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The INKEY List vs Minimalist

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

The INKEY List and Minimalist are accessible skincare brands built around specialized formulations and targeted ingredients. The British brand features moisturizers, serums, toners, and eye products anchored by glycerin to suit sensitive and combination skin, whereas the Indian brand offers sunscreens, moisturizers, and cleansers best suited for acne-prone and oily skin. Both companies excel through distinct product strengths, such as the former brand offering a PHA toner, azelaic acid serum, and ceramide moisturizer, while the latter brand provides a salicylic acid cleanser, sunscreen, and vitamin B5 moisturizer. Ultimately, they differ in their foundational ingredients and regional origins, offering tailored solutions for diverse complexion needs.

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

cosmeticsbusiness.comprnewswire.comtheinkeylist.comtracxn.com

Minimalist is an Indian skincare brand founded in 2020 and owned by Unilever PLC since 2025.

m.economictimes.comunilever.combeminimalist.copersonalcareinsights.com

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

Popular The INKEY List vs Minimalist products

People Say

The INKEY ListMinimalist
  • Soothing, Barrier Repair, and Gentle Formula Often MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “doesn't make skin feel tight — Minimalist Salicylic Acid + LHA 2% Face Cleanser”
    • “love the niacinamide — Minimalist SPF 50 Sunscreen”
    • “zero smell — Minimalist Vitamin B5 10% Moisturizer”
    • “Safe and gentle especially for my dry, sensitive skin — The INKEY List Oat Cleansing Balm”
  • Lightweight Texture and Fast Absorption 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 quickly and doesn't feel greasy — Minimalist Vitamin B5 10% Moisturizer”
  • Hydration and Moisture Often MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “Super hydrating — The INKEY List Polyglutamic Acid Serum”
    • “intense nourishment — The INKEY List Collagen Peptide Serum”
    • “very moisturizing — Minimalist SPF 50 Sunscreen”
    • “calmed it when my skin was super irritated — Minimalist Vitamin B5 10% Moisturizer”
  • Acne and Oil 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”
    • “acne cleared up in a week — Minimalist Salicylic Acid + LHA 2% Face Cleanser”
    • “keeps skin oil-free for hours — Minimalist Salicylic Acid + LHA 2% Face Cleanser”
  • Performance under Makeup and Sun Protection Often MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “Melts away makeup and impurities without drying — The INKEY List Oat Cleansing Balm”
    • “no pilling under makeup — The INKEY List Hyaluronic Acid Serum”
    • “leaves absolutely no white cast — Minimalist SPF 50 Sunscreen”
    • “prevented tanning on vacation — Minimalist SPF 50 Sunscreen”
  • Affordable 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”
  • Texture and Formulation Inconsistencies Mostly MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “Smells like BBQ/meat — The INKEY List Tranexamic Acid Serum”
    • “Tube leaks liquified oil when opened — The INKEY List Oat Cleansing Balm”
    • “consistency is like water — Minimalist Salicylic Acid + LHA 2% Face Cleanser”
    • “smells like chemicals — Minimalist Salicylic Acid + LHA 2% Face Cleanser”
  • Sticky, Tacky, or Greasy Finish Sometimes NotedMostly 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”
    • “makes face very oily — Minimalist SPF 50 Sunscreen”
  • Packaging Issues Often MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “cap leaks during travel — Minimalist Salicylic Acid + LHA 2% Face Cleanser”
    • “Pump breaks easily — The INKEY List Tranexamic Acid Serum”
  • Ineffective Results or Insufficient Moisture Often MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “not moisturizing enough — Minimalist Vitamin B5 10% Moisturizer”
    • “face looked dull — Minimalist Vitamin B5 10% Moisturizer”
    • “didn't do anything for circles — The INKEY List Caffeine Eye Cream”

The INKEY List vs Minimalist routines for dry skin

See multi-brand routine · 99% fit

The INKEY List vs Minimalist routines for oily skin

See multi-brand routine · 96% fit

The INKEY List vs Minimalist routines for combination skin

See multi-brand routine · 96% fit

Questions and answers

The INKEY List or Minimalist: which is better?

Both brands offer solid options, but Minimalist achieves Superior routine fit levels for oily, combination, and acne-prone skin types. Meanwhile, The INKEY List provides a wider variety of affordable moisturizers and serums with fragrance-free formulas.

What is the difference between The INKEY List and Minimalist?

The INKEY List offers a larger range of fragrance-free products on this page with lower prices and better lightweight textures, whereas Minimalist tends to provide better soothing and barrier repair formulas. Both brands feature high routine fits for dry, mature, dark spot, and dry sensitive skin types.

The INKEY List or Minimalist for dry skin?

For dry skin, both The INKEY List and Minimalist offer a High routine fit on the products on this page. Reviewers note that The INKEY List delivers affordable and hydrating moisturizers, while Minimalist provides soothing and gentle formulas.

The INKEY List or Minimalist: which moisturizer is better?

The INKEY List offers a wider variety of moisturizers on this page that reviewers often mention as hydrating, lightweight, and affordable. Minimalist also provides effective options, with reviewer feedback indicating that the brand tends to do better for soothing and barrier repair.

Which is more affordable, The INKEY List or Minimalist?

The INKEY List does better for affordable price and value, offering budget-friendly options across the products on this page.

Where and when were The INKEY List and Minimalist founded?

The INKEY List was founded in 2018 in the United Kingdom, and Minimalist was founded in 2020 in India.

Which brand performs better for soothing, barrier repair, and gentle formulas?

Minimalist performs better for soothing, barrier repair, and gentle formulas among the products on this page.

Do any products from The INKEY List or Minimalist contain fragrance?

Every product on this page from The INKEY List and Minimalist lists no fragrance in its ingredients.

The INKEY List or Minimalist for oily skin?

For oily skin, Minimalist is a better choice because Lovi rates its routine fit as Superior, whereas The INKEY List routine fit is High.

The INKEY List or Minimalist for sensitive skin?

Lovi finds The INKEY List is a better fit for sensitive skin, achieving a Superior level compared to a High level for Minimalist.

The INKEY List or Minimalist for acne-prone skin?

For acne-prone skin, Minimalist has a superior routine fit compared to The INKEY List.

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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