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The INKEY List vs NIVEA

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

The INKEY List and NIVEA are respected skincare brands that offer glycerin-powered moisturizers, serums, and other daily essentials. The British brand features targeted formulas like its PHA Toner, Azelaic Acid Serum, and Ceramide Moisturizer, which suit combination, sensitive, and acne-prone skin. Meanwhile, the German brand is known for versatile sunscreens and nourishing creams that benefit sensitive and acne-prone skin through gentle, balanced ingredients. While both rely on glycerin to restore barrier function and hydration, they differ in their heritage, specific product lines, and exact specialized treatments.

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

cosmeticsbusiness.comprnewswire.comtheinkeylist.comtracxn.com

NIVEA is a German skincare brand founded in 1911 and owned by maxingvest GmbH & Co. KGaA since 2004.

beiersdorf.comen.wikipedia.org

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

Popular The INKEY List vs NIVEA products

People Say

The INKEY ListNIVEA
  • Texture and Lightweight Feel Mostly MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “sits beautifully under makeup — The INKEY List Caffeine Eye Cream”
    • “Gel consistency — The INKEY List Tranexamic Acid Serum”
    • “It's lightweight on the skin and leaves a bit of subtle sheen. — NIVEA Soft”
    • “Makes my face feel smooth and soft. — NIVEA Soft”
  • Value and Price Point Mostly MentionedOften 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”
    • “Works better than expensive luxury creams — NIVEA Creme”
  • Hydration and Moisture Often MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “Super hydrating — The INKEY List Polyglutamic Acid Serum”
    • “intense nourishment — The INKEY List Collagen Peptide Serum”
    • “Smoothed out dry flaky scales on my cheeks overnight — NIVEA Creme”
    • “skin feels moisturized — NIVEA Protect & Moisture Sun Lotion SPF50+”
  • Gentleness and Soothing Formula Often MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “Great for sensitive skin — The INKEY List PHA Toner”
    • “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”
    • “doesn't dry out skin — NIVEA Derma Skin Clear Anti-Blemish Scrub”
  • Acne and Blemish Control Often MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “Free of active acne — The INKEY List Salicylic Acid Cleanser”
    • “Skin instantly looks less oily — The INKEY List Salicylic Acid Cleanser”
    • “cleared my complexion in 7 days — NIVEA DERMA SKIN CLEAR”
    • “reduces blackheads — NIVEA Derma Skin Clear Anti-Blemish Scrub”
  • Other Positive Effects Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
    • “smells like holiday — NIVEA Protect & Moisture Sun Lotion SPF50+”
    • “Smell brings me back to childhood — NIVEA Creme”
    • “smells really nice — NIVEA Derma Skin Clear Anti-Blemish Scrub”
    • “skin looks fresh and plump — The INKEY List Collagen Peptide Serum”
  • Sticky, Tacky, or Greasy Finish Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
    • “Feels tacky on skin — The INKEY List PHA Toner”
    • “Leaves a greasy film on face after washing — The INKEY List Oat Cleansing Balm”
    • “Leaves a tackiness that never goes away. — The INKEY List Niacinamide Serum”
    • “Leaves a shiny grease layer that doesn't go away — NIVEA Creme”
  • Breakouts and Skin Reactions 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”
    • “Clogged my pores and caused bad acne — NIVEA Creme”
  • Texture and Consistency Problems Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
    • “Tube leaks liquified oil when opened — The INKEY List Oat Cleansing Balm”
    • “very runny serum — The INKEY List Collagen Peptide Serum”
    • “Forms a crust on the hole at the flick top cap. — The INKEY List Niacinamide Serum”
    • “not super gritty — NIVEA Derma Skin Clear Anti-Blemish Scrub”

The INKEY List vs NIVEA routines for dry skin

Buy NIVEA routine · SAR 974.09 · 82% fitBuy The INKEY List routine · SAR 1,013.85 · 80% fitSee multi-brand routine · 96% fit

The INKEY List vs NIVEA routines for oily skin

Buy The INKEY List routine · SAR 1,267.37 · 87% fitBuy NIVEA routine · SAR 1,178.96 · 87% fitSee multi-brand routine · 97% fit

The INKEY List vs NIVEA routines for combination skin

Buy The INKEY List routine · SAR 1,056.73 · 90% fitBuy NIVEA routine · SAR 1,165.77 · 87% fitSee multi-brand routine · 97% fit

Questions and answers

The INKEY List or NIVEA: which is better?

The INKEY List and NIVEA are both great choices, with The INKEY List performing better for value and gentleness, while NIVEA offers strong blemish-clearing serums and multi-use moisturizers. Lovi fit levels show that both brands offer high routine fits across most skin types, though The INKEY List achieves superior fit levels for combination and sensitive skin.

What is the difference between The INKEY List and NIVEA?

The INKEY List offers a stronger focus on fragrance-free formulas and better value for money, whereas NIVEA provides versatile multi-use moisturizers and blemish-clearing serums.

The INKEY List or NIVEA for dry skin?

Both The INKEY List and NIVEA offer a High Lovi fit level for dry skin. Reviewers mention that the products on this page from The INKEY List feature hydrating and affordable moisturizers, while NIVEA provides versatile multi-use moisturizers and intense deep hydration.

The INKEY List or NIVEA: which moisturizer is better?

Both The INKEY List and NIVEA offer great moisturizers, with The INKEY List performing better for value, price point, gentleness, and soothing formulas, while every product on its page lists no fragrance. NIVEA moisturizers are often noted for intense deep hydration and versatile multi-use options, though some products contain fragrance and may cause a greasy or oily residue.

Which is more affordable, The INKEY List or NIVEA?

The INKEY List offers better value and price point compared to NIVEA, particularly for its affordable moisturizers and serums.

Which brand has more fragrance-free products, The INKEY List or NIVEA?

The INKEY List has more fragrance-free products than NIVEA, as every product on The INKEY List page lists no fragrance in its ingredients, whereas only 3 of 9 NIVEA products on its page are fragrance-free.

Which brand was founded earlier, The INKEY List or NIVEA?

NIVEA was founded earlier than The INKEY List, with NIVEA starting in 1911 in Germany and The INKEY List established in 2018 in the United Kingdom.

The INKEY List or NIVEA for oily skin?

Both The INKEY List and NIVEA offer a High routine fit for oily skin. The products on this page for The INKEY List have no fragrance, while some NIVEA items feature a strong fragrance.

The INKEY List or NIVEA for sensitive skin?

For sensitive skin, Lovi finds that The INKEY List offers Superior routine fit while NIVEA provides High fit. Every product on The INKEY List page lists no fragrance in its ingredients, whereas some NIVEA products feature strong fragrance.

The INKEY List or NIVEA for acne-prone skin?

Both The INKEY List and NIVEA offer options for acne-prone skin, with routine fits described as High for both brands on this page. Reviewers report that NIVEA focuses on blemish-clearing serums, while The INKEY List provides products on this page that list no fragrance.

The INKEY List or NIVEA for combination skin?

For combination skin, both The INKEY List and NIVEA offer great options, but Lovi rates The INKEY List as having a Superior routine fit compared to NIVEA's High fit. The INKEY List also features fragrance-free formulas across all the products on this page.

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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