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Medicube vs Shiseido

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

Medicube and Shiseido are renowned Asian skincare brands celebrated for their thoughtful moisturizers, serums, and targeted treatments. Medicube, a 2016 Korean label, relies on niacinamide, collagen, and hyaluronic acid to best suit dry and oily acne-prone skin, whereas Shiseido, founded in Japan in 1872, utilizes glycerin to provide gentle daily care primarily for sensitive and mature skin. While the former focuses on balancing hydration and clarity through specialized gels, masks, and eye creams, the latter offers restorative softeners and creams designed to smooth wrinkles and enhance moisture. Ultimately, both labels differ in their heritage and key ingredients, yet each delivers profound results through meticulously formulated products.

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

medicubereviews.co.ukglossy.co

Shiseido is a Japanese skincare brand founded in 1872 and owned by Shiseido Company, Limited.

corp.shiseido.comen.wikipedia.orgmarketscreener.com

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

Popular Medicube vs Shiseido products

People Say

MedicubeShiseido
  • Deep hydration and moisturization Mostly MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “Immediate sensation of comfort — Shiseido Benefiance Wrinkle Smoothing Eye Cream”
    • “skin feels plump, soft and nourished, eliminates dryness, bouncy feel — Shiseido VITAL PERFECTION”
    • “Skin feels more hydrated — Shiseido Activating Essence”
    • “skin feels bouncier and hydrated — Medicube PDRN Pink Peptide Serum”
  • Radiant glow and brightening Often MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “gave me instant glass skin — Medicube Collagen Jelly Cream”
    • “woke up with glowing skin — Medicube Collagen Night Wrapping Mask”
    • “Skin looks brighter, more radiant, and "glowy." — Shiseido Ultimune Power Infusing Concentrate”
    • “faded pimple marks — Shiseido White Lucent Brightening Gel Cream”
  • Skin texture and smoothness Often MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “gives my skin a smooth, glass-like finish — Medicube Zero Pore Pad”
    • “skin feels smoother — Medicube PDRN Pink Peptide Serum”
    • “skin feels baby soft — Medicube Zero Pore Blackhead Mud Mask”
    • “smoothes rough skin — Shiseido Eudermine Revitalizing Essence”
  • Luxurious texture and feel Rarely NotedOften Mentioned
    • “silky smooth, rich but non-greasy, absorbs quickly, melts into skin — Shiseido VITAL PERFECTION”
    • “Velvety, rich cream texture — Shiseido Benefiance Wrinkle Smoothing Eye Cream”
    • “Velvety texture — Shiseido FUTURE SOLUTION LX”
    • “Rich but absorbs well — Medicube TRIPLE COLLAGEN CREAM”
  • Convenient packaging and application Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “tweezers included are hygienic — Medicube Zero Pore Pad”
    • “perfect slip for my device — Medicube Collagen Jelly Cream”
    • “keeps my skincare in place — Medicube Collagen Night Wrapping Mask”
    • “Great base for makeup — Shiseido Essential Energy Hydrating Cream”
  • Pore care and cleansing Often MentionedRarely Noted
    • “Pores drastically reduced — Medicube Zero Foam Cleanser”
    • “Mochi-like foam — Medicube Zero Foam Cleanser”
    • “Removes every trace of oil — Medicube Red Foam Cleanser”
    • “face feels squeaky clean — Shiseido Clarifying Cleansing Foam”
  • Small quantity and high price 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”
    • “Very expensive for the size — Shiseido Benefiance Wrinkle Smoothing Eye Cream”
  • Strong fragrance and scent issues Often MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “slightly fishy smell — Medicube PDRN Pink Peptide Serum”
    • “smells like old lady perfume — Medicube Collagen Jelly Cream”
    • “Scent is overpowering — Medicube TRIPLE COLLAGEN CREAM”
    • “old lady smell — Shiseido Eudermine Revitalizing Essence”
  • Sticky or heavy residue Often MentionedRarely Noted
    • “Stays tacky and shiny — Shiseido Benefiance Wrinkle Smoothing Eye Cream”
    • “feels a bit oily — Shiseido Benefiance Wrinkle Smoothing Cream Enriched”
    • “slightly tacky — Shiseido Eudermine Revitalizing Essence”
    • “hair sticks to my face — Medicube Collagen Jelly Cream”

