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Real Barrier Extreme… vs SK-II Skinpower Airy… — Which Is Better? | Gracie

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Real Barrier Extreme Cream vs SK-II Skinpower Airy Milky Lotion

Real Barrier Extreme Cream scores 8.6/9.8 vs SK-II Skinpower Airy Milky Lotion at 8.0/9.8. Real Barrier Extreme Cream wins for active ingredients.

Head to head

Real Barrier

Extreme Cream

moisturisermid-range

8.6

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Ingredients

Niacinamide
Retinol
Hyaluronic Acid
Salicylic Acid

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Honest skincare intel. No jargon, no gatekeeping — just the ingredients decoded.

SK-II

Skinpower Airy Milky Lotion

moisturiserluxury

8.0

Score comparison

Real Barrier Extreme Cream edges ahead, winning 4 of 5 attributes.

Real Barrier wins 4

Tied 1

SK-II wins 0

20Real Barrier

5Shared

43SK-II

Only in Real Barrier Extreme Cream

15 unique

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride Squalane Ceramide Np Ceramide Ap Ceramide Eop Cholesterol Phytosphingosine Cetearyl Olivate Sorbitan Olivate 2-Hexanediol+5 more

Shared ingredients

5 in common

Water Glycerin Cetearyl Alcohol Butylene Glycol Panthenol

Only in SK-II Skinpower Airy Milky Lotion

38 unique

Niacinamide Isohexadecane Pentylene Glycol Xylitol Dimethicone Isopropyl Isostearate Polyacrylamide Vinyl Dimethicone/Methicone Silsesquioxane Crosspolymer Stearyl Alcohol C13-14 Isoparaffin+28 more

Why Real Barrier Extreme Cream comes out ahead

Where Real Barrier Extreme Cream really shines is active ingredient strength, scoring 5.5 compared to SK-II Skinpower Airy Milky Lotion's 4.1. Its formula features Ceramide Np, Ceramide Ap, and Ceramide Eop in high positions, signalling meaningful concentrations.

Formulation Safety is another area of separation. Real Barrier Extreme Cream scores 9.0 here versus 8.0 for SK-II Skinpower Airy Milky Lotion. That difference comes down to how each formula is built — the ingredient list tells the story.

Real Barrier Extreme Cream brings Ceramide Np, Ceramide Ap, and Ceramide Eop as actives, while sK-II Skinpower Airy Milky Lotion relies on Niacinamide, Tocopheryl Acetate, and Paeonia Albiflora Root Extract. Both approaches have merit, but the positioning and supporting ingredients make the difference.

Best for your skin type

Real Barrier Extreme Cream is better if you have

Sensitive skin — the low-irritation formula keeps things gentle
Dry or dehydrated skin that craves moisture, thanks to Glycerin
Anyone who prefers clean, well-vetted formulations

SK-II Skinpower Airy Milky Lotion is better if you have

Sensitive skin — the low-irritation formula keeps things gentle
Dry or dehydrated skin that craves moisture, thanks to Glycerin
Anyone who prefers clean, well-vetted formulations

Value comparison

At mid-range pricing with a score of 8.6, Real Barrier Extreme Cream delivers strong value. SK-II Skinpower Airy Milky Lotion sits at the luxury level with a 8.0 score — the extra cost doesn't translate to better scores here.

Our verdict

✶ Our verdict

+0.6 lead

Real Barrier Extreme Cream edges ahead with a slightly stronger formulation, but SK-II Skinpower Airy Milky Lotion is still a solid pick.

8.6Real Barrier

8.0SK-II

Frequently asked questions

Which is better: Real Barrier Extreme Cream or SK-II Skinpower Airy Milky Lotion?

Based on ingredient analysis, Real Barrier Extreme Cream scores higher overall. See the full score breakdown above for details on each attribute.

Do Real Barrier Extreme Cream and SK-II Skinpower Airy Milky Lotion share ingredients?

Yes, they share common ingredients. Check the ingredient face-off section above for a detailed comparison.

What's the main difference between Real Barrier Extreme Cream and SK-II Skinpower Airy Milky Lotion?

The key differences are in their active ingredients and formulation approach. Check the attribute battle above for a detailed breakdown.

Full analysis: Real Barrier Extreme Cream→Full analysis: SK-II Skinpower Airy Milky Lotion→

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