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The Ordinary vs SK-II

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

The Ordinary and SK-II are distinct skincare lines, with the Canadian brand featuring serums, moisturizers, cleansers, toners, and more built around hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and squalane, while the Japanese brand offers luxurious moisturizers, potent serums, clarifying toners, and restorative masks anchored by pitera. Both labels suit dry skin, though the former fits sensitive skin best and the latter also suits acne-prone skin. The brands differ in their formulations and key ingredients, as the former relies on compounds like niacinamide, mandelic acid, and lactic acid to target specific concerns, whereas the latter utilizes its signature ingredient to actively improve pore area, roughness, and redness.

The Ordinary is a Canadian skincare brand founded in 2016 and owned by The Estée Lauder Companies Inc. since 2021.

glossy.coen.wikipedia.org

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 The Ordinary and SK-II products; for every product of both brands, with a fit score for your own skin, use the Lovi app.

Popular The Ordinary vs SK-II products

People Say

The OrdinarySK-II
  • Instant glow and radiance 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”
    • “Skin looks brighter — SK-II Genoptics Spot Essence”
    • “tight, bright and shiny — The Ordinary AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution”
  • Hydration and plumping Sometimes NotedMostly Mentioned
    • “flooded my skin with moisture — SK-II Facial Treatment Mask”
    • “skin feels deeply hydrated, plump, and smoother — SK-II Skinpower Advanced Cream”
    • “Leaves skin soft, feels moisturized, does not dry out skin. — SK-II Facial Treatment Cleansing Oil”
    • “skin feels immediately hydrated — The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5”
  • Value and affordability Mostly MentionedNot noted
    • “lasts forever — The Ordinary Glycolic Acid 7% Toning Solution”
    • “can't beat the price — The Ordinary Salicylic Acid 2% Solution”
    • “extremely affordable — The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%”
  • Skin texture smoothing Often MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “glass skin effect — The Ordinary Glycolic Acid 7% Toning Solution”
    • “skin feels baby butt smooth — The Ordinary AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution”
    • “skin looks smoother and brighter — The Ordinary Azelaic Acid Suspension 10%”
    • “pores became miraculously invisible — SK-II Facial Treatment Mask”
  • Lightweight absorption 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”
    • “Sinks in immediately — The Ordinary Multi-Peptide + Copper Peptides 1% Serum”
  • Acne clearing and blemish reduction Often MentionedNot noted
    • “pimples disappear within a day — The Ordinary Salicylic Acid 2% Solution”
    • “scars and hormonal acne faded — The Ordinary Azelaic Acid Suspension 10%”
    • “faded dark spots — The Ordinary Glycolic Acid 7% Toning Solution”
  • High price Rarely NotedMostly Mentioned
    • “Expensive for Ordinary — The Ordinary Multi-Peptide + Copper Peptides 1% Serum”
    • “way too expensive — SK-II Facial Treatment Essence”
  • Slow or ineffective results Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
    • “no change in pigment — The Ordinary Caffeine Solution 5% + EGCG”
    • “not a miracle worker overnight — The Ordinary Mandelic Acid 10% + HA”
    • “Didn't do anything special — The Ordinary Alpha Arbutin 2% + HA”
    • “did absolutely nothing — SK-II Facial Treatment Essence”
  • Pilling and makeup issues Often MentionedRarely Noted
    • “dried to a tacky finish — SK-II Facial Treatment Mask”
    • “crumbles and piles under moisturizer — The Ordinary Azelaic Acid Suspension 10%”
  • Unpleasant scent Rarely NotedOften Mentioned
    • “Smells like vinegar — The Ordinary Multi-Peptide + Copper Peptides 1% Serum”
    • “smell is unbearable — The Ordinary Azelaic Acid Suspension 10%”
    • “has a slight chemical smell — The Ordinary Mandelic Acid 10% + HA”
    • “smells like dirty feet — SK-II Facial Treatment Essence”

The Ordinary vs SK-II routines for dry skin

See multi-brand routine · 99% fit

The Ordinary vs SK-II routines for oily skin

See multi-brand routine · 95% fit

The Ordinary vs SK-II routines for combination skin

See multi-brand routine · 95% fit

Questions and answers

The Ordinary or SK-II: which is better?

Both brands are a great match for most skin types, as Lovi rates their routines as Superior for nearly all of them, though SK-II does slightly better for oily acne-prone skin with a Superior fit compared to The Ordinary's High level. Reviewers often point out that SK-II delivers better instant glow and hydration, while The Ordinary wins on value and affordability.

What is the difference between The Ordinary and SK-II?

The Ordinary offers budget-friendly skincare focused on value and texture smoothing, whereas SK-II delivers a high-end experience known for instant glow and lightweight hydration. For oily acne-prone skin, Lovi rates SK-II as Superior and The Ordinary as High.

The Ordinary or SK-II for dry skin?

Both brands achieve a Superior routine fit for dry skin, though they use very different ingredients and pricing. Hyaluronic acid helps bind moisture in the skin, which supports hydration for dry skin types.

Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

The Ordinary or SK-II: which moisturizer is better?

Both The Ordinary and SK-II offer moisturizers with a Superior routine fit for dry skin on the products on this page. SK-II provides better hydration and plumping and instant glow and radiance, while the products on this page from The Ordinary provide better value and affordability.

Which is more affordable, The Ordinary or SK-II?

The Ordinary offers much better value and affordability compared to SK-II across the products on this page.

Which brand provides better texture-smoothing results, The Ordinary or SK-II?

The Ordinary provides better skin texture-smoothing results. The products on this page help smooth skin texture and are often noted for their texture-smoothing serums.

How do the founding years and countries of origin compare between The Ordinary and SK-II?

The Ordinary was founded in Canada in 2016, while SK-II was founded earlier in Japan in 1980.

Which brand performs better for oily acne-prone skin according to the routine fit levels?

For oily acne-prone skin, SK-II performs better with a Superior routine fit level, while The Ordinary reaches a High fit level.

The Ordinary or SK-II for oily skin?

Both The Ordinary and SK-II achieve a Superior routine fit for oily skin on Lovi. The Ordinary provides products that help with acne clearing and blemish reduction, while SK-II offers options known for lightweight absorption.

The Ordinary or SK-II for sensitive skin?

Both The Ordinary and SK-II achieve a Superior Lovi fit level for sensitive skin. Reviewers note that the products on this page by The Ordinary are particularly known for being gentle and non-irritating.

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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