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The INKEY List vs Hada Labo

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

The INKEY List and Hada Labo are distinct skincare brands that offer targeted daily essentials. The British line features moisturizers, serums, toners, and eye products built around glycerin, fitting sensitive and combination skin best, whereas the Japanese brand is deeply loved for its hydrating toners, gentle makeup removers, and nourishing moisturizers, suiting dry and acne-prone skin best. Both utilize carefully selected ingredients to support a healthy skin barrier and deliver essential hydration. They differ primarily in their regional origins, primary formulations, and ideal skin types.

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

cosmeticsbusiness.comprnewswire.comtheinkeylist.comtracxn.com

Hada Labo is a Japanese skincare brand founded in 2004 and owned by Rohto Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd..

en.wikipedia.orghadalabosa.co.zahadalabotokyo.pl

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

Popular The INKEY List vs Hada Labo products

People Say

The INKEY ListHada Labo
  • Hydration and Moisture Often MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “skin drinks it up — Hada Labo Gokujyun Lotion”
    • “Plumps fine lines — Hada Labo Gokujun Premium”
    • “leaves skin soft, smooth, and hydrated — Hada Labo Shirojyun Premium Whitening Lotion”
    • “Super hydrating — The INKEY List Polyglutamic Acid Serum”
  • Affordability and Value Mostly MentionedSometimes 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”
    • “bottle lasts forever — Hada Labo Gokujyun Lotion”
  • Lightweight and Fast-Absorbing Texture Mostly MentionedOften 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 super quickly — Hada Labo Premium Whitening Lotion (Light)”
  • Gentle and Non-Irritating Formula Sometimes NotedMostly Mentioned
    • “never stings my sensitive skin — Hada Labo Gokujyun Lotion”
    • “No fragrance/alcohol — Hada Labo Gokujun Premium”
    • “no irritation, no breakouts — Hada Labo Shirojyun Premium Whitening Lotion”
    • “Safe and gentle especially for my dry, sensitive skin — The INKEY List Oat Cleansing Balm”
  • Acne and Blemish Control Often MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “Free of active acne — The INKEY List Salicylic Acid Cleanser”
    • “calms redness instantly — The INKEY List 10% Azelaic Acid Serum”
    • “Skin instantly looks less oily — The INKEY List Salicylic Acid Cleanser”
    • “calms my redness — Hada Labo Premium Whitening Lotion (Light)”
  • Sticky or Tacky Finish Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
    • “Feels tacky on skin — The INKEY List PHA Toner”
    • “Leaves a tackiness that never goes away. — The INKEY List Niacinamide Serum”
    • “feeling sticky — The INKEY List Caffeine Eye Cream”
    • “Tacky residue — Hada Labo Gokujun Premium”
  • Causes Breakouts and Clogging Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
    • “did cause major breakouts — The INKEY List Omega Water Cream”
    • “New formula breaks me out — The INKEY List Salicylic Acid Cleanser”
    • “Caused cystic acne — The INKEY List PHA Toner”
    • “gave me tiny bumps — Hada Labo Gokujyun Lotion”
  • Packaging and Quality Issues Often MentionedRarely Noted
    • “Prefer old version — Hada Labo Gokujun Premium”
    • “Tube leaks liquified oil when opened — The INKEY List Oat Cleansing Balm”

The INKEY List vs Hada Labo routines for dry skin

See multi-brand routine · 98% fit

The INKEY List vs Hada Labo routines for oily skin

See multi-brand routine · 95% fit

The INKEY List vs Hada Labo routines for combination skin

See multi-brand routine · 94% fit

Questions and answers

The INKEY List or Hada Labo: which is better?

Hada Labo is better for hydration and gentle formulas, while The INKEY List is better for affordability and acne control.

What is the difference between The INKEY List and Hada Labo?

The INKEY List focuses on affordability and lightweight textures with key ingredients like glycerin, while Hada Labo emphasizes deep hydration and gentle, fragrance-free formulations centered around hyaluronic acid.

The INKEY List or Hada Labo for dry skin?

Both brands offer solid options for dry skin, though Hada Labo reaches a Superior routine fit compared to The INKEY List's High fit on this page. Hada Labo is well-regarded for deep hydration and moisturization, whereas the products on this page for The INKEY List focus heavily on affordable, lightweight hydration.

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

The INKEY List or Hada Labo: which moisturizer is better?

When comparing moisturizers, the products on this page from Hada Labo tend to excel more in deep hydration, while The INKEY List offers more affordable options.

Which is more affordable, The INKEY List or Hada Labo?

The INKEY List offers greater affordability and value among the products on this page compared to Hada Labo.

Between The INKEY List and Hada Labo, which brand is better for hydration and moisture?

Between The INKEY List and Hada Labo, Hada Labo is better for hydration and moisture as it does better for deep hydration and moisturization among reviewers. Topical hyaluronic acid, a key ingredient across Hada Labo products, helps improve skin quality and signs of skin aging.

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

Which brand has better packaging and quality, The INKEY List or Hada Labo?

The INKEY List has packaging and quality issues, while Hada Labo does better in that category according to reviewer themes on this page.

The INKEY List or Hada Labo: which one provides a more gentle and non-irritating formula?

Hada Labo provides a more gentle and non-irritating formula compared to The INKEY List.

The INKEY List or Hada Labo for oily skin?

For oily skin, Hada Labo reaches a Superior routine fit, while The INKEY List achieves a High fit on this page. Reviewers report that Hada Labo provides deep hydration and moisturization, whereas The INKEY List offers advantages in lightweight textures and affordability.

The INKEY List or Hada Labo for acne-prone skin?

Both brands offer products on this page that fit acne-prone skin well, with routine fits rated High for both The INKEY List and Hada Labo. Reviewers note that Hada Labo provides deep hydration, while The INKEY List offers advantages in affordability and acne control.

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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