FAVORITE MOISTURIZER | SK II RNA

Happy almost new year! I was off this week so I actually have some time to take photos and blog.

Not sure if you can tell but I’m about 70% thru this cream

Ingredients from Sephora website

-Pitera™: A bio-ingredient rich in vitamins, organic acids, minerals, and amino acids that work together to enhance skin cell renewal.
-Radical New Age Complex (Hydrolyzed Soy Protein and Yeast Proteins): Creates the appearance of lengthwise and crosswise firmness.
-Chlolleragen and Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4: Visibly reduce the appearance of wrinkles.
-Shea Butter: Provides long-lasting moisture for glowing skin.

Water, Glycerin, Galactomyces Ferment Filtrate*, Isohexadecane, Niacinamide, Isopropyl Isostearate, Butylene Glycol, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Pentylene Glycol, Dimethicone, Phytosteryl/Behenyl/Octyldodecyl Lauroyl Glutamate, Vinyl Dimethicone/Methicone Silsesquioxane Crosspolymer, Stearyl Alcohol, Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Cetyl Alcohol, Behenyl Alcohol, Panthenol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Benzyl Alcohol, Dimethiconol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Glucoside, Methylparaben, Peg-100 Stearate, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Polysorbate 80, Stearic Acid, Disodium Edta, Propylparaben, Sodium Peg-7 Olive Oil Carboxylate, Ethylparaben, Sorbitan Oleate, Chlorella Vulgaris Extract, Peg-100 Stearate, Peg-7 Glyceryl Cocoate, Sodium Hydroxide, Fragrance, Acanthopanax Senticosus (Eleuthero) Root Extract, Hydrolyzed Soy Protein, Cynara Scolymus (Artichoke) Leaf Extract, Polyquaternium-7, Hydrolyzed Yeast Protein, Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4, Methylsilanol Tri-Peg-8 Glyceryl Cocoate, Methicone, Ci 77891, Ci 77492. *Pitera™.

^ the ingredients list is a bit long… but it hasn’t irritated my sensitive skin

[edit 02.2021] There is a new version out with this list of ingredients, maybe I’ll try it the next time I fly internationally! The base of the product is the same, looks like they added some different plant extracts

Water, Glycerin, Galactomyces Ferment Filtrate, Isohexadecane, Niacinamide, Isopropyl Isostearate, Butylene Glycol, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter, Caprylic/capric Triglyceride, Pentylene Glycol, Dimethicone, Phytosteryl/behenyl/octyldodecyl Lauroyl Glutamate, Vinyl Dimethicone/methicone Silsesquioxane Crosspolymer, Stearyl Alcohol, Cetyl Alcohol, Sodium Acrylate/sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Behenyl Alcohol, Panthenol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Benzyl Alcohol, Dimethiconol, Peg-100 Stearate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Glucoside, Polysorbate 80, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Methylparaben, Disodium Edta, Fragrance, Paeonia Albiflora Root Extract, Palmitic Acid, Stearic Acid, Propylparaben, Ethylparaben, Sorbitan Oleate, Peg-7 Glyceryl Cocoate, Sodium Hydroxide, Houttuynia Cordata Extract, Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4, Methylsilanol Tri-peg-8 Glyceryl Cocoate, Zantedeschia Aethiopica Flower/stem Extract, Polyquaternium-7, Methicone, CI 77891, CI 77492. *PITERA™

Admittedly, I purchased this bc it was $139 duty free at the SFO T3 airport, almost 40% off its retail ($235) in the US for 2.7 oz / 80 ml. To me this means you can get Japanese brands for much cheaper if you travel to Asia, rather than Sephora US. Currently Costco sells this cream for $200 (as of Dec 2019). This cream is good as a basic moisturizer, whenever my skin feels dry, this is my go to bc I know it works. This gives the skin a dewy finish, and could be an ok day moisturizer for dry skin (or normal skin if you don’t apply too much). Every time I broke out, I felt safe using this bc it won’t irritate my skin. It did well this winter when it was especially dry in California. The jar is bigger than some (a lot of moisturizers are 1.7 oz or 50 ml) so it will last you a while if you like it. There is a mild fragrance that’s almost not there.

For those who don’t know the brand SK II, they are a Japanese brand known for their pitera essence (review here). Essences are supposed to prep your skin for your next skin care products after toner, and different ones have some kind of filtered fermented liquid that is supposed to refine your skin. The common ones I’ve seen are Galactomyces Ferment Filtrate (above), Bifida Ferment Lysate (I’ve seen this in the Lancome Genifique serum and Estee Lauder Micro Essence, which I’m currently using) or Saccharomyces Ferment Filtrate.

I actually don’t especially care for the SK II essence. After the 11 oz bottle I purchased at the Taiwan airport, I didn’t notice a huge difference in my skin but a lot of people swear by it in Asia. It is supposed to refine your skin and improve the texture over time. In Asia there is also a method to use it as a face mask (soak a cotton pad, break it into thin layers and use it as a mask on your whole face), which seems to work better than just patting it in – but for how expensive some essences are, this method can be quite pricy.

Update March 2020: after trying some other moisturizers I decided the SK II RNA is actually one of the best I’ve tried. If you see it for a good price I would get it. For $235 it’s still too pricy

Have you tried SK II products or essences? Let me know in the comments