🇦🇺Australia

Medicube vs SK-II

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

Medicube and SK-II are esteemed skincare brands rooted in distinct traditions, with the former founded in South Korea in 2016 and the latter established in Japan in 1980. Skincare enthusiasts adore Medicube for its thoughtfully formulated moisturizers, serums, toners, masks, and more, which harness key ingredients like niacinamide, collagen, and hyaluronic acid, while SK-II is deeply adored for its thoughtfully formulated moisturizers, nourishing serums, rejuvenating masks, refreshing toners, and more, all anchored by its signature ingredient, pitera. Both brands suit dry skin and oily acne-prone skin best, though they differ through their unique ingredient philosophies and regional heritage.

Medicube is a Korean skincare brand founded in 2016 and owned by APR Corp..

medicubereviews.co.ukglossy.co

SK-II is a Japanese skincare brand founded in 1980 and owned by The Procter & Gamble Company since 1991.

en.wikipedia.orgdiscoversk-ii.wixsite.comglossy.co

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

Popular Medicube vs SK-II products

People Say

MedicubeSK-II
  • Hydration and Moisture Mostly MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “skin feels bouncier and hydrated — Medicube PDRN Pink Peptide Serum”
    • “glass skin — Medicube PDRN Pink Collagen Gel Mask”
    • “flooded my skin with moisture — SK-II Facial Treatment Mask”
    • “skin feels deeply hydrated, plump, and smoother — SK-II Skinpower Advanced Cream”
  • Packaging, Convenience and Lather Mostly MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “Mochi-like foam — Medicube Zero Foam Cleanser”
    • “feels amazing and cooling — Medicube Zero Pore Blackhead Mud Mask”
    • “dries super fast — Medicube Zero Pore Blackhead Mud Mask”
    • “Removes leftover dirt — SK-II Facial Treatment Clear Lotion”
  • Skin Texture Improvement Often MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “gives my skin a smooth, glass-like finish — Medicube Zero Pore Pad”
    • “skin feels smoother — Medicube PDRN Pink Peptide Serum”
    • “skin feels soft as butter — SK-II Facial Treatment Essence”
    • “pores became miraculously invisible — SK-II Facial Treatment Mask”
  • Radiance and Glow Often MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “gave me instant glass skin — Medicube Collagen Jelly Cream”
    • “woke up with glowing skin — Medicube Collagen Night Wrapping Mask”
    • “gives a glass skin look — SK-II Facial Treatment Essence”
    • “leaves me with a red carpet glow — SK-II Facial Treatment Mask”
  • Gentle and Soothing Formulation Often MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “refreshing sensation — Medicube PDRN Pink Collagen Gel Mask”
    • “Did not cause any irritation — Medicube Red Foam Cleanser”
    • “no tingling or burning — Medicube PDRN Pink Peptide Serum”
    • “Watery consistency — SK-II Facial Treatment Clear Lotion”
  • Brightening and Fading Spots Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
    • “Skin looks brighter — SK-II Genoptics Spot Essence”
    • “My skin is glowing now. — SK-II Genoptics Ultraura Essence”
    • “Reduced sun spots — SK-II Genoptics Spot Essence”
    • “Dark spots go away faster — Medicube Deep Vita C Pad”
  • High Price and Cost Sometimes NotedMostly Mentioned
    • “tube is tiny for the price — Medicube Collagen Night Wrapping Mask”
    • “price is steep — Medicube PDRN Pink Collagen Gel Mask”
    • “price is a bit steep — Medicube Red Succinic Acid Peeling Pad”
    • “way too expensive — SK-II Facial Treatment Essence”
  • Unpleasant Fragrance or Scent Often MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “slightly fishy smell — Medicube PDRN Pink Peptide Serum”
    • “smells like old lady perfume — Medicube Collagen Jelly Cream”
    • “smells like dirty feet — SK-II Facial Treatment Essence”
    • “smells slightly like saliva — SK-II Facial Treatment Mask”
  • Product Design, Quantity and Application Issues Often MentionedRarely Noted
    • “cotton is too thick and heavy — SK-II Facial Treatment Mask”
    • “messy — Medicube PDRN Pink Collagen Gel Mask”
  • Irritation and Breakouts Often MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “caused redness and sensitivity — Medicube Zero Pore Pad”
    • “woke up with whiteheads — Medicube Collagen Night Wrapping Mask”
    • “caused tiny red bumps — SK-II Facial Treatment Essence”
    • “Small bumps — SK-II Facial Treatment Clear Lotion”
  • Sticky and Heavy Residue Often MentionedRarely Noted
    • “dried to a tacky finish — SK-II Facial Treatment Mask”
    • “quite thick consistency — SK-II Skinpower Advanced Cream”
    • “hair sticks to my face — Medicube Collagen Jelly Cream”

