🇦🇺Australia

Dermalogica vs The INKEY List

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

Dermalogica and The INKEY List are two professional-grade skincare lines offering targeted serums, nourishing moisturizers, gentle cleansers, purifying masks, toners, and eye products. The American brand features powerful ingredients like hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and salicylic acid, while the British brand builds its formulations around glycerin. Both brands suit acne-prone skin best, though the former is also ideal for oily and mature skin, whereas the latter is well-suited for sensitive skin. They differ primarily in their product scope and ingredient complexity, as the former relies on multi-active blends to manage excess oil, dark spots, and signs of aging, while the latter focuses on accessible, single-ingredient solutions to hydrate and support the skin barrier.

Dermalogica is an American skincare brand founded in 1986 and owned by Unilever since 2015.

en.wikipedia.orgcosmeticsbusiness.com

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 Dermalogica and The INKEY List products; for every product of both brands, with a fit score for your own skin, use the Lovi app.

Popular Dermalogica vs The INKEY List products

People Say

DermalogicaThe INKEY List
  • Deep Hydration and Moisture Mostly MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “Saved my dry skin — Dermalogica Super Rich Repair”
    • “super hydrating — Dermalogica Multivitamin Power Recovery Masque”
    • “skin feels hydrated — Dermalogica Intensive Moisture Balance”
    • “Super hydrating — The INKEY List Polyglutamic Acid Serum”
  • Lightweight and Fast-Absorbing Texture Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
    • “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 — The INKEY List Hyaluronic Acid Serum”
    • “blends seamlessly — Dermalogica Dynamic Skin Recovery SPF 50”
  • Affordable Price and Value Not notedMostly Mentioned
    • “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”
  • Soothing and Calming Properties Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
    • “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”
    • “calms redness instantly — The INKEY List 10% Azelaic Acid Serum”
    • “helps calm and nourish my skin — Dermalogica Stabilizing Repair Cream”
  • Oily Skin and Excess Oil Control Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “doesn't clog pores — Dermalogica Active Moist”
    • “Clears sebaceous filaments — Dermalogica Precleanse”
    • “Skin instantly looks less oily — The INKEY List Salicylic Acid Cleanser”
    • “great for oily skin but anyone can use it — The INKEY List Omega Water Cream”
  • Gentle Exfoliation and Texture Improvement Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “gentle enough for daily use — Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant”
    • “skin feels smooth as silk — Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant”
    • “Great for sensitive skin — The INKEY List PHA Toner”
    • “Skin feels softer — The INKEY List PHA Toner”
  • High Price Point Mostly MentionedNot noted
    • “hefty price tag — Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant”
  • Unpleasant Scent or Fragrance Often MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “smells like puke — Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant”
    • “smells like medicine — Dermalogica Dynamic Skin Recovery SPF 50”
    • “Smells like BBQ/meat — The INKEY List Tranexamic Acid Serum”
    • “Smells like chemicals — The INKEY List Polyglutamic Acid Serum”
  • Packaging and Dispensing Issues Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “Leaky pump — Dermalogica Precleanse”
    • “pump dispenses too much — Dermalogica Special Cleansing Gel”
    • “spout is too big — Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant”
    • “Pump breaks easily — The INKEY List Tranexamic Acid Serum”

Dermalogica vs The INKEY List routines for dry skin

Buy The INKEY List routine · A$220.70 · 84% fitBuy Dermalogica routine · A$1,045.67 · 83% fitSee multi-brand routine · 97% fit

Dermalogica vs The INKEY List routines for oily skin

Buy The INKEY List routine · A$457.62 · 90% fitBuy Dermalogica routine · A$1,135.66 · 89% fitSee multi-brand routine · 96% fit

Dermalogica vs The INKEY List routines for combination skin

Buy The INKEY List routine · A$381.72 · 90% fitBuy Dermalogica routine · A$1,096.95 · 87% fitSee multi-brand routine · 95% fit

Questions and answers

Dermalogica or The INKEY List: which is better?

Both brands are great choices, but The INKEY List is better for affordability and a lightweight texture, while Dermalogica is better for deep hydration and moisture. The routine fit for the products on this page is equal for dry, mature, dry sensitive, and oily acne-prone skin, whereas The INKEY List has a superior fit for oily, combination, sensitive, acne-prone skin, and skin with dark spots.

What is the difference between Dermalogica and The INKEY List?

The INKEY List offers superior fit for oily, combination, sensitive, acne-prone skin and skin with dark spots, while Dermalogica is superior for oily acne-prone skin. The products on this page for The INKEY List tend to be more affordable, whereas Dermalogica is noted for a high price point.

Dermalogica or The INKEY List for dry skin?

Both Dermalogica and The INKEY List fit dry skin at a High level. Reviewers mention that Dermalogica products offer intense hydration, while The INKEY List products provide affordable, hydrating moisturizers.

Dermalogica or The INKEY List: which cleanser is better?

Both Dermalogica and The INKEY List offer cleansers that fit sensitive skin at a High level. Reviewers mention that Dermalogica cleansers are gentle and non-stripping, while The INKEY List provides affordable options.

Which is more affordable, Dermalogica or The INKEY List?

The INKEY List is more affordable than Dermalogica, as reviewers on this page frequently praise The INKEY List for its affordable moisturizers and serums while noting Dermalogica's high price point.

Which brand has better packaging and dispensing, Dermalogica or The INKEY List?

The INKEY List does better with packaging and dispensing, while Dermalogica is noted for packaging and dispensing issues.

Dermalogica or The INKEY List for oily skin?

The INKEY List offers a Superior routine fit for oily skin, whereas Dermalogica offers a High routine fit for oily skin. Reviewers note that The INKEY List provides lightweight and fast-absorbing moisturizers, while Dermalogica is recognized for deep hydration.

Dermalogica or The INKEY List: which moisturizer is better?

Both brands offer strong options, but The INKEY List does better for affordability and lightweight texture, while Dermalogica excels in deep hydration and moisture for the products on this page.

Dermalogica or The INKEY List for sensitive skin?

The INKEY List is a Superior fit for sensitive skin, while Dermalogica is a High fit. Reviewers note that The INKEY List offers soothing and calming properties.

Dermalogica or The INKEY List for acne-prone skin?

Both brands offer a High fit for acne-prone skin. The products on this page help provide good options for managing blemishes, though individual results may vary.

Dermalogica or The INKEY List for mature skin?

Both Dermalogica and The INKEY List fit mature skin well, as the products on this page achieve a High fit level for this skin type. Reviewers report that Dermalogica provides deep hydration and moisture, while The INKEY List offers affordable, plumping, and firming moisturizers.

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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