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Product Comparison

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 American Brand United States
Essence Japanese Brand Japan

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

Shop

Buy Kombucha Antioxidant Facial Treatment Essence

Starts at $74.00
Shop

Buy Facial Treatment Essence (Pitera Essence)

Starts at $75.00

Ingredient Info

Click any item below to learn more and view relevant ingredients.
alcohol-free
silicon-free
fragrance-free
sulfate-free
paraben-free
oil-free
fungal-acne safe
reef-safe
eu-allergen-free
vegan
cruelty-free
alcohol-free
silicon-free
fragrance-free
sulfate-free
paraben-free
oil-free
fungal-acne safe
reef-safe
eu-allergen-free
vegan
cruelty-free
ph level
4.5

At a glance

Click on any of the items below to learn more

Notable Ingredients

Vitamin E (2)
Hyaluronic Acid

Benefits

Hydrating (2)
Redness Reducing
Reduces Irritation
Reduces Large Pores
Anti-Aging (3)
Scar Healing (2)
Acne Fighting
Brightening (3)

Concerns

Irritating
Rosacea
Eczema

Benefits

Hydrating

Concerns

Eczema (2)
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Ingredients Side-by-side

Ingredients that are highlighted in purple are present in both products.

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Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.

1
What it does: Skin Conditioning, Solvent
Community Rating: Loved

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 Water

Fresh 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.

2
What it does: Skin Conditioning, Solvent
Community Rating: Mixed

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 Glycol

Fresh 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.

3
What it does: Humectant, Masking, Skin Conditioning, Solvent
Community Rating: Mixed

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.

4
What it does: Masking, Preservative
Community Rating: Disliked

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 Benzoate

Fresh 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.

43% are loved or liked
18% have mixed ratings
36% are disliked or very disliked
4% have no rating yet
29% are loved or liked
29% have mixed ratings
43% are disliked or very disliked
0% have no rating yet

Usage

Here's some more info on how this product is used by our community.

When to use

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Reviews

Here's what our community thinks

Fresh Kombucha Antioxidant Facial Treatment Essence 28 ingredients

4.0 /5
from 1 review

Sk-II Facial Treatment Essence (Pitera Essence) 7 ingredients

4.3 /5
from 3 reviews
420plaenit's Avatar'
Apr 7, 2023

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.

Type: Original
KatrinaBedford's Avatar'
Apr 18, 2024

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.

Hydrating
Broke Me Out
Absorbs Well
Strong Scent
Type: Original

Alternatives

Our Dupe Finder has found 35 potential alternatives that have similar ingredients to Fresh Kombucha Antioxidant Facial Treatment Essence.

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Our Dupe Finder has found 20 potential alternatives that have similar ingredients to Sk-II Facial Treatment Essence (Pitera Essence) Original.

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