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Some By Mi vs SK-II

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

Some By Mi and SK-II are skincare brands rooted in Korea and Japan, respectively. The Korean brand is known for serums, cleansers, toners, and moisturizers built around niacinamide, centella asiatica, and salicylic acid, while the Japanese brand offers nourishing moisturizers, targeted serums, restorative masks, and clarifying toners powered by pitera. Both lines fit sensitive skin, though the former suits skin with dark spots best and the latter excels for combination skin. They differ in their core formulations, as niacinamide and salicylic acid decrease hyperpigmentation and reduce acne lesions, whereas pitera improves pore area, roughness, and redness.

Some By Mi is a Korean skincare brand founded in 2016 and owned by JKL Partners since 2021.

kedglobal.compreqin.comtracxn.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 Some By Mi and SK-II products; for every product of both brands, with a fit score for your own skin, use the Lovi app.

Popular Some By Mi vs SK-II products

People Say

Some By MiSK-II
  • Hydrating and Lightweight Formulations 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”
    • “drinks right into the skin — SK-II Facial Treatment Essence”
    • “absorbs quickly — Some By Mi Yuja Niacin Brightening Moisture Gel Cream”
  • Skin Texture and Smoothing Mostly MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “Skin became smoother — Some By Mi AHA-BHA-PHA 30 Days Miracle Toner”
    • “Surprisingly gentle — Some By Mi AHA-BHA-PHA 30 Days Miracle Toner”
    • “skin feels soft as butter — SK-II Facial Treatment Essence”
    • “pores became miraculously invisible — SK-II Facial Treatment Mask”
  • Brightening and Glow Often MentionedMostly 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”
    • “Fades dark spots — Some By Mi Galactomyces Pure Vitamin C Glow Serum”
  • Gentleness and Sensitivity Often MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “Zero irritation or redness — Some By Mi Retinol Intense Reactivating Serum”
    • “doesn't strip dry my skin — Some By Mi Super Matcha Pore Clean Clay Mask”
    • “didn't find this irritating — Some By Mi Retinol Intense Advanced Triple Action Eye Cream”
    • “Watery consistency — SK-II Facial Treatment Clear Lotion”
  • Acne and Blemish Control Often MentionedNot noted
    • “Reduces pimples — Some By Mi AHA-BHA-PHA 30 Days Miracle Toner”
    • “cleared my cystic acne — Some By Mi AHA-BHA-PHA 30 Days Miracle Acne Clear Foam”
    • “flattened my cystic acne — Some By Mi AHA BHA PHA 30 Days Miracle Serum”
  • Refreshing and Soothing Often MentionedNot noted
    • “Calmed my retinol burn overnight — Some By Mi Beta Panthenol Repair Cream”
    • “nice cooling effect — Some By Mi AHA-BHA-PHA 30 Days Miracle Acne Clear Foam”
    • “calmed my angry red skin — Some By Mi AHA BHA PHA 30 Days Miracle Serum”
  • Product Value and Pricing Rarely NotedMostly Mentioned
    • “expensive — Some By Mi Super Matcha Pore Clean Clay Mask”
    • “Too expensive for 50ml — Some By Mi Beta Panthenol Repair Cream”
    • “way too expensive — SK-II Facial Treatment Essence”
  • Scents and Fragrance Often MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “smells like dirty feet — SK-II Facial Treatment Essence”
    • “smells slightly like saliva — SK-II Facial Treatment Mask”
    • “Fermented smell — SK-II Facial Treatment Clear Lotion”
    • “overwhelming citrus fragrance — Some By Mi V10 Hyal Air Fit Sunscreen”
  • Overhyped and Slow Results Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “didn't do much for old scars — Some By Mi Yuja Niacin Anti Blemish Serum”
    • “not noticed any significant changes — Some By Mi Retinol Intense Advanced Triple Action Eye Cream”
    • “did absolutely nothing — SK-II Facial Treatment Essence”
    • “No visible difference — SK-II Facial Treatment Clear Lotion”
  • Dryness and Dehydration Often MentionedRarely Noted
    • “Need extra moisturizer — SK-II Genoptics Spot Essence”
    • “not moisturizing enough — Some By Mi Yuja Niacin Brightening Moisture Gel Cream”

