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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 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 · $235.67 · 96% fitBuy Dr. Althea routine · $144.68 · 91% fitSee multi-brand routine · 99% fit

Dr. Althea vs Medik8 routines for oily skin

Buy Dr. Althea routine · $296.69 · 90% fitBuy Medik8 routine · $418.54 · 90% fitSee multi-brand routine · 98% fit

Dr. Althea vs Medik8 routines for combination skin

Buy Medik8 routine · $419.65 · 93% fitBuy Dr. Althea routine · $276.17 · 89% fitSee multi-brand routine · 97% fit

Questions and answers

Dr. Althea or Medik8: which is better?

Both brands perform well, but they shine in different areas depending on your skincare goals and budget. The products on this page show that Dr. Althea excels in soothing and lightweight formulas that are easier on the wallet, whereas Medik8 stands out for brightening and improving skin texture, though at a higher price point. Both brands achieve a Superior routine fit for dry skin, oily skin, and acne-prone skin.

What is the difference between Dr. Althea and Medik8?

Dr. Althea and Medik8 both fit dry, oily, and acne-prone skin with a Superior routine level, but Dr. Althea tends to do better for soothing and pricing, while Medik8 often brings better brightening and texture improvement. Medik8's products are largely fragrance-free except for Total Moisture Daily Facial Cream, whereas every Dr. Althea product on this page lists no fragrance.

Dr. Althea or Medik8 for dry skin?

Both brands achieve a Superior routine fit for dry skin, making them equally strong options on this page. Medik8 features key ingredients like hyaluronic acid to help provide deep hydration and plumping benefits.

Drug Delivery, 2017Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

Dr. Althea or Medik8: which cleanser is better?

Both brands offer cleansers on this page, but Dr. Althea's cleansers achieve higher Lovi fit levels across more skin types, including Superior ratings for oily, combination, acne-prone, and dry skin.

Which is more affordable, Dr. Althea or Medik8?

Dr. Althea is more affordable, as price and cost are an advantage for Dr. Althea over Medik8.

Which brand has a better routine fit for dry sensitive skin, Dr. Althea or Medik8?

Medik8 has a better routine fit for dry sensitive skin, as its routine fit is rated as Superior compared to Dr. Althea's High level of fit. Additionally, topical hyaluronic acid helps improve skin hydration and signs of skin aging.

Drug Delivery, 2017Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

Dr. Althea or Medik8 for oily skin?

Both brands achieve a Superior routine fit for oily skin, making them equally suitable. Dr. Althea provides lightweight and fast-absorbing textures while Medik8 offers advanced options like Hydr8 B5 Intense containing hyaluronic acid, which helps deliver deep hydration without feeling heavy.

Drug Delivery, 2017Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

Dr. Althea or Medik8: which moisturizer is better?

Medik8 stands out for providing a luxurious texture and deep hydration through products like Total Moisture Daily Facial Cream, whereas Dr. Althea offers soothing moisturizers like 345 Relief Cream that fit dry skin at a High level and are free of fragrance across the products on this page.

Drug Delivery, 2017Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

Dr. Althea or Medik8 for sensitive skin?

Medik8 is a better fit for sensitive skin, earning a Superior routine fit level compared to Dr. Althea's High level.

Dr. Althea or Medik8 for acne-prone skin?

Both Dr. Althea and Medik8 achieve a Superior Lovi fit level for acne-prone skin on the products on this page. Dr. Althea is highlighted for its gentle and soothing cleansers and moisturizers, while Medik8 offers advanced options like Surface Radiance Cleanse which reaches a Superior fit for acne-prone skin.

Dr. Althea or Medik8 for mature skin?

Dr. Althea is a better fit for mature skin, achieving a Superior routine fit compared to Medik8's High level. The products on this page for Dr. Althea also feature soothing moisturizers and gentle cleansers that help manage sensitive skin well.

Dr. Althea or Medik8 for combination skin?

Medik8 is the better choice for combination skin, as the products on this page achieve a Superior routine fit compared to Dr. Althea's High fit level. Medik8 also offers key hydrating ingredients like hyaluronic acid to help balance different skin areas.

Drug Delivery, 2017Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

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?

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