La Roche-Posay vs The INKEY List
La Roche-Posay and The INKEY List are distinct skincare lines that offer specialized approaches to daily routines. The French brand provides nourishing serums, rich moisturizers, gentle cleansers, and targeted eye products formulated with glycerin, soothing thermal water, and niacinamide, while the British brand features moisturizers, serums, toners, eye products, and more built around glycerin. The first brand suits mature skin and skin with dark spots best, whereas its counterpart fits sensitive skin and combination skin best. They differ primarily in their heritage, active ingredient combinations, and ideal skin matches, allowing both to address varied complexion needs effectively.
La Roche-Posay is a French skincare brand founded in 1975 and owned by L'Oréal S.A. since 1989.
laroche-posay.com.aufr.wikipedia.org
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 La Roche-Posay and The INKEY List products; for every product of both brands, with a fit score for your own skin, use the Lovi app.
Popular La Roche-Posay vs The INKEY List products
People Say
Hydration and Moisture Mostly MentionedOften Mentioned
- “absorbs instantly — La Roche-Posay Toleriane Double Repair Face Moisturizer”
- “skin feels plump — La Roche-Posay Hyalu B5 Serum”
- “Super hydrating — The INKEY List Polyglutamic Acid Serum”
- “intense nourishment — The INKEY List Collagen Peptide Serum”
Fragrance-Free and Gentle Formulas Mostly MentionedSometimes Noted
- “Only cream that doesn't sting — La Roche-Posay Toleriane Dermallergo Eye Cream”
- “zero scent — La Roche-Posay Toleriane Double Repair Face Moisturizer”
- “doesn't clog pores — La Roche-Posay Anthelios”
- “Safe and gentle especially for my dry, sensitive skin — The INKEY List Oat Cleansing Balm”
Good Texture and Smooth Finish 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”
- “lightweight and absorbs quickly — La Roche-Posay Mela B3 Serum”
Skin Soothing and Redness Reduction Often MentionedSometimes Noted
- “Healed my surgery scar beautifully — La Roche-Posay Cicaplast Gel B5”
- “Calmed my skin after a chemical peel — La Roche-Posay Thermal Spring Water”
- “calmed my menopausal redness — The INKEY List ECTOIN HYDRO-BARRIER SERUM”
- “calms redness instantly — The INKEY List 10% Azelaic Acid Serum”
Affordability 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”
Skin Texture Improvement Often MentionedSometimes Noted
- “Skin feels smoother — La Roche-Posay Retinol B3 Serum”
- “Skin feels softer — La Roche-Posay Pure Vitamin C10 Serum”
- “skin feels velvety — La Roche-Posay Toleriane Double Repair Face Moisturizer”
- “Skin feels softer — The INKEY List PHA Toner”
Packaging and Pump Issues Often MentionedOften Mentioned
- “pump stops working — La Roche-Posay Lipikar AP+M Triple Repair Moisturizing Cream”
- “Pump stopped working halfway — La Roche-Posay Toleriane Dermallergo Eye Cream”
- “Pump breaks easily — The INKEY List Tranexamic Acid Serum”
- “Very difficult to squeeze out at first — The INKEY List Oat Cleansing Balm”
Strong Fragrance or Unpleasant Scent Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
- “scent is awful — La Roche-Posay Mela B3 Serum”
- “overwhelming floral smell — La Roche-Posay Hyalu B5 Serum”
- “Smells like BBQ/meat — The INKEY List Tranexamic Acid Serum”
- “Smells like chemicals — The INKEY List Polyglutamic Acid Serum”
Heavy, Greasy, or Sticky Feel Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
- “leaves a tacky residue — La Roche-Posay Hyalu B5 Serum”
- “feels very heavy — La Roche-Posay Lipikar AP+M Triple Repair Moisturizing Cream”
- “sticks to my pajamas — La Roche-Posay Lipikar AP+M Triple Repair Moisturizing Cream”
- “Feels tacky on skin — The INKEY List PHA Toner”
Ineffective or Lack of Results Rarely NotedSometimes Noted
- “didn't see any significant improvement — La Roche-Posay Mela B3 Serum”
- “Weaker retinol product — La Roche-Posay Retinol B3 Serum”
- “Did nothing for my redness — La Roche-Posay Thermal Spring Water”
- “didn't do anything for circles — The INKEY List Caffeine Eye Cream”