Some By Mi vs SK-II routines for dry skin

Buy Some By Mi routine · SAR 1,130.72 · 84% fitBuy SK-II routine · SAR 2,157.75 · 83% fitSee multi-brand routine · 96% fit

Some By Mi vs SK-II routines for oily skin

Buy SK-II routine · SAR 1,935.93 · 89% fitBuy Some By Mi routine · SAR 1,138.39 · 87% fitSee multi-brand routine · 97% fit

Some By Mi vs SK-II routines for combination skin

Buy SK-II routine · SAR 2,044.94 · 90% fitBuy Some By Mi routine · SAR 1,118.78 · 87% fitSee multi-brand routine · 97% fit

Questions and answers

Some By Mi or SK-II: which is better?

Some By Mi and SK-II both offer strong options, with Some By Mi performing better for acne and sensitivity while SK-II leads in hydrating formulations and brightening. Lovi gives Some By Mi superior fit levels for skin with dark spots and sensitive skin, while both brands match well for dry and oily skin types.

What is the difference between Some By Mi and SK-II?

Some By Mi is founded in South Korea and focuses on ingredients like niacinamide and salicylic acid, whereas SK-II originates from Japan and features its signature Pitera ingredient. Reviewers note that Some By Mi is better suited for acne-clearing and gentleness, while SK-II excels in hydration and brightening and glow.

Some By Mi or SK-II for dry skin?

Both Some By Mi and SK-II achieve a High fit level for dry skin on their brand-focused routines. Some By Mi relies on key ingredients like niacinamide and panthenol to support hydration, while SK-II utilizes its signature Pitera to help maintain moisture.

The British Journal of Dermatology, 2002Antioxidants, 2021

Some By Mi or SK-II: which moisturizer is better?

Both Some By Mi and SK-II offer moisturizers with a high Lovi fit level for various skin types on the products on this page. Some By Mi features standout hydration options like the Yuja Niacin Brightening Moisture Gel Cream, while SK-II is known for formulations such as the Facial Treatment Essence.

Which is more affordable, Some By Mi or SK-II?

Some By Mi is more affordable, as SK-II scores worse for product value and pricing in comparative reviews.

Which brand performs better for brightening and glow, Some By Mi or SK-II?

SK-II performs better for brightening and glow compared to Some By Mi. Niacinamide also helps brighten the complexion across the products on this page.

The British Journal of Dermatology, 2002Antioxidants, 2021

How do Some By Mi and SK-II compare for acne and blemish control?

When comparing acne and blemish control, Some By Mi performs better than SK-II according to shopper review themes on this page. Lovi shows that the products on this page for Some By Mi offer high to superior fit levels for acne-prone skin.

Which brand is better suited for skin with dark spots, Some By Mi or SK-II?

Some By Mi is better suited for skin with dark spots, achieving a superior Lovi fit level for this skin concern. The products on this page help improve complexion brightening through key ingredients like niacinamide. Meanwhile, SK-II reaches a high Lovi fit level for skin with dark spots.

The British Journal of Dermatology, 2002Antioxidants, 2021

Some By Mi or SK-II for oily skin?

Both Some By Mi and SK-II achieve a High Lovi fit level for oily skin. Reviewers indicate that Some By Mi excels in refreshing and soothing properties, while SK-II is noted for hydrating and lightweight formulations.

Some By Mi or SK-II for sensitive skin?

For sensitive skin, both brands work well, but Lovi rates Some By Mi as Superior and SK-II as High. Some By Mi stands out for gentleness and sensitivity, making it a strong option for calming the skin.

Some By Mi or SK-II for acne-prone skin?

Some By Mi fits acne-prone skin well with products on this page like the AHA-BHA-PHA 30 Days Miracle Serum, which has a Superior fit level for this skin type. Niacinamide helps control pigmentation and supports skin health.

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

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