SK-II and Pair are Japanese skincare brands that offer distinct approaches to complexion care. The first brand is known for its transformative moisturizers, targeted serums , restorative masks, and balancing toners featuring pitera, while the second brand is beloved for its targeted serums and meticulously crafted formulas like the Acne Cream W. Both suit acne-prone skin best, though the former also caters to dry sensitive skin and helps with dark spots, maturity, pore area, roughness, and redness, whereas the latter focuses on addressing stubborn blemishes effectively.
SK-II is a Japanese skincare brand founded in 1980 and owned by The Procter & Gamble Company since 1991.
en.wikipedia.org discoversk-ii.wixsite.com glossy.co
Pair is a Japanese skincare brand founded in 2000 and owned by Lion Corporation since 2004.
ja.wikipedia.org beautymatter.com
This page compares some of the most popular SK-II and Pair products; for every product of both brands, with a fit score for your own skin, use the Lovi app .
Popular SK-II vs Pair products
Questions and answers
SK-II or Pair: which is better?
SK-II is the better choice for most shoppers on this page, as the products on this page achieve High to Superior Lovi fit levels across multiple skin types, whereas Pair offers only an Average or lower fit. Galactomyces ferment filtrate , the key ingredient in SK-II products, helps improve facial pore area and roughness.
Journal of Clinical Medicine, 2021
What is the difference between SK-II and Pair?
SK-II has a wide range of products on this page featuring Pitera that fit acne-prone, dry sensitive, and oily skin best, while Pair offers just Acne Cream W which has lower fits for sensitive and dry skin types.
Journal of Clinical Medicine, 2021
Which is more affordable, SK-II or Pair?
This page does not provide pricing or affordability information for either SK-II or Pair.
Which causes fewer breakouts, SK-II or Pair?
SK-II has products on this page rated High or Superior for acne-prone skin, while Pair has only Acne Cream W which is rated Average. Lovi rates SK-II as a best fit for acne-prone skin, whereas Pair has no skin types listed as best fit.
Journal of Clinical Medicine, 2021
Which brand has been around longer and when were they founded?
SK-II has been around longer, having been founded in Japan in 1980, whereas Pair was founded later in 2000.
Do any products from either SK-II or Pair contain fragrance?
Every product on this page from both SK-II and Pair lists no fragrance in its ingredients.
Which products from SK-II achieve a Superior fit level for acne-prone skin?
Genoptics Ultraura Essence achieves a Superior fit level for acne-prone skin among the products on this page.
2 more questions
Research behind their key ingredients
The effect of niacinamide on reducing cutaneous pigmentation and suppression of melanosome transfer
Nicotinamide w, Niacinamide 路 The British Journal of Dermatology, 2002 Mechanistic Basis and Clinical Evidence for the Applications of Nicotinamide (Niacinamide) to Control Skin Aging and Pigmentation
Niacinamide 路 Antioxidants, 2021 Topical use of dexpanthenol in skin disorders
Panthenol, D-pantothenyl alcohol 路 American Journal of Clinical Dermatology, 2002 Effects of ascorbic acid on gingival melanin pigmentation in vitro and in vivo
L-ascorbic acid 2-glucoside, Ascorbyl glucoside 路 Journal of Periodontology, 2009 The 24-hour skin hydration and barrier function effects of a hyaluronic 1%, glycerin 5%, and Centella asiatica stem cells extract moisturizing fluid: an intra-subject, randomized, assessor-blinded study
Glycerin, Concentrated glycerin 路 Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017 22 more studies
Randomized controlled study for the anti-aging effect of human adipocyte-derived mesenchymal stem cell media combined with niacinamide after laser therapy
Niacinamide 路 Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2021 A Double-Blinded, Randomized, Vehicle-Controlled Study of the Efficacy of Moisturizer Containing Licochalcone A, Decanediol, L-Carnitine, and Salicylic Acid for Prevention of Acne Relapse in Asian Population
Salicylic acid 路 BioMed Research International, 2020 A new topical panthenol-containing emollient: Results from two randomized controlled studies assessing its skin moisturization and barrier restoration potential, and the effect on skin microflora
Panthenol, D-pantothenyl alcohol 路 The Journal of Dermatological Treatment, 2017 Senomorphic activity of a combination of niacinamide and hyaluronic acid: correlation with clinical improvement of skin aging
Niacinamide 路 Scientific Reports, 2024 Efficacy of a topical gel containing chitosan, chlorhexidine, allantoin and dexpanthenol for pain and inflammation control after third molar surgery: A randomized and placebo-controlled clinical trial
