celimax vs The INKEY List
celimax and The INKEY List are distinct skincare brands offering targeted daily essentials, with the former originating in Korea in 2019 and the latter founded in Britain in 2018. The Korean brand is known for thoughtful serums, moisturizers, toners, and makeup removers featuring carefully selected ingredients, while the British brand focuses on glycerin-based moisturizers, serums, toners, and eye products. Both options suit sensitive skin, though the former best serves acne-prone skin and the latter fits combination skin. They differ primarily in their formulation approaches and regional origins, with the former utilizing gentle yet effective compositions and the latter building its products around hydration and barrier restoration.
celimax is a Korean skincare brand founded in 2019 and owned by ABSORBLAB Co., Ltd..
The INKEY List is a British skincare brand founded in 2018 and owned by Brand Evangelists for Beauty Limited.
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This page compares some of the most popular celimax and The INKEY List products; for every product of both brands, with a fit score for your own skin, use the Lovi app.
Popular celimax vs The INKEY List products
People Say
Lightweight and Fast-Absorbing Texture Often MentionedMostly 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 incredibly fast — celimax Pore+Dark Spot Brightening Serum”
Hydration and Moisture Often MentionedOften Mentioned
- “Skin stays soft throughout the day — celimax Dual Barrier Creamy Toner”
- “gives a very beautiful glow to your skin — celimax Noni Ampoule”
- “Super hydrating — The INKEY List Polyglutamic Acid Serum”
- “intense nourishment — The INKEY List Collagen Peptide Serum”
Soothing, Calming, and Barrier Repair Mostly MentionedOften Mentioned
- “calms my face redness upon application — celimax Noni Ampoule”
- “Helped restore skin after chemical peels — celimax Dual Barrier Skin Wearable Cream”
- “cleans deeply without stripping — celimax Noni Acne Bubble Cleanser”
- “Safe and gentle especially for my dry, sensitive skin — The INKEY List Oat Cleansing Balm”
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”
Acne Clearing and Oil Control Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
- “Free of active acne — The INKEY List Salicylic Acid Cleanser”
- “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”
- “effectively controls oil, leaving a matte finish without making the skin feel greasy — celimax Oil Control Light Sunscreen”
Texture Improvement and Exfoliation Often MentionedSometimes Noted
- “glass-like smoothness — celimax RETINAL SHOT”
- “skin feels noticeably smoother — celimax Heartleaf BHA Peeling Pad”
- “skin feels noticeably smoother — celimax Ji.Woo.Gae Cica BHA Blemish Toner Pad”
- “Great for sensitive skin — The INKEY List PHA Toner”
Packaging and Dispenser Issues Often MentionedOften Mentioned
- “tiny — celimax RETINAL SHOT”
- “pump shoots out — celimax Derma Nature Fresh Blackhead Jojoba Cleansing Oil”
- “Pump breaks easily — The INKEY List Tranexamic Acid Serum”
- “Very difficult to squeeze out at first — The INKEY List Oat Cleansing Balm”
Texture Problems and Inconsistencies Rarely NotedSometimes Noted
- “leaves a white cast this is not suitable for deeper skin tone — celimax Oil Control Light Sunscreen”
- “Felt a bit suffocating in summer — celimax Dual Barrier Skin Wearable Cream”
- “Pills if I apply foundation over it — celimax Dual Barrier Skin Wearable Cream”
- “Tube leaks liquified oil when opened — The INKEY List Oat Cleansing Balm”
Sticky, Tacky, or Heavy Residue Rarely NotedOften Mentioned
- “slight yellow tint — celimax RETINAL SHOT”
- “tacky finish — celimax Pore+Dark Spot Brightening Pad”
- “slightly tacky finish — celimax Heartleaf BHA Peeling Pad”
- “Feels tacky on skin — The INKEY List PHA Toner”
Lack of Results or Ineffectiveness Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
- “didn't notice pore reduction — celimax Pore+Dark Spot Brightening Serum”
- “results take time — celimax Pore+Dark Spot Brightening Serum”
- “didn't do anything for circles — The INKEY List Caffeine Eye Cream”
