🇦🇺Australia

Medik8 vs Grown Alchemist

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

Medik8 and Grown Alchemist are British and Australian skincare brands offering serums, cleansers, moisturizers, eye products, and toners built around ingredients like hyaluronic acid. Medik8 features hyaluronic acid to lengthen toxin wrinkle effect duration, suiting dry and dry sensitive skin best, while the brand excels in targeted solutions such as the Surface Radiance Cleanse for acne-prone skin, Oxy-R Peptides for dark spots, and Total Moisture Daily Facial Cream for mature skin. Grown Alchemist is loved for its formulas that suit sensitive, dry, and combination skin, with standout options including the Hydra-Restore Cream Cleanser for acne, Instant Smoothing Serum for dark spots, and Gentle Gel Facial Cleanser for maturity. Both brands differ in their origins and specific formulations, giving you distinct paths toward balanced, healthy skin.

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 Medik8 and Grown Alchemist products; for every product of both brands, with a fit score for your own skin, use the Lovi app.

Popular Medik8 vs Grown Alchemist products

People Say

Medik8Grown Alchemist
  • Gentle and non-irritating formula Mostly MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “zero irritation or peeling — Medik8 CRYSTAL RETINAL 3”
    • “only Vitamin C my sensitive skin can tolerate — Medik8 C-Tetra Serum”
    • “Perfect for sensitive skin — Grown Alchemist Gentle Gel Facial Cleanser”
    • “calms my skin down — Grown Alchemist Hydra-Restore Cream Cleanser”
  • Lightweight and elegant texture Often MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “silkiest cleanser — Grown Alchemist Hydra-Restore Cream Cleanser”
    • “Very light weight — Grown Alchemist Instant Smoothing Serum”
    • “absorbed effortlessly — Medik8 Total Moisture Daily Facial Cream”
  • Deep hydration and plumping Often MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “Restores moisture — Medik8 Liquid Peptides”
    • “Instantly quenched the skin — Medik8 Hydr8 B5 Intense”
    • “Skin version of chugging water — Grown Alchemist Instant Smoothing Serum”
    • “Doesn't dry tacky — Grown Alchemist Instant Smoothing Serum”
  • Pleasant experience and scent Sometimes NotedMostly Mentioned
    • “Smells amazing — Grown Alchemist Gentle Gel Facial Cleanser”
    • “smell is divine — Grown Alchemist Hydra-Restore Cream Cleanser”
    • “smells like a spa — Medik8 CRYSTAL RETINAL 3”
  • Brightening and glow Often MentionedNot noted
    • “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”
  • Improves skin texture Often MentionedNot noted
    • “smoother skin — Medik8 Surface Radiance Cleanse”
    • “My skin was smoother, my skin texture felt more resurfaced. — Medik8 Sleep Glycolic”
    • “skin feels baby soft — Medik8 CRYSTAL RETINAL 3”
  • High price point Often MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “Expensive per bottle — Medik8 Liquid Peptides”
    • “very expensive for amount — Medik8 CRYSTAL RETINAL 3”
    • “expensive for what it is — Grown Alchemist Hydra-Restore Cream Cleanser”
    • “A bit pricey — Grown Alchemist Instant Smoothing Serum”
  • Packaging issues and fragility Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
    • “Glass bottle breaks easily — Medik8 Liquid Peptides”
    • “hard to get last bit — Medik8 CRYSTAL RETINAL 3”
    • “click mechanism tricky — Medik8 Oxy-R Peptides”
    • “tube cracks easily — Grown Alchemist Hydra-Restore Cream Cleanser”
  • Makeup removal issues Not notedOften Mentioned
    • “Isn't going to be your makeup remover — Grown Alchemist Gentle Gel Facial Cleanser”

Questions and answers

Medik8 or Grown Alchemist: which is better?

Medik8 offers superior results for brightening and improving skin texture, whereas Grown Alchemist stands out for its lightweight textures and pleasant scent. Both brands provide deep hydration and gentle formulas, but Medik8 features a much wider range of targeted serums and treatments.

What is the difference between Medik8 and Grown Alchemist?

Medik8 offers a wider variety of specialized serums and moisturizers that help with brightening and improving skin texture, whereas Grown Alchemist focuses primarily on cleansers and features a lightweight, elegant texture. Both brands provide deep hydration and plumping for the skin.

Drug Delivery, 2017Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

Medik8 or Grown Alchemist: which cleanser is better?

Medik8 stands out for addressing acne-prone skin and dark spots with a Superior Lovi fit on this page, whereas Grown Alchemist performs better for lightweight and elegant texture.

Which is more affordable, Medik8 or Grown Alchemist?

Reviewers note that a high price point is a drawback for Medik8 products on this page, while pricing comparisons are not detailed for Grown Alchemist.

Which causes fewer breakouts, Medik8 or Grown Alchemist?

Both Medik8 and Grown Alchemist perform equally well regarding gentle formulas and causing fewer breakouts, with both brands offering products that are generally well tolerated by sensitive and acne-prone skin.

How do the founding years and current ownership of Medik8 and Grown Alchemist compare?

Medik8 was founded in 2009 in the United Kingdom and has been owned by L'Oréal Groupe since 2025. In comparison, Grown Alchemist was founded a year earlier in 2008, with independent ownership since 2024.

Which brand has more fragrance-free products, Medik8 or Grown Alchemist?

Medik8 has more fragrance-free products on this page than Grown Alchemist, with eleven out of its twelve products listing no fragrance. Grown Alchemist also offers entirely fragrance-free products across its selection on this page.

What are the main reviewer-reported complaints regarding Medik8 and Grown Alchemist?

Reviewer feedback for Medik8 on this page often notes a high price point, packaging issues, and makeup removal issues. For Grown Alchemist, the primary reported complaints focus on cleanser performance and packaging issues.

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