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Cetaphil vs SK-II

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

Cetaphil and SK-II are prominent skincare brands that offer thoughtful ranges of cleansers, moisturizers, serums, sunscreens, and masks formulated with nourishing ingredients like glycerin, niacinamide, panthenol, and signature pitera. The American brand suits combination skin and acne-prone skin best with balanced compositions, while the Japanese brand suits dry skin and dry sensitive skin best with deeply nourishing properties. Both differ primarily in their specific target concerns and active ingredients, as glycerin, niacinamide, and panthenol increase hydration, reduce hyperpigmentation, and accelerate wound healing, whereas pitera improves pore area, roughness, and redness to promote a balanced complexion.

Cetaphil is an American skincare brand founded in 1947 and owned by Galderma Group AG.

en.wikipedia.orgcetaphil.co.uk

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

Popular Cetaphil vs SK-II products

People Say

CetaphilSK-II
  • Hydration and moisture Mostly MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “cleared up flaky skin — Cetaphil Moisturizing Cream”
    • “healed my dry patches — Cetaphil Moisturising Cream”
    • “flooded my skin with moisture — SK-II Facial Treatment Mask”
    • “skin feels deeply hydrated, plump, and smoother — SK-II Skinpower Advanced Cream”
  • Gentle on sensitive skin Mostly MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “The only thing my reactive skin tolerates. — Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser”
    • “No breakouts since switching to this. — Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser”
    • “cleans without stripping — Cetaphil Daily Facial Cleanser”
    • “Watery consistency — SK-II Facial Treatment Clear Lotion”
  • Lightweight and non-greasy Often MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “absorbs instantly — Cetaphil Moisturizing Lotion”
    • “Absorbs quickly into skin without residue — Cetaphil Daily Hydrating Lotion”
    • “drinks right into the skin — SK-II Facial Treatment Essence”
    • “Absorbs into the skin quickly. — SK-II Genoptics Ultraura Essence”
  • Skin smoothing and softening Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “pores became miraculously invisible — SK-II Facial Treatment Mask”
    • “Smoother skin — SK-II Facial Treatment Clear Lotion”
    • “Skin felt softer after one use — Cetaphil Gentle Exfoliating SA Cleanser”
  • Improves texture and radiance Not notedOften Mentioned
    • “skin feels soft as butter — SK-II Facial Treatment Essence”
    • “gives a glass skin look — SK-II Facial Treatment Essence”
    • “leaves me with a red carpet glow — SK-II Facial Treatment Mask”
  • Brightening and complexion Rarely NotedOften Mentioned
    • “Skin looks brighter — SK-II Genoptics Spot Essence”
    • “My skin is glowing now. — SK-II Genoptics Ultraura Essence”
    • “Reduced sun spots — SK-II Genoptics Spot Essence”
    • “skin looks more radiant — Cetaphil Vitamin C Serum”
  • High price point Rarely NotedMostly Mentioned
    • “expensive for drugstore — Cetaphil Moisturizing Cream”
    • “way too expensive — SK-II Facial Treatment Essence”
  • Lack of results Not notedOften Mentioned
    • “did absolutely nothing — SK-II Facial Treatment Essence”
  • Formula changes and irritation Sometimes NotedRarely Noted
    • “Contains fragrance, methylparaben, and benzyl alcohol. — SK-II Genoptics Ultraura Essence”
    • “Caused breakouts, small bumps, redness/irritation, fungal acne trigger. — SK-II Facial Treatment Cleansing Oil”
    • “Face burns — SK-II Genoptics Spot Essence”
    • “New version burns my face. — Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser”
  • Chemical or unusual smell Rarely NotedOften Mentioned
    • “has a slight chemical scent — Cetaphil Moisturizing Cream”
    • “Smell is too strong like chemical extract — Cetaphil Extra Gentle Daily Scrub”
    • “Smells like hospital soap. — Cetaphil Oily Skin Cleanser”
    • “smells like dirty feet — SK-II Facial Treatment Essence”

Cetaphil vs SK-II routines for dry skin

Buy SK-II routine · S$606.78 · 93% fitBuy Cetaphil routine · S$257.68 · 83% fitSee multi-brand routine · 99% fit

Cetaphil vs SK-II routines for oily skin

Buy SK-II routine · S$820.58 · 88% fitBuy Cetaphil routine · S$330.00 · 83% fitSee multi-brand routine · 96% fit

Cetaphil vs SK-II routines for combination skin

Buy SK-II routine · S$716.48 · 89% fitBuy Cetaphil routine · S$348.51 · 88% fitSee multi-brand routine · 97% fit

Questions and answers

Cetaphil or SK-II: which is better?

Cetaphil is better for being gentle on sensitive skin, while SK-II does better for skin smoothing, softening, texture, radiance, and brightening. Both brands offer equal hydration, moisture, lightweight feel, and non-greasy finishes.

What is the difference between Cetaphil and SK-II?

Cetaphil is an American brand best fitting combination, acne-prone, and sensitive skin, while SK-II is a Japanese brand best fitting dry, dry sensitive, and combination skin. Reviewers find that Cetaphil performs better on sensitive skin, whereas SK-II does better on skin smoothing, softening, texture, radiance, and brightening.

Cetaphil or SK-II for dry skin?

Both Cetaphil and SK-II achieve a High routine fit for dry skin on this page, with SK-II also reaching a Superior routine fit for dry sensitive skin. Cetaphil features key ingredients like glycerin and hyaluronic acid to help hydrate skin, while SK-II uses Pitera to help improve texture and radiance.

Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

Cetaphil or SK-II: which moisturizer is better?

Both Cetaphil and SK-II feature moisturizers on this page that help hydrate skin, with Cetaphil offering options like Rich Hydrating Night Cream and SK-II offering the Facial Treatment Essence. Niacinamide in Cetaphil products helps control skin aging and pigmentation.

Antioxidants, 2021

Which is more affordable, Cetaphil or SK-II?

Cetaphil is more affordable than SK-II, though review themes note that Cetaphil has a high price point compared to some alternatives while SK-II features a high price point.

Between Cetaphil and SK-II, which brand performs better for skin smoothing and softening?

SK-II performs better for skin smoothing and softening compared to Cetaphil, while both brands offer equal levels of hydration and moisture according to the review themes on this page.

Which brand has products that are fragrance-free, Cetaphil or SK-II?

Both brands offer products that are fragrance-free. The products on this page for SK-II list no fragrance in their ingredients, and 26 of the 27 products on this page for Cetaphil are also fragrance-free.

How do Cetaphil and SK-II compare in terms of country of origin and founding year?

Cetaphil was founded in 1947 in the United States, whereas SK-II was founded in 1980 in Japan.

Cetaphil or SK-II for oily skin?

Both Cetaphil and SK-II achieve a High Lovi fit for oily skin, making them equally suitable options. Reviewers note that both brands provide lightweight and non-greasy hydration.

Cetaphil or SK-II for sensitive skin?

Both brands are a good choice for sensitive skin, with Lovi giving Cetaphil a High fit and SK-II a High fit. Reviewers note that Cetaphil does better at being gentle on sensitive skin.

Cetaphil or SK-II for acne-prone skin?

Both brands fit acne-prone skin well, with Lovi giving the products on this page a High fit level for Cetaphil and a High fit level for SK-II. Reviewers find that Cetaphil helps provide gentle, non-stripping cleansers.

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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