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Shiseido vs SK-II

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

Shiseido and SK-II are Japanese skincare brands that offer thoughtful arrays of moisturizers, cleansers, sunscreens, serums, toners, and restorative masks formulated with key ingredients like glycerin and pitera. Shiseido suits sensitive skin and mature skin best with gentle daily care, while SK-II suits dry skin and acne-prone skin best with formulations designed to address imbalances. The former features standout choices such as the Treatment Softener, Benefiance Wrinkle Smoothing Day Cream, and Essential Energy Hydrating Cream, whereas the latter offers the Genoptics Ultraura Essence, Facial Treatment Essence, and Facial Treatment Clear Lotion. Through meticulous formulations and regular application, both brands work effectively to improve stratum corneum hydration, pore area, roughness, and redness.

Shiseido is a Japanese skincare brand founded in 1872 and owned by Shiseido Company, Limited.

corp.shiseido.comen.wikipedia.orgmarketscreener.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 Shiseido and SK-II products; for every product of both brands, with a fit score for your own skin, use the Lovi app.

Popular Shiseido vs SK-II products

People Say

ShiseidoSK-II
  • Deep hydration Mostly MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “Immediate sensation of comfort — Shiseido Benefiance Wrinkle Smoothing Eye Cream”
    • “Lightweight, silky, non-sticky, sinks in instantly. — Shiseido Ultimune Power Infusing Concentrate”
    • “skin feels plump, soft and nourished, eliminates dryness, bouncy feel — Shiseido VITAL PERFECTION”
    • “flooded my skin with moisture — SK-II Facial Treatment Mask”
  • Radiant glow and radiance Sometimes 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”
    • “Skin looks brighter, more radiant, and "glowy." — Shiseido Ultimune Power Infusing Concentrate”
  • Luxurious texture Mostly MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “silky smooth, rich but non-greasy, absorbs quickly, melts into skin — Shiseido VITAL PERFECTION”
    • “Velvety, rich cream texture — Shiseido Benefiance Wrinkle Smoothing Eye Cream”
    • “Velvety texture — Shiseido FUTURE SOLUTION LX”
    • “silky texture that absorbs quickly — SK-II Skinpower Advanced Cream”
  • Lightweight texture 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”
    • “Airy-soft texture — Shiseido Essential Energy Hydrating Cream”
  • Smoother skin and texture Rarely 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”
    • “makes skin baby soft — Shiseido Benefiance Wrinkle Smoothing Cream Enriched”
  • Makeup compatibility and prep Rarely NotedSometimes Noted
    • “Removes leftover dirt — SK-II Facial Treatment Clear Lotion”
    • “Dissolves waterproof mascara, melts stubborn makeup, removes sunscreen easily. — SK-II Facial Treatment Cleansing Oil”
    • “Great base for makeup — Shiseido Essential Energy Hydrating Cream”
  • High price point Mostly MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “Very expensive for the size — Shiseido Benefiance Wrinkle Smoothing Eye Cream”
    • “Expensive, pricey, high cost for the amount. — Shiseido Ultimune Power Infusing Concentrate”
    • “expensive, investment piece, pricey for the amount, luxury cost — Shiseido VITAL PERFECTION”
    • “way too expensive — SK-II Facial Treatment Essence”
  • Strong fragrance and scent Often MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “old lady smell — Shiseido Eudermine Revitalizing Essence”
    • “overpowering scent, too perfumed, smell lingers, headache-inducing — Shiseido VITAL PERFECTION”
    • “smells like dirty feet — SK-II Facial Treatment Essence”
    • “smells slightly like saliva — SK-II Facial Treatment Mask”
  • Lack of results Rarely NotedOften Mentioned
    • “No change in deep wrinkles — Shiseido Benefiance Wrinkle Smoothing Eye Cream”
    • “No noticeable difference, not moisturizing enough on its own. — Shiseido Ultimune Power Infusing Concentrate”
    • “no visible lifting, just a moisturizer, didn't erase deep wrinkles — Shiseido VITAL PERFECTION”
    • “did absolutely nothing — SK-II Facial Treatment Essence”