Medicube vs SK-II routines for dry skin

Buy Medicube routine · A$229.13 · 91% fitBuy SK-II routine · A$1,400.12 · 90% fitSee multi-brand routine · 97% fit

Medicube vs SK-II routines for oily skin

Buy SK-II routine · A$1,436.99 · 89% fitBuy Medicube routine · A$281.83 · 87% fitSee multi-brand routine · 96% fit

Medicube vs SK-II routines for combination skin

Buy SK-II routine · A$1,429.91 · 88% fitBuy Medicube routine · A$204.40 · 85% fitSee multi-brand routine · 95% fit

Questions and answers

Medicube or SK-II: which is better?

Both brands are great choices depending on your specific skin needs, as Medicube is better for gentle soothing and packaging convenience, while SK-II excels in brightening and fading spots. For acne-prone skin and oily acne-prone skin, Lovi rates SK-II as Superior and Medicube as High.

What is the difference between Medicube and SK-II?

Both Medicube and SK-II are well-suited for various skin types, but they differ in their formulations and targeted benefits. Medicube offers a wide range of products featuring ingredients like niacinamide and collagen, whereas SK-II relies on its signature Pitera ingredient across its lineup. Additionally, reviewer themes indicate that Medicube performs better for gentle and soothing formulations, while SK-II does better for brightening and fading spots.

The British Journal of Dermatology, 2002Antioxidants, 2021

Medicube or SK-II for dry skin?

Both Medicube and SK-II achieve a Superior routine fit for dry skin among the products on this page. Reviewers note that Medicube products help provide deep hydration and a radiant glow, while utilizing key ingredients like hyaluronic acid to help improve skin quality.

Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

Medicube or SK-II: which moisturizer is better?

Both Medicube and SK-II offer highly effective moisturizers, with Medicube standing out for its deep hydration and variety of formulas, while SK-II relies on its signature Pitera. Lovi rates the routine fit for dry skin as Superior for both brands, and for mature skin as High for both brands.

Dermatology Practical & Conceptual, 2022Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

Which is more affordable, Medicube or SK-II?

Reviewers note that Medicube products frequently face high price and cost issues among the products on this page.

Between Medicube and SK-II, which brand performs better for mature skin?

Both Medicube and SK-II achieve a High routine fit for mature skin among the products on this page. Review themes show that both brands perform equally well for hydration and moisture, skin texture improvement, and radiance and glow.

Which brand has more fragrance-free products, Medicube or SK-II?

Medicube has more fragrance-free products on this page than SK-II, offering 23 fragrance-free items compared to all 7 products for SK-II.

How do Medicube and SK-II compare when it comes to brightening and fading dark spots?

When it comes to brightening and fading dark spots, SK-II does better than Medicube according to review themes. Both brands offer products on this page that fit skin with dark spots at a High level.

Medicube or SK-II for oily skin?

Both Medicube and SK-II are a High fit for oily skin. The products on this page help provide good hydration without heavy residue.

Medicube or SK-II for sensitive skin?

Both Medicube and SK-II are good options, as Lovi rates both brands as having a High routine fit for sensitive skin. Medicube offers products on this page that are formulated without fragrance in 23 out of 25 items, while every product on this page for SK-II lists no fragrance.

Medicube or SK-II for acne-prone skin?

Both Medicube and SK-II are good options for acne-prone skin, with Lovi rating Medicube as High and SK-II as Superior for this skin type. Medicube features key ingredients like salicylic acid and niacinamide across the products on this page to help target blemishes, while SK-II relies on its signature Pitera formulation.

The British Journal of Dermatology, 2002Antioxidants, 2021

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