SK-II Ultimate Revival Essence Review

SK-II Ultimate Revival Essence
5.0
/ 10
Moisturizing
10.0 Humectancy icon Humectancy
0.0 Occlusivity icon Occlusivity
Ingredients

SK-II Ultimate Revival Essence Ingredients

Hover to see details. On mobile? Tap for ingredient stories!

Full Ingredient List (INCI):

Galactomyces Ferment Filtrate, Water, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Hydroxyethyl Urea, Pentylene Glycol, Betaine, Sodium Citrate, Triethyl Citrate, Sodium Benzoate, Methylparaben, Centella Asiatica Leaf Extract, Sorbic Acid, Saccharomyces Cerevisiae Extract
Review

Does SK-II Ultimate Revival Essence Work?

 
According to CreamScan's analysis of the ingredient list, here’s what SK-II Ultimate Revival Essence has to offer:
 
✅ Strong humectant moisturizing. This lightweight, humectant-rich product, ideal for oily skin, has a moisturizing rating of 5.0 out of 10.

  

Key Benefits of SK-II Ultimate Revival Essence

 
These are the key benefits you can expect from using SK-II Ultimate Revival Essence:
 

🔵 Lightweight Purely Humectant Moisturizing, Ideal for Oily Skin

According to CreamScan analysis, SK-II Ultimate Revival Essence is quite moisturizing, with a moisturizing rating of 5.0 out of 10.

Is it more humectant or occlusive? It is purely humectant. It has zero occlusivity (we didn't find any occlusive ingredients on the ingredient list) and a maximum humectancy of 10 out of 10, primarily due to the high content of Galactomyces Ferment Filtrate (est. ≈50.0%), Butylene Glycol (est. ≈11.0%) and Glycerin (est. ≈6.0%).

This humectant-rich product, when used alone as a moisturizer, is ideal for oily skin, providing significant hydration in a lightweight, fast-absorbing formula without any occlusive ingredients.

📌 Certain studies suggest that humectants alone may not effectively moisturize the skin. If you use this product as your only moisturizer, we recommend following it with one that contains at least some occlusive ingredients.

💧 A Humectant Boost for Any Skincare Routine

But it’s not limited to oily skin - such a humectant boost will also positively contribute to the moisturizing efficacy of any skincare routine when used as a step before applying the main moisturizer. This type of formulation is typically used in serums, where a light, fast-absorbing texture is key.

Please refer to the Ratings section below for details of the moisturizing rating calculation.

📌 Please note that this is not a complete list of benefits. We are in the process of enhancing our model to incorporate anti-pigmentation, exfoliation and anti-acne ratings.

Things to Be Aware Of: SK-II Ultimate Revival Essence

 
CreamScan identified a few things to consider before adding SK-II Ultimate Revival Essence to your skincare routine:
 

⚠️ If It’s Your Only Moisturizer, It Needs to Be Paired with Some Occlusives

While humectants are highly effective at attracting water to the skin, studies (J. N. Kraft, C. W. Lynde) suggest they may not be efficient when used alone.

One major drawback of purely humectant moisturization is that the water attracted by humectants to the upper layers of the skin can evaporate completely into the environment through transepidermal water loss (TEWL). Adding occlusive ingredients helps seal this moisture into the skin and prevent further water loss.

If you’re using SK-II Ultimate Revival Essence as your only moisturizer, consider pairing it with one that contains at least some occlusive ingredients, such as oils, butters, or silicones. These work alongside humectants to create a protective barrier, locking in hydration and ensuring longer-lasting moisturization. The amount of occlusive needed depends on your skin type - the drier the skin, the more occlusives it requires.

If this product is used not as a standalone moisturizer but as part of your skincare routine, such as a toner or serum, it should be applied before your main moisturizer (unless it's a sunscreen), which will provide the necessary occlusivity on top of it.

⚠️ Questionable anti-wrinkle efficacy

If one of your main reasons for choosing SK-II Ultimate Revival Essence is its potential anti-aging effects, please note that, according to CreamScan analysis, it currently has a zero anti-wrinkle rating.

