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Medicube Deep Vita A… vs SK-II GenOptics Spot… — Which Is Better? | Gracie

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Medicube Deep Vita A Retinol Serum vs SK-II GenOptics Spot Essence

Medicube Deep Vita A Retinol Serum scores 8.9/9.8 vs SK-II GenOptics Spot Essence at 7.9/9.8. Medicube Deep Vita A Retinol Serum wins for active ingredients.

Head to head

Medicube

Deep Vita A Retinol Serum

serum

8.9

Compare

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Ingredients

Niacinamide
Retinol
Hyaluronic Acid
Salicylic Acid

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Honest skincare intel. No jargon, no gatekeeping — just the ingredients decoded.

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SK-II

GenOptics Spot Essence

serumluxury

7.9

Score comparison

Medicube Deep Vita A Retinol Serum takes this one, winning 2 of 5 attributes.

Medicube wins 2

Tied 3

SK-II wins 0

8.9Medicube

+1.0vs

7.9SK-II

Scores last verified: April 2026

Attribute battle

Hydration Efficacy

Medicube WINS

9.8

8.0

Medicube

SK-II

Irritation Risk

TIE

9.5

Medicube

SK-II

Active Ingredient Strength

Medicube WINS

6.7

4.0

Medicube

SK-II

Ingredient Transparency

TIE

8.8

Medicube

SK-II

Formulation Safety

TIE

9.0

Medicube

SK-II

Ingredient face-off

19% overlap

53Medicube

10Shared

31SK-II

Only in Medicube Deep Vita A Retinol Serum

43 unique

Water Dipropylene Glycol Propanediol 2-Hexanediol Coco-Caprylate/Caprate Squalane Polyglyceryl-3 Distearate Dimethyl Isosorbide Hydrogenated Lecithin Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer+33 more

Shared ingredients

10 in common

Butylene Glycol Glycerin Niacinamide Pentylene Glycol Panthenol Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride Xanthan Gum Disodium Edta Tocopherol

Only in SK-II GenOptics Spot Essence

21 unique

Aqua Cyclopentasiloxane Triethylhexanoin Nylon-12 Inositol Polymethylsilsesquioxane Boron Nitride Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer Phenoxyethanol Polyacrylamide+11 more

Why Medicube Deep Vita A Retinol Serum comes out ahead

Where Medicube Deep Vita A Retinol Serum really shines is active ingredient strength, scoring 6.7 compared to SK-II GenOptics Spot Essence's 4.0. Its formula features Niacinamide, Allantoin, and Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate in high positions, signalling meaningful concentrations.

Hydration Efficacy is another area of separation. Medicube Deep Vita A Retinol Serum scores 9.8 here versus 8.0 for SK-II GenOptics Spot Essence. That difference comes down to how each formula is built — the ingredient list tells the story.

Medicube Deep Vita A Retinol Serum brings Niacinamide, Allantoin, and Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate as actives, while sK-II GenOptics Spot Essence relies on Niacinamide, Ascorbyl Glucoside, and Laminaria Saccharina Extract. Both approaches have merit, but the positioning and supporting ingredients make the difference.

Best for your skin type

Medicube Deep Vita A Retinol Serum is better if you have

Sensitive skin — the low-irritation formula keeps things gentle
Dry or dehydrated skin that craves moisture, thanks to Dipropylene Glycol
Anyone who prefers clean, well-vetted formulations

SK-II GenOptics Spot Essence is better if you have

Sensitive skin — the low-irritation formula keeps things gentle
Dry or dehydrated skin that craves moisture, thanks to Butylene Glycol
Anyone who prefers clean, well-vetted formulations

Value comparison

SK-II GenOptics Spot Essence comes in at luxury pricing with a 7.9 score, which is solid value at that tier.

Our verdict

✶ Our verdict

+1.0 lead

Medicube Deep Vita A Retinol Serum wins this comparison with a meaningfully stronger ingredient profile and overall score.

8.9Medicube

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7.9SK-II

Frequently asked questions

Which is better: Medicube Deep Vita A Retinol Serum or SK-II GenOptics Spot Essence?

Based on ingredient analysis, Medicube Deep Vita A Retinol Serum scores higher overall. See the full score breakdown above for details on each attribute.

Do Medicube Deep Vita A Retinol Serum and SK-II GenOptics Spot Essence share ingredients?

Yes, they share common ingredients. Check the ingredient face-off section above for a detailed comparison.

What's the main difference between Medicube Deep Vita A Retinol Serum and SK-II GenOptics Spot Essence?

The key differences are in their active ingredients and formulation approach. Check the attribute battle above for a detailed breakdown.

Full analysis: Medicube Deep Vita A Retinol Serum→Full analysis: SK-II GenOptics Spot Essence→

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