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The INKEY List vs SK-II

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

The INKEY List and SK-II are distinct skincare lines, with the former being a British brand founded in 2018 and the latter a Japanese brand founded in 1980. The British line offers moisturizers, serums, toners, eye products, and more built around glycerin, suiting sensitive and acne-prone skin best, while the Japanese brand provides thoughtfully formulated moisturizers, nourishing serums, rejuvenating masks, refreshing toners, and more anchored by pitera, suiting acne-prone and dry skin best. Both brands differ in their founding eras, origins, ownership, and signature ingredients, yet each addresses targeted concerns such as dark spots and aging through carefully crafted products.

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

cosmeticsbusiness.comprnewswire.comtheinkeylist.comtracxn.com

SK-II is a Japanese skincare brand founded in 1980 and owned by The Procter & Gamble Company since 1991.

en.wikipedia.orgdiscoversk-ii.wixsite.comglossy.co

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

Popular The INKEY List vs SK-II products

People Say

The INKEY ListSK-II
  • Texture and Absorption Mostly MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “sits beautifully under makeup — The INKEY List Caffeine Eye Cream”
    • “Gel consistency — The INKEY List Tranexamic Acid Serum”
    • “drinks right into the skin — SK-II Facial Treatment Essence”
    • “pores became miraculously invisible — SK-II Facial Treatment Mask”
  • Hydration and Moisture Often MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “Super hydrating — The INKEY List Polyglutamic Acid Serum”
    • “intense nourishment — The INKEY List Collagen Peptide Serum”
    • “flooded my skin with moisture — SK-II Facial Treatment Mask”
    • “skin feels deeply hydrated, plump, and smoother — SK-II Skinpower Advanced Cream”
  • Glow, Radiance, and Skin Tone Not notedMostly Mentioned
    • “skin feels soft as butter — SK-II Facial Treatment Essence”
    • “gives a glass skin look — SK-II Facial Treatment Essence”
    • “leaves me with a red carpet glow — SK-II Facial Treatment Mask”
  • Price and Value Mostly MentionedNot 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”
  • General Effectiveness and Results Often MentionedRarely Noted
    • “skin looks fresh and plump — The INKEY List Collagen Peptide Serum”
    • “Great for sensitive skin — The INKEY List PHA Toner”
    • “Safe and gentle especially for my dry, sensitive skin — The INKEY List Oat Cleansing Balm”
    • “reducing the appearance of fine lines — SK-II Skinpower Advanced Cream”
  • Makeup Compatibility and Removal Often MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “Melts away makeup and impurities without drying — The INKEY List Oat Cleansing Balm”
    • “no pilling under makeup — The INKEY List Hyaluronic Acid Serum”
    • “Removes leftover dirt — SK-II Facial Treatment Clear Lotion”
    • “Dissolves waterproof mascara, melts stubborn makeup, removes sunscreen easily. — SK-II Facial Treatment Cleansing Oil”
  • High Price Not notedMostly Mentioned
    • “way too expensive — SK-II Facial Treatment Essence”
  • Lack of Results or Performance Often MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “didn't do anything for circles — The INKEY List Caffeine Eye Cream”
    • “did absolutely nothing — The INKEY List Caffeine Eye Cream”
    • “did absolutely nothing — SK-II Facial Treatment Essence”
    • “No visible difference — SK-II Facial Treatment Clear Lotion”
  • Scent and Fragrance Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
    • “Smells like BBQ/meat — The INKEY List Tranexamic Acid Serum”
    • “Smells like chemicals — The INKEY List Polyglutamic Acid Serum”
    • “smells like dirty feet — SK-II Facial Treatment Essence”
    • “smells slightly like saliva — SK-II Facial Treatment Mask”
  • Packaging Issues Often MentionedRarely Noted
    • “cotton is too thick and heavy — SK-II Facial Treatment Mask”
    • “Pump breaks easily — The INKEY List Tranexamic Acid Serum”

The INKEY List vs SK-II routines for dry skin

Buy SK-II routine · A$1,400.12 · 90% fitBuy The INKEY List routine · A$220.70 · 84% fitSee multi-brand routine · 97% fit

The INKEY List vs SK-II routines for oily skin

Buy The INKEY List routine · A$457.62 · 90% fitBuy SK-II routine · A$1,436.99 · 89% fitSee multi-brand routine · 96% fit

The INKEY List vs SK-II routines for combination skin

Buy The INKEY List routine · A$381.72 · 90% fitBuy SK-II routine · A$1,429.91 · 88% fitSee multi-brand routine · 95% fit

Questions and answers

The INKEY List or SK-II: which is better?

Both brands perform well, but The INKEY List offers better price and value along with higher general effectiveness and results, while SK-II does better for glow, radiance, and skin tone. Reviewers note that the products on this page from The INKEY List provide affordable moisturizers and serums.

What is the difference between The INKEY List and SK-II?

The INKEY List offers more affordable skincare options with strong results, while SK-II performs better for glow, radiance, and skin tone. Both brands feature fragrance-free product ranges on this page.

The INKEY List or SK-II for dry skin?

For dry skin, SK-II offers a Superior routine fit while The INKEY List provides a High routine fit. Reviewers indicate that both brands perform equally well for hydration and moisture.

The INKEY List or SK-II: which moisturizer is better?

The INKEY List offers affordable moisturizers on this page that reviewers often mention as hydrating, lightweight, fast-absorbing, and plumping, while SK-II features popular options like its Facial Treatment Essence.

Which is more affordable, The INKEY List or SK-II?

The INKEY List offers better price and value among the products on this page compared to SK-II. Reviewers often mention its affordable moisturizers and serums.

How do the founding years and countries of origin compare between The INKEY List and SK-II?

The INKEY List was founded in the United Kingdom in 2018, whereas SK-II was founded in Japan in 1980.

Which brand has better performance in terms of glow, radiance, and skin tone according to review themes?

SK-II has better performance in terms of glow, radiance, and skin tone according to the review themes.

What are the key ingredients used across the products for The INKEY List versus SK-II?

The INKEY List features Glycerin as a key ingredient across the products on this page, whereas SK-II relies on Pitera. Every product on this page for both brands lists no fragrance in its ingredients.

The INKEY List or SK-II for oily skin?

For oily skin, The INKEY List has a Superior routine fit, while SK-II offers a High routine fit. The INKEY List products on this page are also noted by reviewers for offering better price and value.

The INKEY List or SK-II for sensitive skin?

The INKEY List is a better choice for sensitive skin because Lovi rates its routine as Superior, whereas SK-II rates its routine as High. Reviewers also note that the products on this page from The INKEY List are affordable.

The INKEY List or SK-II for acne-prone skin?

Both The INKEY List and SK-II offer a Superior routine fit for acne-prone skin. The products on this page for The INKEY List provide affordable options with key ingredients like Glycerin, while SK-II features Pitera as a key ingredient.

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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