🇮🇪Ireland

The INKEY List vs ISDIN

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

The INKEY List and ISDIN are two distinct skincare lines offering targeted solutions for diverse complexions. The British brand focuses on accessible formulas built around glycerin, suiting sensitive and combination skin best. Meanwhile, the Spanish brand is known for elegant moisturizers, advanced sunscreens, restorative serums, and targeted eye products that suit dry and sensitive skin. While both prioritize gentle daily support, they differ in their heritage and specific active ingredients.

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

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ISDIN is a Spanish skincare brand founded in 1975 and owned by Puig.

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

Popular The INKEY List vs ISDIN products

People Say

The INKEY ListISDIN
  • Lightweight and Fast-Absorbing Texture Mostly MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “absorbs instantly — ISDIN Eryfotona Actinica”
    • “ultra-light fluid product, which makes it super easy to apply — ISDIN Fusion Water”
    • “Lightweight formula absorbs fast — ISDIN Hyaluronic Concentrate”
    • “sits beautifully under makeup — The INKEY List Caffeine Eye Cream”
  • Hydration and Moisture Often MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “Improved moisture and texture — ISDIN Hyaluronic Moisture”
    • “My skin felt sooo hydrated and looks so plump and dewey. — ISDIN Fusion Water”
    • “skin looks smooth and healthy — ISDIN K-Ox Eyes”
    • “Super hydrating — The INKEY List Polyglutamic Acid Serum”
  • Gentle on Skin and Sensitive Formulations Often MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “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”
    • “Sensitive/reactive skin tolerates — ISDIN Hyaluronic Moisture”
    • “no excessive exfoliation — ISDIN Retinal Intense Serum”
  • Skin Smoothing and Anti-Aging Often MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “skin looks fresh and plump — The INKEY List Collagen Peptide Serum”
    • “Great for sensitive skin — The INKEY List PHA Toner”
    • “My hyperpigmentation has lightened and skin looks more even, even shines more. — ISDIN Flavo-C Serum”
    • “skin was much smoother — ISDIN Retinal Intense Serum”
  • 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”
  • Makeup Compatibility Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “no pilling under makeup — The INKEY List Hyaluronic Acid Serum”
    • “Brilliant makeup base — The INKEY List Polyglutamic Acid Serum”
    • “acts like a primer — ISDIN Eryfotona Actinica”
    • “Great under makeup — ISDIN Hyaluronic Concentrate”
  • Unpleasant Scent or Strong Fragrance 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”
    • “smell is overpowering — ISDIN Eryfotona Actinica”
  • Packaging and Quality Issues Often MentionedRarely Noted
    • “Pump stopped working — ISDIN Hyaluronic Concentrate”
    • “I like the actual product, but the packaging is awful, I've already lost three bottles the applicator pops off. — ISDIN Flavo-C Serum”
    • “Pump breaks easily — The INKEY List Tranexamic Acid Serum”
  • High Price Point Not notedOften Mentioned
    • “very expensive — ISDIN Eryfotona Actinica”

The INKEY List vs ISDIN routines for dry skin

See multi-brand routine · 98% fit

The INKEY List vs ISDIN routines for oily skin

See multi-brand routine · 96% fit

The INKEY List vs ISDIN routines for combination skin

See multi-brand routine · 95% fit

Questions and answers

The INKEY List or ISDIN: which is better?

Both The INKEY List and ISDIN fit sensitive skin equally at a Superior level, while ISDIN achieves a Superior routine fit for dry skin, oily skin, combination skin, acne-prone skin, mature skin, skin with dark spots, dry sensitive skin, and oily acne-prone skin compared to The INKEY List's High fit across those same types. The products on this page show that The INKEY List delivers better affordability, whereas ISDIN stands out for hydration, moisture, lightweight textures, and fast-absorbing formulas.

What is the difference between The INKEY List and ISDIN?

The INKEY List offers budget-friendly products with no fragrance across the products on this page, whereas ISDIN tends to have a higher price point and includes fragrance in some formulations. For routines, ISDIN achieves a Superior fit level for dry skin, while The INKEY List reaches a High fit level.

The INKEY List or ISDIN for dry skin?

For dry skin, ISDIN offers a Superior routine fit on this page, whereas The INKEY List provides a High fit. Reviewers note that ISDIN excels in hydration and moisture, while the products on this page for The INKEY List are known for being affordable.

The INKEY List or ISDIN: which moisturizer is better?

When comparing moisturizers, ISDIN generally offers lighter textures and superior hydration, whereas the products on this page from The INKEY List are noted for being much more affordable and having no fragrance across their entire range.

Which is more affordable, The INKEY List or ISDIN?

The INKEY List offers greater affordability than ISDIN, providing budget-friendly moisturizers and serums for shoppers on this page.

Which brand has better sunscreens, The INKEY List or ISDIN?

ISDIN offers better sunscreens on this page, as reviewers frequently highlight them for being ultralight, lightweight, makeup-friendly, and skin-friendly.

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

The INKEY List was founded in 2018 in the United Kingdom, whereas ISDIN was established earlier in 1975 in Spain.

Which brand performs better regarding fragrance-free products, The INKEY List or ISDIN?

The INKEY List performs better for fragrance-free options because every product on the products on this page lists no fragrance in its ingredients, whereas ISDIN includes fragrance in 5 of its 8 products.

The INKEY List or ISDIN for oily skin?

For oily skin, ISDIN reaches a Superior routine fit level on this page, while The INKEY List reaches a High fit level.

The INKEY List or ISDIN for sensitive skin?

Both The INKEY List and ISDIN fit sensitive skin well, with Lovi rating both brands at a Superior level overall. The INKEY List offers fragrance-free options across the products on this page, while ISDIN is noted for its ultralight and skin-friendly sunscreens.

The INKEY List or ISDIN for acne-prone skin?

For acne-prone skin, ISDIN generally offers a superior routine fit compared to The INKEY List, which provides a high fit across its products on this page. Reviewers note that ISDIN excels with lightweight, skin-friendly sunscreens, while The INKEY List focuses on budget-friendly serums and 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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