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The INKEY List vs RoC

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

The INKEY List and RoC are accessible skin care brands offering diverse moisturizers, serums, eye products, and cleansers built around glycerin and retinol. The British brand suits sensitive and combination skin best with targeted options like its PHA Toner, Azelaic Acid Serum, and Ceramide Moisturizer, while the French brand serves mature skin and dark spots best with standout solutions such as the Barrier Renew cleanser, Retinol Correxion cream, and Multi Correxion eye cream. Both utilize glycerin to significantly increase skin hydration and restore barrier function, whereas the latter also relies on retinol to significantly reduce fine wrinkles and increase collagen. Ultimately, the brands differ in their founding eras, primary active ingredients, and ideal 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

RoC is a French skincare brand founded in 1957 and owned by Bridgepoint Group plc since 2024.

en.wikipedia.orgprnewswire.combeautymatter.com

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

Popular The INKEY List vs RoC products

People Say

The INKEY ListRoC
  • Hydration & Moisture Often MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “Super hydrating — The INKEY List Polyglutamic Acid Serum”
    • “intense nourishment — The INKEY List Collagen Peptide Serum”
    • “skin is no longer dry — RoC Retinol Correxion Line Smoothing Max Hydration Cream”
    • “Areas stay hydrated all day — RoC Multi Correxion Hydrate + Plump Eye Cream”
  • Affordable Price & Great 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”
    • “Worth the price — RoC Retinol Correxion Line Smoothing Eye Cream”
  • Lightweight & 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 instantly — RoC Derm Correxion Fill + Treat Serum”
  • Anti-Aging & Wrinkle Reduction Not notedMostly Mentioned
    • “wrinkles look less deep — RoC Retinol Correxion Deep Wrinkle Night Cream”
    • “Fine lines definitely softer — RoC Retinol Correxion Line Smoothing Eye Cream”
    • “diminished my forehead lines — RoC Derm Correxion Fill + Treat Serum”
  • Gentle & Soothing Formula Often 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”
    • “doesn't leave my skin feeling tight — RoC BARRIER RENEW® GEL-TO-FOAM CLEANSER”
  • Smoother Skin Texture Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
    • “face looked smoother — RoC Daily Resurfacing Disks”
    • “skin feels silky smooth — RoC Retinol Correxion Deep Wrinkle Night Cream”
    • “skin feels like silk — RoC Retinol Correxion Deep Wrinkle Serum”
    • “Skin feels softer — The INKEY List PHA Toner”
  • Packaging & Texture Issues Often MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “tube cracks easily — RoC Retinol Correxion Deep Wrinkle Night Cream”
    • “Tube oozes product — RoC Retinol Correxion Line Smoothing Eye Cream”
    • “pump stopped working — RoC Retinol Correxion Deep Wrinkle Serum”
    • “Tube leaks liquified oil when opened — The INKEY List Oat Cleansing Balm”
  • Ineffective or Lack of Results Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “didn't do anything for circles — The INKEY List Caffeine Eye Cream”
    • “did absolutely nothing — The INKEY List Caffeine Eye Cream”
    • “took 4 weeks to see change — RoC Derm Correxion Fill + Treat Serum”
    • “didn't notice difference — RoC Retinol Correxion Deep Wrinkle Night Cream”
  • Unpleasant Smell or Strong Fragrance Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “Smells like BBQ/meat — The INKEY List Tranexamic Acid Serum”
    • “Smells like chemicals — The INKEY List Polyglutamic Acid Serum”
    • “smells like perfume — RoC Retinol Correxion Deep Wrinkle Night Cream”
    • “smell is too strong — RoC Retinol Correxion Deep Wrinkle Serum”

The INKEY List vs RoC routines for dry skin

Buy RoC routine · AED 575.39 · 90% fitBuy The INKEY List routine · AED 474.43 · 80% fitSee multi-brand routine · 96% fit

The INKEY List vs RoC routines for oily skin

Buy RoC routine · AED 1,071.72 · 90% fitBuy The INKEY List routine · AED 776.59 · 87% fitSee multi-brand routine · 97% fit

The INKEY List vs RoC routines for combination skin

Buy The INKEY List routine · AED 725.13 · 89% fitBuy RoC routine · AED 960.66 · 88% fitSee multi-brand routine · 96% fit

Questions and answers

The INKEY List or RoC: which is better?

The INKEY List and RoC each suit different skincare goals, as The INKEY List excels in affordability and gentle hydration while RoC is better for anti-aging and wrinkle reduction. Retinol helps stimulate collagen accumulation in naturally aged skin.

The Journal of Investigative Dermatology, 2000

What is the difference between The INKEY List and RoC?

The INKEY List focuses on gentle formulas and affordable everyday hydration, whereas RoC specializes in anti-aging and wrinkle reduction with ingredients like retinol.

The Journal of Investigative Dermatology, 2000Archives of Dermatology, 2007

The INKEY List or RoC for dry skin?

For dry skin, RoC has a superior routine fit compared to The INKEY List, which has a high routine fit. RoC is a French brand founded in 1957, while The INKEY List was founded in the UK in 2018.

The INKEY List or RoC: which cleanser is better?

The products on this page for The INKEY List include the Salicylic Acid Cleanser and Oat Cleansing Balm, while RoC offers the BARRIER RENEW GEL-TO-FOAM CLEANSER. Reviewers find that both brands offer good cleansing options, but shoppers looking for a gentle and soothing formula may prefer The INKEY List.

Which is more affordable, The INKEY List or RoC?

The INKEY List offers better affordability and value among the products on this page compared to RoC.

Between The INKEY List and RoC, which brand is better for anti-aging and wrinkle reduction?

RoC is better for anti-aging and wrinkle reduction, as the products on this page help with wrinkle and fine line reduction. Retinol, a key ingredient across RoC products, may stimulate collagen accumulation in naturally aged human skin.

The Journal of Investigative Dermatology, 2000Archives of Dermatology, 2007

Do The INKEY List products contain fragrance, and how does that compare to RoC skincare?

The products on this page from The INKEY List list no fragrance in their ingredients. In comparison, 10 of 12 products on the RoC page also list no fragrance, while two of their serums contain it.

Which brand performs better for mature skin and skin with dark spots?

RoC performs better for mature skin and skin with dark spots, as the products on this page provide superior routine fit for both concerns compared to The INKEY List.

The INKEY List or RoC for oily skin?

Both brands offer a High fit for oily skin, but they suit different preferences. The INKEY List tends to be more affordable, whereas RoC focuses on anti-aging and wrinkle reduction.

The INKEY List or RoC: which moisturizer is better?

When choosing a moisturizer, RoC generally does better for anti-aging and wrinkle reduction, while The INKEY List is better for affordable prices, lightweight textures, and gentle formulas. Reviewers also note that RoC focuses on ingredients like retinol and vitamin C, whereas the products on this page from The INKEY List list no fragrance.

The Journal of Investigative Dermatology, 2000Archives of Dermatology, 2007

The INKEY List or RoC for sensitive skin?

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

The INKEY List or RoC for acne-prone skin?

RoC fits acne-prone skin with a Superior routine, whereas The INKEY List offers a High routine for this skin type.

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

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