SK-II Ultimate Revival Essence for sensitive skin
Pitera Ferment Filtrate Galactomyces Ferment Filtrate
Camellia Sinensis Extract
Marine Fennel Extract
Jojoba Oil
Centella Asiatica ExtractHigh
- HighNormal Skin Fit
- HighEffectiveness
- HighSafety
A great choice for sensitive skin; a few moisturizers fit it even better.
This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with sensitive skin: redness, stinging, and reactions to new products. For scores and recommendations based on your full skin profile, including your 12D face scan results and any goals or preferences you have, please use the Lovi app.
Page built Nov 8, 2026How the Fit score works
Lovi Assistant explains
- Highly suitable for your normal skin, this essence utilizes Galactomyces Ferment Filtrate and Glycerin to provide excellent moisturization and improve skin texture. Centella Asiatica Extract and Yeast Extract offer moderate benefits for your redness and irritation by providing soothing and skin-regenerating properties.
- The formulation is safe for your sensitive skin, as it lacks harsh ingredients and includes soothing Centella Asiatica Extract to minimize the risk of irritation.
- This essence offers a good balance of hydration and treatment, making it a beneficial choice for your skin concerns.
How to apply
- Use this soothing AM and PM routine every day to keep your normal skin calm. Always remember to apply SPF in the morning after your moisturizer.
- Apply your moisturizer after your toner in the morning, and after your serum in the evening. This step locks in hydration and protects your skin.
- Gently press a small amount of the moisturizer evenly across your face. Avoid rubbing to keep your sensitive skin happy and calm.
- You can apply this gentle formula on dry or slightly damp skin for the best comfort. It works wonderfully on clean skin to soothe redness and irritation.
- Do a patch test before your very first use to check your skin's reaction. Avoid getting the product directly into your eyes .
People Say
★4.5Overall rating based on 200+ reviewsUsers consistently describe this essence as a luxurious, ultra-hydrating treatment that delivers a "porcelain" glow and significantly refines skin texture. While highly effective for plumping mature or dry skin and reducing fine lines, the extremely high price point leads some users to question whether the results justify the cost compared to the standard Facial Treatment Essence.
Highlights
Extremely high price Mostly Mentioned
- “outrageously expensive”
- “hard to justify the cost”
- “pricey but delivers”
- “investment that hurts the wallet”
Intense hydration Often Mentioned
- “skin looks plump and hydrated every morning”
- “deeply nourishing, sinking into the skin”
- “relieves dry, tight skin instantly”
- “moisture barrier feels fortified”
Refined skin texture Often Mentioned
- “leaves skin soft, smooth, and velvety”
- “pores look damn near invisible”
- “texture is noticeably refined”
- “smooths roughness immediately”
Fast absorption Sometimes Noted
- “absorbs very quickly, no greasiness”
- “layers perfectly under other products”
- “lightweight despite being rich”
- “sinks in immediately”
Radiance and glow Sometimes Noted
- “gives a soft, luminous finish”
- “porcelain looking skin”
- “restores a healthy inner glow”
- “complexion is less dull”
Diminishing returns Sometimes Noted
- “didn't see dramatic results for the price”
- “not life-changing compared to original essence”
Luxurious scent Rarely Noted
- “smells like rose absolute, not fermented”
- “relaxing sensorial experience”
- “subtle and expensive fragrance”
Breakouts/Irritation Rarely Noted
- “caused major breakouts”
- “irritated my sensitive skin”
- “too rich for acne-prone areas”
Scent dislike Rarely Noted
- “smelled like mild soap”
- “preferred the unscented version”
- “fragrance might irritate sensitive noses”
Sources: lovi.care, sk-ii.com, macys.com, influenster.com, walmart.com, and more
Questions and answers
What makes SK-II Ultimate Revival Essence a great fit for sensitive skin?
This essence is a great fit because it uses Centella Asiatica Extract and Galactomyces Ferment Filtrate to calm redness and irritation, while lacking harsh ingredients that might upset sensitive skin. It also relies on ingredients like glycerin to deliver deep moisture and make your skin feel smooth and soft.
Indian Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2016Journal of Clinical Medicine, 2021
Which ingredients make this essence a good fit for sensitive skin?
