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The INKEY List vs Medik8

Rated by Lovi · Unbiased, science-based skincare AI trained on real user outcomes · How the Fit score works

The INKEY List and Medik8 are British skincare brands known for straightforward, effective formulations centered around glycerin and hyaluronic acid. The first brand offers moisturizers, serums, toners, and eye products built around glycerin, suiting sensitive and combination skin best. The second brand features serums, moisturizers, eye products, and toners built around hyaluronic acid, suiting dry and dry sensitive skin best. While both cater to varied skincare concerns, they differ in their foundational ingredients and specific target skin types.

The INKEY List is a British skincare brand founded in 2018 and owned by Brand Evangelists for Beauty Limited.

cosmeticsbusiness.comprnewswire.comtheinkeylist.comtracxn.com

Medik8 is a British skincare brand founded in 2009 and owned by L'Oréal Groupe since 2025.

loreal.commedik8.comtracxn.com

This page compares some of the most popular The INKEY List and Medik8 products; for every product of both brands, with a fit score for your own skin, use the Lovi app.

Popular The INKEY List vs Medik8 products

People Say

The INKEY ListMedik8
  • Texture and Absorption Mostly MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “sits beautifully under makeup — The INKEY List Caffeine Eye Cream”
    • “Gel consistency — The INKEY List Tranexamic Acid Serum”
    • “absorbed effortlessly — Medik8 Total Moisture Daily Facial Cream”
    • “smoother skin — Medik8 Surface Radiance Cleanse”
  • Results and Effectiveness Mostly MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “I wake up glowing. It adds back that youthful bloom that I've lost. — Medik8 Sleep Glycolic”
    • “Reduces fine lines — Medik8 Liquid Peptides”
    • “smells like a spa — Medik8 CRYSTAL RETINAL 3”
    • “skin looks fresh and plump — The INKEY List Collagen Peptide Serum”
  • Gentle and Non-Irritating Formula Often MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “zero irritation or peeling — Medik8 CRYSTAL RETINAL 3”
    • “only Vitamin C my sensitive skin can tolerate — Medik8 C-Tetra Serum”
    • “Best retinol replacement — Medik8 Bakuchiol Peptides”
    • “Great for sensitive skin — The INKEY List PHA Toner”
  • Hydration and Moisture Often MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “Super hydrating — The INKEY List Polyglutamic Acid Serum”
    • “intense nourishment — The INKEY List Collagen Peptide Serum”
    • “Restores moisture — Medik8 Liquid Peptides”
    • “Instantly quenched the skin — Medik8 Hydr8 B5 Intense”
  • Price and Value Mostly MentionedRarely 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”
    • “better value than Skinceuticals — Medik8 Super C Ferulic”
  • Acne and Blemish Control Often MentionedRarely Noted
    • “Free of active acne — The INKEY List Salicylic Acid Cleanser”
    • “Skin instantly looks less oily — The INKEY List Salicylic Acid Cleanser”
    • “Visibly reduces acne scars — The INKEY List Tranexamic Acid Serum”
    • “pigmentation lightened slightly — Medik8 Oxy-R Peptides”
  • Lack of Results or Slow Progress Often MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “Not as effective as retinol — Medik8 Bakuchiol Peptides”
    • “no difference — Medik8 Oxy-R Peptides”
    • “no difference yet — Medik8 Crystal Retinal Ceramide Eye 3”
    • “Tube leaks liquified oil when opened — The INKEY List Oat Cleansing Balm”
  • Packaging Issues Often MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “Glass bottle breaks easily — Medik8 Liquid Peptides”
    • “hard to get last bit — Medik8 CRYSTAL RETINAL 3”
    • “click mechanism tricky — Medik8 Oxy-R Peptides”
    • “Pump breaks easily — The INKEY List Tranexamic Acid Serum”
  • High Price Point Not notedOften Mentioned
    • “Expensive per bottle — Medik8 Liquid Peptides”

The INKEY List vs Medik8 routines for dry skin

Buy Medik8 routine · AED 1,017.94 · 95% fitBuy The INKEY List routine · AED 474.43 · 80% fitSee multi-brand routine · 96% fit

The INKEY List vs Medik8 routines for oily skin

Buy Medik8 routine · AED 1,453.26 · 89% fitBuy The INKEY List routine · AED 776.59 · 87% fitSee multi-brand routine · 97% fit

The INKEY List vs Medik8 routines for combination skin

Buy Medik8 routine · AED 1,409.08 · 92% fitBuy The INKEY List routine · AED 725.13 · 89% fitSee multi-brand routine · 96% fit

Questions and answers

The INKEY List or Medik8: which is better?

