Medicube vs Avène
Medicube and Avène are two distinctive skincare brands founded in 2016 and 1990 respectively, with the former being a Korean line and the latter a French establishment. The Korean brand is known for its moisturizers, serums, toners, and masks featuring niacinamide, collagen, and hyaluronic acid, while the French brand is loved for its versatile moisturizers, reliable sunscreens, targeted serums, and gentle cleansers formulated with glycerin. Both lines suit acne-prone and oily skin best by balancing moisture, yet they differ in their origins and specific ingredient focuses to address targeted concerns like hyperpigmentation and barrier function.
Medicube is a Korean skincare brand founded in 2016 and owned by APR Corp..
medicubereviews.co.ukglossy.co
Avène is a French skincare brand founded in 1990 and owned by Fondation Pierre Fabre.
pierre-fabre.comavene.co.ukaveneusa.com
This page compares some of the most popular Medicube and Avène products; for every product of both brands, with a fit score for your own skin, use the Lovi app.
Popular Medicube vs Avène products
People Say
Soothing and Gentle Formulation Often MentionedMostly Mentioned
- “Calmed my angry red skin overnight — Avène Cicalfate+ Restorative Protective Cream”
- “leaves face clean but not dry — Avène Cleanance”
- “Nothing has ever worked to soothe or heal my skin like these before. — Avène Tolerance Control Soothing Skin Recovery Balm”
- “refreshing sensation — Medicube PDRN Pink Collagen Gel Mask”
Hydration and Moisture Mostly MentionedOften Mentioned
- “skin feels bouncier and hydrated — Medicube PDRN Pink Peptide Serum”
- “glass skin — Medicube PDRN Pink Collagen Gel Mask”
- “woke up with baby soft skin — Medicube Collagen Jelly Cream”
- “Restores moisture barrier — Avène Cold Cream”
Skin Texture and Smoothing 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”
- “I've noticed a definite improvement in the fine lines around my eyes — Avène RetrinAL EYES”
Glow and Radiance Often MentionedSometimes Noted
- “gave me instant glass skin — Medicube Collagen Jelly Cream”
- “woke up with glowing skin — Medicube Collagen Night Wrapping Mask”
- “Dark spots go away faster — Medicube Deep Vita C Pad”
- “immediate radiance boost — Avène Vitamin Activ Cg Radiance Concentrated Serum”
Pores and Oil Control Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
- “Pores drastically reduced — Medicube Zero Foam Cleanser”
- “noticed a real difference in pore visibility — Medicube Zero Pore Pad”
- “Keeps me matte for hours — Avène Cleanance Cleansing Gel”
- “keeps skin matte — Avène Cleanance”
Breakouts and Irritation Often MentionedSometimes Noted
- “caused redness and sensitivity — Medicube Zero Pore Pad”
- “woke up with whiteheads — Medicube Collagen Night Wrapping Mask”
- “Woke up with tiny whiteheads all over — Avène Cicalfate+ Restorative Protective Cream”
- “Caused small bumps/texture — Avène Soothing Radiance Mask”
Strong Fragrance and Scent Often MentionedSometimes Noted
- “slightly fishy smell — Medicube PDRN Pink Peptide Serum”
- “smells like old lady perfume — Medicube Collagen Jelly Cream”
- “The fragrance is very present. — Avène Milk Cleanser”
- “smell is too strong — Avène Cleanance”
Sticky and Greasy Residue Often MentionedSometimes Noted
- “Leaves a greasy film — Avène Cold Cream”
- “sticky kinda feeling — Avène Hyaluron Activ B3 Concentrated Plumping Serum”
- “too shiny — Avène Hydrance+”
- “hair sticks to my face — Medicube Collagen Jelly Cream”
Packaging and Quantity Issues Often MentionedSometimes Noted