This essence is a great fit for sensitive skin because it contains Centella Asiatica Extract to calm redness and irritation, along with Galactomyces Ferment Filtrate and glycerin for deep moisturization. Its formulation avoids harsh ingredients, making it very safe and unlikely to cause a reaction.
Indian Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2016Journal of Clinical Medicine, 2021
What does Pitera Ferment Filtrate do for sensitive skin?
Galactomyces Ferment Filtrate helps calm redness and smooth rough patches while supporting the skin barrier, making it a gentle option for sensitive skin. It helps reduce daily fluctuations in skin irritation and redness, keeping the face feeling soft and comfortable.
What does Green Tea Extract do for sensitive skin?
Green tea extract is generally safe and well tolerated, and it may help calm redness and soothe irritation in sensitive skin. Because sensitive skin requires gentle care, this ingredient works best when paired with soothing agents and barrier-supporting lipids to keep the skin calm and comfortable.
Toxicological Research, 2012International Immunopharmacology, 2008
Where does this essence go in a skincare routine for sensitive skin?
This treatment goes in your evening routine after your toner and before your moisturizer. Putting it in the evening helps keep your routine simple and adds safety around sun exposure.
Can I use this essence with retinol, and in what order?
Yes, you can use this essence with retinol by applying the essence first and letting it absorb before you put on your retinol. Using hydrating ingredients helps keep your skin calm and reduces the dryness that often comes with using retinol.
How often should I use this essence?
This essence is designed to be used in your evening routine, typically once a day. This schedule helps keep sensitive skin calm while still delivering steady hydration and soothing care.
Health Science Reports, 2021Journal of Clinical Medicine, 2021
Can this essence clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for sensitive skin?
This essence is unlikely to clog pores or cause breakouts for sensitive skin, as it lacks harsh ingredients and includes soothing Centella Asiatica Extract to help minimize the risk of irritation. Reviewers rarely complain about breakouts or irritation, and clinical studies show that formulas with Galactomyces ferment filtrate help keep facial pores clear and smooth.
Can I use this essence around the eyes or on my body?
This essence is safe to use around the eyes because it lacks harsh ingredients and includes soothing Centella Asiatica Extract to minimize the risk of irritation. While the skin around the eyes is much thinner than on the body, the gentle formulation helps keep sensitive areas calm and hydrated.
Indian Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2016Journal of Clinical Medicine, 2021
Is this essence fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
Yes, it has no fragrance and no drying alcohol.
What the research says
Cosmetic formulations containing 5% Centella asiatica extract showed the best efficacy in improving skin moisture and decreasing transepidermal water loss, while also exhibiting antiinflammatory properties in 25 volunteers compared to baseline measurements.
Indian Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2016Application of Galactomyces ferment filtrate skin care formula significantly reduced the net values and daily fluctuation of facial pore area, roughness, and redness in young Japanese women.
Journal of Clinical Medicine, 2021Co-delivery of paeonol and madecassoside via nanoemulsions improved transdermal delivery, promoted barrier repair proteins, inhibited inflammatory cytokine secretion in cellular and 3D models, and reduced transepidermal water loss and acne in human facial skin compared to free components.
Molecules, 2023A single application of a moisturizing fluid containing hyaluronic acid 1%, glycerin 5%, and Centella asiatica stem cells extract significantly increased skin hydration by 29% and reduced transepidermal water loss at 24 hours compared to baseline and an untreated control site in twenty healthy women.
Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017A combination serum containing galactomyces ferment filtrate, dexpanthenol, and Centella asiatica effectively treated post-acne hyperpigmentation in subjects with colored skin by significantly increasing lightness scores in Fitzpatrick skin type V and reducing the melanin index in Fitzpatrick skin type IV compared to placebo.
Skinmed, 2021Galactomyces ferment filtrate promotes epidermal interconnectivity, barrier development, cell adhesion, keratinocyte differentiation and proliferation, and protects cellular bioenergetics against stress in keratinocytes and ex vivo skin explants compared to untreated controls.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2024Galactomyces ferment filtrate activates AHR and NRF2, upregulates filaggrin and terminal differentiation markers, exhibits antioxidative activity, promotes antiinflammatory IL-37, and downregulates CDKN2A, IL-33, CXCL14, and IL6R in epidermal keratinocytes.
