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How to use SK-II Facial Treatment Essence

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Short answer

SK-II says to use Facial Treatment Essence twice a day after cleansing and toning. Shake 2 to 3 times into your palms, press your hands together, then gently press them over the face and neck for about a minute until absorbed. After that, apply serum, eye cream and moisturizer, and sunscreen in the morning.

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SK-II Facial Treatment Essence is a watery essence in a tall bottle, and it is used differently from a serum or cream. This page is for anyone who wants to use it the way SK-II describes: how many shakes, how to press it in, where it sits in a routine and how long a 230 ml bottle lasts at that rate. It describes the product as SK-II lists it and makes no promises about results. Patch test first, and ask a dermatologist before use if you have a skin condition.

What SK-II says it is

SK-II describes Facial Treatment Essence as a lightweight, water-like essence with over 90% PITERA, which SK-II calls its proprietary fermentation-derived ingredient. SK-II says PITERA contains over 50 micro-nutrients, including vitamins, minerals and amino acids. Those are the brand's descriptions. For more on the ingredient, see what is PITERA.

The texture is the key practical point. It is as thin as water, so it goes on early in the routine, right after cleansing and toning, and before anything thicker. If you are new to the essence step, our what is a skincare essence page explains it.

The pat method, step by step

Pressing instead of rubbing keeps the watery essence on the skin rather than on your fingers and lets you cover the face and neck evenly. Some people prefer a cotton pad for watery lotions, but SK-II's own direction is to use the palms.

  • Eye creama rice grainfor both eyes
  • Face creama peaabout 0.3 to 0.5 ml
  • Serum2 to 3 dropsor 1 pump
  • Essencea coin-size pourinto the palm
Typical amounts per use as brands commonly describe them. The directions on your product come first.
  1. 1

    Cleanse and tone, then let the skin dry for a moment.

  2. 2

    Hold the bottle over your palm and shake 2 to 3 times into it, as SK-II directs.

  3. 3

    Press your palms together to spread the essence across both hands.

  4. 4

    Press both hands gently over the face, then the neck.

  5. 5

    Keep pressing lightly for about 1 minute, as SK-II describes, until it no longer feels wet.

  6. 6

    Continue with serum, eye cream and moisturizer.

Where it goes in the routine

Essence goes after toner and before serum. SK-II says to apply it after cleansing and toning, and its Timeless Beauty set directions follow the essence with a pearl-sized amount of face cream. If you use a serum, it goes between the essence and the cream. Our skincare routine order guide shows the full sequence, and essence vs toner explains why both watery steps can exist in one routine.

In the morning, finish with sunscreen as the last step. At night, finish with your cream or a sleeping mask. For how SK-II compares with other essences, see SK-II vs Tatcha essence and SK-II LXP vs Facial Treatment Essence.

thinthick
  1. 01Cleanser
  2. 02Toner or softener
  3. 03Essence
  4. 04Serum
  5. 05Eye cream
  6. 06Moisturizer
  7. 07Face oil
  8. 08SPF AM, last08Mask PM, last
The commonly recommended order, thinnest to thickest. Sunscreen goes last in the morning, a sleeping mask last at night. A brand's own order for its line comes first.

How long a 230 ml bottle lasts

SK-II does not print a volume per use; it gives the number of shakes. The amount from 2 to 3 shakes varies with how hard you shake and how full the bottle is. The table below shows how long 230 ml (7.7 oz) lasts at a few example amounts, used twice a day. Pick the row closest to your habit.

  • 1.0 ml

    Per day
    2.0 ml
    Lasts about
    115 days, under 4 months
    Cost per day at $245.00
    $2.13

  • 1.5 ml

    Per day
    3.0 ml
    Lasts about
    77 days, about 2.5 months
    Cost per day at $245.00
    $3.20

  • 2.0 ml

    Per day
    4.0 ml
    Lasts about
    58 days, about 2 months
    Cost per day at $245.00
    $4.26
230 ml at twice-daily use (example amounts)

Note.These are example amounts for the math, not SK-II figures. To measure your own, note the date you open a bottle and the date it runs out.

Price per ml and buying sizes

At $245.00 for 230 ml, the essence is about $1.07 per ml, or about $31.50 per fl oz. That is far lower per ml than most luxury serums because you use more of it per application. SK-II also sells it in sets. The Timeless Beauty Skin Care Set at $245.00 includes a full-size 7.7 oz essence plus two 0.5 oz mini Advanced Creams. The SK-II 6-piece Skin Care Set, a gift and travel kit at $290.00 includes the essence alongside a cleanser and SKINPOWER face and eye creams.

Before buying a set, compare it with the single bottle using the price per ml calculator. Our mini vs full size page explains when sets and minis are good value. For where to buy, see how to buy authentic luxury skincare on Amazon.

See the SK-II lineup →

Patch test and storage

Patch test before using it on the whole face: a small amount on the inner arm or behind the ear for a few days. Our patch test guide explains how. If you have a skin condition, or notice stinging or redness, stop and ask a dermatologist. Store the bottle closed, upright and away from heat and direct sun, and check the period-after-opening symbol on the box.

Frequently asked questions

Can I use a cotton pad instead of my hands? You can, but SK-II's direction is palms. A cotton pad absorbs some essence, so you may use more per application.

Morning and night, or just once? SK-II says twice daily. Many people use it once a day to make a bottle last longer.

Does it replace toner? SK-II says to apply it after toning. If you skip toner, it goes right after cleansing.

Do I need to wait before serum? Wait until it no longer feels wet, which is usually about the minute of pressing SK-II describes.

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