- “Tube cracked on the side — Avène Cicalfate+ Restorative Protective Cream”
- “Cap leaks in bag — Avène Cleanance Cleansing Gel”
- “Good product bad packaging. — Avène RetrinAL EYES”
- “tube is tiny for the price — Medicube Collagen Night Wrapping Mask”
Product Ineffectiveness and Separation Rarely NotedOften Mentioned
- “didn't remove deep blackheads — Medicube Zero Pore Blackhead Mud Mask”
- “didn't notice any pore improvements — Medicube Zero Pore Pad”
- “didn't feel much help — Medicube Red Succinic Acid Peeling Pad”
- “bring it back — Avène Antirougeurs Fort Relief Concentrate”
Medicube vs Avène routines for dry skin
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Cleanser
Zero Foam Cleanser
Morning · Evening · Once a week
SAR 40.90
-
Hydrating Toner
Triple Collagen Toner
Morning
SAR 50.00
-
Moisturizer
AGE-R Booster Gel
Morning · Evening · Once a week
SAR 117.99
-
SPF
d'Alba Piedmont Waterfull Mild Sunscreen
Morning
SAR 75.00
-
Pre-Cleanser
MISSHA Ultra Hyalon Cleansing Cream
Evening · Once a week
SAR 65.11
-
Cleansing Toner
Zero Pore Pad
Evening
SAR 64.80
-
Serum or Treatment
One Day Exosome Shot 2000
Evening · Once a week
SAR 34.00
-
Enzyme Powder
FANCL Facial Washing Powder
Once a week
SAR 130.30
-
Nourishing Mask
Deep Peptide Radiance Mask
Once a week
SAR 120.88
-
Cleanser
Cleanance Cleansing Gel
Morning · Evening · Once a week
SAR 93.00
-
Moisturizer
Tolerance Control Soothing Skin Recovery Balm
Morning · Evening · Once a week
SAR 235.36
-
SPF
Ultra Fluid
Morning
SAR 144.89
-
Pre-Cleanser
MISSHA Ultra Hyalon Cleansing Cream
Evening · Once a week
SAR 65.11
-
Cleansing Toner
ROUND LAB 1025 Dokdo Cleansing Water
Evening
SAR 72.64
-
Serum or Treatment
Antirougeurs Fort Relief Concentrate
Evening · Once a week
SAR 159.90
-
Enzyme Powder
FANCL Facial Washing Powder
Once a week
SAR 130.30
-
Nourishing Mask
Mediheal Watermide Essential Mask
Once a week
SAR 234.73
Buy Medicube routine · SAR 698.98 · 86% fit
Buy Avène routine · SAR 1,135.93 · 77% fitSee multi-brand routine · 96% fit
Medicube vs Avène routines for oily skin
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Cleanser
Red Foam Cleanser
Morning · Evening · Once a week
SAR 35.61
-
Hydrating Toner
Triple Collagen Toner
Morning · Once a week
SAR 50.00
-
Moisturizer
AGE-R Booster Gel
Morning · Evening · Once a week
SAR 117.99
-
SPF
CeraVe AM Facial Moisturizing Lotion SPF 30
Morning
SAR 46.95
-
Pre-Cleanser
Shu Uemura Ultime8 Sublime Beauty Cleansing Oil
Evening · Once a week
SAR 245.95
-
Cleansing Toner
Zero Pore Pad
Evening
SAR 64.80
-
Enzyme Powder
Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant
Once a week
SAR 157.51
-
Cleansing Mask
Zero Pore Blackhead Mud Mask
Once a week
SAR 87.59
-
Cleanser
Cleanance Cleansing Gel
Morning · Evening · Once a week
SAR 93.00
-
Hydrating Toner
Some By Mi Snail Truecica Miracle Repair Toner
Morning · Once a week
SAR 53.04
-
Moisturizer
Cicalfate+ Restorative Protective Cream
Morning · Evening · Once a week
SAR 83.90
-
SPF
Cleanance
Morning · Evening · Once a week
SAR 93.00
-
Pre-Cleanser
Shu Uemura Ultime8 Sublime Beauty Cleansing Oil
Evening · Once a week
SAR 245.95
-
Cleansing Toner
Caudalie Vinopure Purifying Toner
Evening
SAR 187.00
-
Enzyme Powder
Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant
Once a week
SAR 157.51
-
Cleansing Mask
Goldfaden MD Facial Detox Mask
Once a week
SAR 328.29
Buy Medicube routine · SAR 806.40 · 88% fit
Buy Avène routine · SAR 1,148.69 · 87% fitSee multi-brand routine · 97% fit
Medicube vs Avène routines for combination skin
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Cleanser
Red Foam Cleanser
