The INKEY List vs NIVEA
The INKEY List is a British skincare brand founded in 2018 and owned by Brand Evangelists for Beauty Limited.
cosmeticsbusiness.comprnewswire.comtheinkeylist.comtracxn.com
NIVEA is a German skincare brand founded in 1911 and owned by maxingvest GmbH & Co. KGaA since 2004.
beiersdorf.comen.wikipedia.org
This page compares some of the most popular The INKEY List and NIVEA products; for every product of both brands, with a fit score for your own skin, use the Lovi app.
Popular The INKEY List vs NIVEA products
People Say
Texture and Lightweight Feel Mostly MentionedMostly Mentioned
- “sits beautifully under makeup — The INKEY List Caffeine Eye Cream”
- “Gel consistency — The INKEY List Tranexamic Acid Serum”
- “It's lightweight on the skin and leaves a bit of subtle sheen. — NIVEA Soft”
- “Makes my face feel smooth and soft. — NIVEA Soft”
Value and Price Point Mostly MentionedOften 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”
- “Works better than expensive luxury creams — NIVEA Creme”
Hydration and Moisture Often MentionedOften Mentioned
- “Super hydrating — The INKEY List Polyglutamic Acid Serum”
- “intense nourishment — The INKEY List Collagen Peptide Serum”
- “Smoothed out dry flaky scales on my cheeks overnight — NIVEA Creme”
- “skin feels moisturized — NIVEA Protect & Moisture Sun Lotion SPF50+”
Gentleness and Soothing Formula Often MentionedOften Mentioned
- “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 dry out skin — NIVEA Derma Skin Clear Anti-Blemish Scrub”
Acne and Blemish Control Often MentionedOften Mentioned
- “Free of active acne — The INKEY List Salicylic Acid Cleanser”
- “Skin instantly looks less oily — The INKEY List Salicylic Acid Cleanser”
- “cleared my complexion in 7 days — NIVEA DERMA SKIN CLEAR”
- “reduces blackheads — NIVEA Derma Skin Clear Anti-Blemish Scrub”
Other Positive Effects Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
- “smells like holiday — NIVEA Protect & Moisture Sun Lotion SPF50+”
- “Smell brings me back to childhood — NIVEA Creme”
- “smells really nice — NIVEA Derma Skin Clear Anti-Blemish Scrub”
- “skin looks fresh and plump — The INKEY List Collagen Peptide Serum”
Sticky, Tacky, or Greasy Finish Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
- “Feels tacky on skin — The INKEY List PHA Toner”
- “Leaves a greasy film on face after washing — The INKEY List Oat Cleansing Balm”
- “Leaves a tackiness that never goes away. — The INKEY List Niacinamide Serum”
- “Leaves a shiny grease layer that doesn't go away — NIVEA Creme”
Breakouts and Skin Reactions 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”
- “Clogged my pores and caused bad acne — NIVEA Creme”
Texture and Consistency Problems Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
- “Tube leaks liquified oil when opened — The INKEY List Oat Cleansing Balm”
- “very runny serum — The INKEY List Collagen Peptide Serum”
- “Forms a crust on the hole at the flick top cap. — The INKEY List Niacinamide Serum”
- “not super gritty — NIVEA Derma Skin Clear Anti-Blemish Scrub”
The INKEY List vs NIVEA routines for dry skin
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Cleanser
Salicylic Acid Cleanser
Morning · Evening · Once a week
A$35.99
-
Hydrating Toner
Pyunkang Yul Calming Deep Moisture Toner
Morning
A$23.99
- Moisturizer Collagen Peptide Serum Morning · Evening · Once a week
-
SPF
Bioderma Photoderm Mineral Fluide SPF50+
Morning
A$24.49
-
Pre-Cleanser
MISSHA Ultra Hyalon Cleansing Cream
Evening · Once a week
A$27.35
-
Serum or Treatment
10% Azelaic Acid Serum
Evening · Once a week
A$44.90
-
Enzyme Powder
FANCL Facial Washing Powder
Once a week
A$35.50
-
Nourishing Mask
MEDIHEAL Vita Essential Mask
Once a week
A$28.48
-
Cleanser
La Roche-Posay Toleriane Hydrating Gentle Cleanser
