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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 skincare brands offering diverse moisturizers, serums, eye products, and cleansers built around nourishing glycerin. The INKEY List, a British line founded in 2018, features targeted ingredients like PHA and azelaic acid that suit sensitive and acne-prone skin best. Meanwhile, the French brand RoC, established in 1957, utilizes potent retinol alongside glycerin to excel at smoothing mature skin and addressing dark spots. While both brands support skin hydration and barrier function, the former emphasizes gentle formulations for reactive skin types, whereas the latter focuses on restorative anti-aging results.

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 · A$202.89 · 88% fitBuy The INKEY List routine · A$220.70 · 84% fitSee multi-brand routine · 97% fit

The INKEY List vs RoC routines for oily skin

Buy The INKEY List routine · A$457.62 · 90% fitBuy RoC routine · A$423.36 · 87% fitSee multi-brand routine · 96% fit

The INKEY List vs RoC routines for combination skin

Buy The INKEY List routine · A$381.72 · 90% fitBuy RoC routine · A$366.84 · 85% fitSee multi-brand routine · 95% fit

Questions and answers

The INKEY List or RoC: which is better?

The INKEY List is better for gentle, affordable hydration and texture, while RoC is better for anti-aging and wrinkle reduction. Lovi rates The INKEY List as Superior for oily, combination, sensitive, acne-prone, skin with dark spots, and oily acne-prone skin, and High for dry skin, mature skin, and dry sensitive skin. Lovi rates RoC as High across all of these same skin types.

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

What is the difference between The INKEY List and RoC?

The INKEY List tends to be more affordable and better for a gentle, lightweight feel, while RoC focuses more on anti-aging and wrinkle reduction. For the products on this page, retinol helps smooth skin and stimulate collagen accumulation in naturally aged human skin.

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

The INKEY List or RoC for dry skin?

Both The INKEY List and RoC fit dry skin well, offering a High routine fit level for this skin type. The INKEY List features more hydrating and lightweight moisturizers on this page, while RoC brings strong anti-aging and wrinkle reduction.

The INKEY List or RoC: which cleanser is better?

The INKEY List offers the Salicylic Acid Cleanser, while RoC offers the BARRIER RENEW GEL-TO-FOAM CLEANSER, with the products on this page for both brands achieving a High Lovi fit level for acne-prone skin. RoC's cleanser is well-suited for dry sensitive skin, whereas The INKEY List's cleanser receives a Caution fit level for dry skin.

Which is more affordable, The INKEY List or RoC?

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

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 among the products on this page, while The INKEY List does better for gentle and soothing formulas. Retinol helps stimulate collagen accumulation in naturally aged skin.

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

Which brand has more fragrance-free products, The INKEY List or RoC?

The INKEY List has more fragrance-free products, as every product on its page lists no fragrance, whereas RoC features fragrance in two of its products.

How do the founding years and countries of origin compare between The INKEY List and RoC?

The INKEY List was founded in the United Kingdom in 2018, whereas RoC was founded in France in 1957.

The INKEY List or RoC for oily skin?

For oily skin, The INKEY List is a better fit with a Superior routine level compared to RoC's High level. The products on this page from The INKEY List feature lightweight and fast-absorbing formulas that help manage oily skin.

The INKEY List or RoC: which moisturizer is better?

The INKEY List offers the products on this page that are better known for providing affordable, lightweight hydration, while RoC focuses on anti-aging formulas with ingredients like retinol that help stimulate collagen accumulation in naturally aged skin.

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

The INKEY List or RoC for sensitive skin?

The INKEY List offers a Superior fit for sensitive skin, whereas RoC provides a High fit on the products on this page. Reviewers report that The INKEY List delivers a gentler and more soothing formula, while RoC is better known for anti-aging and wrinkle reduction.

The INKEY List or RoC for acne-prone skin?

For acne-prone skin, Lovi finds that The INKEY List has a Superior routine fit while RoC has 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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