- “did absolutely nothing — The INKEY List Caffeine Eye Cream”
celimax vs The INKEY List routines for dry skin
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Cleanser
Salicylic Acid Cleanser
Morning · Evening · Once a week
€6.50
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Hydrating Toner
COSRX Propolis Synergy Toner
Morning
€18.55
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Moisturizer
Polyglutamic Acid Serum
Morning · Evening · Once a week
€33.00
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SPF
Purito Daily Soft Touch Sunscreen
Morning
€12.98
-
Pre-Cleanser
Oat Cleansing Balm
Evening · Once a week
€13.80
-
Serum or Treatment
10% Azelaic Acid Serum
Evening · Once a week
€12.00
-
Nourishing Mask
Anua Heartleaf 77% Soothing Sheet Mask
Once a week
€19.90
-
Cleanser
Noni Acne Bubble Cleanser
Morning · Evening · Once a week
€18.00
-
Hydrating Toner
Dual Barrier Creamy Toner
Morning
€18.00
-
Moisturizer
Dual Barrier Skin Wearable Cream
Morning · Evening · Once a week
€18.99
-
SPF
Purito Daily Soft Touch Sunscreen
Morning
€12.98
-
Pre-Cleanser
Derma Nature Fresh Blackhead Jojoba Cleansing Oil
Evening · Once a week
€16.90
-
Serum or Treatment
Noni Ampoule
Evening · Once a week
€15.60
-
Nourishing Mask
Anua Heartleaf 77% Soothing Sheet Mask
Once a week
€19.90
celimax vs The INKEY List routines for oily skin
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Cleanser
Salicylic Acid Cleanser
Morning · Evening · Once a week
€6.50
-
Hydrating Toner
Some By Mi Snail Truecica Miracle Repair Toner
Morning · Once a week
€19.99
-
Moisturizer
Hyaluronic Acid Serum
Morning · Evening · Once a week
€10.00
-
SPF
make p:rem UV Defense Me Blue Ray Sun Cream
Morning
€34.30
-
Pre-Cleanser
Oat Cleansing Balm
Evening · Once a week
€13.80
-
Cleansing Toner
Glycolic Acid Toner
Evening
€11.21
-
Serum or Treatment
10% Azelaic Acid Serum
Evening · Once a week
€12.00
-
Enzyme Powder
Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant
Once a week
€49.00
-
Cleansing Mask
HERBIVORE Botanicals Blue Tansy BHA and Enzyme Pore Refining Mask
Once a week
€79.97
-
Cleanser
Noni Acne Bubble Cleanser
Morning · Evening · Once a week
€18.00
-
Hydrating Toner
Dual Barrier Creamy Toner
Morning · Once a week
€18.00
-
Moisturizer
Dual Barrier Skin Wearable Cream
Morning · Evening · Once a week
€18.99
-
SPF
make p:rem UV Defense Me Blue Ray Sun Cream
Morning
€34.30
-
Pre-Cleanser
Derma Nature Fresh Blackhead Jojoba Cleansing Oil
Evening · Once a week
€16.90
-
Cleansing Toner
Ji.Woo.Gae Cica BHA Blemish Toner Pad
Evening
€20.90
-
Serum or Treatment
Heartleaf BHA Peeling Pad
Evening · Once a week
€18.83
-
Enzyme Powder
Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant
Once a week
€49.00
-
Cleansing Mask
HERBIVORE Botanicals Blue Tansy BHA and Enzyme Pore Refining Mask
Once a week
€79.97
celimax vs The INKEY List routines for combination skin
-
Cleanser
Salicylic Acid Cleanser
Morning · Evening · Once a week
€6.50
-
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
€33.00
-
Pre-Cleanser
Oat Cleansing Balm
Evening · Once a week
€13.80
-
Cleansing Toner
Glycolic Acid Toner
Evening
€11.21
-
Serum or Treatment
10% Azelaic Acid Serum
Evening · Once a week
€12.00
-
Enzyme Powder
Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant
Once a week
€49.00
-
Cleansing Mask
HERBIVORE Botanicals Blue Tansy BHA and Enzyme Pore Refining Mask
Once a week
€79.97
-
Cleanser
Noni Acne Bubble Cleanser
Morning · Evening · Once a week
€18.00
-
Hydrating Toner
Dual Barrier Creamy Toner
Morning · Once a week
€18.00
-
Moisturizer
Dual Barrier Skin Wearable Cream
Morning · Evening · Once a week
€18.99
-
Pre-Cleanser
Derma Nature Fresh Blackhead Jojoba Cleansing Oil
Evening · Once a week
€16.90
-
Cleansing Toner
Ji.Woo.Gae Cica BHA Blemish Toner Pad
Evening
€20.90
-
Serum or Treatment
Heartleaf BHA Peeling Pad
Evening · Once a week
€18.83
-
Enzyme Powder
Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant
Once a week
€49.00
-
Cleansing Mask
HERBIVORE Botanicals Blue Tansy BHA and Enzyme Pore Refining Mask
Once a week
€79.97
Questions and answers
celimax or The INKEY List: which is better?
