SK-II skincare
SK-II is a Japanese skincare brand founded in 1980 and owned by The Procter & Gamble Company since 1991.
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Skincare enthusiasts across the globe cherish SK-II for its luxurious moisturizers, potent serums, clarifying toners, and restorative masks, all anchored by its signature ingredient, pitera. Its products suit dry skin and acne-prone skin best, thanks to formulations designed to address imbalances. To target specific concerns, the brand offers standout solutions such as the Genoptics Ultraura Essence for acne-prone skin, the Facial Treatment Essence for skin with dark spots, and the Facial Treatment Clear Lotion for mature skin. Through regular application, its key ingredients actively improve pore area, roughness, and redness.
Journal of Clinical Medicine, 2021
Pitera
This page covers some of the most popular SK-II products; for the whole SK-II range, with a fit score for every product, use the Lovi app.
People Say
★4.4Overall rating based on 21.8k+ reviewsReviewers most often praise SK-II for hydrating formulas, radiant glow, and improved skin texture. The most common complaints are high prices and skin irritation or breakouts.
Sources: lovi.care, sk-ii.com, influenster.com, macys.com, bloomingdales.com, sephora.sg, and more
Questions and answers
Is SK-II good for oily skin?
Yes, SK-II helps with oily skin, and Lovi rates the SK-II-focused routine Superior for oily skin. The SK-II products on this page list no fragrance in their ingredients.
Is SK-II worth it?
SK-II is worth considering for dry, acne-prone, and combination skin, as Lovi rates brand-focused routines for these skin types as Superior. The SK-II products on this page are fragrance-free and feature Pitera as a key ingredient, which helps improve facial pore area and roughness.
What are SK-II's best products?
SK-II's best products are Genoptics Ultraura Essence for acne-prone skin and Skinpower Advanced Cream for dry and mature skin, with Lovi rating these options High or Superior for those skin types. The SK-II products on this page help keep the face smooth and calm using Pitera.
Which SK-II moisturizer is best for dry skin?
Facial Treatment Essence is the best choice among SK-II moisturizers for dry skin, followed by Skinpower Advanced Cream, and both rate High for this skin type.
Does SK-II cause breakouts?
SK-II is unlikely to cause breakouts, as the SK-II products on this page help keep the skin clear and balanced. Lovi rates the brand-focused routines Superior for acne-prone skin.
Is SK-II fragrance-free?
Yes, the SK-II products on this page are fragrance-free. Every product listed here contains no fragrance in its ingredients.
What are the key ingredients in SK-II products?
The key ingredient in SK-II products is Pitera. Lovi rates the SK-II-focused routines as Superior for dry, oily, sensitive, combination, and acne-prone skin.
How do I build a SK-II skincare routine?
To build an SK-II skincare routine for dry skin, apply a cleanser and a calming toner, followed by Facial Treatment Essence in the morning and evening. Add Facial Treatment Mask once a week for extra care, and use a separate pre-cleanser and SPF.
Where can I buy SK-II, and how much does it cost?
SK-II products on this page are available from stores in Italy, with prices ranging from €173.08 to €455.63.
What are good alternatives to SK-II?
Good alternatives to SK-II include Biore, Hada Labo, Shiseido, Shiseido Senka, DHC, and Pair, which all have dedicated pages on Lovi. Lovi rates the SK-II-focused routine Superior for dry, oily, sensitive, combination, and acne-prone skin.
SK-II vs Biore: which is better?
Lovi rates SK-II-focused routines as Superior for dry, oily, sensitive, combination, and acne-prone skin, while Biore-focused routines rate High across those same skin types. The SK-II products on this page are fragrance-free.
Who owns SK-II, and where is it from?
SK-II is a Japanese brand founded in 1980, owned by The Procter & Gamble Company since 1991.
Is SK-II cruelty-free?
PETA, Leaping Bunny, and Cruelty Free International, the registries Lovi checks, do not list SK-II as cruelty-free.
Is SK-II good for dry skin?
Yes, SK-II is good for dry skin because Lovi rates the brand-focused routine Superior for this skin type, and individual moisturizers like Facial Treatment Essence and Skinpower Advanced Cream achieve High fit levels. The key ingredient Pitera helps improve daily facial texture and barrier function, and the SK-II products on this page list no fragrance.
Is SK-II good for sensitive skin?
Yes, SK-II is well suited for sensitive skin, with Lovi rating the SK-II-focused routine Superior and individual items like Facial Treatment Essence and Skinpower Advanced Cream showing High fit. The SK-II products on this page list no fragrance, which helps minimize irritation for easily upset skin.
Is SK-II good for acne-prone skin?
Yes, SK-II works well for acne-prone skin because the SK-II products on this page help keep the skin clear and balanced. Lovi rates the SK-II-focused routine Superior for acne-prone skin.
Is SK-II good for skin with dark spots?
Yes, SK-II helps with dark spots because products like Genoptics Ultraura Essence and Facial Treatment Essence are effective for this concern. Lovi rates the SK-II-focused routine Superior for overall skin care.
Is SK-II good for mature skin?
Yes, SK-II is good for mature skin, and Lovi rates the SK-II-focused routine Superior for it. Products like Facial Treatment Essence and Skinpower Advanced Cream have a High fit for mature skin. Pitera helps improve facial skin condition as part of the skincare formula.
Research behind SK-II's key ingredients
The effect of niacinamide on reducing cutaneous pigmentation and suppression of melanosome transfer
Effects of ascorbic acid on gingival melanin pigmentation in vitro and in vivo
Behind these ratings
Lovi rates every product from its 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.
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Co-founder, Medical Director
Cosmetic chemist, cosmetologist, aesthetic products developer
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Co-founder, CEO and CTO
PhD in computer science, 3x US patent holder, ex-Google, ex-Yandex
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Dr. Sofía Perea Pérez, MD, MSc
Medical Board
Aesthetic medicine practitioner, MSc in Longevity and Anti-Aging Medicine
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Medical Board
Specialist dermatologist, MBBS, MD, IFAAD
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Medical Board
Cosmetic chemist, SCS, IFSCC member
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Medical Board, Medical Advisor
Dermatology MD
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Elina Nazarenko, MD
Medical Board
Dermatology and diagnostic consultant
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Victoria Derkova, MS
Medical Board
Cosmetic chemist, cosmetic development technologist
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