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Medik8 vs Elemis

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

Medik8 and Elemis are esteemed British skincare brands rooted in thoughtful formulation and distinct scientific heritages. Medik8 is celebrated for its hyaluronic acid-powered serums, moisturizers, eye products, and toners tailored best to dry skin and dry sensitive skin, alongside standout remedies like the Surface Radiance Cleanse, Oxy-R Peptides, and Total Moisture Daily Facial Cream. Meanwhile, Elemis is recognized for its glycerin- and shea-infused nourishing serums, rich moisturizers, gentle cleansers, and refining toners that suit dry skin and mature skin best through restorative solutions such as the Pro-Collagen Advanced Eye Treatment, Pro-Collagen Tri-Acid Peel, and Pro-Collagen Marine Cream. Ultimately, both brands differ through their specific ingredient profiles and targeted approaches, wherein the former harnesses hyaluronic acid to lengthen toxin wrinkle effect duration, and the latter relies on glycerin to increase skin hydration and barrier function while utilizing shea butter to reduce inflammation and relieve skin pruritus.

Medik8 is a British skincare brand founded in 2009 and owned by L'Oréal Groupe since 2025.

loreal.commedik8.comtracxn.com

Elemis is a British skincare brand founded in 1989 and owned by L'Occitane Group since 2019.

elemis.comau.elemis.comen.wikipedia.org

This page compares some of the most popular Medik8 and Elemis products; for every product of both brands, with a fit score for your own skin, use the Lovi app.

Popular Medik8 vs Elemis products

People Say

Medik8Elemis
  • Deep hydration Often MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “Restores moisture — Medik8 Liquid Peptides”
    • “Instantly quenched the skin — Medik8 Hydr8 B5 Intense”
    • “The cream really hydrates and my face looks amazing. — Elemis Pro-Collagen Night Cream”
    • “Quenches thirsty skin... immediate improvement. — Elemis Pro-Collagen Marine Cream”
  • Lightweight and elegant texture Often MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “Absorbs almost immediately, and my skin feels well hydrated all day. — Elemis Pro-Collagen Marine Cream”
    • “whipped silk feel — Elemis Superfood Midnight Facial”
    • “cloud-light gel formula — Elemis Pro-Collagen Eye Revive Mask”
    • “absorbed effortlessly — Medik8 Total Moisture Daily Facial Cream”
  • Gentle and non-irritating formula Mostly MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “zero irritation or peeling — Medik8 CRYSTAL RETINAL 3”
    • “only Vitamin C my sensitive skin can tolerate — Medik8 C-Tetra Serum”
    • “Best retinol replacement — Medik8 Bakuchiol Peptides”
    • “no stinging or redness — Elemis Papaya Enzyme Peel”
  • Skin plumping and smoothing Often MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “baby soft — Elemis Dynamic Resurfacing Facial Pads”
    • “skin feels baby soft — Elemis Papaya Enzyme Peel”
    • “skin feels baby-soft — Elemis Dynamic Resurfacing Facial Wash”
    • “My skin was smoother, my skin texture felt more resurfaced. — Medik8 Sleep Glycolic”
  • Brightening and glow Often MentionedOften 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”
    • “healthy glow — Elemis Dynamic Resurfacing Facial Pads”
    • “instantly fresh glow — Elemis Dynamic Resurfacing Facial Wash”
  • Pleasant experience and scent Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
    • “smells like a spa — Elemis Pro-Collagen Cleansing Balm”
    • “smells like a holiday — Elemis Papaya Enzyme Peel”
    • “smells like a tropical cocktail — Elemis Superfood Midnight Facial”
    • “smells like a spa — Medik8 CRYSTAL RETINAL 3”
  • High price point Often MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “Expensive per bottle — Medik8 Liquid Peptides”
    • “very expensive for amount — Medik8 CRYSTAL RETINAL 3”
    • “hefty price tag — Medik8 C-Tetra Serum”
    • “Complete waste of money for me. — Elemis Pro-Collagen Marine Cream”
  • Slow or underwhelming results Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “didn't see a difference — Elemis Papaya Enzyme Peel”
    • “didn't see difference — Elemis Dynamic Resurfacing Facial Wash”
    • “Verdict still out. — Elemis Pro-Collagen Night Cream”
    • “Not as effective as retinol — Medik8 Bakuchiol Peptides”
  • Packaging issues Sometimes NotedRarely Noted
    • “jar looks half empty — Elemis Superfood Midnight Facial”
    • “tube feels half empty — Elemis Papaya Enzyme Peel”
    • “pump broke quickly — Elemis Dynamic Resurfacing Facial Wash”
    • “Glass bottle breaks easily — Medik8 Liquid Peptides”

