SK-II Facial Treatment Essence

Oh good lawd this is one of the most over-hyped products I have ever tried! Caveat: many swear by it ... However, I kinda sorta liken this to what I have coined "La Mer syndrome" - amazing marketing strategies for a product that really is incredibly mediocre.

Full disclosure: I have extremely dry skin. Therefore I am usually willing to try anything which is said to impart moisture and serves as a layering agent. Given the hype and promises of miracles, I did a massive impulse buy at Sephora and grabbed the "value size" of this (LMFAO!), which was $230.00 for 7.8 oz., which was supposedly some sort of markdown from its worth in oz of $309.00...

I used this every morning and night (before serum, lotions, etc) and I did not notice any changes in my skin at all. Once I got abt half way through the bottle I poured it into a spray bottle and began applying that way - still nada. I got no noticeable additional moisture, nor any changes in texture or dry patches. So basically, this didn't do ANYTHING it advertises/claims to do. Well, for my skin anyway.

I am glad it seems to be working for many people, BUY, it sure didn't do a thing for me. Truth be told this didn't work any differently than MAC fix plus would have - in the end this only served as something to add on prior to serums in order for my other products to absorb better.

My skin loves it but my budget doesn't. I have used many things that are called "skii dupe" but only the real skii works for my skin. I can notice a huge change after using it for the first time. Even when i don't have enough sleep, it still make my skin glowy dewy and soft. Also i use it with drwu daily renewal serum, which is expensive as well but trust me it's worth every peny

I'm really on the fence about this product. I bought it because I really believed that it would hydrate my skin and give it that clear, purified, bouncy look that's always in those Japanese/Korean skin commercials. I got it as part of the Pitera starter set.

I don't know why but my skin doesn't seem to react well with yeast. My skin either breaks out or feels super dry. I have very combination skin - normal t-zone, dry cheeks. It also doesn't seem to really boost the moisturizer I use after - my skin feels the same level of hydration either with or without. I used this for 2 months.

As for the anti-aging claims, I don't have any signs of aging whatsoever and I'm under 29. So I'm not sure how effective it is for that. I don't mind the scent at all - I've used products with a far stronger scent than this. I also find it calming and really appreciate that no extra fragrance was added - my skin is sensitive enough as it is!

My bottom line is - I really don't think this is worth the $100 CAD. Now, bear in mind I only used this for 2 months and I've read somewhere on an SK II site that you need to go through 1 or 2 full bottles of this essence to really see the difference. I would have kept on using it and finishing the bottle if I didn't keep breaking out with this. The breakouts started about 2 months after I began using it. It wasn't the time of month where my hormones are crazy when the breakouts happened and they pretty much disappeared or were no longer irritated after I stopped using this.

I guess my advice to people thinking about buying this would be - if you don't have tons of extra $$ to spend, don't blindly believe the advertising. If yeast works well for your skin, this product could be great!

First of all, I had heard of this product years ago by watching someone do 'Monthly Favorites on YouTube. They mentioned the price tag and I immediately thought "Pass!!".....I was not willing to pay that much for a skin product. Fast forward to 5 years later, I'm making a purchase on Beautylish and am asked to select my free gift/sample at checkout and see a 1oz bottle of this essence as a choice. I thought, "Hmmmm, perfect!...I can see what all the hoopla is about." I received the generous sample and looked online as to how to use it. I cleansed my face, toned it and applied the essence by patting it in my skin with my bare hands, then proceeded with my regular serum and moisturizer. The following day, I didn't use it and then on the second day, I noticed something amazing. For a several months now, my right cheek has had a reddish hue to it. Not sure if it's Rosacea but it becomes more apparent when I touch it as I'm putting on blush or makeup. Also, there small bits of flaky skin which I had no idea how to get rid of. I'd notice them throughout the day cause my foundation would emphasize them when I looked close up. Well, after the second day of using this essence, I noticed my cheek starting to peel,...like when you have a sunburn and a thin layer of skin starts to peel off. I rubbed my cheek while washing my face and all these bits of skin started rolling off. I thought it was weird until I dried my face put on foundation and noticed my cheek was no longer red and the flaky skin was completely gone.....WOW!!!! I have no idea what it was but it was gone and my face looked even toned and healthy. I went into work telling my coworkers about the essence and am planning on purchasing a full size when my sample runs out. Cannot believe the difference it made after just ONE use. I'm currently using it every other day and it's working amazing for me. Definitely repurchase worthy!!

First, it really does work. I tested this buy purchasing one Facial Treatment Mask ($17) and using very clean hands to apply the essence. I test for allergic reactions in the first 48 hours, then two weeks for test product performance. This affects cell turnover, so be prepared for a skin purge at the beginning, but those blemishes should be in your regular areas, near painless, and heal fast. This applies after astringents as a type of serum. Please avoid is you have issues with AHAs, kojic acid, and/or fermented skincare (this is derived from Japanese sake). Also, use sunscreen or the effects will reverse.

