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Medicube vs The INKEY List

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

Medicube and The INKEY List are distinct skincare brands founded in 2016 and 2018, respectively. The Korean brand is known for its moisturizers, serums, toners, and masks using niacinamide, collagen, and hyaluronic acid to suit dry skin and oily acne-prone skin best. Meanwhile, the British brand offers moisturizers, serums, toners, and eye products built around glycerin, fitting sensitive skin and combination skin best. They differ primarily in their origin, key ingredient profiles, and ideal skin types.

Medicube is a Korean skincare brand founded in 2016 and owned by APR Corp..

medicubereviews.co.ukglossy.co

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

Popular Medicube vs The INKEY List products

People Say

MedicubeThe INKEY List
  • Affordable price point 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”
  • Smoother and improved skin texture Often MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “gives my skin a smooth, glass-like finish — Medicube Zero Pore Pad”
    • “skin feels smoother — Medicube PDRN Pink Peptide Serum”
    • “skin feels baby soft — Medicube Zero Pore Blackhead Mud Mask”
    • “Skin feels softer — The INKEY List PHA Toner”
  • Lightweight and fast-absorbing Not 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”
  • Soothing and gentle Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “calming the skin — Medicube Red Succinic Acid Peeling Pad”
    • “Did not cause any irritation — Medicube Red Foam Cleanser”
    • “Safe and gentle especially for my dry, sensitive skin — The INKEY List Oat Cleansing Balm”
    • “Non-irritating formula — The INKEY List Tranexamic Acid Serum”
  • Hydration and plumping Sometimes NotedRarely Noted
    • “woke up with baby soft skin — Medicube Collagen Jelly Cream”
    • “skin feels plump and bouncy — Medicube Collagen Night Wrapping Mask”
    • “fine lines vanished — Medicube PDRN Pink Collagen Gel Mask”
    • “skin feels soft and bouncy — The INKEY List ECTOIN HYDRO-BARRIER SERUM”
  • Clears acne Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “Free of active acne — The INKEY List Salicylic Acid Cleanser”
    • “cleared hormonal acne — The INKEY List 10% Azelaic Acid Serum”
    • “Cleared up mask acne — The INKEY List PHA Toner”
    • “active breakouts look less inflamed — Medicube Red Succinic Acid Peeling Pad”
  • Drying and stripping Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “Skin feels very tight — Medicube Zero Foam Cleanser”
    • “skin felt very tight — Medicube Zero Pore Blackhead Mud Mask”
    • “have dry skin but this doesn't feel hydrating at all — The INKEY List Omega Water Cream”
    • “Leaves my skin a bit dry — The INKEY List Salicylic Acid Cleanser”
  • Sticky residue and finish Sometimes NotedRarely Noted
    • “Feels tacky on skin — The INKEY List PHA Toner”
    • “feeling sticky — The INKEY List Caffeine Eye Cream”
    • “sets to a tacky finish — The INKEY List Collagen Peptide Serum”
    • “feels way too sticky and tacky — Medicube DEEP VITA-C CAPSULE CREAM”
  • Packaging issues Rarely NotedSometimes Noted
    • “Package is super leaky — Medicube Deep Vita C Pad”
    • “Residue would harden around the pump — Medicube Red Foam Cleanser”
    • “Pump breaks easily — The INKEY List Tranexamic Acid Serum”

Medicube vs The INKEY List routines for dry skin

See multi-brand routine · 98% fit

Medicube vs The INKEY List routines for oily skin

See multi-brand routine · 96% fit

Medicube vs The INKEY List routines for combination skin

See multi-brand routine · 95% fit

Questions and answers

Medicube or The INKEY List: which is better?

Medicube is a better fit for dry skin with a Superior routine rating compared to The INKEY List which has a High routine rating. Medicube performs better for hydration and plumping and smoother skin texture, while The INKEY List offers a more affordable price point and is better for sensitive skin.

What is the difference between Medicube and The INKEY List?

Medicube is a South Korean skincare brand that helps provide deep hydration and smoother skin texture, whereas The INKEY List is a British brand known for lightweight, affordable moisturizers and serums. For routine fit, Medicube is rated Superior for dry skin, while The INKEY List is rated Superior for sensitive skin.

Medicube or The INKEY List for dry skin?

Medicube is a Superior fit for dry skin, whereas The INKEY List is a High fit. Reviewers on the products on this page mention that Medicube offers deep hydration moisturizers.

Medicube or The INKEY List: which cleanser is better?

Both Medicube and The INKEY List offer effective cleansers, with Medicube performing better for dry skin while The INKEY List excels in affordability and acne clearance across the products on this page.

Which is more affordable, Medicube or The INKEY List?

The INKEY List is more affordable than Medicube, as reviewing shoppers highlight its lower price point for both moisturizers and serums on these pages.

Medicube or The INKEY List: which brand has products with fragrance?

Medicube offers products with fragrance, whereas The INKEY List features no fragrance across the products on this page. Specifically, Medicube lists two fragranced items among its 25 products.

Medicube or The INKEY List: which brand performs better for smoother and improved skin texture?

Medicube performs better for smoother and improved skin texture according to the reviewer themes on this page.

Medicube or The INKEY List for sensitive skin routines?

The INKEY List fits sensitive skin routines slightly better than Medicube, earning a Superior routine fit compared to Medicube's High. The INKEY List also features no fragrance across all products on this page.

Medicube or The INKEY List for oily skin?

Medicube and The INKEY List both fit oily skin at a High level. Medicube is best for dry skin, oily acne-prone skin, and oily skin, while The INKEY List fits sensitive skin, combination skin, and oily acne-prone skin best.

Medicube or The INKEY List: which moisturizer is better?

Medicube offers better hydration and plumping for moisturizers on this page. The INKEY List provides more lightweight, fast-absorbing, and affordable options.

Medicube or The INKEY List for sensitive skin?

For sensitive skin, The INKEY List has a Superior routine fit, while Medicube has a High fit. Reviewers note that The INKEY List offers fragrance-free products across its entire range.

Medicube or The INKEY List for acne-prone skin?

Both Medicube and The INKEY List fit acne-prone skin at a High level on the products on this page. Medicube features products that help smooth skin texture, while The INKEY List is noted for helping clear acne and offering an affordable price point.

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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