La Roche-Posay vs The INKEY List routines for dry skin
- Cleanser Toleriane Double Repair Face Moisturizer Morning · Evening · Once a week
-
Hydrating Toner
Paula's Choice Advanced Replenishing Toner
Morning
€34.00
-
Moisturizer
Pure Vitamin C Cream
Morning · Evening · Once a week
€29.95
-
SPF
Anthelios
Morning
€17.49
-
Pre-Cleanser
Respectissime Waterproof Eye Makeup Remover
Evening · Once a week
€17.75
-
Serum or Treatment
Cicaplast Baume B5+
Evening · Once a week
€10.95
-
Nourishing Mask
Abib Rice Probiotics Overnight Mask
Once a week
€15.30
-
Cleanser
Salicylic Acid Cleanser
Morning · Evening · Once a week
€10.00
-
Hydrating Toner
Paula's Choice Advanced Replenishing Toner
Morning
€34.00
- Moisturizer Collagen Peptide Serum Morning · Evening · Once a week
-
SPF
Purito Daily Soft Touch Sunscreen
Morning
€12.98
-
Pre-Cleanser
Oat Cleansing Balm
Evening · Once a week
€18.00
-
Serum or Treatment
10% Azelaic Acid Serum
Evening · Once a week
€11.00
-
Nourishing Mask
Abib Rice Probiotics Overnight Mask
Once a week
€15.30
La Roche-Posay vs The INKEY List routines for oily skin
-
Cleanser
Salicylic Acid Cleanser
Morning · Evening · Once a week
€10.00
-
Hydrating Toner
Paula's Choice Skin Balancing Pore-Reducing Toner
Morning · Once a week
€36.00
-
Moisturizer
Hyaluronic Acid Serum
Morning · Evening · Once a week
€6.95
-
SPF
d'Alba UVessence Mild Waterfull Sun Cream SPF 50
Morning
€16.99
-
Pre-Cleanser
Oat Cleansing Balm
Evening · Once a week
€18.00
-
Cleansing Toner
PHA Toner
Evening
€10.00
-
Serum or Treatment
10% Azelaic Acid Serum
Evening · Once a week
€11.00
-
Enzyme Powder
Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant
Once a week
€48.55
-
Cleansing Mask
VT Cosmetics Cica Purifying Mask
Once a week
€16.79
-
Cleanser
MELA B3 Facial Gel Cleanser
Morning · Evening · Once a week
€17.65
-
Hydrating Toner
Paula's Choice Skin Balancing Pore-Reducing Toner
Morning · Once a week
€36.00
-
Moisturizer
Toleriane Dermallergo Night Cream
Morning · Evening · Once a week
€21.35
-
SPF
Anthelios
Morning
€17.49
-
Pre-Cleanser
Micellar Water Ultra
Evening · Once a week
€17.85
-
Cleansing Toner
Caudalie Vinopure Purifying Toner
Evening
€16.90
-
Serum or Treatment
Cicaplast Baume B5+
Evening · Once a week
€10.95
-
Enzyme Powder
Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant
Once a week
€48.55
-
Cleansing Mask
Effaclar Mask
Once a week
€12.45
La Roche-Posay vs The INKEY List routines for combination skin
-
Cleanser
Salicylic Acid Cleanser
Morning · Evening · Once a week
€10.00
-
Hydrating Toner
Paula's Choice Skin Balancing Pore-Reducing Toner
Morning · Once a week
€36.00
-
Moisturizer
Polyglutamic Acid Serum
Morning · Evening · Once a week
€12.00
-
Pre-Cleanser
Oat Cleansing Balm
Evening · Once a week
€18.00
-
Cleansing Toner
Glycolic Acid Toner
Evening
€8.63
-
Serum or Treatment
10% Azelaic Acid Serum
Evening · Once a week
€11.00
-
Enzyme Powder
Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant
Once a week
€48.55
-
Cleansing Mask
Origins Original Skin Retexturizing Mask with Rose Clay
Once a week
€28.50
-
Cleanser
MELA B3 Facial Gel Cleanser
Morning · Evening · Once a week
€17.65
-
Hydrating Toner
Paula's Choice Skin Balancing Pore-Reducing Toner
Morning · Once a week
€36.00
-
Moisturizer
Toleriane Dermallergo Night Cream
Morning · Evening · Once a week
€21.35
-
SPF
Anthelios
Morning
€17.49
-
Pre-Cleanser
Respectissime Waterproof Eye Makeup Remover
Evening · Once a week
€17.75
-
Cleansing Toner
Medicube Zero Pore Pad 2.0
Evening
€16.98
-
Serum or Treatment
Cicaplast Baume B5+
Evening · Once a week
€10.95
-
Enzyme Powder
Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant
Once a week
€48.55
-
Cleansing Mask
Effaclar Mask
Once a week
€12.45
Questions and answers
La Roche-Posay or The INKEY List: which is better?
Both brands offer great options, with The INKEY List performing better for affordability and sensitive skin, while La Roche-Posay excels in fragrance-free formulas and skin texture improvement. For instance, topical hyaluronic acid helps improve skin quality and signs of aging.