Performance: Since I'm high contrast--NC 15 with black hair--redness and uneven skin tone are major problems for me. My red spots usually show significant fading in 1 month. With SK-II, I noticed this progress in 1.5-2 weeks. That's half the time...and cause for celebration. SK-II's major immediate results are skin texture and tone, and I did that glow the everyone raves about. I think it's because it's working on texture issues that we don't always see as problematic; I didn't think my skin texture needed work! Kojic acid is the exfoliant here, and it's so mild it takes a little while. As far as dark spots and wrinkles, I think at least one skin renewal cycle (~29 days) is needed to really evaluate the effect.

I view this as a 3-in-1: a toning and moisturizing exfoliant. That said, I think the high price is justified. It's one of the purest sake-based Japanese products, but there are others with added ingredients. I also use junmai sake for baths.

i got a full size for free, or else i would've never spent so much money on it. it's a very thin, watery essence and moisturises my skin very gently. i like it, but i don't really see any wild improvements and it's been months. i have oily skin and live in a super humid climate, so this is really light and just nice. i don't see it being helpful for people with dryer skin and climates. it boggles my mind how it's been advertised as the holy trail product and the exorbitant price is ridiculous.

I bought the SK-II essence from Sephora in April and I've been using it almost everyday after I wash my face. I haven't seen any difference in my skin at all. It's just like rubbing water on my face. It didn't do anything. I paid $100 for a set containing a 2.5 oz essence, a mask, and a 1 ounce facial clear lotion. I haven't used the mask yet but the essence is way too expensive when it didn't deliver. I prefer the May Coop Raw Sauce. I'm so sad Sephora doesn't carry it anymore but I found that worked much better and it's $35.

I was a big fan of their whitening mask (possibly the best sheet mask I've ever used for an instant glow/radiance) and received a small sample of this as a GWP at the SKII counter in Singapore some years back. Knowing how fussy my skin can be and therefore not to complicate things I decided to use this only once I'd gone through my pack of masks. The smell is...'funky' I don't know how else I can describe it, had to really keep this away from my nose! I did notice a slight 'renewed' or fresher look to my skin, probably due to the Pitera, however I started to develop cystic acne and had to discontinue use within just 4 days. Definitely not suited to my skin type.

Selena x


~ My HG list ~

(I've sampled hundreds of skin, hair and m/u products over the last decade and a half, as I love trying out new stuff all the time - usually sample sizes via e-bay, also courtesy of a friend who works at Sephora. Thought it might be useful to share my top 10 must-have products, subject to change if and when I come across something more effective)


1. Hair Loss Treatment: ‘Divine Herbal’ - Hair Oil
2. Lip Balm: Jack Black - Intense Therapy
3. Pigmentation/Anti-Ageing: ‘Divine Herbal’ - Facial Treatment Serum
4. Cleanser: 'Aveda' - Purifying Gel Cleanser
5. Concealer: ‘Mac’ - Studio Finish Concealer
6. Lash Growth Serum: ‘Divine Herbal’ - Divinelash
7. Foundation/SPF: ‘Juice Beauty’ - Stem Cellular Repair (warm glow)
8. Face Scrub: ‘Sisley' - Botanical Gentle Buffing Cream
9. Moisturizer: ‘Antipodes' - Rejoice Light Day Cream
10. Hand Cream: 'Origins' - Make A Difference Rejuvenating Hand Treatment

I decided to try this based on the hype. I am not sure that I have seen all the benefits of the claims yet, but my skin is smooth. I did not repurchase and after reading comparisons with COSRX I switched to that one. It has the same essential ingredients but also has hyaluronic acid and niacinimide (sp) for under $30. I will continue to use the COSRX.

I used up an entire bottle of this. Not because it was good, but because it was a gift that I couldn't return. With a price tag over $75, I wanted to get the full scoop.

I would never repurchase. Honestly even if it worked for me. The price isn't the issue here, it's the ingredients. The fermented ingredient (Galactomyces Ferment Filtrate) is the selling point. There are close-ish dupes on the market for a fraction of the cost (examples: CosRX, Missha). And I've used those for comparison. Nothing in the ingredient list is mind blowing. I didn't notice any difference, good or bad, between the brands.

Fermented ingredients just don't seem to do anything for my skintype. That's not to say it's bogus. Everyone's skin just reacts differently to ingredients. Some people love vitamin c while others have better success with acids or tretinoin. Skincare is very your-mileage-may-vary. Galactomyces Ferment Filtrate is meant to hydrate, brighten, and smooth skin all at once. So if the active ingredient works for you, keep using it.

Now, if you do like this product... please only use it as a leave on. If you use it as a toner or make up remover before washing your face, congrats on throwing money away. Washing it off so quickly after will never give the active ingredient a chance to do its "work".