The INKEY List vs Hada Labo
The INKEY List and Hada Labo are accessible skincare brands built around glycerin and advanced moisture-binding formulas. The British line offers moisturizers, serums, toners, and eye products suited best for sensitive and combination skin, while the Japanese brand provides nurturing toners, gentle makeup removers, and deeply nourishing moisturizers ideal for dry and dry sensitive skin. Both manufacturers address specific concerns effectively, with targeted solutions for acne-prone skin, dark spots, and mature skin. They differ primarily in their formulation origins and texture weights, allowing users to select the ideal balance for their complexion.
The INKEY List is a British skincare brand founded in 2018 and owned by Brand Evangelists for Beauty Limited.
cosmeticsbusiness.comprnewswire.comtheinkeylist.comtracxn.com
Hada Labo is a Japanese skincare brand founded in 2004 and owned by Rohto Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd..
en.wikipedia.orghadalabosa.co.zahadalabotokyo.pl
This page compares some of the most popular The INKEY List and Hada Labo products; for every product of both brands, with a fit score for your own skin, use the Lovi app.
Popular The INKEY List vs Hada Labo products
People Say
Hydration and Moisture Often MentionedMostly Mentioned
- “skin drinks it up — Hada Labo Gokujyun Lotion”
- “Plumps fine lines — Hada Labo Gokujun Premium”
- “leaves skin soft, smooth, and hydrated — Hada Labo Shirojyun Premium Whitening Lotion”
- “Super hydrating — The INKEY List Polyglutamic Acid Serum”
Affordability and Value Mostly MentionedSometimes Noted
- “Good for the price — The INKEY List Salicylic Acid Cleanser”
- “One of the best balms for quality and also price — The INKEY List Oat Cleansing Balm”
- “unbeatable value — The INKEY List Hyaluronic Acid Serum”
- “bottle lasts forever — Hada Labo Gokujyun Lotion”
Lightweight and Fast-Absorbing Texture Mostly MentionedOften Mentioned
- “sits beautifully under makeup — The INKEY List Caffeine Eye Cream”
- “Gel consistency — The INKEY List Tranexamic Acid Serum”
- “feels like applying straight up water to the skin — The INKEY List Omega Water Cream”
- “absorbs super quickly — Hada Labo Premium Whitening Lotion (Light)”
Gentle and Non-Irritating Formula Sometimes NotedMostly Mentioned
- “never stings my sensitive skin — Hada Labo Gokujyun Lotion”
- “No fragrance/alcohol — Hada Labo Gokujun Premium”
- “no irritation, no breakouts — Hada Labo Shirojyun Premium Whitening Lotion”
- “Safe and gentle especially for my dry, sensitive skin — The INKEY List Oat Cleansing Balm”
Acne and Blemish Control Often MentionedSometimes Noted
- “Free of active acne — The INKEY List Salicylic Acid Cleanser”
- “calms redness instantly — The INKEY List 10% Azelaic Acid Serum”
- “Skin instantly looks less oily — The INKEY List Salicylic Acid Cleanser”
- “calms my redness — Hada Labo Premium Whitening Lotion (Light)”
Sticky or Tacky Finish Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
- “Feels tacky on skin — The INKEY List PHA Toner”
- “Leaves a tackiness that never goes away. — The INKEY List Niacinamide Serum”
- “feeling sticky — The INKEY List Caffeine Eye Cream”
- “Tacky residue — Hada Labo Gokujun Premium”
Causes Breakouts and Clogging Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
- “did cause major breakouts — The INKEY List Omega Water Cream”
- “New formula breaks me out — The INKEY List Salicylic Acid Cleanser”
- “Caused cystic acne — The INKEY List PHA Toner”
- “gave me tiny bumps — Hada Labo Gokujyun Lotion”
Packaging and Quality Issues Often MentionedRarely Noted
- “Prefer old version — Hada Labo Gokujun Premium”
- “Tube leaks liquified oil when opened — The INKEY List Oat Cleansing Balm”
The INKEY List vs Hada Labo routines for dry skin
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Cleanser
CeraVe Hydrating Facial Cleanser
Morning · Evening · Once a week
AED 32.95
-
Hydrating Toner
Gokujyun Lotion
Morning
AED 79.50
-
Moisturizer
SKIN1004 Madagascar Centella Probio-Cica Enrich Cream
Morning · Evening · Once a week
AED 34.80
-
SPF
Dr.G Green Mild Up Sun+
Morning
AED 81.00
-
Pre-Cleanser
Gokujyun Cleansing Oil
Evening · Once a week
AED 134.00
-
Cleansing Toner
ROUND LAB 1025 Dokdo Cleansing Water
Evening
AED 38.99
-
Serum or Treatment
Peach & Lily Glass Skin Refining Serum
Evening · Once a week
AED 168.76
-
Enzyme Powder
VT Cica Mild Powder Wash
Once a week
AED 47.62
-
Nourishing Mask
Mediheal Watermide Essential Mask
Once a week
AED 65.00
-
Cleanser
Salicylic Acid Cleanser
Morning · Evening · Once a week
AED 51.82
- Moisturizer Collagen Peptide Serum Morning · Evening · Once a week
-
SPF
Dr.G Green Mild Up Sun+
Morning
AED 81.00
-
Pre-Cleanser
