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Medik8 vs Anessa

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

Medik8 and Anessa are distinct skincare houses offering targeted daily care through British science and Japanese innovation, respectively. The British brand specializes in serums, moisturizers, eye products, and toners built around hyaluronic acid, which suits mature, acne-prone, and pigmented skin types, while the Japanese brand is widely loved for advanced sunscreens and sophisticated formulas that suit all skin types best. While both provide thoughtful formulations to shield and care for the complexion, they differ in their primary focus, with the former emphasizing active treatments like the Surface Radiance Cleanse, Oxy-R Peptides, and Total Moisture Daily Facial Cream, and the latter delivering reliable sun protection through standout items such as the Perfect UV Sunscreen Skincare Milk and the Perfect UV Sunscreen Skincare Gel.

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

loreal.commedik8.comtracxn.com

Anessa is a Japanese skincare brand founded in 1992 and owned by Shiseido Company, Limited.

anessaco.comen.wikipedia.orgcorp.shiseido.comhappi.com

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

Popular Medik8 vs Anessa products

Questions and answers

Medik8 or Anessa: which is better?

Both Medik8 and Anessa offer strong product selections on this page depending on your skincare routine. Medik8 has a large variety of serums, moisturizers, and cleansers that help with hydration and texture, featuring key ingredients like hyaluronic acid. Anessa provides specialized sunscreens like Perfect UV Sunscreen Skincare Milk that achieve high fit levels for oily and mature skin.

Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

What is the difference between Medik8 and Anessa?

Medik8 is a UK-founded skincare brand offering a broad range of serums, creams, cleansers, and toners featuring key ingredients like hyaluronic acid, while Anessa is a Japan-founded brand focusing specifically on sunscreens like Perfect UV Sunscreen Skincare Milk and Perfect UV Sunscreen Skincare Gel. Medik8 products on this page help provide deep hydration and skin texture improvements, supported by ingredients such as hyaluronic acid which may help with skin aging and antioxidant effects.

Drug Delivery, 2017Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

Which is more affordable, Medik8 or Anessa?

Reviewers note that Medik8 has a high price point, whereas affordability details for Anessa are not highlighted on this page.

Which causes fewer breakouts, Medik8 or Anessa?

Medik8 features products on this page such as Surface Radiance Cleanse that achieve a Superior Lovi fit level for acne-prone skin. Both brands offer options that help with breakouts, while Medik8 provides a broader range of specialized serums and cleansers.

Which brand offers a cleanser, Medik8 or Anessa?

Medik8 offers a cleanser on this page, Surface Radiance Cleanse, which has a Superior fit for acne-prone skin, oily acne-prone skin, and skin with dark spots.

Do both Medik8 and Anessa offer products with fragrance?

Medik8 offers products with fragrance, such as Total Moisture Daily Facial Cream, while Anessa lists no fragrance in any of the products on this page.

What are some common complaints reviewers have about Medik8?

Reviewers often mention a high price point for Medik8 products. They also sometimes note packaging issues and slow or delayed results.

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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