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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 skincare brands rooted in distinct scientific traditions that offer targeted serums, moisturizers, cleansers, toners, and masks. The Canadian brand centers its formulations on hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and squalane, whereas the Japanese brand relies on pitera to address texture and tone. Both choices suit dry sensitive skin, while the former also benefits sensitive, acne-prone, pigmented, and mature skin types with specialized actives, and the latter supports combination skin and concerns like pores, roughness, and redness. They differ primarily in their founding heritage, core ingredient philosophies, and specific target profiles.

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

Buy The Ordinary routine · SAR 814.57 · 90% fitBuy SK-II routine · SAR 2,157.75 · 83% fitSee multi-brand routine · 96% fit

The Ordinary vs SK-II routines for oily skin

Buy The Ordinary routine · SAR 867.55 · 92% fitBuy SK-II routine · SAR 1,935.93 · 89% fitSee multi-brand routine · 97% fit

The Ordinary vs SK-II routines for combination skin

Buy The Ordinary routine · SAR 981.41 · 92% fitBuy SK-II routine · SAR 2,044.94 · 90% fitSee multi-brand routine · 97% fit

Questions and answers

The Ordinary or SK-II: which is better?

The Ordinary offers better value and affordability, whereas SK-II provides superior hydration and plumping for the products on this page.

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

The Ordinary offers budget-friendly products known for tackling acne and smoothing texture, while SK-II leans toward higher-end formulas that help provide instant radiance and lightweight hydration. For routine fit on this page, The Ordinary reaches Superior levels across most skin types, whereas SK-II reaches High levels for many of the same skin types.

The Ordinary or SK-II for dry skin?

For dry skin, The Ordinary has a Superior routine fit, while SK-II has a High fit level. The Ordinary features key hydrating ingredients like hyaluronic acid and squalane, which helps improve moisture levels in dry skin.

Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

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

The products on this page show that both The Ordinary and SK-II offer moisturizers with a High routine fit for dry skin. The Ordinary's Natural Moisturizing Factors + HA achieves a Superior routine fit for dry skin, whereas SK-II's Facial Treatment Essence achieves a High routine fit for the same skin type.

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

The Ordinary is more affordable than SK-II, offering budget-friendly options on this page.

Which brand performs better for smoothing skin texture, The Ordinary or SK-II?

The Ordinary performs better for smoothing skin texture according to reviewer themes on the page. Reviewers note that the products on this page help with skin texture smoothing through affordable targeted serums.

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

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

Which brand is better suited for mature skin, The Ordinary or SK-II?

The Ordinary is better suited for mature skin on Lovi, offering a Superior routine fit compared to SK-II which has a High fit.

The Ordinary or SK-II for oily skin?

The Ordinary offers a Superior routine fit for oily skin, whereas SK-II provides a High fit level. Reviewers note that The Ordinary does better for acne clearing and blemish reduction, while SK-II does better for lightweight absorption.

The Ordinary or SK-II for sensitive skin?

The Ordinary offers Superior routine fit for sensitive skin, whereas SK-II provides High fit. Reviewers often note that the products on this page from The Ordinary are gentle and non-irritating.

The Ordinary or SK-II for acne-prone skin?

Both The Ordinary and SK-II achieve a Superior routine fit level for acne-prone skin on Lovi. The Ordinary provides acne-clearing serums and products that reviewers often note as effective for blemishes, while SK-II features formulations such as its Facial Treatment Essence that offer high fit levels for this skin type.

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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