✶

RETINOL RETINOL SKIN… vs SK-II Skinpower Airy… — Which Is Better? | Gracie

Products
Ingredients
Brands
K-Beauty
Blog
How We Score

Gracie
/Compare
/RETINOL RETINOL SKIN CREAM
/vs
/SK-II Skinpower Airy Milky Lotion

RETINOL RETINOL SKIN CREAM vs SK-II Skinpower Airy Milky Lotion

RETINOL RETINOL SKIN CREAM scores 8.5/9.8 vs SK-II Skinpower Airy Milky Lotion at 8.0/9.8. RETINOL RETINOL SKIN CREAM wins for active ingredients.

Head to head

RETINOL

RETINOL SKIN CREAM

moisturiser

8.5

Compare

Best Moisturisers
Best Serums
Best Cleansers
Best SPF

Ingredients

Niacinamide
Retinol
Hyaluronic Acid
Salicylic Acid

K-Beauty

K-Beauty Hub
K-Beauty Moisturisers
K-Beauty Serums
K-Beauty Sunscreens

About

Methodology
About Us
All Brands
All Products

Gracie

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

SK-II

Skinpower Airy Milky Lotion

moisturiserluxury

8.0

Score comparison

RETINOL RETINOL SKIN CREAM edges ahead, winning 3 of 5 attributes.

RETINOL wins 3

SK-II wins 2

8.5RETINOL

+0.5vs

8.0SK-II

Scores last verified: April 2026

Attribute battle

Hydration Efficacy

RETINOL WINS

9.8

9.0

RETINOL

SK-II

Irritation Risk

RETINOL WINS

9.5

9.2

RETINOL

SK-II

Active Ingredient Strength

RETINOL WINS

6.3

4.1

RETINOL

SK-II

Ingredient Transparency

SK-II WINS

8.5

8.8

RETINOL

SK-II

Formulation Safety

SK-II WINS

7.5

8.0

RETINOL

SK-II

Ingredient face-off

13% overlap

54RETINOL

7Shared

43SK-II

Only in RETINOL RETINOL SKIN CREAM

47 unique

Mineral Oil Isopropyl Palmitate Sodium Pca Arginine Aspartic Acid Propanediol Pca Glycine Alanine Royal Jelly Extract+37 more

Shared ingredients

7 in common

Butylene Glycol Cetearyl Alcohol Glycerin Dimethicone Disodium Edta Methylparaben Fragrance

Only in SK-II Skinpower Airy Milky Lotion

36 unique

Water Niacinamide Isohexadecane Pentylene Glycol Xylitol Isopropyl Isostearate Polyacrylamide Vinyl Dimethicone/Methicone Silsesquioxane Crosspolymer Stearyl Alcohol C13-14 Isoparaffin+26 more

Why RETINOL RETINOL SKIN CREAM comes out ahead

Where RETINOL RETINOL SKIN CREAM really shines is active ingredient strength, scoring 6.3 compared to SK-II Skinpower Airy Milky Lotion's 4.1. Its formula features Arginine, Royal Jelly Extract, and Retinol in high positions, signalling meaningful concentrations.

Hydration Efficacy is another area of separation. RETINOL RETINOL SKIN CREAM scores 9.8 here versus 9.0 for SK-II Skinpower Airy Milky Lotion. That difference comes down to how each formula is built — the ingredient list tells the story.

RETINOL RETINOL SKIN CREAM brings Arginine, Royal Jelly Extract, and Retinol 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

RETINOL RETINOL SKIN CREAM is better if you have

Sensitive skin — the low-irritation formula keeps things gentle
Dry or dehydrated skin that craves moisture, thanks to Butylene Glycol
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

SK-II Skinpower Airy Milky Lotion comes in at luxury pricing with a 8.0 score, which is solid value at that tier.

Our verdict

✶ Our verdict

+0.5 lead

RETINOL RETINOL SKIN CREAM edges ahead with a slightly stronger formulation, but SK-II Skinpower Airy Milky Lotion is still a solid pick.

8.5RETINOL

8.0SK-II

Frequently asked questions

Which is better: RETINOL RETINOL SKIN CREAM or SK-II Skinpower Airy Milky Lotion?

Based on ingredient analysis, RETINOL RETINOL SKIN CREAM scores higher overall. See the full score breakdown above for details on each attribute.

Do RETINOL RETINOL SKIN 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 RETINOL RETINOL SKIN 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: RETINOL RETINOL SKIN CREAM→Full analysis: SK-II Skinpower Airy Milky Lotion→

Some links on this site are affiliate links. We may earn a commission from purchases made through our links, at no extra cost to you. This helps us keep Gracie free and independent.