It contains Centella Asiatica Leaf Extract, an ingredient often marketed as effective in reducing wrinkles. However, the studies supporting the anti-wrinkle claims of Centella Asiatica Leaf Extract provide insufficient evidence of its efficacy according to CreamScan Research Evaluation Standards.

While this does not categorically rule out the possibility that Centella Asiatica Leaf Extract may reduce wrinkles, its efficacy is not supported by convincing, vehicle-controlled, double-blind clinical studies - at least none that were available to the CreamScan team at the time of publication.

Therefore, this ingredient does not generate the anti-wrinkle rating.

📌 Moisturizers, when used regularly, are proven to prevent wrinkle formation and even reduce existing wrinkles. Therefore, this product, like any other moisturizer, can deliver some anti-wrinkle effects through its moisturizing action.

Please refer to the Ratings section below for details of the anti-wrinkle rating calculation.

Pros & Cons of SK-II Ultimate Revival Essence

 
Here’s an overview of the pros and cons of SK-II Ultimate Revival Essence to help you decide if it’s the right choice for your skincare routine:
 

🟩 Pros:

✅ When used alone: Provides humectant-rich moisturizing ideal for oily skin
✅ As part of a routine: A humectant moisturizing boost, beneficial for any skin type
✅ Lightweight texture
 

⭕ Cons: 

⚠️ Only if used as a standalone moisturizer - it needs to be paired with occlusives to seal in humectants
⚠️ Questionable anti-wrinkle efficacy
   

Summary: SK-II Ultimate Revival Essence

 
Based on the ingredient list analysis, CreamScan AI suggests that SK-II Ultimate Revival Essence
, when used alone, delivers lightweight, humectant-rich moisturizing, making it ideal for oily skin. As part of a moisturizing routine, it provides a humectant boost, beneficial for all skin types.
 
That said, there are some things about SK-II Ultimate Revival Essence worth noting.
 
Looking at its moisturizing profile, we found that it doesn’t contain any occlusive ingredients, potentially allowing the moisture attracted to the skin by humectants to evaporate. Therefore, if it’s used as the only moisturizer in a routine, it’s recommended to pair it with one that contains at least some occlusive ingredients, such as oils, butters, or silicones.
 
If one of your main reasons for considering SK-II Ultimate Revival Essence is its potential anti-aging effects, please note that, according to CreamScan analysis, its anti-wrinkle efficacy is questionable. None of the ingredients in this product provide substantial evidence of their anti-wrinkle efficacy according to CreamScan Research Evaluation Standards.
 
📌 Fact check. At CreamScan, we are committed to accuracy and fairness. If you spot any errors or something that doesn’t seem right, please click here to let us know. We regularly update the ingredient lists and monitor the latest research on ingredient efficacy to ensure that our information remains as complete and precise as possible. The information provided here is for informational purposes only and does not substitute professional advice. We do not guarantee the efficacy or safety of any product, as individual results may vary.

 

Ingredient Breakdown

Est. % Ingredient Origin Functions
50
22
11
6
4
3
2
1.5
1
0.3
0.3
0.3
0.3
0.3
Est. %
Galactomyces Ferment Filtrate
Function:
Origin:
Water
Function:
Origin:
Butylene Glycol
Function:
Origin:
Glycerin
Function:
Origin:
Hydroxyethyl Urea
Function:
Origin:
Pentylene Glycol
Function:
Origin:
Betaine
Function:
Origin:
Sodium Citrate
Function:
Origin:
Triethyl Citrate
Function:
Origin:
Sodium Benzoate
Function:
Origin:
Methylparaben
Function:
Origin:
Centella Asiatica Leaf Extract
Function:
Origin:
Sorbic Acid
Function:
Origin:
Saccharomyces Cerevisiae Extract
Function:
Origin:

