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SK-II vs La Prairie

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

SK-II and La Prairie are luxury skincare houses rooted in heritage, with the former founded in Japan in 1980 and the latter established in Switzerland in 1978. 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, while the brand is beloved for its luxurious eye products, nourishing moisturizers, targeted serums, and refreshing toners, all elevated by its advanced formulas. The Japanese brand suits dry skin and acne-prone skin best, whereas the Swiss brand suits mature skin and dry skin best. They differ primarily in their core offerings and geographical origins, with each utilizing carefully balanced preparations to support the complexion with enduring grace.

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

La Prairie is a Swiss skincare brand founded in 1978 and owned by maxingvest GmbH & Co. KGaA since 2003.

en.wikipedia.orgreports.beiersdorf.combeiersdorf.com

This page compares some of the most popular SK-II and La Prairie products; for every product of both brands, with a fit score for your own skin, use the Lovi app.

Popular SK-II vs La Prairie products

People Say

SK-IILa Prairie
  • Improves texture Mostly MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “skin feels soft as butter — SK-II Facial Treatment Essence”
    • “pores became miraculously invisible — SK-II Facial Treatment Mask”
    • “feels like liquid silk — La Prairie Skin Caviar Luxe Cream”
    • “absorbs instantly — La Prairie Skin Caviar Liquid Lift”
  • Hydration and balance 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”
    • “gentle yet effective moisturizing — La Prairie Cellular Softening and Balancing Lotion”
    • “softens skin noticeably — La Prairie Cellular Softening and Balancing Lotion”
  • 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”
    • “gave my face a soft glow — La Prairie Skin Caviar Luxe Cream”
  • Anti-aging and firming Rarely NotedMostly Mentioned
    • “felt skin tighten immediately — La Prairie Skin Caviar Liquid Lift”
    • “opened my eyes — La Prairie Skin Caviar Eye Lift”
    • “jawline genuinely looks lifted — La Prairie Skin Caviar Luxe Cream”
    • “reducing the appearance of fine lines — SK-II Skinpower Advanced Cream”
  • Packaging and convenience Rarely NotedOften Mentioned
    • “fancy design — La Prairie Skin Caviar Eye Lift”
    • “lasts forever — La Prairie Cellular Softening and Balancing Lotion”
    • “Pump dispenser is convenient. — SK-II Genoptics Ultraura Essence”
  • High price Mostly MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “way too expensive — SK-II Facial Treatment Essence”
    • “eye-wateringly expensive — La Prairie Skin Caviar Luxe Cream”
    • “prohibitively expensive — La Prairie Skin Caviar Liquid Lift”
  • Underwhelming or slow results Often MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “did absolutely nothing — SK-II Facial Treatment Essence”
    • “No visible difference — SK-II Facial Treatment Clear Lotion”
    • “just a good moisturizer — La Prairie Skin Caviar Luxe Cream”
    • “didn't see a huge difference — La Prairie Skin Caviar Liquid Lift”
  • Strong fragrance Not notedMostly Mentioned
    • “smells like a rich grandma — La Prairie Skin Caviar Luxe Cream”
  • Breakouts and skin reactions Often MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “caused congestion — La Prairie Skin Caviar Luxe Cream”
    • “caused breakouts — La Prairie Skin Caviar Liquid Lift”
    • “caused tiny red bumps — SK-II Facial Treatment Essence”
  • Unpleasant scent Often MentionedNot noted
    • “smells like dirty feet — SK-II Facial Treatment Essence”

SK-II vs La Prairie routines for dry skin

See multi-brand routine · 99% fit

SK-II vs La Prairie routines for oily skin

See multi-brand routine · 95% fit

SK-II vs La Prairie routines for combination skin

See multi-brand routine · 95% fit

Questions and answers

SK-II or La Prairie: which is better?

SK-II has a superior Lovi fit for oily, combination, sensitive, acne-prone, and oily acne-prone skin, while both brands are a superior fit for mature skin, dry skin, skin with dark spots, and dry sensitive skin. The products on this page from SK-II list no fragrance, whereas most products from La Prairie contain fragrance.

What is the difference between SK-II and La Prairie?

SK-II relies on Pitera across the products on this page and tends to be fragrance-free, while La Prairie features ginseng and mostly includes fragrance. Lovi rates SK-II as having a Superior routine fit for oily and acne-prone skin, whereas La Prairie has a High fit for those skin types.

SK-II or La Prairie for dry skin?

Both SK-II and La Prairie achieve a Superior routine fit for dry skin. The products on this page for SK-II list no fragrance, while four of five La Prairie products feature fragrance.

SK-II or La Prairie: which moisturizer is better?

When comparing moisturizers, SK-II and La Prairie both achieve a High Lovi fit for dry skin, but SK-II has no fragrance listed across the products on this page while La Prairie lists strong fragrance.

Which is more affordable, SK-II or La Prairie?

Both SK-II and La Prairie feature high price points as a shared negative review theme on the products on this page, meaning neither brand is more affordable.

Which brand is better for anti-aging and firming, SK-II or La Prairie?

La Prairie does better for anti-aging and firming. Ginseng is a key ingredient across the products on this page for La Prairie.

Journal of Ginseng Research, 2017

Do SK-II products or La Prairie products contain fragrance?

SK-II products on this page list no fragrance in their ingredients, while 4 of the 5 La Prairie products on this page list fragrance. Reviewers note that La Prairie has a strong fragrance.

Which brand is better for radiance and glow, SK-II or La Prairie?

SK-II does better than La Prairie for radiance and glow according to the reviewers on this page.

SK-II or La Prairie for oily skin?

For oily skin, Lovi rates SK-II as Superior and La Prairie as High. The products on this page for SK-II rely on Pitera, while La Prairie features Ginseng.

SK-II or La Prairie for sensitive skin?

For sensitive skin, SK-II is the better choice because Lovi rates its routine as Superior compared to La Prairie's High rating. Additionally, every product on the SK-II page lists no fragrance in its ingredients, whereas most La Prairie products contain fragrance.

SK-II or La Prairie for acne-prone skin?

For acne-prone skin, SK-II is the better choice because Lovi rates its routine fit as Superior, compared to High for La Prairie. Additionally, the products on this page from SK-II list no fragrance, which helps reduce the likelihood of irritation.

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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