Here's our complete breakdown comparing the ingredients, attributes, and more of Fresh Kombucha Antioxidant Facial Treatment Essence versus Sk-II Facial Treatment Essence (Pitera Essence) Original .
Last updated on November 20, 2023. Published on May 18, 2021
Overview
What they are
These products are both essences. They have a total of 4 ingredients in common
Suited For
They're both likely to be good for dry skin
Free From
They both do not contain any harsh alcohols, silicones or sulfates
We independently verify ingredients, and our claims are backed by peer-reviewed research. Spot a product that need an update? Let us know.
Essence
Essences are used to prep skin for further treatment and may provide extra skin benefits. They are usually used before serum and moisturizers. Essences are thought to have originated in either Japan or Korea and is an essential step in K-Beauty.
Essence
Essences are used to prep skin for further treatment and may provide extra skin benefits. They are usually used before serum and moisturizers. Essences are thought to have originated in either Japan or Korea and is an essential step in K-Beauty.
Price
Ingredient Info
Fresh Kombucha Antioxidant Facial Treatment Essence 28 ingredients
Sk-II Facial Treatment Essence (Pitera Essence) 7 ingredients
Alcohol Free
This product is free of harsh alcohols 🎉
Silicon Free
This product is free of silicons 🎉
Contains Fragrance
Ingredients in this product that are forms of fragrance:
Sulfate Free
This product is free of sulfates 🎉
Paraben Free
This product is free of parabens 🎉
Contains Oils
Ingredients in this product that are types of oil:
Not Malassezia Safe
Ingredients in this product that are not malassezia safe:
Reef Safe
This product is free of ingredients that damage reefs 🎉
Contains EU Allergens
Ingredients in this product that are EU allergens:
Non Vegan
This product is not vegan 😥
Not Cruelty Free
This product is not cruelty-free 😥
Alcohol Free
This product is free of harsh alcohols 🎉
Silicon Free
This product is free of silicons 🎉
Fragrance Free
This product is free of fragrances 🎉
Sulfate Free
This product is free of sulfates 🎉
Contains Parabens
Ingredients in this product that are types of parabens:
Oil Free
This product is free of oils 🎉
Not Malassezia Safe
Ingredients in this product that are not malassezia safe:
Not Reef Safe
Ingredients in this product that are not reef safe:
EU Allergen Free
This product is free of EU allergens 🎉
Non Vegan
This product is not vegan 😥
Not Cruelty Free
This product is not cruelty-free 😥
At a glance
Click on any of the items below to learn more
Fresh Kombucha Antioxidant Facial Treatment Essence 28 ingredients
Sk-II Facial Treatment Essence (Pitera Essence) 7 ingredients
Notable Ingredients
This product contains 2 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
Benefits
This product contains 2 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 3 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 2 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 3 ingredients that may have this attribute:
Concerns
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
Benefits
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
Concerns
This product contains 2 ingredients that may have this attribute:
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Join SkinSortIngredients Compared
Ingredients that are highlighted in purple are present in both products.
Fresh Kombucha Antioxidant Facial Treatment Essence 28 ingredients
Sk-II Facial Treatment Essence (Pitera Essence) 7 ingredients
Water • Saccharomyces Ferment Filtrate • Glycerin • Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract • Pentylene Glycol • Polyglycerin-3 • Kigelia Africana Fruit Extract • Citrus Unshiu Peel Extract • Sodium Hyaluronate • Adenosine • Tocopheryl Acetate • Tocopherol • Butylene Glycol • Diglycerin • Peg-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil • Sodium Benzoate • Parfum • Disodium EDTA • Hydroxyethylcellulose • Sodium Citrate • BHA • Citric Acid • Potassium Sorbate • Biotin • Phenoxyethanol • Linalool • Citronellol • Geraniol
Ingredients Side-by-side
Ingredients that are highlighted in purple are present in both products.
Learn more about what what Com. / Irr. ratings are
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Water. It's the most common cosmetic ingredient of all. You'll usually see it at the top of ingredient lists, meaning that it makes up the largest part of the product.
So why is it so popular? Water most often acts as a solvent - this means that it helps dissolve other ingredients into the formulation.
You'll also recognize water as that liquid we all need to stay alive. Talk about multi-purpose! If you see this, drink a glass of water. Stay hydrated!
Learn more about WaterFresh Kombucha Antioxidant Facial Treatment Essence contains this as ingredient number 1.
Sk-II Facial Treatment Essence (Pitera Essence) Original contains this as ingredient number 4.
