Hada Labo vs SK-II
Hada Labo and SK-II are Japanese skincare brands known for thoughtful formulas and signature ingredients like pitera, respectively spanning targeted toners, gentle makeup removers, deeply hydrating moisturizers, luxurious serums, and soothing masks. The first suits dry, sensitive, oily, and combination skin types best, while the second suits dry skin and combination skin best. They differ primarily in their founding years, corporate ownership, and specific component formulations, offering tailored standout solutions for concerns ranging from dark spots to mature skin.
Hada Labo is a Japanese skincare brand founded in 2004 and owned by Rohto Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd..
en.wikipedia.orghadalabosa.co.zahadalabotokyo.pl
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 Hada Labo and SK-II products; for every product of both brands, with a fit score for your own skin, use the Lovi app.
Popular Hada Labo vs SK-II products
People Say
Deep hydration and moisture Mostly MentionedOften Mentioned
- “skin drinks it up — Hada Labo Gokujyun Lotion”
- “Plumps fine lines — Hada Labo Gokujun Premium”
- “leaves skin soft, smooth, and hydrated — Hada Labo Shirojyun Premium Whitening Lotion”
- “flooded my skin with moisture — SK-II Facial Treatment Mask”
Lightweight and fast-absorbing texture Often MentionedOften 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”
- “absorbs super quickly — Hada Labo Premium Whitening Lotion (Light)”
Other positive benefits Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
- “Removes leftover dirt — SK-II Facial Treatment Clear Lotion”
- “silky texture that absorbs quickly — SK-II Skinpower Advanced Cream”
- “balanced my oily T-zone — SK-II Facial Treatment Essence”
- “hydrating but not heavy — Hada Labo Premium Whitening Lotion (Light)”
Radiance, glow and brightening Not 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”
Gentle formulation Often MentionedRarely Noted
- “never stings my sensitive skin — Hada Labo Gokujyun Lotion”
- “No fragrance/alcohol — Hada Labo Gokujun Premium”
- “no irritation, no breakouts — Hada Labo Shirojyun Premium Whitening Lotion”
- “Great for sensitive — SK-II Genoptics Spot Essence”
Fades dark spots and even skin tone Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
- “faded considerably — Hada Labo Shirojyun Premium Whitening Lotion”
- “faded my PIH considerably — Hada Labo Premium Whitening Lotion (Light)”
- “Reduced sun spots — SK-II Genoptics Spot Essence”
- “My skin appeared more even toned. — SK-II Genoptics Ultraura Essence”
High price and cost concerns Not notedMostly Mentioned
- “way too expensive — SK-II Facial Treatment Essence”
Slow results or lack of effectiveness Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
- “takes months to see results — Hada Labo Shirojyun Premium Whitening Lotion”
- “takes time to see results — Hada Labo Premium Whitening Lotion (Light)”
- “did absolutely nothing — SK-II Facial Treatment Essence”
Sticky or tacky finish Often MentionedRarely Noted
- “dried to a tacky finish — SK-II Facial Treatment Mask”
- “Tacky residue — Hada Labo Gokujun Premium”
Other product performance issues Often MentionedSometimes Noted
- “cotton is too thick and heavy — SK-II Facial Treatment Mask”
- “Contains fragrance, methylparaben, and benzyl alcohol. — SK-II Genoptics Ultraura Essence”
- “Caused breakouts, small bumps, redness/irritation, fungal acne trigger. — SK-II Facial Treatment Cleansing Oil”
- “makes my vision cloudy — Hada Labo Gokujyun Cleansing Oil”
Questions and answers
Hada Labo or SK-II: which is better?
Hada Labo is better for deep hydration and gentle, fragrance-free formulations, while SK-II delivers better lightweight textures and radiance. Hyaluronic acid helps maintain skin moisture.
What is the difference between Hada Labo and SK-II?
Hada Labo focuses on deep hydration and moisture with key ingredients like hyaluronic acid, whereas SK-II stands out for lightweight texture, radiance, and glow using Pitera across the products on this page.
Hada Labo or SK-II: which moisturizer is better?
For moisturizers, Hada Labo features products like Gokujyun Perfect Gel with a High fit for dry and dry sensitive skin, while SK-II offers options like Facial Treatment Essence with a High fit for dry, acne-prone, and mature skin. Hyaluronic acid helps improve skin hydration and moisture.
Which is more affordable, Hada Labo or SK-II?
Hada Labo is more affordable, while SK-II faces high price and cost concerns.
Which causes fewer breakouts, Hada Labo or SK-II?
When considering breakouts, both Hada Labo and SK-II offer products on this page with varying fit levels for acne-prone skin, such as Hada Labo Gokujyun Lotion with a High fit and SK-II Facial Treatment Essence with a High fit.
Between Hada Labo and SK-II, which brand provides better deep hydration and moisture according to reviewers?
According to reviewers, Hada Labo does better for deep hydration and moisture.
How do the founding years and corporate ownership of Hada Labo and SK-II compare?
Hada Labo was founded in Japan in 2004 and is owned by Rohto Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., while SK-II was founded in Japan in 1980 and has been owned by The Procter & Gamble Company since 1991.
Which brand uses hyaluronic acid as a key ingredient across its products, and which uses Pitera?
Hada Labo uses hyaluronic acid as a key ingredient across the products on this page, while SK-II uses Pitera.
Research behind their key ingredients
The effect of niacinamide on reducing cutaneous pigmentation and suppression of melanosome transfer
Effects of ascorbic acid on gingival melanin pigmentation in vitro and in vivo
Preparation and characterization of a lecithin nanoemulsion as a topical delivery system
The anti-wrinkles properties of sodium acetylated hyaluronate
Moisturizing Effects of Diglycerol Combined with Glycerol on Human Stratum Corneum
Three clinical studies showing the anti-aging benefits of sodium salicylate in human skin
Nanocomplex of quaternized cyclodextrin grafted chitosan and hyaluronic acid for a skin delivery
Treatment with Ascorbyl Glucoside-Arginine Complex Ameliorates Solar Lentigos
Combined Effect of Silybin and Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate on UV-Induced Photoaging
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.
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Co-founder, Medical Director
Cosmetic chemist, cosmetologist, aesthetic products developer
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Co-founder, CEO and CTO
PhD in computer science, 3x US patent holder, ex-Google, ex-Yandex
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Dr. Sofía Perea Pérez, MD, MSc
Medical Board
Aesthetic medicine practitioner, MSc in Longevity and Anti-Aging Medicine
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Medical Board
Specialist dermatologist, MBBS, MD, IFAAD
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Medical Board
Cosmetic chemist, SCS, IFSCC member
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Medical Board, Medical Advisor
Dermatology MD
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Elina Nazarenko, MD
Medical Board
Dermatology and diagnostic consultant
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Victoria Derkova, MS
Medical Board
Cosmetic chemist, cosmetic development technologist
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