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Medik8 vs Shiseido

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

Medik8 and Shiseido are distinguished skincare houses offering targeted daily care through diverse formulations like serums, moisturizers, cleansers, and eye products. The British brand is known for hyaluronic acid, which lengthens the wrinkle effect duration, while the Japanese brand is beloved for glycerin, which significantly improves stratum corneum hydration. Medik8 suits acne-prone, dark spot, and mature skin best, whereas Shiseido suits sensitive and mature skin best. Both brands differ in their founding heritage and key ingredient profiles, providing specialized options for individual skin needs.

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

loreal.commedik8.comtracxn.com

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 Medik8 and Shiseido products; for every product of both brands, with a fit score for your own skin, use the Lovi app.

Popular Medik8 vs Shiseido products

People Say

Medik8Shiseido
  • Deep hydration and moisturization Often 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”
    • “Restores moisture — Medik8 Liquid Peptides”
  • Lightweight and elegant texture Often MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “silky smooth, rich but non-greasy, absorbs quickly, melts into skin — Shiseido VITAL PERFECTION”
    • “Airy-soft texture — Shiseido Essential Energy Hydrating Cream”
    • “absorbs quickly — Shiseido White Lucent Brightening Gel Cream”
    • “absorbed effortlessly — Medik8 Total Moisture Daily Facial Cream”
  • Acne clearing and glowing skin 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”
    • “Skin looks brighter, more radiant, and "glowy." — Shiseido Ultimune Power Infusing Concentrate”
    • “faded pimple marks — Shiseido White Lucent Brightening Gel Cream”
  • Skin plumping, smoothing, and firming Often MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “My skin was smoother, my skin texture felt more resurfaced. — Medik8 Sleep Glycolic”
    • “Reduces fine lines — Medik8 Liquid Peptides”
    • “Smoothed out crow's feet — Shiseido Benefiance Wrinkle Smoothing Eye Cream”
    • “tighter jawline, lifted appearance, improved elasticity, less sagging — Shiseido VITAL PERFECTION”
  • Gentle formulation and no irritation Mostly MentionedRarely 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 irritation — Shiseido Essential Energy Hydrating Cream”
  • Hydrating texture and pleasant scent Rarely NotedSometimes Noted
    • “Pleasant floral fragrance, relaxing, luxurious smell. — Shiseido Ultimune Power Infusing Concentrate”
    • “spa-like scent, high-quality packaging, little goes a long way — Shiseido VITAL PERFECTION”
    • “Fresh floral scent — Shiseido Essential Energy Hydrating Cream”
    • “sinks in beautifully — Medik8 C-Tetra Serum”
  • High price point and value Often MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “Expensive per bottle — Medik8 Liquid Peptides”
    • “very expensive for amount — Medik8 CRYSTAL RETINAL 3”
    • “hefty price tag — Medik8 C-Tetra Serum”
    • “Very expensive for the size — Shiseido Benefiance Wrinkle Smoothing Eye Cream”
  • Strong fragrance and alcohol content Not notedOften Mentioned
    • “old lady smell — Shiseido Eudermine Revitalizing Essence”
  • Packaging issues and fragility Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “Glass bottle breaks easily — Medik8 Liquid Peptides”
    • “hard to get last bit — Medik8 CRYSTAL RETINAL 3”
    • “heavy to travel — Shiseido Eudermine Revitalizing Essence”
    • “Heavy bottle but plastic pump, cannot see remaining product, straw too short to get last drops. — Shiseido Ultimune Power Infusing Concentrate”

Questions and answers

Medik8 or Shiseido: which is better?

Medik8 is better for gentle formulations with less irritation, whereas Shiseido is better for deep hydration and luxurious textures. Both brands feature hyaluronic acid across their products to help improve skin quality and hydration.

Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

What is the difference between Medik8 and Shiseido?

Medik8 stands out for its more gentle, fragrance-free formulations, whereas Shiseido offers deeper hydration and luxurious textures across its products on this page. Both brands feature hyaluronic acid to help improve skin hydration and combat signs of aging.

Drug Delivery, 2017Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

Medik8 or Shiseido: which cleanser is better?

Medik8 offers a better cleanser option on this page, with Surface Radiance Cleanse achieving a Superior Lovi fit level for acne-prone skin, oily acne-prone skin, and skin with dark spots. Shiseido's cleansers reach only an Average or lower fit across those same skin types.

Which is more affordable, Medik8 or Shiseido?

Both Medik8 and Shiseido come with a high price point, but Medik8 performs better regarding price and overall value.

Which causes fewer breakouts, Medik8 or Shiseido?

Medik8 and Shiseido are equal for acne clearing and glowing skin. The products on this page help improve skin texture and manage breakouts.

Between Medik8 and Shiseido, which brand offers a wider range of fragrance-free products?

Medik8 offers a wider range of fragrance-free options, as 11 of the 12 products on this page list no fragrance compared to only 5 of 20 products for Shiseido.

How do the founding countries and years of Medik8 and Shiseido compare?

Medik8 was founded in the United Kingdom in 2009, whereas Shiseido is much older, having been founded in Japan in 1872.

Which brand has products that specifically achieve a Superior fit for dry skin, Medik8 or Shiseido?

Both Medik8 and Shiseido feature products that achieve a Superior fit for dry skin on this page, offering targeted options like Bakuchiol Peptides, Hydr8 B5 Intense, Press & Glow, and Surface Radiance Cleanse for Medik8, and Essential Energy Hydrating Cream and Benefiance Wrinkle Smoothing Day Cream for Shiseido.

Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

Medik8 or Shiseido: which moisturizer is better?

Both Medik8 and Shiseido offer highly rated moisturizers, with Shiseido performing better for deep hydration and luxurious textures while Medik8 provides superior gentle formulations with less fragrance. Reviewers note that Shiseido features firming and line-reducing moisturizers, whereas Medik8 focuses on fragrance-free options that are unlikely to cause skin irritation.

Dermatologic 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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