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SK-II R.N.A. Power A… vs Sunday Riley A+ High… — Which Is Better? | Gracie

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/SK-II R.N.A. Power Airy Milky Lotion
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/Sunday Riley A+ High-Dose Retinoid Serum

SK-II R.N.A. Power Airy Milky Lotion vs Sunday Riley A+ High-Dose Retinoid Serum

SK-II R.N.A. Power Airy Milky Lotion scores 8.0/9.8 and Sunday Riley A+ High-Dose Retinoid Serum scores 8.0/9.8 — a near-tie where your skin type decides the winner.

Head to head

SK-II

R.N.A. Power Airy Milky Lotion

moisturiserluxury

8.0

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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.

Sunday Riley

A+ High-Dose Retinoid Serum

serumpremium

8.0

Score comparison

These two are neck and neck — just 0.0 points apart.

SK-II wins 1

Tied 3

Sunday Riley wins 1

8.0SK-II

8.0Sunday Riley

Scores last verified: April 2026

Attribute battle

Hydration Efficacy

SK-II WINS

8.3

7.5

SK-II

Sunday Riley

Irritation Risk

TIE

9.5

SK-II

Sunday Riley

Active Ingredient Strength

Sunday Riley WINS

4.2

5.3

SK-II

Sunday Riley

Ingredient Transparency

TIE

8.8

SK-II

Sunday Riley

Formulation Safety

TIE

9.0

SK-II

Sunday Riley

Ingredient face-off

11% overlap

23SK-II

5Shared

44Sunday Riley

Only in SK-II R.N.A. Power Airy Milky Lotion

18 unique

Niacinamide Isododecane Butylene Glycol Hydrogenated Polydecene Trehalose Sodium Hyaluronate Panthenol Inositol Glyceryl Stearate Peg-100 Stearate+8 more

Shared ingredients

5 in common

Water Glycerin Dimethicone Polysilicone-11 Phenoxyethanol

Only in Sunday Riley A+ High-Dose Retinoid Serum

39 unique

Propanediol Dimethyl Isosorbide Pentylene Glycol Hexyldecanol Cetyl Peg/Ppg-10/1 Dimethicone Diheptyl Succinate Propylene Carbonate Phenyl Trimethicone Retinol Ubiquinone+29 more

Why these two are neck and neck

These two moisturisers take different paths to a similar destination. Both formulas include solid hydrating ingredients, and the overall scores reflect that — the gap here is genuinely slim.

Hydration Efficacy is another area of separation. SK-II R.N.A. Power Airy Milky Lotion scores 8.3 here versus 7.5 for Sunday Riley A+ High-Dose Retinoid Serum. That difference comes down to how each formula is built — the ingredient list tells the story.

SK-II R.N.A. Power Airy Milky Lotion brings Niacinamide, Adenosine, and Tocopheryl Acetate as actives, while sunday Riley A+ High-Dose Retinoid Serum relies on Retinol, Ubiquinone, and Honey Extract. Both approaches have merit, but the positioning and supporting ingredients make the difference.

Best for your skin type

SK-II R.N.A. Power 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

Sunday Riley A+ High-Dose Retinoid Serum is better if you have

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

Value comparison

At luxury pricing with a score of 8.0, SK-II R.N.A. Power Airy Milky Lotion is a decent pick. Sunday Riley A+ High-Dose Retinoid Serum sits at the premium level with a 8.0 score — the extra cost doesn't translate to better scores here.

Our verdict

✶ Our verdict

It's a close call — both products score within 0.3 points of each other. Your choice depends on your specific skin concerns.

8.0SK-II

8.0Sunday Riley

Frequently asked questions

Which is better: SK-II R.N.A. Power Airy Milky Lotion or Sunday Riley A+ High-Dose Retinoid Serum?

Based on ingredient analysis, SK-II R.N.A. Power Airy Milky Lotion scores higher overall. See the full score breakdown above for details on each attribute.

Do SK-II R.N.A. Power Airy Milky Lotion and Sunday Riley A+ High-Dose Retinoid Serum share ingredients?

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

What's the main difference between SK-II R.N.A. Power Airy Milky Lotion and Sunday Riley A+ High-Dose Retinoid Serum?

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

Full analysis: SK-II R.N.A. Power Airy Milky Lotion→Full analysis: Sunday Riley A+ High-Dose Retinoid Serum→

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