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Elemis vs SK-II

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

Elemis and SK-II are established skincare houses founded in the United Kingdom and Japan, respectively. The British brand offers serums, moisturizers, cleansers, and toners harnessing glycerin and shea, while the Japanese brand features moisturizers, serums, masks, and toners powered by pitera. Elemis suits mature and dry sensitive skin best, whereas its counterpart accommodates dry sensitive and combination skin. They differ primarily through their foundational ingredients and regional origins, with one emphasizing deep conditioning and the other focusing on balancing properties.

Elemis is a British skincare brand founded in 1989 and owned by L'Occitane Group since 2019.

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

Popular Elemis vs SK-II products

People Say

ElemisSK-II
  • Texture and Absorption Mostly MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “Absorbs almost immediately, and my skin feels well hydrated all day. — Elemis Pro-Collagen Marine Cream”
    • “skin feels baby soft — Elemis Papaya Enzyme Peel”
    • “drinks right into the skin — SK-II Facial Treatment Essence”
    • “pores became miraculously invisible — SK-II Facial Treatment Mask”
  • Hydration and Moisture Mostly MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “The cream really hydrates and my face looks amazing. — Elemis Pro-Collagen Night Cream”
    • “Quenches thirsty skin... immediate improvement. — Elemis Pro-Collagen Marine Cream”
    • “flooded my skin with moisture — SK-II Facial Treatment Mask”
    • “skin feels deeply hydrated, plump, and smoother — SK-II Skinpower Advanced Cream”
  • Radiance and Glow Sometimes 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”
    • “healthy glow — Elemis Dynamic Resurfacing Facial Pads”
  • Skin Smoothing and Exfoliation Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
    • “baby soft — Elemis Dynamic Resurfacing Facial Pads”
    • “non-stripping formula — Elemis Dynamic Resurfacing Facial Wash”
    • “skin feels soft as butter — SK-II Facial Treatment Essence”
    • “Smoother skin — SK-II Facial Treatment Clear Lotion”
  • Makeup Compatibility and Prep Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “melts waterproof mascara — Elemis Pro-Collagen Cleansing Balm”
    • “Sits nicely under make up... perfect base. — Elemis Pro-Collagen Marine 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”
  • Scent and Fragrance Experience Often MentionedRarely Noted
    • “smells like a spa — Elemis Pro-Collagen Cleansing Balm”
    • “smells like a holiday — Elemis Papaya Enzyme Peel”
    • “smells like a tropical cocktail — Elemis Superfood Midnight Facial”
    • “Subtle rose fragrance, spa-like scent, not overpowering. — SK-II Facial Treatment Cleansing Oil”
  • High Price Point Mostly MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “Complete waste of money for me. — Elemis Pro-Collagen Marine Cream”
    • “very expensive — Elemis Pro-Collagen Cleansing Balm”
    • “expensive — Elemis Dynamic Resurfacing Facial Pads”
    • “way too expensive — SK-II Facial Treatment Essence”
  • Scent and Fragrance Often MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “The smell is very strong... could not handle for long. — Elemis Pro-Collagen Marine Cream”
    • “smell is too strong — Elemis Pro-Collagen Cleansing Balm”
    • “smells like dirty feet — SK-II Facial Treatment Essence”
    • “smells slightly like saliva — SK-II Facial Treatment Mask”
  • Underwhelming or Slow Results Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
    • “didn't see a difference — Elemis Papaya Enzyme Peel”
    • “didn't see difference — Elemis Dynamic Resurfacing Facial Wash”
    • “Verdict still out. — Elemis Pro-Collagen Night Cream”
    • “did absolutely nothing — SK-II Facial Treatment Essence”
  • Breakouts and Skin Reactions Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “blurry vision — Elemis Pro-Collagen Cleansing Balm”
    • “tends to flake off — Elemis Pro-Collagen Eye Revive Mask”
    • “caused tiny red bumps — SK-II Facial Treatment Essence”
    • “Small bumps — SK-II Facial Treatment Clear Lotion”

Elemis vs SK-II routines for dry skin

Buy SK-II routine · SAR 2,157.75 · 83% fitBuy Elemis routine · SAR 3,641.86 · 82% fitSee multi-brand routine · 96% fit

Elemis vs SK-II routines for oily skin

Buy SK-II routine · SAR 1,935.93 · 89% fitBuy Elemis routine · SAR 2,382.67 · 77% fitSee multi-brand routine · 97% fit

Elemis vs SK-II routines for combination skin

Buy SK-II routine · SAR 2,044.94 · 90% fitBuy Elemis routine · SAR 2,337.01 · 79% fitSee multi-brand routine · 97% fit

Questions and answers

Elemis or SK-II: which is better?

Both Elemis and SK-II are great choices, with Elemis fitting mature skin, dry sensitive skin, and skin with dark spots best, while SK-II shines for dry sensitive skin, combination skin, and acne-prone skin. Reviewers find that SK-II tends to do better for radiance and glow, whereas Elemis offers a stronger scent and fragrance experience.

What is the difference between Elemis and SK-II?

Elemis and SK-II are both high-end skincare lines, but Elemis offers a wide array of scented formulas featuring ingredients like glycerin and shea butter, whereas every product on the SK-II page is fragrance-free and centered around Pitera. Reviewers note that Elemis tends to have a higher price point, while SK-II achieves better results for radiance and glow.

Elemis or SK-II for dry skin?

Both Elemis and SK-II achieve a High Lovi routine fit level for dry skin. Reviewers note that the products on this page for Elemis help provide hydrating moisturizers.

Elemis or SK-II: which moisturizer is better?

Elemis and SK-II both feature highly rated moisturizers on this page, but Elemis stands out for luxurious textures and rich hydration, while SK-II focuses on fragrance-free formulas. Reviewers note that Elemis moisturizers often deliver a radiant glow, though they can carry a higher price point and a strong fragrance.

Which is more affordable, Elemis or SK-II?

Reviewers note that both Elemis and SK-II have a high price point, but Elemis is specifically noted as having a high price point as a negative review theme.

How do Elemis and SK-II differ in their fragrance formulations across products?

Elemis includes fragrance in the majority of the products on this page, whereas every product from SK-II lists no fragrance. Reviewers note that Elemis sometimes has a strong fragrance, while SK-II offers a fragrance-free experience across its entire range.

Which brand has better review themes for radiance and glow between Elemis and SK-II?

SK-II has better review themes for radiance and glow compared to Elemis.

What are the founding years and parent companies of Elemis and SK-II?

Elemis was founded in 1989 in the United Kingdom and has been owned by the L'Occitane Group since 2019. SK-II was founded in 1980 in Japan and is owned by The Procter & Gamble Company.

Elemis or SK-II for oily skin?

Both Elemis and SK-II offer a High routine fit for oily skin on the products on this page. Reviewers note that Elemis has a higher price point, while SK-II does better for radiance and glow.

Elemis or SK-II for sensitive skin?

Both Elemis and SK-II achieve a High fit for sensitive skin on Lovi. Reviewers note that Elemis offers a scent and fragrance experience, while every product on the SK-II page lists no fragrance.

Elemis or SK-II for acne-prone skin?

SK-II achieves a Superior Lovi fit level for acne-prone skin, while Elemis reaches an Average fit level for the products on this page. Reviewers note that SK-II delivers better results for radiance and glow, though Elemis features a strong fragrance experience.

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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