D-pantothenyl alcohol 路 Medicina Oral, Patologia Oral Y Cirugia Bucal, 2020 Daily Fluctuation of Facial Pore Area, Roughness and Redness among Young Japanese Women; Beneficial Effects of Galactomyces Ferment Filtrate Containing Antioxidative Skin Care Formula
Galactomyces ferment filtrate, Pitera essence, Galactomyces ferment filtrate pitera ferment filtrate, Pitera ferment filtrate galactomyces ferment filtrate, Pitera ferment filtrate, Sk-ii pitera concentrate, Pitera 路 Journal of Clinical Medicine, 2021 Efficacy of a multitargeted, salicylic acid-based dermocosmetic cream compared to benzoyl peroxide 5% in Acne vulgaris: Results from a randomized study
Salicylic acid 路 Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024 A Salicylic Acid-Based Dermocosmetic is Effective as an Adjunct to Benzoyl Peroxide for Mild to Moderate Acne and as Monotherapy in Maintenance Post Benzoyl Peroxide
Salicylic acid 路 Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2023 Effects of 1,3-propanediol associated, or not, with butylene glycol and/or glycerol on skin hydration and skin barrier function
3-butylene glycol 路 International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2024 Reduction in the appearance of facial hyperpigmentation by topical N-undecyl-10-enoyl-L-phenylalanine and its combination with niacinamide
Undecylenoyl phenylalanine 路 Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2009 Inhibitory effects of shell of Camellia oleifera Abel extract on mushroom tyrosinase and human skin melanin
Butylene glycol 路 Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2019 A randomized, double-blind, vehicle-controlled study of a preparation containing undecylenoyl phenylalanine 2% in the treatment of solar lentigines
Undecylenoyl phenylalanine 路 Clinical and Experimental Dermatology, 2010 Influence of vitamin E acetate on stratum corneum hydration
Tocopheryl acetate 路 Arzneimittel-Forschung, 1998 Enhanced Fluctuations in Facial Pore Size, Redness, and TEWL Caused by Mask Usage Are Normalized by the Application of a Moisturizer
Galactomyces ferment filtrate, Pitera essence, Galactomyces ferment filtrate pitera ferment filtrate, Pitera ferment filtrate galactomyces ferment filtrate, Pitera ferment filtrate, Sk-ii pitera concentrate, Pitera 路 Journal of Clinical Medicine, 2022 Three clinical studies showing the anti-aging benefits of sodium salicylate in human skin
Sodium salicylate 路 Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2010 Evaluation of the Efficacy and Safety of a Panthenol-Enriched Mask for Skin Barrier Recovery After Facial Laser Treatment: Results of a Double-Blind Randomized Controlled Study
Panthenol, D-pantothenyl alcohol 路 Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2025 Glycerol crosslinked vitamin E loaded xanthan gum and gellan gum nanoemulgels for topical management of dry skin
Xanthan gum 路 International Journal of Biological Macromolecules, 2025 A Double-Blind, 12-Week Study to Evaluate the Antiaging Efficacy of a Cream Containing the NF魏B Inhibitor 4-Hexyl-1, 3-Phenylenediol and Ascorbic Acid-2 Glucoside in Adult Females
L-ascorbic acid 2-glucoside, Ascorbyl glucoside 路 Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2016 Significant Reversal of Facial Wrinkle, Pigmented Spot and Roughness by Daily Application of Galactomyces Ferment Filtrate-Containing Skin Products for 12 Months-An 11-Year Longitudinal Skin Aging Rejuvenation Study
Galactomyces ferment filtrate, Pitera essence, Pitera ferment filtrate galactomyces ferment filtrate, Galactomyces ferment filtrate pitera ferment filtrate, Pitera ferment filtrate, Pitera 路 Journal of Clinical Medicine, 2023 Treatment with Ascorbyl Glucoside-Arginine Complex Ameliorates Solar Lentigos
L-ascorbic acid 2-glucoside, Ascorbyl glucoside 路 International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 2024 The Effectiveness of Galactomyces Ferment Filtrate, Dexpanthenol, and Centella Asiatica Combination Serum in the Treatment of Post-Acne Hyperpigmentation in Subjects with Skin of Color
Galactomyces ferment filtrate, Sk-ii pitera concentrate, Galactomyces ferment filtrate pitera ferment filtrate 路 Skinmed, 2021 Clinical Efficacy of Topical Ascorbic Acid 2-Glucoside in Enhancing Outcomes of Laser Gingival Depigmentation: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Ascorbyl glucoside 路 Cureus, 2026 Show fewer
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
Co-founder, Medical Director
Cosmetic chemist, cosmetologist, aesthetic products developer
Alexey Shagraev, PhD
Co-founder, CEO and CTO
PhD in computer science, 3x US patent holder, ex-Google, ex-Yandex
Dr. Sof铆a Perea P茅rez, MD, MSc
Medical Board
Aesthetic medicine practitioner, MSc in Longevity and Anti-Aging Medicine
Aishani Shah, MD
Medical Board
Specialist dermatologist, MBBS, MD, IFAAD
Asya Zubkova, MS
Medical Board
Cosmetic chemist, SCS, IFSCC member
Hanna Kurets, MD
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
