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The INKEY List vs Olay

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

The INKEY List and Olay are accessible skin care brands offering moisturizers, serums, eye products, and more. The British brand is known for glycerin-focused formulations that suit sensitive and combination skin, featuring targeted treatments like a PHA Toner, an azelaic acid serum, and a ceramide moisturizer. Meanwhile, Olay features thoughtful formulas enriched with niacinamide and glycerin to suit sensitive and acne-prone skin, highlighted by products such as a daily eye serum, a tone perfecting cream, and a brightening eye cream. While both brands care for sensitive skin, the first relies primarily on glycerin, whereas the second combines niacinamide and glycerin to address aging, pigmentation, and hydration.

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

cosmeticsbusiness.comprnewswire.comtheinkeylist.comtracxn.com

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

Popular The INKEY List vs Olay products

People Say

The INKEY ListOlay
  • Lightweight and Fast-Absorbing Texture Mostly MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “sits beautifully under makeup — The INKEY List Caffeine Eye Cream”
    • “Gel consistency — The INKEY List Tranexamic Acid Serum”
    • “sinks in quickly — Olay Super Serum”
    • “absorbs quickly — Olay Vitamin C Serum”
  • Hydration and Moisture Often MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “Super hydrating — The INKEY List Polyglutamic Acid Serum”
    • “intense nourishment — The INKEY List Collagen Peptide Serum”
    • “Instantly smoother, softer, and more hydrated — Olay Regenerist Micro-Sculpting Cream”
    • “light and smooth — Olay Ultimate Eye Cream”
  • Skin Smoothing and Texture Improvement Sometimes NotedMostly Mentioned
    • “skin feels baby soft — Olay Retinol24”
    • “Skin feels like silk — Olay Regenerist Retinol 24 Night Moisturizer”
    • “hydrates the skin — Olay Advanced Eye Cream”
    • “Skin feels softer — The INKEY List PHA Toner”
  • Gentle on Skin Mostly MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “Great for sensitive skin — The INKEY List PHA Toner”
    • “Safe and gentle especially for my dry, sensitive skin — The INKEY List Oat Cleansing Balm”
    • “calmed my menopausal redness — The INKEY List ECTOIN HYDRO-BARRIER SERUM”
    • “tiny beads aren't harsh — Olay Regenerating Cream Cleanser”
  • Affordable Value and Pricing 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 than high-end moisturizers — Olay Regenerist Micro-Sculpting Cream”
  • Brightening and Radiance Rarely NotedOften Mentioned
    • “iridescent glow — Olay Super Serum”
    • “hides dark shadows — Olay Ultimate Eye Cream”
    • “skin looks brighter — Olay Vitamin C Serum”
    • “Visibly reduces acne scars — The INKEY List Tranexamic Acid Serum”
  • Packaging Issues Often MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “Pump breaks easily — The INKEY List Tranexamic Acid Serum”
    • “Very difficult to squeeze out at first — The INKEY List Oat Cleansing Balm”
    • “hard to dispense — Olay Super Serum”
    • “dropper is frustrating — Olay Super Serum Night Repair”
  • Unpleasant Scent or Fragrance Issues Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “Smells like BBQ/meat — The INKEY List Tranexamic Acid Serum”
    • “Smells like chemicals — The INKEY List Polyglutamic Acid Serum”
    • “Fragrance can be an irritant — Olay Regenerist Micro-Sculpting Cream”
    • “floral scent — Olay Super Serum”

The INKEY List vs Olay routines for dry skin

Buy The INKEY List routine · AED 474.43 · 80% fitBuy Olay routine · AED 586.47 · 74% fitSee multi-brand routine · 96% fit

The INKEY List vs Olay routines for oily skin

Buy The INKEY List routine · AED 776.59 · 87% fitBuy Olay routine · AED 897.24 · 84% fitSee multi-brand routine · 97% fit

The INKEY List vs Olay routines for combination skin

Buy The INKEY List routine · AED 725.13 · 89% fitBuy Olay routine · AED 877.60 · 83% fitSee multi-brand routine · 96% fit

Questions and answers

The INKEY List or Olay: which is better?

Both The INKEY List and Olay offer strong options, but The INKEY List is better for budget-friendly routines and sensitive skin, while Olay excels in anti-aging texture improvement and brightening. Reviewers note that the products on this page help deliver intense hydration and smooth skin texture with lightweight feel.

What is the difference between The INKEY List and Olay?

The INKEY List offers more affordable pricing and is particularly gentle on skin, while Olay excels at skin smoothing, texture improvement, and brightening. For dry skin, the products on this page for The INKEY List have a High routine fit, whereas Olay has an Average fit.

The INKEY List or Olay for dry skin?

The INKEY List fits dry skin better with a High routine fit compared to Olay's Average fit. The products on this page help deliver intense hydration and smooth texture for dry skin types.

The INKEY List or Olay: which cleanser is better?

Both The INKEY List and Olay offer cleansers with strong fit levels for acne-prone, oily, and combination skin on the products on this page. However, The INKEY List is generally considered more gentle on skin.

Which is more affordable, The INKEY List or Olay?

The INKEY List does better than Olay for affordable value and pricing.

How do The INKEY List and Olay compare when it comes to gentle skincare?

The INKEY List does better than Olay when it comes to being gentle on skin. The products on this page for The INKEY List contain no fragrance.

Which brand performs better for brightening and radiance, The INKEY List or Olay?

Olay performs better for brightening and radiance compared to The INKEY List.

Which brand offers better skin smoothing and texture improvement?

Olay offers better skin smoothing and texture improvement among the products on this page.

The INKEY List or Olay for oily skin?

Both The INKEY List and Olay offer products on this page that achieve a High fit level for oily skin. Reviewers note that Olay does better for skin smoothing and texture improvement, while The INKEY List is considered better for gentle care and affordable pricing.

The INKEY List or Olay: which moisturizer is better?

Both The INKEY List and Olay offer highly rated moisturizers on this page, with The INKEY List performing better for budget-friendly hydration and sensitive skin, while Olay excels in skin smoothing and anti-aging benefits.

The INKEY List or Olay for sensitive skin?

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

The INKEY List or Olay for acne-prone skin?

Both The INKEY List and Olay offer great options for acne-prone skin, as the products on this page achieve a high routine fit for this skin type. The INKEY List is particularly noted for being gentle on skin, while Olay provides strong options like the Super Serum Night Repair that help improve skin texture.

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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