Morning · Evening · Once a week
A$26.59
-
Hydrating Toner
Pyunkang Yul Calming Deep Moisture Toner
Morning
A$23.99
-
Moisturizer
Creme
Morning · Evening · Once a week
A$5.24
-
SPF
Protect & Moisture Sun Lotion SPF50+
Morning
A$21.49
-
Pre-Cleanser
MISSHA Ultra Hyalon Cleansing Cream
Evening · Once a week
A$27.35
-
Serum or Treatment
Derma Skin Clear Anti-Blemish Scrub
Evening · Once a week
A$8.00
-
Enzyme Powder
FANCL Facial Washing Powder
Once a week
A$35.50
-
Nourishing Mask
MEDIHEAL Vita Essential Mask
Once a week
A$28.48
Buy The INKEY List routine · A$220.70 · 84% fit
Buy NIVEA routine · A$176.64 · 83% fitSee multi-brand routine · 97% fit
The INKEY List vs NIVEA routines for oily skin
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Cleanser
Salicylic Acid Cleanser
Morning · Evening · Once a week
A$35.99
-
Hydrating Toner
Some By Mi Snail Truecica Miracle Repair Toner
Morning · Once a week
A$34.66
-
Moisturizer
Hyaluronic Acid Serum
Morning · Evening · Once a week
A$36.00
-
SPF
La Roche-Posay Anthelios Clear Skin Dry Touch Sunscreen SPF 60
Morning
A$27.99
-
Pre-Cleanser
Shu Uemura Ultime8 Sublime Beauty Cleansing Oil
Evening · Once a week
A$80.43
-
Cleansing Toner
PHA Toner
Evening
A$43.80
-
Serum or Treatment
10% Azelaic Acid Serum
Evening · Once a week
A$44.90
-
Enzyme Powder
FANCL Facial Washing Powder
Once a week
A$35.50
-
Cleansing Mask
HERBIVORE Botanicals Blue Tansy BHA and Enzyme Pore Refining Mask
Once a week
A$118.35
-
Cleanser
CeraVe Foaming Facial Cleanser
Morning · Evening · Once a week
A$13.99
-
Hydrating Toner
Some By Mi Snail Truecica Miracle Repair Toner
Morning · Once a week
A$34.66
-
Moisturizer
Soft
Morning · Evening · Once a week
A$6.24
-
SPF
Protect & Moisture Sun Lotion SPF50+
Morning
A$21.49
-
Pre-Cleanser
Shu Uemura Ultime8 Sublime Beauty Cleansing Oil
Evening · Once a week
A$80.43
-
Cleansing Toner
Caudalie Vinopure Purifying Toner
Evening
A$75.95
-
Serum or Treatment
Derma Skin Clear Anti-Blemish Scrub
Evening · Once a week
A$8.00
-
Enzyme Powder
FANCL Facial Washing Powder
Once a week
A$35.50
-
Cleansing Mask
HERBIVORE Botanicals Blue Tansy BHA and Enzyme Pore Refining Mask
Once a week
A$118.35
Buy The INKEY List routine · A$457.62 · 90% fit
Buy NIVEA routine · A$394.61 · 87% fitSee multi-brand routine · 96% fit
The INKEY List vs NIVEA routines for combination skin
-
Cleanser
Salicylic Acid Cleanser
Morning · Evening · Once a week
A$35.99
-
Hydrating Toner
Paula's Choice Skin Balancing Pore-Reducing Toner
Morning · Once a week
A$42.00
-
Moisturizer
Hyaluronic Acid Serum
Morning · Evening · Once a week
A$36.00
-
Pre-Cleanser
Pyunkang Yul Deep Cleansing Oil
Evening · Once a week
A$30.99
-
Cleansing Toner
Glycolic Acid Toner
Evening
A$37.99
-
Serum or Treatment
10% Azelaic Acid Serum
Evening · Once a week
A$44.90
-
Enzyme Powder
FANCL Facial Washing Powder
Once a week
A$35.50
-
Cleansing Mask
HERBIVORE Botanicals Blue Tansy BHA and Enzyme Pore Refining Mask
Once a week
A$118.35
-
Cleanser
Fresh Soy Face Cleanser
Morning · Evening · Once a week
A$73.61
-
Hydrating Toner
Paula's Choice Skin Balancing Pore-Reducing Toner
Morning · Once a week
A$42.00
-
Moisturizer
Soft
Morning · Evening · Once a week
A$6.24
-
SPF
Protect & Moisture Sun Lotion SPF50+
Morning
A$21.49
-
Pre-Cleanser
Pyunkang Yul Deep Cleansing Oil
Evening · Once a week
A$30.99
-
Cleansing Toner
Medicube Zero Pore Pad 2.0
Evening
A$29.90
-
Serum or Treatment
Derma Skin Clear Anti-Blemish Scrub
Evening · Once a week
A$8.00
-
Enzyme Powder
FANCL Facial Washing Powder
Once a week
A$35.50
-
Cleansing Mask
HERBIVORE Botanicals Blue Tansy BHA and Enzyme Pore Refining Mask
Once a week
A$118.35
Buy The INKEY List routine · A$381.72 · 90% fit
Buy NIVEA routine · A$366.08 · 86% fitSee multi-brand routine · 95% fit
Questions and answers
The INKEY List or NIVEA: which is better?