Both brands offer strong options, but The INKEY List is a better fit for sensitive skin where Lovi rates it as Superior. Reviewers note that The INKEY List delivers a more lightweight texture and better value, while celimax excels in soothing and barrier repair.
What is the difference between celimax and The INKEY List?
Both celimax and The INKEY List offer fragrance-free skincare products, but they differ in their strengths and routine fits. celimax is better suited for soothing, calming, and barrier repair, while The INKEY List excels in providing lightweight textures, affordable prices, and effective acne clearing and oil control.
celimax or The INKEY List for dry skin?
For dry skin, The INKEY List is a better fit with a High routine fit level compared to celimax's Average level. Both brands offer products on this page that help with hydration, but reviewers note that The INKEY List delivers more lightweight and affordable moisturizers.
celimax or The INKEY List: which cleanser is better?
Both brands offer solid cleansers for the products on this page, but The INKEY List does better for acne clearing and oil control. Reviewers of celimax sometimes note dispenser and packaging issues.
Which is more affordable, celimax or The INKEY List?
The INKEY List does better than celimax for affordable price and value among the products on this page.
Between celimax and The INKEY List, which brand is better for soothing, calming, and barrier repair?
celimax is better for soothing, calming, and barrier repair.
Which brand performs better for texture improvement and exfoliation, celimax or The INKEY List?
celimax performs better for texture improvement and exfoliation among the products on this page. Reviewers note that celimax helps smooth skin texture effectively.
How do the founding years and home countries of celimax and The INKEY List compare?
celimax was founded in 2019 in South Korea, whereas The INKEY List was founded earlier in 2018 in the United Kingdom.
celimax or The INKEY List for oily skin?
Both brands are a High fit for oily skin, but they differ in their strengths. celimax excels in soothing and texture improvement, whereas The INKEY List offers lightweight textures and acne-clearing benefits.
celimax or The INKEY List: which moisturizer is better?
Both celimax and The INKEY List offer well-reviewed hydrating moisturizers, but celimax is notable for its soothing, calming, and barrier-repairing benefits. The INKEY List products on this page stand out for providing lightweight, fast-absorbing textures and affordable value.
celimax or The INKEY List for sensitive skin?
For sensitive skin, both brands are great options, with Lovi rating celimax as High and The INKEY List as Superior. Reviewers note that celimax does better for soothing, calming, and barrier repair, while every product on this page for both brands lists no fragrance in its ingredients.
celimax or The INKEY List for acne-prone skin?
Both celimax and The INKEY List are well-suited for acne-prone skin, with the products on this page offering high routine fit levels for this skin type. The INKEY List does better for acne clearing and oil control, while celimax does better for soothing, calming, and barrier repair.
Research behind their key ingredients
Titanium dioxide and zinc oxide nanoparticles in sunscreens: focus on their safety and effectiveness
The effect of niacinamide on reducing cutaneous pigmentation and suppression of melanosome transfer
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
Effect of Camellia japonica oil on human type I procollagen production and skin barrier function
The moisturizing effects of glycolipid biosurfactants, mannosylerythritol lipids, on human skin
Protective effects of Camellia japonica flower extract against urban air pollutants
A comparative study of gluconolactone versus benzoyl peroxide in the treatment of acne
Chemical peels for acne vulgaris: a systematic review of randomised controlled trials
Morinda citrifolia Linn. (Rubiaceae) leaf extracts mitigate UVB-induced erythema
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
Darutoside promotes skin wound healing via regulating macrophage polarization
Treatment with Ascorbyl Glucoside-Arginine Complex Ameliorates Solar Lentigos
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
-

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
-

Medical Board, Medical Advisor
Dermatology MD
-

Elina Nazarenko, MD
Medical Board
Dermatology and diagnostic consultant
-

Victoria Derkova, MS
Medical Board
Cosmetic chemist, cosmetic development technologist
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