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SK-II vs Allies of Skin

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

SK-II and Allies of Skin are two distinct skincare lines offering luxurious moisturizers, potent serums, soothing masks, refreshing toners, and eye products. SK-II features the signature ingredient pitera across its nourishing formulations, whereas the other relies on ingredients like niacinamide to deliver targeted nourishment and rich hydration. Both brands suit dry skin best, while the Japanese line also caters to combination skin and its counterpart serves mature skin. Ultimately, the two differ in their primary approaches, as regular use of the first brand's key ingredients helps improve pore area, roughness, and redness, while the latter works to improve skin aging signs and decrease hyperpigmentation.

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

Popular SK-II vs Allies of Skin products

People Say

SK-IIAllies of Skin
  • Improves skin texture Mostly MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “skin feels soft as butter — SK-II Facial Treatment Essence”
    • “pores became miraculously invisible — SK-II Facial Treatment Mask”
    • “sinks easily into damp skin — Allies of Skin Tranexamic & Arbutin Advanced Brightening Serum”
    • “Woke up looking well-rested — Allies of Skin Retinal & Peptides Repair Night Cream”
  • Hydration and balancing Mostly MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “flooded my skin with moisture — SK-II Facial Treatment Mask”
    • “skin feels deeply hydrated, plump, and smoother — SK-II Skinpower Advanced Cream”
    • “nourished and hydrated — Allies of Skin Peptides & Omegas Firming Eye Cream”
    • “more like a spray serum — Allies of Skin Molecular Saviour Probiotics Treatment Mist”
  • Radiance and glow Mostly MentionedOften 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”
    • “gives skin an instant dewy glow — Allies of Skin Tranexamic & Arbutin Advanced Brightening Serum”
  • Lightweight and gentle absorption Often MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “Best retinol for sensitive skin — Allies of Skin Retinal & Peptides Repair Night Cream”
    • “feels super soothing, doesn't trigger redness — Allies of Skin Tranexamic & Arbutin Advanced Brightening Serum”
    • “preps skin for better absorption — Allies of Skin Molecular Saviour Probiotics Treatment Mist”
    • “drinks right into the skin — SK-II Facial Treatment Essence”
  • Calming redness and acne Not notedOften Mentioned
    • “Redness is less noticeable — Allies of Skin Copper Tripeptide & Ectoin Advanced Repair Serum”
    • “Dramatic impact on acne — Allies of Skin Retinal & Peptides Repair Night Cream”
    • “reduces appearance of redness — Allies of Skin Molecular Saviour Probiotics Treatment Mist”
  • Visible anti-aging and firming Rarely NotedOften Mentioned
    • “fix the fine lines — Allies of Skin Peptides & Omegas Firming Eye Cream”
    • “Tightened the skin in just a few uses — Allies of Skin Peptides & Antioxidants Firming Daily Treatment”
    • “reducing the appearance of fine lines — SK-II Skinpower Advanced Cream”
  • High price Mostly MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “way too expensive — SK-II Facial Treatment Essence”
    • “Pricey — Allies of Skin Copper Tripeptide & Ectoin Advanced Repair Serum”
    • “price definitely hurts — Allies of Skin Tranexamic & Arbutin Advanced Brightening Serum”
  • Breakouts, purging, and skin reactions Often MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “caused tiny red bumps — SK-II Facial Treatment Essence”
    • “dried to a tacky finish — SK-II Facial Treatment Mask”
    • “didn't like how sticky face feels — Allies of Skin Molecular Saviour Probiotics Treatment Mist”
    • “Slightly irritating... when I first started — Allies of Skin Copper Tripeptide & Ectoin Advanced Repair Serum”
  • Lack of results or effectiveness Often MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “still not impressed with the results — Allies of Skin Tranexamic & Arbutin Advanced Brightening Serum”
    • “Have not noticed improved skin quality yet — Allies of Skin Copper Tripeptide & Ectoin Advanced Repair Serum”
    • “Nothing significant — Allies of Skin Retinal & Peptides Repair Night Cream”
    • “did absolutely nothing — SK-II Facial Treatment Essence”
  • Unpleasant scent and fragrance Often MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “Distinct rancid smell — Allies of Skin Copper Tripeptide & Ectoin Advanced Repair Serum”
    • “gives a weird fermented stench — Allies of Skin Tranexamic & Arbutin Advanced Brightening Serum”
    • “makes me cough during application — Allies of Skin Molecular Saviour Probiotics Treatment Mist”
    • “smells like dirty feet — SK-II Facial Treatment Essence”

