SK-II SKINPOWER Essence Serum 1.7 oz/ 50 mL
by SK-II · skin_care
Editor's Take
Galactomyces ferment and Niacinamide doing real work, but wrapped in a silicone-heavy polymer system and parabens , luxury efficacy, outdated clean chemistry.
Four-pillar formula scores
- Performance: 8.2 / 10
- Innovative Ingredients: 7.5 / 10
- Clean Standards: 1.5 / 10
- Formula Sustainability: 3.0 / 10
The Verdict
This is a high-efficacy luxury serum that delivers on its promise of radiance and barrier support, anchored by SK-II's signature ferment filtrate and proven actives like Niacinamide and Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4. The technology is modern , biofermentation paired with an advanced optical blurring polymer network , and the formula punches high within its category for texture and visible results. But the clean score sits at 1.5 out of 10, dragged down by parabens, undisclosed fragrance, multiple ethoxylated ingredients, and a silicone-heavy polymer base that includes Polyacrylamide (a potential acrylamide precursor). Worth it if you prioritize immediate cosmetic performance and don't mind a conventional ingredient deck; skip it if clean chemistry or sustainability matters to you.
Is SK-II SKINPOWER Essence Serum 1.7 oz/ 50 mL clean?
DARE scores SK-II SKINPOWER Essence Serum 1.7 oz/ 50 mL by SK-II 1.5 / 10 on Clean Standards, the human-health pillar of the Formulation Architecture Model™. That reading comes from the published INCI list read as a system — preservative, fragrance and surfactant choices in context — not from flagging single ingredients in isolation.
What are the key ingredients in SK-II SKINPOWER Essence Serum 1.7 oz/ 50 mL?
The formula leads with Water, Galactomyces Ferment Filtrate, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Niacinamide, Polymethylsilsesquioxane. DARE reads the full INCI list below in order, so position and pairing shape how each ingredient contributes under Performance and Innovative Ingredients.
How does DARE score SK-II SKINPOWER Essence Serum 1.7 oz/ 50 mL?
Under the Formulation Architecture Model™, SK-II SKINPOWER Essence Serum 1.7 oz/ 50 mL by SK-II scores Performance 8.2 / 10, Clean Standards 1.5 / 10, Innovative Ingredients 7.5 / 10, and Formula Sustainability 3.0 / 10. Each pillar is scored from the finished formula rather than from isolated ingredient flags.
Full INCI list
Water, Galactomyces Ferment Filtrate, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Niacinamide, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Peg-32, Pentylene Glycol, Xylitol, Peg/Ppg/Polybutylene Glycol-8/5/3 Glycerin, Vinyl Dimethicone/Methicone Silsesquioxane Crosspolymer, Dimethicone, Panthenol, Phenoxyethanol, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Polysorbate 20, Polyacrylamide, Benzyl Alcohol, Dimethiconol, Aminomethyl Propanol, C13-14 Isoparaffin, Disodium Edta, Paeonia Albiflora Root Extract, Sodium Benzoate, Xanthan Gum, Laureth-7, Peg-7 Glyceryl Cocoate, Methylparaben, Peg-11 Methyl Ether Dimethicone, Peg-100 Stearate, Fragrance, Houttuynia Cordata Extract, Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4, Methylsilanol Tri-Peg-8 Glyceryl Cocoate, Polyquaternium-7, Zantedeschia Aethiopica Flower/Stem Extract.