Morning · Evening · Once a week
SAR 35.61
-
Hydrating Toner
Triple Collagen Toner
Morning · Once a week
SAR 50.00
-
Moisturizer
AGE-R Booster Gel
Morning · Evening · Once a week
SAR 117.99
-
SPF
CeraVe AM Facial Moisturizing Lotion SPF 30
Morning
SAR 46.95
-
Pre-Cleanser
Shu Uemura Ultime8 Sublime Beauty Cleansing Oil
Evening · Once a week
SAR 245.95
-
Cleansing Toner
Zero Pore Pad
Evening
SAR 64.80
-
Enzyme Powder
Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant
Once a week
SAR 157.51
-
Cleansing Mask
Zero Pore Blackhead Mud Mask
Once a week
SAR 87.59
-
Cleanser
Cleanance Cleansing Gel
Morning · Evening · Once a week
SAR 93.00
-
Hydrating Toner
Paula's Choice Skin Balancing Pore-Reducing Toner
Morning · Once a week
SAR 166.90
-
Moisturizer
Cicalfate+ Restorative Protective Cream
Morning · Evening · Once a week
SAR 83.90
-
SPF
Cleanance
Morning
SAR 93.00
-
Pre-Cleanser
Shu Uemura Ultime8 Sublime Beauty Cleansing Oil
Evening · Once a week
SAR 245.95
-
Cleansing Toner
Medicube Zero Pore Pad 2.0
Evening
SAR 64.80
-
Serum or Treatment
Vitamin Activ Cg Radiance Concentrated Serum
Evening · Once a week
SAR 228.00
-
Enzyme Powder
Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant
Once a week
SAR 157.51
-
Cleansing Mask
KORA Organics Turmeric Brightening & Exfoliating Mask
Once a week
SAR 168.77
Buy Medicube routine · SAR 806.40 · 88% fit
Buy Avène routine · SAR 1,208.83 · 85% fitSee multi-brand routine · 97% fit
Questions and answers
Medicube or Avène: which is better?
Medicube is better for hydration, texture, and radiance, whereas Avène is better for soothing and gentle formulation. Both brands provide high routine fit for most skin types, though Medicube has a higher fit level for dry sensitive skin.
What is the difference between Medicube and Avène?
Medicube tends to do better for hydration, texture, and radiance, whereas Avène excels in soothing and gentle formulations. For dry and sensitive skin, Lovi rates Medicube as High and Avène as Average.
Medicube or Avène for dry skin?
Both Medicube and Avène have a High routine fit level for dry skin. However, Medicube is generally better for hydration and moisture, while Avène is known for soothing irritation.
Medicube or Avène: which cleanser is better?
Medicube and Avène are both great for cleansers, as the products on this page show that both brands offer high fit levels for cleansers like the Zero Foam Cleanser and Milk Cleanser. Reviewers note that Avène cleansers provide a gentle deep clean, while Medicube products help deliver effective cleansing with key ingredients like salicylic acid and centella asiatica.
Which is more affordable, Medicube or Avène?
Both Medicube and Avène have products with pricing issues noted by reviewers. Medicube reviewers mention small quantity and pricing issues, while Avène reviewers note price point as a concern.
Which brand has more fragrance-free products, Medicube or Avène?
Medicube has more fragrance-free products than Avène, with 23 of its 25 products on this page listing no fragrance compared to 7 of 15 for Avène.
Medicube or Avène: which is better for hydration and moisture?
Medicube does better for hydration and moisture, featuring deep hydration moisturizers that help deliver a radiant glow. Niacinamide and hyaluronic acid help improve skin quality and hydration, while topical hyaluronic acid supports skin aging concerns.
Medicube or Avène for oily skin?
Both Medicube and Avène are a High fit for oily skin. Medicube focuses on ingredients like niacinamide and salicylic acid, while Avène uses thermal water and glycerin to provide oil control and deep cleaning.