SK-II vs Allies of Skin routines for dry skin

Buy Allies of Skin routine · CA$427.33 · 97% fitBuy SK-II routine · CA$783.50 · 93% fitSee multi-brand routine · 99% fit

SK-II vs Allies of Skin routines for oily skin

Buy Allies of Skin routine · CA$565.07 · 93% fitBuy SK-II routine · CA$1,101.33 · 91% fitSee multi-brand routine · 96% fit

SK-II vs Allies of Skin routines for combination skin

Buy Allies of Skin routine · CA$532.16 · 94% fitBuy SK-II routine · CA$1,065.33 · 93% fitSee multi-brand routine · 96% fit

Questions and answers

SK-II or Allies of Skin: which is better?

Both brands are great choices, but Allies of Skin is a better fit for sensitive, mature skin and skin with dark spots where Lovi rates it as Superior compared to SK-II's High fit. Allies of Skin relies on key ingredients like niacinamide, which may help improve skin aging and pigmentation.

The British Journal of Dermatology, 2002Antioxidants, 2021

What is the difference between SK-II and Allies of Skin?

Both brands offer fragrance-free products, but Allies of Skin is rated as a Superior fit for sensitive and mature skin on this page, whereas SK-II fits those types at a High level.

SK-II or Allies of Skin for dry skin?

Both SK-II and Allies of Skin are great options for dry skin, offering an equal routine fit on this page. Reviewers often note that Allies of Skin provides gentle and effective moisturizers, while Lovi rates both brands as having a Superior routine fit for this skin type.

SK-II or Allies of Skin: which moisturizer is better?

Both brands offer great moisturizers on this page, with Lovi rating SK-II's Skinpower Advanced Cream as High for dry skin and Allies of Skin's Molecular Saviour Probiotics Treatment Mist as Superior for dry skin. Reviewers often mention Allies of Skin for gentle and effective moisturizers, while noting occasional initial skin reactions.

Which is more affordable, SK-II or Allies of Skin?

Both SK-II and Allies of Skin share a high price point among the products on this page, so neither stands out as more affordable.

Which brand is better for anti-aging and firming, SK-II or Allies of Skin?

Allies of Skin does better for visible anti-aging and firming on this page. Lovi rates Allies of Skin as having a Superior routine fit for mature skin, while SK-II gets a High fit level.

Do SK-II or Allies of Skin products contain any fragrance?

Every product on this page for both SK-II and Allies of Skin lists no fragrance in its ingredients.

Which brand is better for calming redness and acne, SK-II or Allies of Skin?

Allies of Skin is better for calming redness and acne based on reviewer comparisons on this page.

SK-II or Allies of Skin for oily skin?

For oily skin, both SK-II and Allies of Skin are a great match, as Lovi rates both brands as having a Superior routine fit for this skin type. Niacinamide, a key ingredient across the products on this page, helps control skin aging and pigmentation.

Antioxidants, 2021

SK-II or Allies of Skin for sensitive skin?

For sensitive skin, Allies of Skin is a better choice because Lovi rates its routine fit as Superior, whereas SK-II reaches a High fit level.

SK-II or Allies of Skin for acne-prone skin?

Both brands offer an equal routine fit for acne-prone skin on this page, with Lovi rating them both as Superior. SK-II features Genoptics Ultraura Essence which achieves a Superior fit level for acne-prone skin.

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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