The INKEY List is better for price and value, while Medik8 is better for results and effectiveness. Reviewers mostly mention that The INKEY List offers affordable serums and moisturizers, whereas Medik8 provides deep hydration and plumping.

What is the difference between The INKEY List and Medik8?

The INKEY List offers more affordable prices and better value, whereas Medik8 provides gentler formulas and more effective results. For dry skin, Lovi rates Medik8 as Superior and The INKEY List as High.

The INKEY List or Medik8 for dry skin?

Both The INKEY List and Medik8 are great options for dry skin, with Medik8 having a Superior routine fit and The INKEY List having a High fit. The products on this page for Medik8 feature key hydrating ingredients like hyaluronic acid, which helps with deep hydration and plumping. Meanwhile, The INKEY List offers affordable moisturizers and serums that reviewers mention are deeply hydrating and fast-absorbing.

Journal of Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2015Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

The INKEY List or Medik8: which cleanser is better?

Medik8 is better for cleansers on this page, as its Surface Radiance Cleanse has a Superior fit level for acne-prone skin and skin with dark spots, compared to The INKEY List Salicylic Acid Cleanser which has a High fit level for those skin types.

Which is more affordable, The INKEY List or Medik8?

The INKEY List is more affordable than Medik8. Reviewers of the products on this page frequently mention the high price point as a negative for Medik8, while noting the affordable serums and moisturizers from The INKEY List.

Between The INKEY List and Medik8, which brand is better suited for dry sensitive skin?

Medik8 is better suited for dry sensitive skin, offering a Superior routine fit compared to The INKEY List's High fit.

How do the founding years and corporate ownerships of The INKEY List and Medik8 compare?

The INKEY List was founded in 2018 in the United Kingdom and is owned by Brand Evangelists for Beauty Limited, whereas Medik8 was founded in 2009 in the United Kingdom and is owned by L'Oréal Groupe since 2025.

Which brand performs better for results and effectiveness according to reviewer themes?

Medik8 performs better for results and effectiveness according to reviewer themes.

The INKEY List or Medik8 for oily skin?

Both The INKEY List and Medik8 offer a High routine fit for oily skin. The products on this page show that The INKEY List provides better value for price and blemish control.

The INKEY List or Medik8: which moisturizer is better?

Both brands offer well-regarded moisturizers, but Medik8 stands out for deep hydration and plumping with key ingredients like hyaluronic acid, while The INKEY List is known for being affordable and fast-absorbing.

Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

The INKEY List or Medik8 for sensitive skin?

Both The INKEY List and Medik8 offer a Superior routine fit for sensitive skin based on the products on this page. Reviewers note that The INKEY List provides affordable serums, while Medik8 offers gentle and non-irritating serums.

The INKEY List or Medik8 for acne-prone skin?

Medik8 offers a Superior routine fit for acne-prone skin, while the products on this page from The INKEY List provide a High routine fit.

Research behind their key ingredients

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.

  • Nadia Kapleva, MS

    Nadia Kapleva, MS

    Co-founder, Medical Director

    Cosmetic chemist, cosmetologist, aesthetic products developer

  • Alexey Shagraev, PhD

    Alexey Shagraev, PhD

    Co-founder, CEO and CTO

    PhD in computer science, 3x US patent holder, ex-Google, ex-Yandex

  • Dr. Sofía Perea Pérez, MD, MSc

    Dr. Sofía Perea Pérez, MD, MSc

    Medical Board

    Aesthetic medicine practitioner, MSc in Longevity and Anti-Aging Medicine

  • Aishani Shah, MD

    Aishani Shah, MD

    Medical Board

    Specialist dermatologist, MBBS, MD, IFAAD

  • Asya Zubkova, MS

    Asya Zubkova, MS

    Medical Board

    Cosmetic chemist, SCS, IFSCC member

  • Hanna Kurets, MD

    Hanna Kurets, MD

    Medical Board, Medical Advisor

    Dermatology MD

  • Elina Nazarenko, MD

    Elina Nazarenko, MD

    Medical Board

    Dermatology and diagnostic consultant

  • Victoria Derkova, MS

    Victoria Derkova, MS

    Medical Board

    Cosmetic chemist, cosmetic development technologist

How does it fit your skin?

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