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Neutrogena vs SK-II

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

Neutrogena and SK-II are established skincare brands from America and Japan, respectively. The American label is widely appreciated for its reliable moisturizers, sunscreens, cleansers, and toners formulated with glycerin, hyaluronic acid, and dimethicone, while the Japanese counterpart is adored for its luxurious moisturizers, potent serums, soothing masks, and refreshing toners anchored by the signature ingredient pitera. Both suit combination skin best, though the former also suits mature skin and the latter also suits dry skin. They primarily differ in their geographic origins, founding years, ownership histories, and core active ingredients.

Neutrogena is an American skincare brand founded in 1930 and owned by Kimberly-Clark Corporation since 2026.

investor.kimberly-clark.comen.wikipedia.orginvestors.kenvue.com

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 Neutrogena and SK-II products; for every product of both brands, with a fit score for your own skin, use the Lovi app.

Popular Neutrogena vs SK-II products

People Say

NeutrogenaSK-II
  • Deep and intense hydration Mostly MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “Skin looked plumper and radiant — Neutrogena HYDRO BOOST WATER CREAM”
    • “It also hydrates my skin. This cream has been so easy to add to my routine. — Neutrogena Retinol Regenerating Cream”
    • “Quenches dry skin instantly — Neutrogena Hydro Boost Hydrating Hydrogel Mask”
    • “flooded my skin with moisture — SK-II Facial Treatment Mask”
  • Lightweight and non-greasy texture Mostly MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “Absorbs instantly without sticky residue — Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Gel”
    • “absorbs instantly — Neutrogena COLLAGEN BANK Moisturizer”
    • “Absorbs into skin without residue. — Neutrogena Hydro Boost Hyaluronic Acid Serum”
    • “drinks right into the skin — SK-II Facial Treatment Essence”
  • Gentle and sensitive skin safe Mostly MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “leaves skin soft and balanced — Neutrogena Ultra Gentle Daily Cleanser”
    • “love that it has no scent — Neutrogena Ultra Gentle Daily Cleanser”
    • “calms my acne prone skin — Neutrogena Ultra Gentle Daily Cleanser”
    • “Watery consistency — SK-II Facial Treatment Clear Lotion”
  • Skin texture improvement and anti-aging Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
    • “skin feels soft as butter — SK-II Facial Treatment Essence”
    • “pores became miraculously invisible — SK-II Facial Treatment Mask”
    • “Smoother skin — SK-II Facial Treatment Clear Lotion”
    • “Skin is looking smoother — Neutrogena Rapid Wrinkle Repair Regenerating Cream”
  • Soft skin and radiant glow 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”
    • “My skin is glowing now. — SK-II Genoptics Ultraura Essence”
    • “Face felt baby soft afterwards — Neutrogena Hydro Boost Hydrating Hydrogel Mask”
  • Makeup compatibility and primer qualities Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “Foundation glides right over it — Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Gel”
    • “Concealer doesn't cake or get stuck in crevices — Neutrogena Hydro Boost Eye Gel-Cream”
    • “Removes leftover dirt — SK-II Facial Treatment Clear Lotion”
    • “Dissolves waterproof mascara, melts stubborn makeup, removes sunscreen easily. — SK-II Facial Treatment Cleansing Oil”
  • Price versus quantity and high cost Sometimes NotedMostly Mentioned
    • “Jar is too small for the price — Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Gel”
    • “Runs out quickly — Neutrogena HYDRO BOOST WATER CREAM”
    • “Tube is tiny for the cost — Neutrogena Hydro Boost Eye Gel-Cream”
    • “way too expensive — SK-II Facial Treatment Essence”
  • Strong fragrance and scent issues Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
    • “Smell is too overpowering and lingering — Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Gel”
    • “Scent is so off-putting — Neutrogena Rapid Wrinkle Repair Regenerating Cream”
    • “smells like dirty feet — SK-II Facial Treatment Essence”
    • “smells slightly like saliva — SK-II Facial Treatment Mask”
  • Lack of immediate or underwhelming results Rarely NotedOften Mentioned
    • “Did nothing for wrinkles — Neutrogena Rapid Wrinkle Repair Regenerating Cream”
    • “did absolutely nothing — SK-II Facial Treatment Essence”
  • Packaging and design concerns Sometimes NotedRarely Noted
    • “cotton is too thick and heavy — SK-II Facial Treatment Mask”
    • “Eye holes are too small — Neutrogena Hydro Boost Hydrating Hydrogel Mask”