Oat Cleansing Balm
Evening · Once a week
AED 90.00
-
Cleansing Toner
PHA Toner
Evening
AED 81.68
-
Serum or Treatment
10% Azelaic Acid Serum
Evening · Once a week
AED 57.31
-
Enzyme Powder
VT Cica Mild Powder Wash
Once a week
AED 47.62
-
Nourishing Mask
Mediheal Watermide Essential Mask
Once a week
AED 65.00
Buy Hada Labo routine · AED 682.62 · 96% fit
Buy The INKEY List routine · AED 474.43 · 80% fitSee multi-brand routine · 96% fit
The INKEY List vs Hada Labo routines for oily skin
-
Cleanser
CeraVe Foaming Facial Cleanser
Morning · Evening · Once a week
AED 49.95
-
Hydrating Toner
Shirojyun Premium Whitening Lotion
Morning · Once a week
AED 92.88
-
Moisturizer
COSRX Oil-Free Ultra-Moisturizing Lotion (with Birch Sap)
Morning · Evening · Once a week
AED 33.40
-
SPF
d'Alba UVessence Mild Waterfull Sun Cream SPF 50
Morning
AED 92.70
-
Pre-Cleanser
Gokujyun Cleansing Oil
Evening · Once a week
AED 134.00
-
Cleansing Toner
Pixi Glow Tonic
Evening
AED 120.00
-
Serum or Treatment
Peach & Lily Glass Skin Refining Serum
Evening · Once a week
AED 168.76
-
Enzyme Powder
Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant
Once a week
AED 101.09
-
Cleansing Mask
Revision Skincare Black Mask
Once a week
AED 204.00
-
Cleanser
Salicylic Acid Cleanser
Morning · Evening · Once a week
AED 51.82
-
Hydrating Toner
Some By Mi Snail Truecica Miracle Repair Toner
Morning · Once a week
AED 49.99
-
Moisturizer
Hyaluronic Acid Serum
Morning · Evening · Once a week
AED 48.00
-
SPF
d'Alba UVessence Mild Waterfull Sun Cream SPF 50
Morning
AED 92.70
-
Pre-Cleanser
Oat Cleansing Balm
Evening · Once a week
AED 90.00
-
Cleansing Toner
PHA Toner
Evening
AED 81.68
-
Serum or Treatment
10% Azelaic Acid Serum
Evening · Once a week
AED 57.31
-
Enzyme Powder
Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant
Once a week
AED 101.09
-
Cleansing Mask
Revision Skincare Black Mask
Once a week
AED 204.00
Buy Hada Labo routine · AED 996.78 · 92% fit
Buy The INKEY List routine · AED 776.59 · 87% fitSee multi-brand routine · 97% fit
The INKEY List vs Hada Labo routines for combination skin
-
Cleanser
Fresh Soy Face Cleanser
Morning · Evening · Once a week
AED 84.53
-
Hydrating Toner
Premium Whitening Lotion (Light)
Morning · Once a week
AED 92.88
-
Moisturizer
COSRX Oil-Free Ultra-Moisturizing Lotion (with Birch Sap)
Morning · Evening · Once a week
AED 33.40
-
Pre-Cleanser
Gokujyun Cleansing Oil
Evening · Once a week
AED 134.00
-
Cleansing Toner
Medicube Zero Pore Pad 2.0
Evening
AED 53.12
-
Serum or Treatment
Peach & Lily Glass Skin Refining Serum
Evening · Once a week
AED 168.76
-
Enzyme Powder
Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant
Once a week
AED 101.09
-
Cleansing Mask
KORA Organics Turmeric Brightening & Exfoliating Mask
Once a week
AED 122.93
-
Cleanser
Salicylic Acid Cleanser
Morning · Evening · Once a week
AED 51.82
-
Hydrating Toner
Paula's Choice Skin Balancing Pore-Reducing Toner
Morning · Once a week
AED 145.00
-
Moisturizer
Polyglutamic Acid Serum
Morning · Evening · Once a week
AED 55.05
-
Pre-Cleanser
Oat Cleansing Balm
Evening · Once a week
AED 90.00
-
Cleansing Toner
Glycolic Acid Toner
Evening
AED 101.93
-
Serum or Treatment
10% Azelaic Acid Serum
Evening · Once a week
AED 57.31
-
Enzyme Powder
Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant
Once a week
AED 101.09
-
Cleansing Mask
KORA Organics Turmeric Brightening & Exfoliating Mask
Once a week
AED 122.93
Buy Hada Labo routine · AED 790.71 · 91% fit
Buy The INKEY List routine · AED 725.13 · 89% fitSee multi-brand routine · 96% fit
Questions and answers
The INKEY List or Hada Labo: which is better?
Both brands perform well, but Hada Labo tends to do better for deep hydration and gentle care, while The INKEY List excels in affordability and acne control.
What is the difference between The INKEY List and Hada Labo?
The INKEY List offers more affordable options and targets acne and blemishes better, whereas Hada Labo provides superior hydration and moisture with gentle formulas.
The INKEY List or Hada Labo for dry skin?
For dry skin, Hada Labo reaches a Superior routine fit while The INKEY List reaches a High routine fit, with Hada Labo specializing in deep hydration and moisturization. Topical hyaluronic acid, the key ingredient across the products on this page for Hada Labo, helps improve skin quality and signs of skin aging.
Journal of Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2015Drug Delivery, 2017
The INKEY List or Hada Labo: which moisturizer is better?
Hada Labo is better for deep hydration and moisturization, whereas the products on this page for The INKEY List focus more on being lightweight and fast-absorbing. Sodium hyaluronate helps improve skin quality and signs of skin aging.
