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The INKEY List vs Elemis

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

The INKEY List and Elemis are British skincare brands offering specialized products built around hydrating glycerin. The INKEY List focuses on targeted moisturizers, serums, toners, and eye products that suit sensitive and combination skin best, while the brand also features specific solutions for acne, dark spots, and mature skin. Meanwhile, Elemis is celebrated for nourishing serums, rich moisturizers, gentle cleansers, and refreshing toners anchored by glycerin and softening shea, making them ideal for mature and dry skin. Although both brands utilize glycerin to significantly increase skin hydration and restore barrier function, the second brand further incorporates shea butter to reduce inflammation and relieve skin pruritus.

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

cosmeticsbusiness.comprnewswire.comtheinkeylist.comtracxn.com

Elemis is a British skincare brand founded in 1989 and owned by L'Occitane Group since 2019.

elemis.comau.elemis.comen.wikipedia.org

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

Popular The INKEY List vs Elemis products

People Say

The INKEY ListElemis
  • Hydration and Moisture Often MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “Super hydrating — The INKEY List Polyglutamic Acid Serum”
    • “intense nourishment — The INKEY List Collagen Peptide Serum”
    • “The cream really hydrates and my face looks amazing. — Elemis Pro-Collagen Night Cream”
    • “Quenches thirsty skin... immediate improvement. — Elemis Pro-Collagen Marine Cream”
  • Lightweight and Fast-Absorbing Texture 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 almost immediately, and my skin feels well hydrated all day. — Elemis Pro-Collagen Marine Cream”
  • Gentle and Soothing Formula Often MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “Great for sensitive skin — The INKEY List PHA Toner”
    • “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”
    • “no stinging or redness — Elemis Papaya Enzyme Peel”
  • 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”
  • Skin Smoothing and Texture Improvement Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
    • “baby soft — Elemis Dynamic Resurfacing Facial Pads”
    • “skin feels baby soft — Elemis Papaya Enzyme Peel”
    • “skin feels baby-soft — Elemis Dynamic Resurfacing Facial Wash”
    • “Skin feels softer — The INKEY List PHA Toner”
  • Acne and Blemish Control Often MentionedNot noted
    • “Free of active acne — The INKEY List Salicylic Acid Cleanser”
    • “calms redness instantly — The INKEY List 10% Azelaic Acid Serum”
    • “Skin instantly looks less oily — The INKEY List Salicylic Acid Cleanser”
  • High Price Point Not notedMostly Mentioned
    • “Complete waste of money for me. — Elemis Pro-Collagen Marine Cream”
  • Fragrance and Scent Issues Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
    • “Smells like BBQ/meat — The INKEY List Tranexamic Acid Serum”
    • “Smells like chemicals — The INKEY List Polyglutamic Acid Serum”
    • “smells plasticky — The INKEY List ECTOIN HYDRO-BARRIER SERUM”
    • “The smell is very strong... could not handle for long. — Elemis Pro-Collagen Marine Cream”
  • Packaging Issues Often MentionedRarely Noted
    • “jar looks half empty — Elemis Superfood Midnight Facial”
    • “tube feels half empty — Elemis Papaya Enzyme Peel”
    • “pump broke quickly — Elemis Dynamic Resurfacing Facial Wash”
    • “Pump breaks easily — The INKEY List Tranexamic Acid Serum”

The INKEY List vs Elemis routines for dry skin

See multi-brand routine · 98% fit

The INKEY List vs Elemis routines for oily skin

See multi-brand routine · 97% fit

The INKEY List vs Elemis routines for combination skin

See multi-brand routine · 96% fit

Questions and answers

The INKEY List or Elemis: which is better?

The INKEY List tends to be better for value and gentle formulas, while Elemis is often chosen for luxurious textures and skin smoothing. Both brands offer products on this page that help hydrate and nourish the skin.

What is the difference between The INKEY List and Elemis?

The INKEY List offers more affordable, fragrance-free products on this page that are well-suited for sensitive skin, whereas Elemis provides a more luxurious, higher-priced range featuring strong fragrances that often targets mature and dry skin. Both brands are owned by parent companies based in the United Kingdom, with The INKEY List founded in 2018 and Elemis founded in 1989.

The INKEY List or Elemis for dry skin?

Both The INKEY List and Elemis offer a high routine fit for dry skin with their products on this page. The INKEY List helps provide affordable hydration and lightweight textures without fragrance, while Elemis helps deliver a radiant glow and smoother skin texture through luxurious formulations.

The INKEY List or Elemis: which cleanser is better?

The INKEY List offers a superior gentle and soothing formula, while Elemis performs better for skin smoothing and texture improvement among the products on this page. Both brands achieve a high routine fit level for various skin types.

Which is more affordable, The INKEY List or Elemis?

The INKEY List is more affordable, as the products on this page offer budget-friendly prices and value. Elemis reviewers, by contrast, frequently mention a high price point.

Which brand has more products without fragrance, The INKEY List or Elemis?

The INKEY List has more products without fragrance, as every product on its page lists no fragrance in its ingredients. In comparison, Elemis has only 4 of 22 products on its page that list no fragrance.

How do the founding years and parent companies of The INKEY List and Elemis compare?

The INKEY List was founded in 2018 in the United Kingdom and is owned by Brand Evangelists for Beauty Limited. In contrast, Elemis was founded earlier in 1989 in the United Kingdom and is owned by the L'Occitane Group.

Which brand performs better for skin smoothing and texture improvement?

Elemis performs better for skin smoothing and texture improvement among the products on this page. Reviewers note that the brand helps deliver smoother skin texture.

The INKEY List or Elemis for oily skin?

Both The INKEY List and Elemis achieve a High routine fit for oily skin on the products on this page. The INKEY List tends to be more affordable, while Elemis offers luxurious textures.

The INKEY List or Elemis: which moisturizer is better?

The INKEY List offers the products on this page that reviewers mostly mention as affordable and hydrating moisturizers, whereas Elemis products on this page are often mentioned for their luxurious texture and high price point.

The INKEY List or Elemis for sensitive skin?

The INKEY List is a better fit for sensitive skin, offering a Superior routine fit compared to Elemis at High. Additionally, the products on this page for The INKEY List list no fragrance.

The INKEY List or Elemis for acne-prone skin?

Both The INKEY List and Elemis fit acne-prone skin well at a High level. The products on this page show that The INKEY List offers a gentler, more affordable approach with fragrance-free formulas, while Elemis leans toward luxury textures that may include strong fragrance.

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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