Medik8 vs Elemis routines for dry skin

Buy Medik8 routine · $235.67 · 96% fitBuy Elemis routine · $557.99 · 88% fitSee multi-brand routine · 99% fit

Medik8 vs Elemis routines for oily skin

Buy Medik8 routine · $418.54 · 90% fitBuy Elemis routine · $535.50 · 77% fitSee multi-brand routine · 98% fit

Medik8 vs Elemis routines for combination skin

Buy Medik8 routine · $419.65 · 93% fitBuy Elemis routine · $524.50 · 79% fitSee multi-brand routine · 97% fit

Questions and answers

Medik8 or Elemis: which is better?

Both brands are great choices, but Medik8 is a better fit when you want gentle, non-irritating formulas, while Elemis stands out for smoother skin texture and lightweight textures. Medik8 tends to be a superior fit across more skin types on this page, including dry and sensitive skin.

What is the difference between Medik8 and Elemis?

Medik8 is generally known for its gentle, fragrance-free serums, whereas Elemis focuses more on luxurious, highly fragranced textures and skin plumping. For overall routines on this page, Medik8 offers a Superior fit for dry skin, while Elemis is a High fit.

Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

Medik8 or Elemis for dry skin?

Medik8 is the better choice for dry skin, offering a Superior routine fit compared to Elemis, which has a High fit level for this skin type. Medik8 products on this page help deliver deep hydration and plumping with a gentle, non-irritating formula.

Drug Delivery, 2017Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

Medik8 or Elemis: which cleanser is better?

Both Medik8 and Elemis offer effective cleansers, but Medik8 stands out for gentle care while Elemis leans toward texture and sensorial benefits. The products on this page show that Medik8's Surface Radiance Cleanse achieves a Superior fit for acne-prone skin and skin with dark spots.

Which is more affordable, Medik8 or Elemis?

Both Medik8 and Elemis feature a high price point as a common drawback in reviews, so neither stands out as notably more affordable.

Between Medik8 and Elemis, which brand has more products formulated without added fragrance?

Medik8 offers more products formulated without added fragrance, with 11 of its 12 products on this page listing no fragrance compared to only 4 of 22 products for Elemis.

How do the founding years and corporate ownership of Medik8 and Elemis compare?

Medik8 was founded in the United Kingdom in 2009 and is owned by L'Oréal Groupe, while Elemis was founded there earlier in 1989 and is owned by L'Occitane Group.

Which brand performs better according to reviewers for gentle and non-irritating formulas?

Medik8 performs better than Elemis according to reviewers for gentle and non-irritating formulas. Reviewers mostly mention gentle and non-irritating serums for Medik8, whereas Elemis reviewers sometimes note skin irritation and strong fragrance.

Medik8 or Elemis for oily skin?

Medik8 provides a Superior routine fit for oily skin, whereas Elemis offers a High fit. Medik8 may be preferred for oily skin since the products on this page are mostly fragrance-free.

Medik8 or Elemis: which moisturizer is better?

Medik8 is better for gentle, fragrance-free hydration, as the products on this page are mostly formulated without fragrance. Elemis is better for a luxurious texture and scent, though it is more likely to cause strong fragrance and skin irritation.

Medik8 or Elemis for sensitive skin?

Medik8 is the better choice for sensitive skin because its routine fit is Superior compared to Elemis at High. Furthermore, the products on this page help provide gentle and non-irritating formulas.

Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

Medik8 or Elemis for acne-prone skin?

Medik8 is a better fit for acne-prone skin, offering a Superior routine fit compared to Elemis which has a High fit. The products on this page help provide gentle care, and topical ingredients like hyaluronic acid help support skin hydration.

Dermatologic Therapy, 2022Drug Delivery, 2017

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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