Ratings

All humectants
76.3
50
11
6
4
3
2
0.3
Benchmark
10
All occlusives
0.0
None
Benchmark
20
Moisturizing rating
5.0
Ingredient Est. % Benchmark Raiting
Humectancy All humectants 76.3 10
10.0
50
11
6
4
3
2
0.3
Occlusivity All occlusives 0.0 20
0.0
None
Moisturizing rating
5.0
Ingredient Est. % Benchmark Humectancy
50
11
6
4
3
2
0.3
All humectants 76.3 10
10
All humectants
76.3
50
11
6
4
3
2
0.3
Benchmark
10
Ingredient Est. % Benchmark Occlusivity
None
All occlusives 0.0 20
0.0
All occlusives
0.0
None
Benchmark
20
Ingredient
Ingredient anti-wrinkle power
when present at, %
in this formula est. %
Rating
n/a
- 0.3 -
Total
0
Centella Asiatica Leaf Extract
-
Ingredient anti-wrinkle power
n/a
when present at, %
-
in this formula, est. %
0.3
Anti-wrinkle rating
0
Ingredient Est. % Benchmark
Rich in Antioxidants
0.3
All antioxidants 0.3 3 No
All antioxidants
0.3
Centella Asiatica Leaf Extract
0.3
Benchmark
3
Ingredient Est. % Benchmark
Rich in Soothing
0.3
All soothing 0.3 5 No
All soothing
0.3
0.3
Benchmark
5

Ingredients explained

Galactomyces Ferment Filtrate
Est. %50
Function
Origin
Galactomyces Ferment Filtrate
Water
Est. %22
Function
Origin
WaterThe most used ingredient in skincare. Its concentration defines the product texture: rich creams may have about 50% of water while a light jelly about 90%. Water doesn’t moisturize the skin by itself and is used in skincare as a solvent for other ingredients.
Butylene Glycol
Est. %11
Function
Origin
Butylene Glycol

A clear, colorless liquid humectant that draws moisture to the skin. The humectancy of butylene glycol, owed to its two hydroxyl groups, is quite considerable, although not as powerful as glycerin, which contains three hydroxyl groups.

Glycerin
Est. %6
Function
Origin
Glycerin

The most popular moisturizing ingredient in the world. It is a powerful humectant – cheap yet very effective.

Hydroxyethyl Urea
Est. %4
Function
Origin
Hydroxyethyl UreaHydroxyethyl urea is a synthetic derivative of regular urea (read about it here). This ingredient, similarly to urea, is humectant moisturizing and helps to retain more water to the skin’s surface, leaving it more moisturized. There aren't any studies that analyze the effects of this ingredient in great detail.
Pentylene Glycol
Est. %3
Function
Origin
Pentylene Glycol

A naturally or synthetically derived preservative that exhibits effective antifungal and antibacterial traits. It also acts as a booster for more traditional preservatives. Pentylene glycol can also serve as a moisturizing humectant and solvent.

Betaine
Est. %2
Function
Origin
BetaineAn ingredient derived from the sucrose in sugar beets. It has a negative chemical charge and a positive chemical charge on the same molecule. This allows betaine to be hygroscopic or humectant and thus provide moisturization by drawing water to the skin.
Sodium Citrate
Est. %1.5
Function
Origin
Sodium CitrateA salt of citric acid that has a salty and tart flavor and is used as a fragrance. It is mildly basic, meaning that its addition to a skincare product can adjust the pH upward.
Triethyl Citrate
Est. %1
Function
Origin
Triethyl Citrate
Sodium Benzoate
Est. %0.3
Function
Origin
Sodium BenzoateA preservative that usually works in combination with other preservatives. It has to be at low pH (<5.5) to be effective.
Methylparaben
Est. %0.3
Function
Origin
MethylparabenA preservative that keeps a product unspoiled. There has been a lot of controversy surrounding parabens, although the concentrations found in cosmetic formulations are generally considered to be safe.
Centella Asiatica Leaf Extract
Est. %0.3
Function
Origin
Centella Asiatica Leaf ExtractA well-researched soothing, wound-healing, and promising anti-aging extract that is obtained from the leaves of the Gotu Kola.
Sorbic Acid
Est. %0.3
Function
Origin
Sorbic AcidAn organic acid that can be naturally found in the berries of the Mountain ash, although it is manufactured synthetically for skincare purposes. It is used as a preservative and antimicrobial agent, protecting a skincare product from spoiling.
Saccharomyces Cerevisiae Extract
Est. %0.3
Function
Origin
Saccharomyces Cerevisiae ExtractA fungi ingredient made from baker's yeast. It is moisturizing and contains various beneficial compounds that support skin health. Among these is beta-glucan, the praised wound healing polysaccharide.