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Neutrogena vs SK-II

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

Neutrogena and SK-II are prominent skincare brands offering moisturizers, sunscreens, cleansers, toners, serums, and masks that suit dry skin, acne-prone skin, and mature skin. The American brand relies on trusted ingredients like glycerin, hyaluronic acid, and dimethicone, while the Japanese brand is anchored by its signature ingredient, pitera. Through daily use, the former provides moisture-binding and barrier-supporting formulas, whereas the latter offers formulations designed to address imbalances and improve pore area, roughness, and redness.

Neutrogena is an American skincare brand founded in 1930 and owned by Kimberly-Clark Corporation since 2026.

investor.kimberly-clark.comen.wikipedia.orginvestors.kenvue.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 Neutrogena and SK-II products; for every product of both brands, with a fit score for your own skin, use the Lovi app.

Popular Neutrogena vs SK-II products

People Say

NeutrogenaSK-II
  • Deep and intense hydration Mostly MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “Skin looked plumper and radiant — Neutrogena HYDRO BOOST WATER CREAM”
    • “It also hydrates my skin. This cream has been so easy to add to my routine. — Neutrogena Retinol Regenerating Cream”
    • “Quenches dry skin instantly — Neutrogena Hydro Boost Hydrating Hydrogel Mask”
    • “flooded my skin with moisture — SK-II Facial Treatment Mask”
  • Lightweight and non-greasy texture Mostly MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “Absorbs instantly without sticky residue — Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Gel”
    • “absorbs instantly — Neutrogena COLLAGEN BANK Moisturizer”
    • “Absorbs into skin without residue. — Neutrogena Hydro Boost Hyaluronic Acid Serum”
    • “drinks right into the skin — SK-II Facial Treatment Essence”
  • Gentle and sensitive skin safe Mostly MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “leaves skin soft and balanced — Neutrogena Ultra Gentle Daily Cleanser”
    • “love that it has no scent — Neutrogena Ultra Gentle Daily Cleanser”
    • “calms my acne prone skin — Neutrogena Ultra Gentle Daily Cleanser”
    • “Watery consistency — SK-II Facial Treatment Clear Lotion”
  • Skin texture improvement and anti-aging Sometimes 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”
    • “Skin is looking smoother — Neutrogena Rapid Wrinkle Repair Regenerating Cream”
  • Soft skin and radiant glow Rarely 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”
    • “Face felt baby soft afterwards — Neutrogena Hydro Boost Hydrating Hydrogel Mask”
  • Makeup compatibility and primer qualities Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “Foundation glides right over it — Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Gel”
    • “Concealer doesn't cake or get stuck in crevices — Neutrogena Hydro Boost Eye Gel-Cream”
    • “Removes leftover dirt — SK-II Facial Treatment Clear Lotion”
    • “Dissolves waterproof mascara, melts stubborn makeup, removes sunscreen easily. — SK-II Facial Treatment Cleansing Oil”
  • Price versus quantity and high cost Sometimes NotedMostly Mentioned
    • “Jar is too small for the price — Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Gel”
    • “Runs out quickly — Neutrogena HYDRO BOOST WATER CREAM”
    • “Tube is tiny for the cost — Neutrogena Hydro Boost Eye Gel-Cream”
    • “way too expensive — SK-II Facial Treatment Essence”
  • Strong fragrance and scent issues Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
    • “Smell is too overpowering and lingering — Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Gel”
    • “Scent is so off-putting — Neutrogena Rapid Wrinkle Repair Regenerating Cream”
    • “smells like dirty feet — SK-II Facial Treatment Essence”
    • “smells slightly like saliva — SK-II Facial Treatment Mask”
  • Lack of immediate or underwhelming results Rarely NotedOften Mentioned
    • “Did nothing for wrinkles — Neutrogena Rapid Wrinkle Repair Regenerating Cream”
    • “did absolutely nothing — SK-II Facial Treatment Essence”
  • Packaging and design concerns Sometimes NotedRarely Noted
    • “cotton is too thick and heavy — SK-II Facial Treatment Mask”
    • “Eye holes are too small — Neutrogena Hydro Boost Hydrating Hydrogel Mask”

Neutrogena vs SK-II routines for dry skin

See multi-brand routine · 99% fit

Neutrogena vs SK-II routines for oily skin

See multi-brand routine · 95% fit

Neutrogena vs SK-II routines for combination skin

See multi-brand routine · 95% fit

Questions and answers

Neutrogena or SK-II: which is better?

Neutrogena is better for deep hydration and sensitive skin, while SK-II does better for skin texture and radiant glow. The products on this page from both brands offer strong options, but Neutrogena helps with anti-aging through retinol, and hydration through hyaluronic acid,.

The Journal of Investigative Dermatology, 2000Archives of Dermatology, 2007

What is the difference between Neutrogena and SK-II?

Neutrogena and SK-II are both well-known skincare brands, with Neutrogena providing a wide range of affordable, fragrance-free products on this page featuring ingredients like hyaluronic acid and retinol, while SK-II focuses on luxury formulas centered around Pitera. Reviewers note that Neutrogena excels at deep hydration and lightweight textures, whereas SK-II stands out for skin texture improvement and radiant glow. Hyaluronic acid helps improve skin moisture and aging signs.

Journal of Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2015Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

Neutrogena or SK-II for dry skin?

Neutrogena is a strong option for dry skin, as the products on this page achieve a High routine fit. Hyaluronic acid helps provide deep hydration.

Journal of Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2015

Neutrogena or SK-II: which moisturizer is better?

Neutrogena is better for deep hydration, while SK-II offers superior anti-aging and skin texture improvement. Neutrogena products on this page often feature hyaluronic acid, which helps improve skin moisture.

Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

Which is more affordable, Neutrogena or SK-II?

Neutrogena is more affordable, though reviewers of the products on this page note price versus quantity concerns for both brands.

Which brand has more fragrance-free products, Neutrogena or SK-II?

Neutrogena has more fragrance-free products on this page than SK-II, with 35 of its 39 products listing no fragrance, while every SK-II product on this page lists no fragrance.

Neutrogena or SK-II for oily skin?

For oily skin, both Neutrogena and SK-II achieve a High routine fit level on Lovi. Neutrogena offers a large selection of products on this page with key ingredients like salicylic acid that help control excess oil, while SK-II features formulations centered around Pitera that provide a radiant glow without heavy residues.

Neutrogena or SK-II for sensitive skin?

Neutrogena is a strong choice for sensitive skin, offering products on this page that shoppers frequently praise for being gentle. Lovi rates the routine fit for sensitive skin as High for Neutrogena and Superior for SK-II.

Neutrogena or SK-II for acne-prone skin?

Both Neutrogena and SK-II achieve a High routine fit for acne-prone skin. The products on this page for Neutrogena include active ingredients like salicylic acid and retinol, which help manage blemishes.

The Journal of Investigative Dermatology, 2000Archives of Dermatology, 2007

Neutrogena or SK-II for mature skin?

Both Neutrogena and SK-II achieve a High Lovi fit for mature skin, with SK-II outperforming in skin texture improvement and radiant glow while Neutrogena offers anti-aging moisturizers with retinol that helps stimulate collagen accumulation in naturally aged skin.

The Journal of Investigative Dermatology, 2000Archives of Dermatology, 2007

Neutrogena or SK-II for skin with dark spots?

Neutrogena is the better choice for skin with dark spots, as the products on this page offer a High fit level for this concern. Niacinamide helps reduce cutaneous pigmentation and suppress melanosome transfer, contributing to a brighter complexion.

The British Journal of Dermatology, 2002Antioxidants, 2021

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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