Tried and Tested: I got a face serum worth ₹20000. Does it work?

In my first trsyt with luxurious skincare, I found that some products may just be worth the hype and the price tag.

You know what hurts more than expensive skincare that doesn't work? Expensive skincare that does work. Me and that ₹20,000 face essence or that ₹8000 night repair hair serum are bound by blood now. I will be adding them to my cart for as long as I shall live, even if it means stale bread for dinner for a month.

I tried the SK-II Facial Treatment Essence for a month and here are the changes I saw in my skin.

Something similar unfolded over the last month when I received my first bottle of the newly-launched in India, SK-II Facial Treatment Essence. Like many of you even I believed that no pizza over ₹500 and no serum over ₹1000 can ever be worth the money. But I was wrong fam. So wrong.

For the first time, I realised that an essence can do more than just hydrate your skin for that night. It can actually work deep into the layer to give you skin that looks and feels better than it has ever been.

Before we get to a detailed review and the changes I noticed, let's know more about SK-II Facial Treatment Essense and the science behind it.

PITERA™ tech is like no other

SK-II is a popular skincare brand that originated in Japan in the early 1980s and has spread to the vanities of millions of women across the globe. It was launched in India a couple months ago and is available on platforms like Nykaa.

The brand also manufactures products like SKINPOWER Re-New Cream and GenOptics Infinitaura Essence using its signature ingredient, PITERA™.

In the 1970s, a team of Japanese scientists began searching for naturally derived ingredients that could help combat signs of ageing. During a visit to a sake brewery, they noticed that while the elderly workers had deeply lined faces, their hands remained remarkably smooth and youthful. This observation led them to believe that prolonged contact with sake fermentation held the secret to healthier skin. After years of research, the scientists isolated a unique strain of yeast with skin-enhancing properties, giving rise to SK-II's signature ingredient, Pitera.

PITERA™ is produced exclusively at SK-II's dedicated manufacturing facility in Japan's Shiga Prefecture. Situated near the pristine waters of Lake Biwa—the country's largest freshwater lake and one of the oldest in the world—the Shiga Plant has been the home of SK-II for more than four decades. It is here that the brand continues to craft its signature PITERA™ formula, maintaining the highest standards of quality and consistency.

Every drop of PITERA™ is crafted from a proprietary yeast fermentation process that SK-II owns. And that ₹20,499, 230 ml bottle of SK-II Facial Essence contains about 90% of PITERA™.

As per the brand, “PITERA™ contains natural moisturizing factors (NMF) which are similar to that found in our skin. This allows PITERA™ to be absorbed 10 layers deepI into your skin. PITERA™ is rich in vitamins, amino acids, minerals & organic acids, making it a powerhouse for achieving your best bare skin.”

Medical studies on the product

As per a report published by National Library of Medicine in 2023, explored the effects of the product on real women. The study involving 86 women found that facial skin showed significant signs of ageing over an 11-year period, including increased wrinkles, pigmentation, roughness, reduced hydration, and higher water loss. After using three SK-II products twice daily for 12 months, participants experienced improved skin hydration, reduced water loss, and noticeable reductions in wrinkles, dark spots, and roughness. The findings suggest that appropriate skincare can help reverse some visible signs of skin ageing.

Good news because I have been using the Facial Treatment Essence for just over a month now. I still have 11 months of progress to look forward to.

My review of SK-II Facial Treatment Essence

I began using the product on June 15, applying it twice daily after washing my face in the morning and before bed. By day 20, I realised I did not break into a single pimple episode this month, not even on my period days.

While washing my face I also can feel how non-bumpy my skin has become. Immediately after pat-drying the face after a wash, it is noticable, the sheen and the significantly better glow.

The couple of old acne spots are duller than before though in all honesty, it would have shown even better progress had I been more diligent with the sunscreen application during my recent Morocco trip. Sun exposure usually makes my dark spots show up even more.

Changes in the skin: Fewer bumps, lighter spots.

How do I use the essence?

Step one: Wash my face with a light cleanser. I use the Acnelak facial cleanser on recommendation of my dermatologist.

Step two: Shake the essence bottle on my palm 2-3 times to get sufficient product and dab my face with it, pressing the essence in.

Step 3: Use a small amount of moisturiser on top of it as the essence by itself can leave a dry feeling. I use the Bioderma Atoderm moisturiser on the recommendation of my dermatologist.

Step 4: In the morning, I also apply sunscreen before putting on my makeup.

How much I used the essence in one month.

Despite regular use of twice a day, the 230 ml bottle is just 10 percent depleted. I hope it lasts me at least a year, so I can be the 87th woman on that study to record life-changing results.

Disclaimer: The product was sent to Hindustan Times for the purpose of this review by the brand SK-II.