Neutrogena vs SK-II routines for dry skin

Buy SK-II routine · CA$783.50 · 93% fitBuy Neutrogena routine · CA$95.37 · 75% fitSee multi-brand routine · 99% fit

Neutrogena vs SK-II routines for oily skin

Buy SK-II routine · CA$1,101.33 · 91% fitBuy Neutrogena routine · CA$269.33 · 77% fitSee multi-brand routine · 96% fit

Neutrogena vs SK-II routines for combination skin

Buy SK-II routine · CA$1,065.33 · 93% fitBuy Neutrogena routine · CA$222.43 · 81% fitSee multi-brand routine · 96% fit

Questions and answers

Neutrogena or SK-II: which is better?

Neutrogena is better for deep hydration and lightweight textures among the products on this page, while SK-II performs better for skin texture improvement and a radiant glow. Retinol in Neutrogena helps stimulate collagen accumulation in naturally aged skin.

The Journal of Investigative Dermatology, 2000Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

What is the difference between Neutrogena and SK-II?

Neutrogena and SK-II differ in their core ingredients, origins, and general reviewer feedback, with Neutrogena relying on ingredients like retinol and hyaluronic acid while SK-II features its signature Pitera. Topical retinol helps stimulate collagen accumulation in naturally aged skin. Additionally, topical hyaluronic acid benefits skin quality and signs of aging.

The Journal of Investigative Dermatology, 2000Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

Neutrogena or SK-II for dry skin?

Both Neutrogena and SK-II are great options for dry skin, with SK-II achieving a superior routine fit level and Neutrogena achieving a high fit level. The products on this page from both brands help deliver deep hydration, and hyaluronic acid helps improve skin moisture.

Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

Neutrogena or SK-II: which moisturizer is better?

Neutrogena and SK-II both offer popular moisturizers, with Neutrogena standing out for deep hydration and lightweight textures, while SK-II is noted for improving skin texture and radiance. Neutrogena features key ingredients like hyaluronic acid and glycerin to boost hydration, which helps support skin moisture.

Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

Which is more affordable, Neutrogena or SK-II?

Neutrogena is more affordable than SK-II. Reviewers note that Neutrogena has better pricing, whereas high cost is a frequent downside associated with SK-II.

Between Neutrogena and SK-II, which brand is better suited for dry sensitive skin?

SK-II is better suited for dry sensitive skin, achieving a Superior routine fit compared to Neutrogena's Average fit on this page.

How do the founding years and corporate ownership of Neutrogena and SK-II compare?

Neutrogena was founded in 1930 in the United States and has been owned by the Kimberly-Clark Corporation since 2026. In comparison, SK-II was founded in 1980 in Japan and has been owned by The Procter & Gamble Company since 1991.

Which brand offers better performance for skin texture improvement and anti-aging according to review themes?

SK-II offers better performance for skin texture improvement and anti-aging according to review themes. Retinol, which is included in the products on this page for Neutrogena, helps stimulate collagen accumulation in naturally aged skin.

The Journal of Investigative Dermatology, 2000Archives of Dermatology, 2007

Neutrogena or SK-II for oily skin?

For oily skin, SK-II achieves a Superior Lovi fit level, whereas Neutrogena reaches a High fit level with the products on this page. SK-II provides better results for skin texture improvement and a radiant glow, while Neutrogena offers lighter, non-greasy textures.

Neutrogena or SK-II for sensitive skin?

SK-II is the better choice for sensitive skin, as Lovi rates its routine fit as High compared to Neutrogena's Average.

Neutrogena or SK-II for acne-prone skin?

Both brands offer solid options for acne-prone skin, with Lovi fit levels reaching high across many of the products on this page for Neutrogena and superior for SK-II. Reviewers find that Neutrogena helps deliver deep hydration while remaining gentle, and the products on this page often use ingredients like salicylic acid to target breakouts.

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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