Shiseido vs SK-II routines for dry skin

Buy SK-II routine · $591.97 · 91% fitBuy Shiseido routine · $393.62 · 74% fitSee multi-brand routine · 99% fit

Shiseido vs SK-II routines for oily skin

Buy SK-II routine · $713.54 · 89% fitBuy Shiseido routine · $581.17 · 85% fitSee multi-brand routine · 98% fit

Shiseido vs SK-II routines for combination skin

Buy SK-II routine · $714.65 · 89% fitBuy Shiseido routine · $550.65 · 84% fitSee multi-brand routine · 97% fit

Questions and answers

Shiseido or SK-II: which is better?

Both brands are great, but they shine for different reasons on the products on this page: Shiseido excels at deep hydration and luxurious textures, while SK-II delivers a lightweight feel and a radiant glow. Shiseido's routine fit is Average for dry skin, whereas SK-II offers a Superior routine fit for dry and acne-prone skin.

What is the difference between Shiseido and SK-II?

Shiseido is known for providing deep hydration and luxurious textures with key ingredients like glycerin and hyaluronic acid, while SK-II offers lightweight textures and a radiant glow driven by its signature Pitera. The products on this page for Shiseido frequently feature added fragrance, whereas every product on the SK-II page lists no fragrance.

Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

Shiseido or SK-II for dry skin?

SK-II is a better fit for dry skin, offering a superior routine fit compared to Shiseido's average rating on this page. Topical hyaluronic acid, a key ingredient featured across Shiseido products on this page, helps improve skin hydration and signs of aging.

Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

Shiseido or SK-II: which moisturizer is better?

Shiseido is often chosen for its luxurious texture and deep hydration in moisturizers like Essential Energy Hydrating Cream, while SK-II relies on Pitera in products like Facial Treatment Essence to deliver a lightweight feel and radiant glow. Reviewers note that the products on this page for Shiseido feature strong fragrances, whereas SK-II lists no fragrance across its formulations.

Which is more affordable, Shiseido or SK-II?

Shiseido is often noted by reviewers for a high price point, but the products on this page do not list direct price comparisons to determine which brand is more affordable.

Between Shiseido and SK-II, which brand offers better options for addressing dark spots?

Both brands offer solid choices for addressing dark spots, as the products on this page achieve equal Lovi fit levels for skin with dark spots. Shiseido features key ingredients like glycerin and hyaluronic acid, while SK-II relies on Pitera across its line.

Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

How do the fragrance profiles of Shiseido and SK-II products compare across the two lines?

Shiseido products on this page frequently include fragrance, with only 5 out of 20 listing none, whereas every SK-II product on this page lists no fragrance. Reviewers note that strong fragrance and scent issues are equal between the brands.

Which brand has a better routine fit for mature skin, Shiseido or SK-II?

Both Shiseido and SK-II offer a High routine fit for mature skin. The products on this page from Shiseido also feature key ingredients like hyaluronic acid.

Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

Shiseido or SK-II for oily skin?

Both Shiseido and SK-II are good options for oily skin, as the products on this page show high routine fit levels for both brands. Shiseido features deep-cleansing and efficient cleansers that help manage oiliness, while SK-II provides lightweight textures that are ideal for daily use.

Shiseido or SK-II for sensitive skin?

Both Shiseido and SK-II achieve a High Lovi fit level for sensitive skin. The products on this page for SK-II list no fragrance, while some Shiseido items contain fragrance and may cause skin irritation.

Shiseido or SK-II for acne-prone skin?

SK-II is a better fit for acne-prone skin, achieving a Superior routine fit compared to Shiseido's High fit level for acne-prone skin on the products on this page.

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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