Pentylene glycol is typically used within a product to thicken it. It also adds a smooth, soft, and moisturizing feel to the product. It is naturally found in plants such as sugar beets.
The hydrophilic trait of Pentylene Glycol makes it a humectant. As a humectant, Pentylene Glycol helps draw moisture from the air to your skin. This can help keep your skin hydrated.
This property also makes Pentylene Glycol a great texture enhancer. It can help thicken or emulsify a product. Emulsifiers help stabilize a product. It does this by preventing certain ingredients from separating.
Pentylene Glycol also acts as a mild preservative and helps to keep a product microbe-free.
Some people may experience mild eye and skin irritation from Pentylene Glycol. We always recommend speaking with a professional about using this ingredient in your routine.
Pentylene Glycol has a low molecular weight and is part of the 1,2-glycol family.
Learn more about Pentylene GlycolFresh Kombucha Antioxidant Facial Treatment Essence contains this as ingredient number 5.
Sk-II Facial Treatment Essence (Pitera Essence) Original contains this as ingredient number 3.
Butylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:
- It is a solvent, meaning that it helps to dissolve other ingredients. This also enhances the absorption of the product into one's skin.
- It is a humectant, which means that it helps attract moisture into the skin.
- It helps improve product application.
Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient. It is unlikely to irritate skin, and works well with pretty much all other ingredients.
Fresh Kombucha Antioxidant Facial Treatment Essence contains this as ingredient number 13.
Sk-II Facial Treatment Essence (Pitera Essence) Original contains this as ingredient number 2.
Sodium Benzoate is a preservative. It's used in both cosmetic and food products to inhibit the growth of mold and bacteria. It is typically produced synthetically.
Both the US FDA and EU Health Committee have approved the use of sodium benzoate. In the US, levels of 0.1% (of the total product) are allowed.
Sodium benzoate works as a preservative by inhibiting the growth of bacteria inside of cells. It prevents the cell from fermenting a type of sugar using an enzyme called phosphofructokinase.
Sodium Benzoate is the salt of benzoic acid. Foods containing sodium benzoate include soda, salad dressings, condiments, fruit juices, wines, and snack foods.
Studies for using ascorbic acid and sodium benzoate in cosmetics are lacking, especially in skincare routines with multiple steps.
We always recommend speaking with a professional, such as a dermatologist, if you have any concerns.
Learn more about Sodium BenzoateFresh Kombucha Antioxidant Facial Treatment Essence contains this as ingredient number 16.
Sk-II Facial Treatment Essence (Pitera Essence) Original contains this as ingredient number 5.
Here's what our community thinks of the ingredients in these two products.
Fresh Kombucha Antioxidant Facial Treatment Essence 28 ingredients
Sk-II Facial Treatment Essence (Pitera Essence) 7 ingredients
Usage
Here's some more info on how this product is used by our community.
When to use
Fresh Kombucha Antioxidant Facial Treatment Essence 28 ingredients
Sk-II Facial Treatment Essence (Pitera Essence) 7 ingredients
Reviews
Here's what our community thinks
Sk-II Facial Treatment Essence (Pitera Essence) 7 ingredients
IT'S EXPENSIVE BUT WORTH THE MONEY!!!!
I'm the kind of person who is willing to go all out and drop some money for good skincare if I know I will use up every drop and love it. I've tried a lot of snail mucin products (my oily acne-prone...
IT'S EXPENSIVE BUT WORTH THE MONEY!!!!
I'm the kind of person who is willing to go all out and drop some money for good skincare if I know I will use up every drop and love it. I've tried a lot of snail mucin products (my oily acne-prone skin LOVES it) and this one is different! I've tried the COSRX and the Peach Slices and both don't compare to this. Peach Slices have a similar texture while COSRX has a similar result to the SK-II. However, I will say that the SK-II got rid of all my redness and significantly improved my acne and every time I run out I always notice a difference in my skin whenever I don't have it in my routine. The price tag is a little intimidating but there are more reasonable options on Stylevana and Yesstyle.
It seems to work v well for lots of people. It was a gift so I'm v upset it didn't work so well for me. It gave an amazing glow but irritated my skin whenever I used it.
It seems to work v well for lots of people. It was a gift so I'm v upset it didn't work so well for me. It gave an amazing glow but irritated my skin whenever I used it.
Alternatives
Our Dupe Finder has found 35 potential alternatives that have similar ingredients to Fresh Kombucha Antioxidant Facial Treatment Essence.
See 35 alternativesOur Dupe Finder has found 20 potential alternatives that have similar ingredients to Sk-II Facial Treatment Essence (Pitera Essence) Original.
See 20 alternatives