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The Ordinary vs SK-II

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

The Ordinary and SK-II are skincare brands rooted in distinct scientific heritages, offering serums, moisturizers, cleansers, toners, and restorative masks. The Canadian brand centers its offerings around hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and squalane, suiting sensitive and combination skin best, while the Japanese brand elevates its collection with signature pitera to support acne-prone and dry sensitive skin. Both lines address specific concerns like dark spots and mature skin, yet they differ in formulation philosophy and ingredient focus.

The Ordinary is a Canadian skincare brand founded in 2016 and owned by The Estée Lauder Companies Inc. since 2021.

glossy.coen.wikipedia.org

SK-II is a Japanese skincare brand founded in 1980 and owned by The Procter & Gamble Company since 1991.

en.wikipedia.orgdiscoversk-ii.wixsite.comglossy.co

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

Popular The Ordinary vs SK-II products

People Say

The OrdinarySK-II
  • Instant glow and radiance Rarely NotedMostly Mentioned
    • “gives a glass skin look — SK-II Facial Treatment Essence”
    • “leaves me with a red carpet glow — SK-II Facial Treatment Mask”
    • “Skin looks brighter — SK-II Genoptics Spot Essence”
    • “tight, bright and shiny — The Ordinary AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution”
  • Hydration and plumping Sometimes NotedMostly Mentioned
    • “flooded my skin with moisture — SK-II Facial Treatment Mask”
    • “skin feels deeply hydrated, plump, and smoother — SK-II Skinpower Advanced Cream”
    • “Leaves skin soft, feels moisturized, does not dry out skin. — SK-II Facial Treatment Cleansing Oil”
    • “skin feels immediately hydrated — The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5”
  • Value and affordability Mostly MentionedNot noted
    • “lasts forever — The Ordinary Glycolic Acid 7% Toning Solution”
    • “can't beat the price — The Ordinary Salicylic Acid 2% Solution”
    • “extremely affordable — The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%”
  • Skin texture smoothing Often MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “glass skin effect — The Ordinary Glycolic Acid 7% Toning Solution”
    • “skin feels baby butt smooth — The Ordinary AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution”
    • “skin looks smoother and brighter — The Ordinary Azelaic Acid Suspension 10%”
    • “pores became miraculously invisible — SK-II Facial Treatment Mask”
  • Lightweight absorption Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
    • “drinks right into the skin — SK-II Facial Treatment Essence”
    • “Absorbs into the skin quickly. — SK-II Genoptics Ultraura Essence”
    • “Absorbs quickly — SK-II Genoptics Spot Essence”
    • “Sinks in immediately — The Ordinary Multi-Peptide + Copper Peptides 1% Serum”
  • Acne clearing and blemish reduction Often MentionedNot noted
    • “pimples disappear within a day — The Ordinary Salicylic Acid 2% Solution”
    • “scars and hormonal acne faded — The Ordinary Azelaic Acid Suspension 10%”
    • “faded dark spots — The Ordinary Glycolic Acid 7% Toning Solution”
  • High price Rarely NotedMostly Mentioned
    • “Expensive for Ordinary — The Ordinary Multi-Peptide + Copper Peptides 1% Serum”
    • “way too expensive — SK-II Facial Treatment Essence”
  • Slow or ineffective results Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
    • “no change in pigment — The Ordinary Caffeine Solution 5% + EGCG”
    • “not a miracle worker overnight — The Ordinary Mandelic Acid 10% + HA”
    • “Didn't do anything special — The Ordinary Alpha Arbutin 2% + HA”
    • “did absolutely nothing — SK-II Facial Treatment Essence”
  • Pilling and makeup issues Often MentionedRarely Noted
    • “dried to a tacky finish — SK-II Facial Treatment Mask”
    • “crumbles and piles under moisturizer — The Ordinary Azelaic Acid Suspension 10%”
  • Unpleasant scent Rarely NotedOften Mentioned
    • “Smells like vinegar — The Ordinary Multi-Peptide + Copper Peptides 1% Serum”
    • “smell is unbearable — The Ordinary Azelaic Acid Suspension 10%”
    • “has a slight chemical smell — The Ordinary Mandelic Acid 10% + HA”
    • “smells like dirty feet — SK-II Facial Treatment Essence”

The Ordinary vs SK-II routines for dry skin

Buy The Ordinary routine · AED 542.90 · 89% fitBuy SK-II routine · AED 2,470.10 · 82% fitSee multi-brand routine · 96% fit

The Ordinary vs SK-II routines for oily skin

Buy The Ordinary routine · AED 833.82 · 91% fitBuy SK-II routine · AED 2,468.63 · 88% fitSee multi-brand routine · 97% fit

The Ordinary vs SK-II routines for combination skin

Buy The Ordinary routine · AED 712.46 · 92% fitBuy SK-II routine · AED 2,424.45 · 88% fitSee multi-brand routine · 96% fit

Questions and answers

The Ordinary or SK-II: which is better?

The Ordinary is a better choice for budget-conscious shoppers and those focusing on smoothing skin texture or clearing acne, while SK-II tends to provide better instant glow and hydration.

What is the difference between The Ordinary and SK-II?

The Ordinary is often noted for its affordable serums and acne-clearing benefits, while SK-II is recognized for instant radiance, hydration, and lightweight absorption. For routine fit, The Ordinary achieves a Superior level for oily skin, combination skin, sensitive skin, mature skin, skin with dark spots, and dry sensitive skin, whereas SK-II achieves a Superior level for acne-prone skin.

The Ordinary or SK-II for oily skin?

For oily skin, The Ordinary offers a Superior routine fit, while SK-II provides a High routine fit. The products on this page help deliver strong acne-clearing and blemish-reduction benefits for oily skin.

The Ordinary or SK-II: which moisturizer is better?

Both The Ordinary and SK-II offer moisturizers, and the right choice depends on your specific skin needs since both brands feature options with high routine fit levels for dry skin. The products on this page include popular moisturizers from The Ordinary like Natural Moisturizing Factors + HA and from SK-II like the Facial Treatment Essence and Skinpower Advanced Cream.

Which is more affordable, The Ordinary or SK-II?

The Ordinary offers better value and affordability than SK-II.

Which brand provides better skin texture smoothing, The Ordinary or SK-II?

The Ordinary provides better skin texture smoothing than SK-II. The products on this page help improve skin texture and smooth roughness.

How do the founding years and corporate owners of The Ordinary and SK-II compare?

The Ordinary was founded in Canada in 2016 and is owned by The Estée Lauder Companies Inc. In contrast, SK-II was founded in Japan in 1980 and is owned by The Procter & Gamble Company.

Which brand performs better for hydration and plumping according to review themes?

According to the review themes, SK-II performs better for hydration and plumping.

The Ordinary or SK-II for sensitive skin?

Lovi shows that The Ordinary has a Superior fit for sensitive skin, whereas SK-II has a High fit. Reviewers note that the products on this page from The Ordinary provide gentle and non-irritating serums.

The Ordinary or SK-II for acne-prone skin?

Both The Ordinary and SK-II are great options for acne-prone skin, with Lovi fit levels of High and Superior respectively. The Ordinary is especially known for acne-clearing serums.

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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