Medicube vs Shiseido routines for dry skin

Buy Medicube routine · $154.28 · 91% fitBuy Shiseido routine · $393.62 · 74% fitSee multi-brand routine · 99% fit

Medicube vs Shiseido routines for oily skin

Buy Medicube routine · $234.94 · 88% fitBuy Shiseido routine · $581.17 · 85% fitSee multi-brand routine · 98% fit

Medicube vs Shiseido routines for combination skin

Buy Medicube routine · $234.94 · 88% fitBuy Shiseido routine · $550.65 · 84% fitSee multi-brand routine · 97% fit

Questions and answers

Medicube or Shiseido: which is better?

Medicube is a better fit for dry skin with a Superior routine rating compared to Shiseido's Average. Medicube also stands out for pore care and skin texture, whereas Shiseido excels in deep hydration and luxurious textures.

What is the difference between Medicube and Shiseido?

Medicube fits dry skin better than Shiseido, as Lovi rates Medicube as Superior for dry skin routines while rating Shiseido as Average. Medicube products also tend to be fragrance-free, whereas most Shiseido products on this page list fragrance.

Medicube or Shiseido for dry skin?

Medicube is a better fit for dry skin, achieving a Superior routine fit compared to Shiseido's Average level. Additionally, the products on this page for Medicube help provide deep hydration.

Medicube or Shiseido: which cleanser is better?

Medicube is better for pore care and cleansing than Shiseido. The products on this page show that Medicube cleansers achieve high fit levels across a wider range of skin types.

Which is more affordable, Medicube or Shiseido?

Medicube is generally more affordable than Shiseido, though reviewers note that Medicube products sometimes suffer from small quantity and pricing issues. Conversely, Shiseido products frequently receive mentions for having a high price point.

How do Medicube and Shiseido compare regarding fragrance in their products?

Medicube uses no fragrance in 23 of its 25 products on this page, while Shiseido includes fragrance in 15 of its 20 products. Consequently, strong fragrance and scent issues are more frequently noted by reviewers for Medicube.

Which brand performs better for skin texture and smoothness between Medicube and Shiseido?

Medicube performs better for skin texture and smoothness. Lovi rates its routine fit for dry skin as Superior, while Shiseido is rated as Average.

What are the founding years and countries of origin for Medicube and Shiseido?

Medicube was founded in 2016 in South Korea, while Shiseido was founded in 1872 in Japan.

Medicube or Shiseido for oily skin?

For oily skin, Medicube and Shiseido are a matched pair as the products on this page show high routine fit levels for both brands. Medicube focuses on pore care and cleansing, while Shiseido offers deep-cleansing and efficient cleansers.

Medicube or Shiseido: which moisturizer is better?

Medicube is generally better for shoppers seeking moisturizers with targeted anti-aging and brightening ingredients like niacinamide, whereas Shiseido is favored for luxurious textures and deep hydration.

The British Journal of Dermatology, 2002Antioxidants, 2021

Medicube or Shiseido for sensitive skin?

Both Medicube and Shiseido offer products with a High routine fit for sensitive skin. Medicube features fragrance-free formulas across most of its page, while Shiseido is noted for luxurious textures but often includes added fragrance.

Medicube or Shiseido for acne-prone skin?

Medicube is a better fit for acne-prone skin, achieving a High routine fit level compared to Shiseido's High level while offering stronger pore care and cleansing benefits. Both brands share a High fit level for this skin type, but Medicube features targeted solutions such as the Zero Pore Pad and Red Succinic Acid Peeling Pad.

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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