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Estée Lauder vs The INKEY List

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

Estée Lauder and The INKEY List are two distinct skincare lines offering thoughtful moisturizers, serums, eye products, cleansers, and toners formulated with hydrating elements like hyaluronic acid and glycerin. The American brand suits mature skin and sensitive skin best, while the British brand fits sensitive skin and combination skin best. Both feature gentle, nourishing compositions that differ in their foundational heritage and specific ingredient spotlights, such as the former brand relying on hyaluronic acid and the latter focusing on glycerin. Readers can weigh these nuanced profiles to find the ideal match for their unique complexion.

Estée Lauder is an American skincare brand founded in 1946 and owned by The Estée Lauder Companies Inc..

en.wikipedia.orgelcompanies.com

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 Estée Lauder and The INKEY List products; for every product of both brands, with a fit score for your own skin, use the Lovi app.

Popular Estée Lauder vs The INKEY List products

People Say

Estée LauderThe INKEY List
  • Deep hydration and moisturization Mostly MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “skin drinks it up immediately — Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair”
    • “The formula is incredibly hydrating and leaves my skin feeling smooth. — Estée Lauder Re-Nutriv”
    • “texture is dreamy — Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair Eye Supercharged Gel-Creme”
    • “Super hydrating — The INKEY List Polyglutamic Acid Serum”
  • Lightweight feel and texture Sometimes NotedMostly 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 into the skin — Estée Lauder Revitalizing Supreme+”
  • Radiant glow and smooth texture Often MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “gives me that glass skin look — Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair”
    • “skin feels like a baby's bottom — Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair”
    • “silky smooth — Estée Lauder Micro Essence Treatment Lotion”
    • “Skin feels softer — The INKEY List PHA Toner”
  • Affordable price and great 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”
  • Gentle and non-drying cleansing Often MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “doesn't strip the skin — Estée Lauder Advanced Night Cleansing Gelée”
    • “Lathers well — Estée Lauder Soft Clean Moisture Rich Foaming Cleanser”
    • “Safe and gentle especially for my dry, sensitive skin — The INKEY List Oat Cleansing Balm”
    • “Never tight or stripped — The INKEY List Salicylic Acid Cleanser”
  • Makeup compatibility and base Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “doesn't pill — Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair Eye Supercharged Gel-Creme”
    • “layers flawlessly under foundation — Estée Lauder DayWear Moisturizer”
    • “Brilliant makeup base — The INKEY List Polyglutamic Acid Serum”
    • “applies wonderfully under sunscreen and makeup — The INKEY List Omega Water Cream”
  • High price point and expensive Mostly MentionedNot noted
    • “way too expensive for the size — Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair”
  • Bulky and poor packaging Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
    • “lid is hard to open — Estée Lauder Advanced Night Cleansing Gelée”
    • “Please make a jar or refill that is not as big and heavy. — Estée Lauder Re-Nutriv”
    • “Impossible to get out — Estée Lauder Soft Clean Moisture Rich Foaming Cleanser”
    • “Pump breaks easily — The INKEY List Tranexamic Acid Serum”
  • Scent and fragrance complaints Often MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “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”
    • “Scent is too overpowering — Estée Lauder Revitalizing Supreme+”
  • Causes breakouts and skin irritation Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “Stings my eyes badly — Estée Lauder Take It Away Makeup Remover Lotion”
    • “gave me tiny red bumps — Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair”
    • “did cause major breakouts — The INKEY List Omega Water Cream”
    • “New formula breaks me out — The INKEY List Salicylic Acid Cleanser”

Estée Lauder vs The INKEY List routines for dry skin

See multi-brand routine · 98% fit

Estée Lauder vs The INKEY List routines for oily skin

See multi-brand routine · 96% fit

Estée Lauder vs The INKEY List routines for combination skin

See multi-brand routine · 95% fit

Questions and answers

Estée Lauder or The INKEY List: which is better?

The INKEY List tends to be better for value and sensitive skin, while Estée Lauder excels in deep hydration.

What is the difference between Estée Lauder and The INKEY List?

The INKEY List generally offers a better routine fit for dry skin, dry sensitive skin, combination skin, sensitive skin, and skin with dark spots than Estée Lauder. Reviewers note that The INKEY List provides more affordable options, whereas Estée Lauder delivers deeper hydration and a more radiant glow.

Estée Lauder or The INKEY List for dry skin?

The INKEY List is a better fit for dry skin, offering a High routine fit compared to Estée Lauder's Average level. The products on this page help deliver deep hydration and a lightweight feel, while remaining affordable.

Estée Lauder or The INKEY List: which cleanser is better?

The products on this page show that both Estée Lauder and The INKEY List offer cleansers that are generally well-tolerated, with Estée Lauder's Advanced Night Cleansing Gelée achieving a High fit for acne-prone skin and mature skin, while The INKEY List's Salicylic Acid Cleanser reaches a High fit for oily skin and acne-prone skin.

Which is more affordable, Estée Lauder or The INKEY List?

The INKEY List is more affordable than Estée Lauder, as reviewers frequently note its affordable serums and moisturizers, whereas a high price point is a common drawback mentioned for Estée Lauder on the products on this page.

Estée Lauder or The INKEY List for oily skin?

Both Estée Lauder and The INKEY List are a High fit for oily skin. Reviewers often mention that the products on this page feel lightweight.

Estée Lauder or The INKEY List: which moisturizer is better?

The INKEY List offers better moisturizers on this page, as its routine fit for dry skin is High compared to Estée Lauder's Average level, and reviewers frequently mention them as being affordable, lightweight, and plumping.

Estée Lauder or The INKEY List for sensitive skin?

The INKEY List fits sensitive skin better, as Lovi rates its routine as Superior compared to Estée Lauder's High fit.

Estée Lauder or The INKEY List for acne-prone skin?

Both Estée Lauder and The INKEY List fit acne-prone skin well, with the products on this page achieving an identical High routine fit level for this skin type.

Estée Lauder or The INKEY List for dry sensitive skin?

The INKEY List is a better fit for dry sensitive skin, offering a High routine fit compared to Estée Lauder's Average fit on this page.

Estée Lauder or The INKEY List for combination skin?

The INKEY List fits combination skin better, as Lovi rates its routine as High while Estée Lauder achieves an Average fit. The products on this page for The INKEY List also feature lightweight and fast-absorbing moisturizers, which may help balance combination skin.

Estée Lauder or The INKEY List for mature skin?

Both Estée Lauder and The INKEY List fit mature skin well, as Lovi rates both brands at a High level for this skin type. Reviewers note that Estée Lauder provides deep hydration and a radiant glow, while The INKEY List offers lightweight, plumping, and affordable moisturizers.

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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