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The INKEY List vs Medik8

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

The INKEY List and Medik8 are British skincare brands offering moisturizers, serums, toners, eye products, and more. The INKEY List is known for glycerin formulas that fit sensitive skin and combination skin best, while Medik8 is recognized for hyaluronic acid products suited for dry skin and sensitive skin. Both brands differ in their founding dates, corporate ownership, and specific targeted treatments for acne-prone skin, dark spots, and mature skin.

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

cosmeticsbusiness.comprnewswire.comtheinkeylist.comtracxn.com

Medik8 is a British skincare brand founded in 2009 and owned by L'Oréal Groupe since 2025.

loreal.commedik8.comtracxn.com

This page compares some of the most popular The INKEY List and Medik8 products; for every product of both brands, with a fit score for your own skin, use the Lovi app.

Popular The INKEY List vs Medik8 products

People Say

The INKEY ListMedik8
  • Texture and Absorption Mostly MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “sits beautifully under makeup — The INKEY List Caffeine Eye Cream”
    • “Gel consistency — The INKEY List Tranexamic Acid Serum”
    • “absorbed effortlessly — Medik8 Total Moisture Daily Facial Cream”
    • “smoother skin — Medik8 Surface Radiance Cleanse”
  • Results and Effectiveness Mostly MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “I wake up glowing. It adds back that youthful bloom that I've lost. — Medik8 Sleep Glycolic”
    • “Reduces fine lines — Medik8 Liquid Peptides”
    • “smells like a spa — Medik8 CRYSTAL RETINAL 3”
    • “skin looks fresh and plump — The INKEY List Collagen Peptide Serum”
  • Gentle and Non-Irritating Formula Often MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “zero irritation or peeling — Medik8 CRYSTAL RETINAL 3”
    • “only Vitamin C my sensitive skin can tolerate — Medik8 C-Tetra Serum”
    • “Best retinol replacement — Medik8 Bakuchiol Peptides”
    • “Great for sensitive skin — The INKEY List PHA Toner”
  • Hydration and Moisture Often MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “Super hydrating — The INKEY List Polyglutamic Acid Serum”
    • “intense nourishment — The INKEY List Collagen Peptide Serum”
    • “Restores moisture — Medik8 Liquid Peptides”
    • “Instantly quenched the skin — Medik8 Hydr8 B5 Intense”
  • Price and Value Mostly MentionedRarely 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”
    • “better value than Skinceuticals — Medik8 Super C Ferulic”
  • Acne and Blemish Control Often MentionedRarely Noted
    • “Free of active acne — The INKEY List Salicylic Acid Cleanser”
    • “Skin instantly looks less oily — The INKEY List Salicylic Acid Cleanser”
    • “Visibly reduces acne scars — The INKEY List Tranexamic Acid Serum”
    • “pigmentation lightened slightly — Medik8 Oxy-R Peptides”
  • Lack of Results or Slow Progress Often MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “Not as effective as retinol — Medik8 Bakuchiol Peptides”
    • “no difference — Medik8 Oxy-R Peptides”
    • “no difference yet — Medik8 Crystal Retinal Ceramide Eye 3”
    • “Tube leaks liquified oil when opened — The INKEY List Oat Cleansing Balm”
  • Packaging Issues Often MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “Glass bottle breaks easily — Medik8 Liquid Peptides”
    • “hard to get last bit — Medik8 CRYSTAL RETINAL 3”
    • “click mechanism tricky — Medik8 Oxy-R Peptides”
    • “Pump breaks easily — The INKEY List Tranexamic Acid Serum”
  • High Price Point Not notedOften Mentioned
    • “Expensive per bottle — Medik8 Liquid Peptides”

The INKEY List vs Medik8 routines for dry skin

See multi-brand routine · 98% fit

The INKEY List vs Medik8 routines for oily skin

See multi-brand routine · 97% fit

The INKEY List vs Medik8 routines for combination skin

See multi-brand routine · 96% fit

Questions and answers

The INKEY List or Medik8: which is better?

Medik8 is better for dry sensitive skin, offering a Superior routine fit compared to The INKEY List's High fit. The products on this page help provide deep hydration and improve skin texture, while hyaluronic acid helps support skin quality and moisture.

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

What is the difference between The INKEY List and Medik8?

The INKEY List offers budget-friendly products with key ingredients like glycerin, whereas Medik8 focuses on more luxurious formulations featuring hyaluronic acid. Reviewers note that Medik8 tends to perform better for results and gentleness, while The INKEY List excels in price and value.

The INKEY List or Medik8 for dry skin?

Both brands fit dry skin well, with Medik8 achieving a Superior routine fit and The INKEY List reaching a High fit. Reviewers note that Medik8 provides deep hydration and plumping, while shoppers often mention that the products on this page for The INKEY List are affordable moisturizers.

The INKEY List or Medik8: which cleanser is better?

Medik8 is better for cleanser because Surface Radiance Cleanse achieves a Superior Lovi fit level for acne-prone skin, oily acne-prone skin, and skin with dark spots, whereas The INKEY List cleanser reaches only a High fit level for those same skin types.

Which is more affordable, The INKEY List or Medik8?

The INKEY List is more affordable than Medik8, offering budget-friendly options that help shoppers save on their skincare routine. Reviewers frequently note a high price point for Medik8, while the products on this page from The INKEY List are known for being affordable.

Between The INKEY List and Medik8, which brand has better acne and blemish control?

Between The INKEY List and Medik8, The INKEY List does better for acne and blemish control. The products on this page for The INKEY List help provide effective blemish management at a lower price point.

How do the founding years and countries of origin compare between The INKEY List and Medik8?

The INKEY List was founded in the United Kingdom in 2018, whereas Medik8 was also founded in the United Kingdom but earlier, in 2009.

Which brand's products are free of fragrance across all listed items: The INKEY List or Medik8?

The INKEY List offers products on this page that are all free of fragrance, whereas Medik8 includes fragrance in one of its items.

The INKEY List or Medik8 for oily skin?

Both The INKEY List and Medik8 achieve a High routine fit for oily skin. The INKEY List focuses on glycerin as a key ingredient across the products on this page, while Medik8 features hyaluronic acid.

The INKEY List or Medik8: which moisturizer is better?

Both The INKEY List and Medik8 offer well-rated moisturizers, with products on this page featuring key ingredients like glycerin and hyaluronic acid. For dry skin, Medik8 achieves a Superior routine fit, while The INKEY List achieves a High routine fit.

Journal of Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2015Drug Delivery, 2017

The INKEY List or Medik8 for sensitive skin?

Both The INKEY List and Medik8 achieve a Superior routine fit for sensitive skin on the products on this page. Reviewers note that The INKEY List offers affordable serums, while Medik8 provides gentle and non-irritating serums.

The INKEY List or Medik8 for acne-prone skin?

For acne-prone skin, Medik8 is the better choice because Lovi rates its routine as Superior, compared to High for The INKEY List. Reviewers mention that Medik8 offers gentle and non-irritating serums.

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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