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The INKEY List vs Shu Uemura

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

The INKEY List and Shu Uemura are distinct skincare houses offering targeted solutions for diverse complexions. The British line relies on glycerin to formulate accessible moisturizers, serums, toners, and eye products that suit sensitive and combination skin best. Meanwhile, the Japanese brand is deeply loved for its transformative makeup removers and meticulously crafted formulas that suit all skin types best, owing to their gentle and effective nature. Both labels differ primarily in their core offerings and ingredient philosophies, with the former focusing on specialized single-ingredient treatments like PHA and azelaic acid, and the latter maintaining skin comfort through balanced cleansing oils.

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

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Shu Uemura is a Japanese skincare brand founded in 1967 and owned by L'Oréal S.A. since 2003.

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

Popular The INKEY List vs Shu Uemura products

Questions and answers

The INKEY List or Shu Uemura: which is better?

The INKEY List offers a much wider selection of skincare products on this page compared to Shu Uemura, with routine fit levels reaching Superior for sensitive skin, combination skin, and oily acne-prone skin. Reviewers often mention its affordable serums and hydrating moisturizers, though the products on this page may occasionally cause purging or breakouts.

What is the difference between The INKEY List and Shu Uemura?

The INKEY List offers a wide variety of affordable cleansers, serums, and moisturizers that fit sensitive, combination, and oily acne-prone skin well, whereas Shu Uemura features only a single cleansing oil on this page. Reviewers often mention that the products on this page from The INKEY List are hydrating and lightweight, though packaging issues sometimes occur.

Which is more affordable, The INKEY List or Shu Uemura?

The INKEY List offers budget-friendly options, as reviewers note the brand provides affordable moisturizers and serums, whereas Shu Uemura does not have these affordable price points mentioned for the products on this page.

Which causes fewer breakouts, The INKEY List or Shu Uemura?

The products on this page by The INKEY List sometimes note purging and breakouts as a side effect, whereas Shu Uemura features only one makeup remover with a Caution fit level for acne-prone skin.

When was each brand founded and which company owns them?

The INKEY List was founded in 2018 in the United Kingdom and is owned by Brand Evangelists for Beauty Limited, while Shu Uemura was founded in 1967 in Japan and has been owned by L'Oréal S.A. since 2003.

Which brand offers more product options on this page?

The INKEY List offers sixteen different product options on this page, while Shu Uemura provides only one.

How does the Lovi fit level for dry skin compare between The INKEY List's Oat Cleansing Balm and Shu Uemura's cleansing oil?

For dry skin, Lovi rates The INKEY List's Oat Cleansing Balm as having a Superior fit level, while Shu Uemura's cleansing oil has an Average fit level.

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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