Dermatologic Therapy, 2022Journal of Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2015
What is the difference between La Roche-Posay and The INKEY List?
La Roche-Posay is a French brand owned by L'Oréal S.A., while The INKEY List is a UK brand founded in 2018. For sensitive skin, The INKEY List achieves a Superior fit level on this page compared to La Roche-Posay's High level. Additionally, every product on The INKEY List page lists no fragrance, whereas 14 of the 35 products on the La Roche-Posay page contain fragrance.
La Roche-Posay or The INKEY List for dry skin?
Both La Roche-Posay and The INKEY List fit dry skin with a High routine fit level on this page. Reviewers report that both brands provide hydrating moisturizers, and every product on The INKEY List page lists no fragrance.
La Roche-Posay or The INKEY List: which cleanser is better?
Both brands offer effective cleansers, but The INKEY List scores better for affordability and value, while the products on this page from La Roche-Posay are better for fragrance-free and gentle formulas.
Which is more affordable, La Roche-Posay or The INKEY List?
The INKEY List does better for affordability and value among the products on this page. Reviewers note that The INKEY List offers affordable moisturizers and affordable serums.
Which brand has more fragrance-free products, La Roche-Posay or The INKEY List?
The INKEY List has more fragrance-free products, as every product on its page lists no fragrance. In comparison, La Roche-Posay has 21 of its 35 products on the page listing no fragrance.
How do the origins and ownership of La Roche-Posay and The INKEY List differ?
La Roche-Posay was founded in 1975 in France and has been owned by L'Oréal S.A. since 1989. In contrast, The INKEY List was founded in 2018 in the United Kingdom and is owned by Brand Evangelists for Beauty Limited.
Which brand performs better for skin texture improvement according to review themes?
La Roche-Posay performs better for skin texture improvement according to review themes. Every product on The INKEY List page lists no fragrance, whereas La Roche-Posay includes fragrance in some of its formulas.
La Roche-Posay or The INKEY List for oily skin?
Both La Roche-Posay and The INKEY List fit oily skin at a High level. Reviewers find that The INKEY List offers better affordability and value, while La Roche-Posay delivers better skin texture improvement.
La Roche-Posay or The INKEY List: which moisturizer is better?
Both brands offer moisturizers that help hydrate and soothe the skin well. The INKEY List tends to be more affordable and lightweight, while La Roche-Posay provides fragrance-free options and is well-suited for sensitive skin.
La Roche-Posay or The INKEY List for sensitive skin?
The INKEY List fits sensitive skin better, as Lovi rates its routine as Superior compared to High for La Roche-Posay. The products on this page from The INKEY List also list no fragrance in their ingredients.
La Roche-Posay or The INKEY List for acne-prone skin?
Both La Roche-Posay and The INKEY List fit acne-prone skin well, with equal routine fit levels on this page. Reviewers report that The INKEY List offers more affordable moisturizers and serums.
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
Vitamin C-squalene bioconjugate promotes epidermal thickening and collagen production in human skin
Ethosomes of Phenylethyl Resorcinol as Vesicular Delivery System for Skin Lightening Applications
The moisturizing effects of glycolipid biosurfactants, mannosylerythritol lipids, on human skin
A comparative study of gluconolactone versus benzoyl peroxide in the treatment of acne
A Bayesian network meta-analysis of 14 molecules inhibiting UV daylight-induced pigmentation
Chemical peels for acne vulgaris: a systematic review of randomised controlled trials
Amino acid complex (AAComplex) benefits in cosmetic products: In vitro and in vivo clinical studies
Comparative benefit of two thermal spring waters after photodynamic therapy procedure
Comprehensive assessment of the efficacy and safety of a clay mask in oily and acne skin
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
Histometric assessment of the age-related skin response to 2-hydroxy-5-octanoyl benzoic acid
Nanocomplex of quaternized cyclodextrin grafted chitosan and hyaluronic acid for a skin delivery
Darutoside promotes skin wound healing via regulating macrophage polarization
Treatment with Ascorbyl Glucoside-Arginine Complex Ameliorates Solar Lentigos
Retrospective Review of Dermal Safety Studies of Organic Sunscreens
Effects of an ultraviolet B radiation absorber on photocarcinogenesis in hairless albino mice
In vitro analysis of immunoprotective effects of topical sunscreens
Targeting Circadian Rhythm for the Regulation of Skin Collagen Metabolism
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
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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
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Medical Board, Medical Advisor
Dermatology MD
-

Elina Nazarenko, MD
Medical Board
Dermatology and diagnostic consultant
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Victoria Derkova, MS
Medical Board
Cosmetic chemist, cosmetic development technologist
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