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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 distinct skincare lines created to address diverse complexions. The Ordinary offers serums, moisturizers, cleansers, toners, and more, built around hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and squalane, while the other brand features thoughtful moisturizers, nourishing serums, rejuvenating masks, refreshing toners, and more, all anchored by its signature ingredient, pitera. Both brands suit dry skin and acne-prone skin best, though the Canadian brand fits dry sensitive skin particularly well. They differ notably in their heritage and targeted treatments, with the North American collection utilizing specific acids for dark spots and mature skin, and the Japanese brand relying on time-tested efficacy to improve pore area, skin roughness, and redness.

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 · A$192.91 · 96% fitBuy SK-II routine · A$1,400.12 · 90% fitSee multi-brand routine · 97% fit

The Ordinary vs SK-II routines for oily skin

Buy The Ordinary routine · A$285.78 · 92% fitBuy SK-II routine · A$1,436.99 · 89% fitSee multi-brand routine · 96% fit

The Ordinary vs SK-II routines for combination skin

Buy The Ordinary routine · A$219.69 · 91% fitBuy SK-II routine · A$1,429.91 · 88% fitSee multi-brand routine · 95% fit

Questions and answers

The Ordinary or SK-II: which is better?

The Ordinary offers better value and excels at smoothing texture, clearing acne, and fading dark spots, whereas SK-II delivers better instant glow, hydration, and lightweight absorption. Lovi rates The Ordinary as Superior for dry, oily, combination, sensitive, and mature skin, while SK-II is rated Superior for acne-prone and oily acne-prone skin.

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

The Ordinary provides budget-friendly options and better skin texture smoothing, whereas SK-II offers superior instant glow, radiance, and hydration. Additionally, Lovi rates The Ordinary as a Superior fit for dry, combination, sensitive, mature skin, and skin with dark spots, while SK-II achieves a Superior fit specifically for acne-prone and oily acne-prone skin.

The Ordinary or SK-II for dry skin?

Both The Ordinary and SK-II achieve a Superior routine fit for dry skin. The products on this page help deliver strong hydration and plumping benefits through key ingredients like hyaluronic acid.

Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

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

Both The Ordinary and SK-II offer highly rated moisturizers, with Natural Moisturizing Factors + HA providing Superior fit for dry skin and Facial Treatment Essence rated High. Reviewers note that SK-II delivers better instant glow, radiance, and hydration, while The Ordinary excels in value and affordability.

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

The Ordinary provides better value and affordability than SK-II according to reviewers on the page.

Which brand has a wider selection of serums, The Ordinary or SK-II?

The Ordinary provides a much wider selection of serums on this page, offering dozens of targeted treatments compared to the single serum available from SK-II.

Do products from The Ordinary and SK-II contain fragrance?

Every product from The Ordinary and SK-II on this page lists no fragrance in its ingredients.

Which brand performs better for skin texture smoothing according to reviewers?

The Ordinary performs better for skin texture smoothing according to reviewers, offering texture-smoothing serums that are often mentioned for their benefits.

The Ordinary or SK-II for oily skin?

For oily skin, Lovi finds The Ordinary to have a Superior routine fit, while SK-II offers a High level. Reviewers mention that The Ordinary does better for acne clearing and blemish reduction.

The Ordinary or SK-II for sensitive skin?

For sensitive skin, both brands work well, but Lovi rates The Ordinary as Superior and SK-II as High. Reviewers note that The Ordinary offers gentle and non-irritating serums.

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

For acne-prone skin, SK-II reaches a Superior routine fit level while The Ordinary reaches a High fit level. Reviewers note that SK-II delivers instant glow and lightweight absorption, whereas The Ordinary offers targeted 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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