The INKEY List is generally better for shoppers seeking fragrance-free formulas, better value, and superior gentleness, while NIVEA offers strong multi-use moisturizers and blemish-clearing options. Both brands provide high routine fits for dry and mature skin, but The INKEY List edges ahead with superior fits for oily, sensitive, acne-prone skin, and skin with dark spots.
What is the difference between The INKEY List and NIVEA?
The INKEY List offers fragrance-free products on its page and tends to be more affordable, whereas NIVEA includes fragrance in some of its formulas and features options like versatile multi-use moisturizers. Both brands offer good hydration, but The INKEY List rates slightly better for oily, combination, sensitive, acne-prone skin, and skin with dark spots on this page.
The INKEY List or NIVEA for dry skin?
Both The INKEY List and NIVEA offer a High routine fit for dry skin. The products on this page for The INKEY List provide fragrance-free options.
The INKEY List or NIVEA: which moisturizer is better?
The INKEY List moisturizer products are often rated as affordable and lightweight, while NIVEA offers versatile multi-use options like Creme and Soft. For dry skin, the routine fit for both brands is High.
Which is more affordable, The INKEY List or NIVEA?
The INKEY List offers better value and price point than NIVEA for the products on this page.
How do The INKEY List and NIVEA compare in terms of value and price point?
When comparing value and price point, The INKEY List does better than NIVEA for the products on this page.
Which brand performs better for acne and blemish control, The INKEY List or NIVEA?
Both The INKEY List and NIVEA perform equally well for acne and blemish control. The products on this page from both brands offer strong options for blemish-prone skin.
How do the founding years and countries of origin differ between The INKEY List and NIVEA?
The INKEY List was founded in 2018 in the United Kingdom, whereas NIVEA was founded earlier in 1911 in Germany.
The INKEY List or NIVEA for oily skin?
For oily skin, The INKEY List is a better choice as Lovi rates its overall routine fit as Superior compared to NIVEA's High level.
The INKEY List or NIVEA for sensitive skin?
The INKEY List is a better choice for sensitive skin because Lovi rates its overall routine as Superior, compared to High for NIVEA. Additionally, every product on The INKEY List page lists no fragrance in its ingredients, helping shoppers avoid potential irritation.
The INKEY List or NIVEA for acne-prone skin?
The INKEY List is a better fit for acne-prone skin, offering a Superior routine fit compared to NIVEA's High level. Every product on The INKEY List page lists no fragrance in its ingredients, helping shoppers avoid potential irritation.
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
Effects of glyceryl glucoside on AQP3 expression, barrier function and hydration of human skin
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
Exotic Vegetable Oils for Cosmetic O/W Nanoemulsions: In Vivo Evaluation
In vivo and in vitro evaluation of octyl methoxycinnamate liposomes
Comparison of methods for assessing photoprotection against ultraviolet A in vivo
Topical Almond Oil for Prevention of Pressure Injuries: A Single-Blinded Comparison Study
The anti wrinkle efficacy of synthetic hexapeptide (Argireline) in Chinese Subjects
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
Retrospective Review of Dermal Safety Studies of Organic Sunscreens
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
How does it fit your skin?
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