SK-II vs No7
SK-II and No7 are established skincare brands offering distinct approaches to daily regimens. The Japanese line, founded in 1980, centers its luxurious moisturizers, potent serums, rejuvenating masks, and clarifying toners on pitera, while the British line, founded in 1935, builds its serums, eye products, moisturizers, and sunscreens around vitamin c, shea butter, and hyaluronic acid. Both provide tailored options, with the former suiting combination, oily, normal, and dry skin best, and the latter fitting dry skin and dry sensitive skin best. Ultimately, the brands differ through their unique botanical science and ingredient philosophies.
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
No7 is a British skincare brand founded in 1935 and owned by Sycamore Partners since 2025.
cosmeticsbusiness.comen.wikipedia.org
This page compares some of the most popular SK-II and No7 products; for every product of both brands, with a fit score for your own skin, use the Lovi app.
Popular SK-II vs No7 products
People Say
Skin Texture and Smoothing Mostly MentionedMostly Mentioned
- “skin feels soft as butter — SK-II Facial Treatment Essence”
- “pores became miraculously invisible — SK-II Facial Treatment Mask”
- “Skin feels softer — No7 Future Renew Damage Reversal Serum”
- “skin feels so soft — No7 Total Renewal Micro-Dermabrasion Exfoliator”
Hydration and Moisture 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”
- “Skin feels moisturized — No7 Future Renew Damage Reversal Night Cream”
- “leaves the skin feeling hydrated and comfortable — No7 Pure Retinol Eye Cream”
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”
- “healthier glow — No7 Total Renewal Micro-Dermabrasion Exfoliator”
Miscellaneous Formulation and Usage Often MentionedOften Mentioned
- “Dissolves waterproof mascara, melts stubborn makeup, removes sunscreen easily. — SK-II Facial Treatment Cleansing Oil”
- “packet is absolutely drenched — SK-II Facial Treatment Mask”
- “rich but not heavy — No7 Protect & Perfect Intense Advanced Night Cream”
- “Wears well under makeup — No7 Future Renew Damage Reversal Serum”
Anti-Aging and Firmness Rarely NotedOften Mentioned
- “Softened fine lines — No7 Pure Retinol 1% Night Concentrate”
- “lines on forehead diminished — No7 Pure Retinol”
- “helped reduce puffiness — No7 Pure Retinol Eye Cream”
- “reducing the appearance of fine lines — SK-II Skinpower Advanced Cream”
Gentle Formula and Comfort Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
- “zero irritation — No7 Pure Retinol Eye Cream”
- “soothing on skin — No7 Restore & Renew Multi Action Eye Cream”
- “good for sensitive skin — No7 Pure Retinol”
- “Watery consistency — SK-II Facial Treatment Clear Lotion”
High Price and Value Mostly MentionedRarely Noted
- “Expensive for amount provided — No7 Future Renew Damage Reversal Serum”
- “way too expensive — SK-II Facial Treatment Essence”
Lack of Results Often MentionedOften Mentioned
- “did absolutely nothing — SK-II Facial Treatment Essence”
- “No visible difference — SK-II Facial Treatment Clear Lotion”
- “No change in wrinkles/spots — No7 Future Renew Damage Reversal Serum”
- “seen no difference whatsoever — No7 Pure Retinol Eye Cream”
Breakouts and Skin Reactions Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
- “caused tiny red bumps — SK-II Facial Treatment Essence”
- “dried to a tacky finish — SK-II Facial Treatment Mask”
- “Slight sensitivity and peeling — No7 Pure Retinol 1% Night Concentrate”
- “burned my skin — No7 Pure Retinol”
Miscellaneous Formulation Issues Rarely NotedOften Mentioned
- “Contains fragrance, methylparaben, and benzyl alcohol. — SK-II Genoptics Ultraura Essence”
- “Fragrance too strong, smell is off-putting (rare). — SK-II Facial Treatment Cleansing Oil”
- “Can be drying — No7 Pure Retinol 1% Night Concentrate”
Questions and answers
SK-II or No7: which is better?
Both brands have strong points, but No7 is a better fit for anti-aging and firmness as well as gentle formulas, while SK-II delivers better results for radiance and glow. No7 features key ingredients like Vitamin C and retinol, which helps address aging signs, whereas SK-II relies on Pitera across the products on this page.
The Journal of Investigative Dermatology, 2000Archives of Dermatology, 2007
What is the difference between SK-II and No7?
SK-II relies on Pitera across its fragrance-free products on this page, while No7 features ingredients like retinol, niacinamide, and vitamin C with a few scented formulas. Lovi rates No7 as having a Superior fit for mature skin in specific eye and night creams, whereas SK-II earns a Superior fit for acne-prone and oily acne-prone skin in its Genoptics Ultraura Essence.
SK-II or No7: which moisturizer is better?
Both SK-II and No7 offer moisturizers on this page that provide high Lovi fit levels for dry skin. No7 features options with a Superior fit level for mature skin, while every SK-II product on this page lists no fragrance.
Which is more affordable, SK-II or No7?
No7 is less affordable according to the review themes on this page, which note high price and value concerns for the brand.
Which causes fewer breakouts, SK-II or No7?
Both SK-II and No7 do equally well regarding breakouts and skin reactions, as reviewers report similar experiences with both brands on this page.
Which brand has been established longer, SK-II or No7?
No7 has been established longer, having been founded in the United Kingdom in 1935, whereas SK-II was founded in Japan in 1980.
Do both SK-II and No7 products contain fragrance?
Every product on the SK-II page lists no fragrance in its ingredients, whereas three No7 products on this page contain fragrance. These fragranced No7 products are Future Renew Damage Reversal Night Cream, Lift & Luminate Day Cream, and Protect & Perfect Intense Advanced Day Cream.
Which brand uses Pitera as a key ingredient across its products?
SK-II uses Pitera as a key ingredient across the products on this page.
Research behind their key ingredients
Molecular basis of retinol anti-ageing properties in naturally aged human skin in vivo
Effects of ascorbic acid on gingival melanin pigmentation in vitro and in vivo
The evaluation of aluminum oxide crystal microdermabrasion for photodamage
Three clinical studies showing the anti-aging benefits of sodium salicylate in human skin
Clinical and histologic changes determine optimal treatment regimens for microdermabrasion
Treatment with Ascorbyl Glucoside-Arginine Complex Ameliorates Solar Lentigos
Targeting Circadian Rhythm for the Regulation of Skin Collagen Metabolism
Retrospective Review of Dermal Safety Studies of Organic Sunscreens
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.
-

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.