Medicube or Avène: which moisturizer is better?
Medicube is better for deep hydration and radiance, while Avène is better for soothing sensitive skin. For instance, Medicube offers popular moisturizers like the Collagen Jelly Cream, whereas Avène provides options like the Tolerance Control Soothing Skin Recovery Balm.
Dermatologic Therapy, 2022Dermatology Practical & Conceptual, 2022
Medicube or Avène for sensitive skin?
Medicube is a High fit for sensitive skin on Lovi, while Avène is also a High fit for this skin type. Reviewers note that Avène is especially known for soothing irritation, whereas the products on this page from Medicube offer deep hydration moisturizers.
Medicube or Avène for acne-prone skin?
Both Medicube and Avène are well-suited for acne-prone skin, as the products on this page achieve a High fit level for this skin type.
Medicube or Avène for dry sensitive skin?
Medicube is better for dry sensitive skin because Lovi rates its routine as High for this skin type, whereas Avène has an Average fit. Topical hyaluronic acid, found in the products on this page, helps improve skin hydration and signs of aging.
Research behind their key ingredients
Topical palmitoyl pentapeptide provides improvement in photoaged human facial skin
Molecular basis of retinol anti-ageing properties in naturally aged human skin in vivo
Apigenin inhibits UVA-induced cytotoxicity in vitro and prevents signs of skin aging in vivo
Effect of Camellia japonica oil on human type I procollagen production and skin barrier function
Protective effects of Camellia japonica flower extract against urban air pollutants
Microneedling by dermapen and glycolic acid peel for the treatment of acne scars: Comparative study
A comparative study of gluconolactone versus benzoyl peroxide in the treatment of acne
An oil-soluble extract of Rubus idaeus cells enhances hydration and water homeostasis in skin cells
The synergistic effect of retinyl propionate and hydroxypinacolone retinoate on skin aging
Comparative benefit of two thermal spring waters after photodynamic therapy procedure
Supramolecular collagen nanoparticles for anti-wrinkle, skin whitening, and moisturizing effects
Comparison of methods for assessing photoprotection against ultraviolet A in vivo
The anti wrinkle efficacy of synthetic hexapeptide (Argireline) in Chinese Subjects
Functional properties and skin care effects of sodium trehalose sulfate
Composition characterization and clinical efficacy study of a salmon egg extract
Anti-Aging Efficacy of Low-Molecular-Weight Polydeoxyribonucleotide Derived from Paeonia lactiflora
Treatment with Ascorbyl Glucoside-Arginine Complex Ameliorates Solar Lentigos
Retrospective Review of Dermal Safety Studies of Organic Sunscreens
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.
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Co-founder, Medical Director
Cosmetic chemist, cosmetologist, aesthetic products developer
-

Co-founder, CEO and CTO
PhD in computer science, 3x US patent holder, ex-Google, ex-Yandex
-

Dr. Sofía Perea Pérez, MD, MSc
Medical Board
Aesthetic medicine practitioner, MSc in Longevity and Anti-Aging Medicine
-

Medical Board
Specialist dermatologist, MBBS, MD, IFAAD
-

Medical Board
Cosmetic chemist, SCS, IFSCC member
-

Medical Board, Medical Advisor
Dermatology MD
-

Elina Nazarenko, MD
Medical Board
Dermatology and diagnostic consultant
-

Victoria Derkova, MS
Medical Board
Cosmetic chemist, cosmetic development technologist
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