the founding years and corporate owners of Dr. Althea and Medik8 compare?

Dr. Althea was founded in 2014 in South Korea and is owned by The Pure Lab Co., Ltd., while Medik8 was founded in 2009 in the United Kingdom and is owned by L'Oréal Groupe since 2025.

Which brand performs better for skin texture improvement according to review themes?

Medik8 performs better for skin texture improvement according to the review themes.

Dr. Althea or Medik8 for oily skin?

Medik8 is a better fit for oily skin, as Lovi rates Medik8's routine fit as Superior while Dr. Althea's routine fit is High.

Dr. Althea or Medik8: which moisturizer is better?

Medik8 offers strong options like Hydr8 B5 Intense which features hyaluronic acid to help provide deep hydration. Dr. Althea also provides soothing care with products like 345 Relief Cream.

Drug Delivery, 2017Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

Dr. Althea or Medik8 for sensitive skin?

Medik8 provides a Superior routine fit for sensitive skin, whereas Dr. Althea has a High routine fit. Topicals featuring ingredients like hyaluronic acid help support skin hydration and barrier health.

Drug Delivery, 2017Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

Dr. Althea or Medik8 for acne-prone skin?

Both Dr. Althea and Medik8 achieve a Superior routine fit level for acne-prone skin. Reviewers note that Dr. Althea provides soothing and gentle cleansers, while Medik8 offers advanced options like Surface Radiance Cleanse which reaches a Superior level for acne-prone skin.

Research behind their key ingredients

Behind this comparison

Lovi compares products by their fit scores, calculated 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.

  • Nadia Kapleva, MS

    Nadia Kapleva, MS

    Co-founder, Medical Director

    Cosmetic chemist, cosmetologist, aesthetic products developer

  • Alexey Shagraev, PhD

    Alexey Shagraev, PhD

    Co-founder, CEO and CTO

    PhD in computer science, 3x US patent holder, ex-Google, ex-Yandex

  • Dr. Sofía Perea Pérez, MD, MSc

    Dr. Sofía Perea Pérez, MD, MSc

    Medical Board

    Aesthetic medicine practitioner, MSc in Longevity and Anti-Aging Medicine

  • Aishani Shah, MD

    Aishani Shah, MD

    Medical Board

    Specialist dermatologist, MBBS, MD, IFAAD

  • Asya Zubkova, MS

    Asya Zubkova, MS

    Medical Board

    Cosmetic chemist, SCS, IFSCC member

  • Hanna Kurets, MD

    Hanna Kurets, MD

    Medical Board, Medical Advisor

    Dermatology MD

  • Elina Nazarenko, MD

    Elina Nazarenko, MD

    Medical Board

    Dermatology and diagnostic consultant

  • Victoria Derkova, MS

    Victoria Derkova, MS

    Medical Board

    Cosmetic chemist, cosmetic development technologist

How does it fit your skin?

Scan your face, then any product: Lovi shows how well it fits you and what fits even better.

QR code: get the Lovi app
Download on theApp Store Get it onGoogle Play