🇺🇸United States

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 distinct skincare lines created for diverse complexions. The American brand pairs hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and salicylic acid in its targeted serums, nourishing moisturizers, gentle cleansers, and purifying masks to suit oily skin and combination skin best. Conversely, the British brand builds its moisturizers, serums, toners, and eye products around glycerin, making its formulations ideal for combination skin and sensitive skin. While both share an appreciation for barrier-supporting ingredients, they differ significantly in their founding eras, corporate ownership, and active ingredient concentrations.

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 Dermalogica routine · $424.99 · 87% fitBuy The INKEY List routine · $106.98 · 82% fitSee multi-brand routine · 99% fit

Dermalogica vs The INKEY List routines for oily skin

Buy Dermalogica routine · $501.02 · 92% fitBuy The INKEY List routine · $261.57 · 87% fitSee multi-brand routine · 98% fit

Dermalogica vs The INKEY List routines for combination skin

Buy Dermalogica routine · $560.50 · 91% fitBuy The INKEY List routine · $254.57 · 90% fitSee multi-brand routine · 97% fit

Questions and answers

Dermalogica or The INKEY List: which is better?

Both brands are great choices depending on your budget and skin goals, with The INKEY List offering more affordable lightweight options and Dermalogica providing deeper hydration. For sensitive skin, Lovi finds that The INKEY List has a Superior fit, while Dermalogica is a High fit.

What is the difference between Dermalogica and The INKEY List?

Dermalogica generally offers a higher routine fit for oily and oily acne-prone skin, whereas The INKEY List is particularly well-suited for sensitive skin. Both brands provide fragrance-free products, but reviewers frequently praise Dermalogica for deep hydration and The INKEY List for affordability.

Dermalogica or The INKEY List for dry skin?

Both Dermalogica and The INKEY List show High routine fit for dry skin. Dermalogica focuses on deep hydration and moisture, while The INKEY List provides budget-friendly options.

Dermalogica or The INKEY List: which cleanser is better?

Both Dermalogica and The INKEY List offer cleansers with a high fit for various skin types, but your choice depends on your specific skin needs and budget. Dermalogica features a wide selection of fragrance-free cleansers known for gentle, non-stripping formulas, whereas The INKEY List provides budget-friendly options like the Salicylic Acid Cleanser which helps with blemish-prone skin.

Which is more affordable, Dermalogica or The INKEY List?

The INKEY List is more affordable, as the products on this page are noted for their affordable price and value.

Which brand performs better for deep hydration and moisture?

Dermalogica performs better for deep hydration and moisture based on reviewer feedback. Both brands feature hyaluronic acid and glycerin across the products on this page to help retain moisture.

Journal of Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2015Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

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

Dermalogica was founded in 1986 in the United States, whereas The INKEY List was founded in 2018 in the United Kingdom.

Dermalogica or The INKEY List for oily skin?

For oily skin, Dermalogica has a Superior routine fit, whereas The INKEY List has a High routine fit on the products on this page.

Dermalogica or The INKEY List: which moisturizer is better?

Both brands offer solid moisturizer choices for different needs, with Dermalogica standing out for deep hydration and The INKEY List for lightweight texture and affordability. The products on this page from both lines feature key ingredients like glycerin and hyaluronic acid to help maintain moisture.

Dermatologic Therapy, 2022Journal of Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2015

Dermalogica or The INKEY List for sensitive skin?

For sensitive skin, both brands work well, but The INKEY List has a Superior routine fit compared to Dermalogica's High fit level on this page. Reviewers mention that both brands offer soothing and gentle options, though The INKEY List does better for soothing and calming properties overall.

Dermalogica or The INKEY List for acne-prone skin?

Both brands are a good choice for acne-prone skin, as their routines have a High fit for this skin type. Dermalogica has a brand-focused routine best suited for oily, combination, and oily acne-prone skin, while The INKEY List focuses its best routines on combination, sensitive, and oily acne-prone skin.

Dermalogica or The INKEY List for mature skin?

Both Dermalogica and The INKEY List fit mature skin at a High level on this page. Dermalogica features deep hydration and anti-aging options like its Retinol Clearing Oil, while The INKEY List offers affordable plumping items like its Polyglutamic Acid Serum.

The Journal of Investigative Dermatology, 2000

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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