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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 known for nurturing dry and mature skin types. The Korean brand features gentle moisturizers, cleansers, makeup removers, and serums, while the British brand offers serums, moisturizers, eye products, toners, and more built around hyaluronic acid. Both brands serve dry skin best, though the former suits mature skin as well and the latter fits dry sensitive skin best. They differ primarily in their origin, founding years, and core ingredient approaches.

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 · CA$134.16 · 97% fitBuy Dr. Althea routine · CA$202.71 · 91% fitSee multi-brand routine · 99% fit

Dr. Althea vs Medik8 routines for oily skin

Buy Dr. Althea routine · CA$333.68 · 89% fitBuy Medik8 routine · CA$386.00 · 88% fitSee multi-brand routine · 96% fit

Dr. Althea vs Medik8 routines for combination skin

Buy Medik8 routine · CA$350.00 · 93% fitBuy Dr. Althea routine · CA$276.78 · 89% fitSee multi-brand routine · 96% fit

Questions and answers

Dr. Althea or Medik8: which is better?

Both brands are great choices, but they excel in different areas based on your skin needs. Dr. Althea tends to offer better value and is known for soothing and calming sensitive skin, while Medik8 often performs better for brightening and improving skin texture.

What is the difference between Dr. Althea and Medik8?

Medik8 stands out for brightening and skin texture improvement among the products on this page, whereas Dr. Althea provides better results for soothing and calming. Both brands perform equally well for overall routine fit on dry, oily, acne-prone, and mature skin.

Dr. Althea or Medik8 for dry skin?

Both brands achieve a Superior routine fit for dry skin, though Dr. Althea has lower prices while Medik8 frequently provides deep hydration and plumping with hyaluronic acid. The products on this page for Medik8 include Hydr8 B5 Intense which helps deliver intensive moisture.

Drug Delivery, 2017Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

Dr. Althea or Medik8: which cleanser is better?

Both Dr. Althea and Medik8 offer top-tier cleansers on this page, with Dr. Althea rated Superior for dry, oily, combination, and acne-prone skin, and Medik8's Surface Radiance Cleanse rated Superior for acne-prone skin, oily acne-prone skin, and skin with dark spots. Reviewers often mention Dr. Althea for its gentle and soothing cleansers, while Medik8 is recognized for improving skin texture.

Which is more affordable, Dr. Althea or Medik8?

Dr. Althea is more affordable, as price and cost are an area where it outperforms Medik8 among the products on this page.

Which brand has more fragrance-free products, Dr. Althea or Medik8?

Dr. Althea has more fragrance-free products than Medik8 on this page, as every single Dr. Althea product lists no fragrance, whereas Medik8 includes fragrance in its Total Moisture Daily Facial Cream.

What are the main negative points reviewers mention for Medik8 compared to Dr. Althea?

Reviewers often note a high price point for Medik8, whereas Dr. Althea scores better on price and cost. Additionally, reviewers sometimes report scent and irritation issues with Medik8.

Dr. Althea or Medik8 for oily skin?

For oily skin, both Dr. Althea and Medik8 achieve a High routine fit on the products on this page. Reviewers report that Dr. Althea tends to offer a more lightweight and fast-absorbing texture.

Dr. Althea or Medik8: which moisturizer is better?

Both Dr. Althea and Medik8 offer great moisturizers, with Dr. Althea's 345 Relief Cream rated Superior for acne-prone and oily acne-prone skin, while Medik8's Hydr8 B5 Intense is rated Superior for dry skin.

Drug Delivery, 2017Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

Dr. Althea or Medik8 for sensitive skin?

Medik8 is a better fit for sensitive skin, as Lovi rates its routine as Superior compared to High for Dr. Althea. Both brands offer gentle formulas, but Medik8 brings better brightening and texture improvement while Dr. Althea helps with soothing and calming.

Dr. Althea or Medik8 for acne-prone skin?

Both Dr. Althea and Medik8 offer great options for acne-prone skin, as Lovi rates the routine fit for both brands as High. For example, Dr. Althea features the Amino Acid Gentle Bubble Cleanser, while Medik8 offers products like Crystal Retinal 3.

Dr. Althea or Medik8 for combination skin?

Medik8 is a better fit for combination skin, as Lovi rates its routine as Superior compared to High for Dr. Althea. Medik8 also performs better for brightening and tone among the products on this page.

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

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