Journal of Clinical Medicine, 2022Topical green tea extract significantly improved clinical symptoms, tear breakup times, and meibomian gland health compared to standard treatment in patients with dry eye and Meibomian Gland Dysfunction.
Journal of Clinical and Diagnostic Research, 2017Topical low-dose green tea extract reduces UVB-induced p53 expression and apoptosis in human skin keratinocytes compared to placebo.
Experimental Dermatology, 2009An anti-acne hydrogel containing Aloe barbadensis, Garcinia mangostana, and Camellia sinensis extracts showed superior antiacne and antiblotch activities compared to 1% clindamycin gel in sixty subjects with mild-moderate acne.
Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2019Preconditioning with samphire cell biomass formulations significantly accelerated epidermal permeability barrier repair kinetics after controlled stripping in healthy subjects older than 50 years compared to placebo and untreated sites.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2011Extracellular vesicles derived from Crithmum maritimum callus and miR167 promote wound healing and skin regeneration in human fibroblasts by downregulating MMP1 and upregulating COL1A1 and VEGFA without cytotoxicity.
Biomolecules, 2025The full-component extract of Crithmum maritimum significantly promotes epidermal regeneration of UV-induced skin damage in a barrier-weakening 3D full-skin model compared to oil-based extract components.
RSC Advances, 2025Clay jojoba oil facial masks reduced total skin lesions by a mean of 54% after 6 weeks in 133 participants with acne-prone, lesioned skin and mild acne compared to baseline.
Forschende Komplementarmedizin, 2012Topical application of jojoba wax reduced LPS-induced secretion of IL-6, IL-8, and TNFα by approximately 30% and increased the synthesis of pro-collagen III and hyaluronic acid compared to untreated skin in an ex-vivo human skin organ culture model.
Frontiers in Pharmacology, 2024Topical jojoba oil application in male mice decreased exercise-induced pro-inflammatory gene expression (Il-1b and Il-6 in soleus, Il-1b in gastrocnemius) compared to untreated exercised mice.
Biomolecules, 2025Topical application of 0.05% w/w ECa 233 gel reduced erythema index by 0.03 U and improved early crusting and general wound appearance compared to placebo in thirty individuals undergoing facial laser resurfacing.
Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, 2020Moisturizer containing 5% panthenol, madecassoside, and copper-zinc-manganese decreased adverse reactions and downtime after ablative fractional carbon dioxide laser resurfacing with comparable efficacy to 0.02% triamcinolone acetonide cream in 20 subjects.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2019Topical treatment with 5% vitamin C and 0.1% madecassoside significantly improved clinical scores for wrinkles, suppleness, firmness, roughness, and skin hydration, along with functional and structural remodeling of the elastic fiber network in 20 female volunteers with photoaged skin after 6 months compared to baseline.
Experimental Dermatology, 2008
Ingredients
Pitera Ferment Filtrate Galactomyces Ferment Filtrate, Skin Regenerating Activ, Rose Absolute Rosa Centifolia, Galactomyces Ferment Filtrate, Water, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Hydroxyethyl Urea, Pentylene Glycol, Betaine, Centella Asiatica Extract, Yeast Extract, Sodium Citrate, Triethyl Citrate, Sodium Benzoate, Sorbic Acid, Methylparaben
Behind this fit score
Lovi calculates every fit score 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.
-
Co-founder, Medical Director
Cosmetic chemist, cosmetologist, aesthetic products developer
-
Co-founder, CEO and CTO
PhD in computer science, 3x US patent holder, ex-Google, ex-Yandex
-
Dr. Sofía Perea Pérez, MD, MSc
Medical Board
Aesthetic medicine practitioner, MSc in Longevity and Anti-Aging Medicine
-
Medical Board
Specialist dermatologist, MBBS, MD, IFAAD
-
Medical Board
Cosmetic chemist, SCS, IFSCC member
-
Medical Board, Medical Advisor
Dermatology MD
-
Elina Nazarenko, MD
Medical Board
Dermatology and diagnostic consultant
-
Victoria Derkova, MS
Medical Board
Cosmetic chemist, cosmetic development technologist
How does it fit your skin?
Scan your face, then any product: Lovi shows how well it fits you and what fits even better.