Dermatologic Therapy, 2022Journal of Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2015
Which is more affordable, The INKEY List or Hada Labo?
The INKEY List offers greater affordability for shoppers, as reviewers on the products on this page note its affordability for both moisturizers and serums.
Which brand has a better routine fit for mature skin, The INKEY List or Hada Labo?
Hada Labo has a Superior routine fit for mature skin, whereas The INKEY List has a High fit. Reviewers note that Hada Labo delivers deep hydration and moisturization.
Do The INKEY List products or Hada Labo products contain fragrance?
Every product on this page from both The INKEY List and Hada Labo lists no fragrance in its ingredients.
Which brand performs better for hydration and moisture based on reviewer themes?
Hada Labo performs better for hydration and moisture, as it is highlighted for deep hydration and moisturization by reviewers.
The INKEY List or Hada Labo for oily skin?
Both The INKEY List and Hada Labo fit oily skin well, but Hada Labo reaches a Superior routine fit compared to The INKEY List's High fit level. Hada Labo offers deep hydration and moisturization with its hyaluronic acid key ingredients, while the products on this page for The INKEY List provide affordable and lightweight textures.
Journal of Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2015Dermatologic Therapy, 2022
The INKEY List or Hada Labo for sensitive skin?
Both The INKEY List and Hada Labo provide a Superior Lovi fit for sensitive skin. Reviewers note that Hada Labo offers gentle and fragrance-free formulations, while the products on this page from both brands list no fragrance in their ingredients.
The INKEY List or Hada Labo for acne-prone skin?
For acne-prone skin, Hada Labo achieves a Superior routine fit, while The INKEY List reaches a High fit. Reviewers note that Hada Labo delivers deep hydration and gentle formulations, whereas The INKEY List offers strong acne and blemish control alongside affordable options.
Research behind their key ingredients
The Effect of Aloe Vera Clinical Trials on Prevention and Healing of Skin Wound: A Systematic Review
Molecular basis of retinol anti-ageing properties in naturally aged human skin in vivo
Effects of ascorbic acid on gingival melanin pigmentation in vitro and in vivo
Preparation and characterization of a lecithin nanoemulsion as a topical delivery system
The moisturizing effects of glycolipid biosurfactants, mannosylerythritol lipids, on human skin
A comparative study of gluconolactone versus benzoyl peroxide in the treatment of acne
Chemical peels for acne vulgaris: a systematic review of randomised controlled trials
The anti-wrinkles properties of sodium acetylated hyaluronate
Topical Almond Oil for Prevention of Pressure Injuries: A Single-Blinded Comparison Study
The anti wrinkle efficacy of synthetic hexapeptide (Argireline) in Chinese Subjects
Moisturizing Effects of Diglycerol Combined with Glycerol on Human Stratum Corneum
Nanocomplex of quaternized cyclodextrin grafted chitosan and hyaluronic acid for a skin delivery
Darutoside promotes skin wound healing via regulating macrophage polarization
Treatment with Ascorbyl Glucoside-Arginine Complex Ameliorates Solar Lentigos
Targeting Circadian Rhythm for the Regulation of Skin Collagen Metabolism
Combined Effect of Silybin and Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate on UV-Induced Photoaging
Behind this comparison
Lovi compares products by their fit scores, calculated from the full ingredient list with brand-independent rules our dermatologists and cosmetic chemists build and review, and personalizes every pick with AI trained on the real results of millions of users. Lovi trains its fit score models on a proprietary dataset built from more than 10,000 expert-labeled products and more than 100,000 simulated examples, following an internally consistent methodology presented at Cosmoprof, AMWC, and Skin of Color Update.
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Co-founder, Medical Director
Cosmetic chemist, cosmetologist, aesthetic products developer
-

Co-founder, CEO and CTO
PhD in computer science, 3x US patent holder, ex-Google, ex-Yandex
-

Dr. Sofía Perea Pérez, MD, MSc
Medical Board
Aesthetic medicine practitioner, MSc in Longevity and Anti-Aging Medicine
-

Medical Board
Specialist dermatologist, MBBS, MD, IFAAD
-

Medical Board
Cosmetic chemist, SCS, IFSCC member
-

Medical Board, Medical Advisor
Dermatology MD
-

Elina Nazarenko, MD
Medical Board
Dermatology and diagnostic consultant
-

Victoria Derkova, MS
Medical Board
Cosmetic chemist, cosmetic development technologist
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