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The INKEY List vs Shiseido

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

The INKEY List and Shiseido are two distinctive skincare brands designed to address diverse complexions through thoughtful, glycerin-rich formulations. The British line launched in 2018 centers on targeted serums, moisturizers, and toners featuring active ingredients that suit combination skin and sensitive skin best, with specialized options like the PHA Toner and Azelaic Acid Serum. Meanwhile, the Japanese house established in 1872 is beloved for its gentle daily sunscreens, cleansers, and creams that care for sensitive skin and mature skin using clinically proven hydrating agents. While both utilize glycerin to restore barrier function and significantly increase stratum corneum hydration, they differ in heritage and specific product ranges.

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

cosmeticsbusiness.comprnewswire.comtheinkeylist.comtracxn.com

Shiseido is a Japanese skincare brand founded in 1872 and owned by Shiseido Company, Limited.

corp.shiseido.comen.wikipedia.orgmarketscreener.com

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

Popular The INKEY List vs Shiseido products

People Say

The INKEY ListShiseido
  • Hydration and Moisture Often MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “Immediate sensation of comfort — Shiseido Benefiance Wrinkle Smoothing Eye Cream”
    • “skin feels plump, soft and nourished, eliminates dryness, bouncy feel — Shiseido VITAL PERFECTION”
    • “Skin feels more hydrated — Shiseido Activating Essence”
    • “Super hydrating — The INKEY List Polyglutamic Acid Serum”
  • 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”
    • “Lightweight, silky, non-sticky, sinks in instantly. — Shiseido Ultimune Power Infusing Concentrate”
    • “Airy-soft texture — Shiseido Essential Energy Hydrating Cream”
  • Smooth and Luxurious Texture Sometimes NotedMostly Mentioned
    • “silky smooth, rich but non-greasy, absorbs quickly, melts into skin — Shiseido VITAL PERFECTION”
    • “Velvety, rich cream texture — Shiseido Benefiance Wrinkle Smoothing Eye Cream”
    • “Velvety texture — Shiseido FUTURE SOLUTION LX”
    • “Skin feels softer — The INKEY List PHA Toner”
  • Gentle Care and Soothing Mostly MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “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”
    • “face feels squeaky clean — Shiseido Clarifying Cleansing Foam”
  • 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”
  • Skin Brightening and Radiance Not notedOften Mentioned
    • “Skin looks brighter, more radiant, and "glowy." — Shiseido Ultimune Power Infusing Concentrate”
    • “faded pimple marks — Shiseido White Lucent Brightening Gel Cream”
    • “Eyes look more awake — Shiseido Benefiance Wrinkle Smoothing Eye Cream”
  • Fragrance and Scent Complaints 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”
    • “old lady smell — Shiseido Eudermine Revitalizing Essence”
  • High Price Point Not notedMostly Mentioned
    • “Very expensive for the size — Shiseido Benefiance Wrinkle Smoothing Eye Cream”
  • Texture and Finish Inconsistencies Often MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “Stays tacky and shiny — Shiseido Benefiance Wrinkle Smoothing Eye Cream”
    • “Felt powdery — Shiseido Essential Energy Hydrating Cream”
    • “feels a bit oily — Shiseido Benefiance Wrinkle Smoothing Cream Enriched”
    • “Tube leaks liquified oil when opened — The INKEY List Oat Cleansing Balm”

The INKEY List vs Shiseido routines for dry skin

Buy Shiseido routine · SAR 2,211.82 · 81% fitBuy The INKEY List routine · SAR 1,013.85 · 80% fitSee multi-brand routine · 96% fit

The INKEY List vs Shiseido routines for oily skin

Buy The INKEY List routine · SAR 1,267.37 · 87% fitBuy Shiseido routine · SAR 2,494.74 · 84% fitSee multi-brand routine · 97% fit

The INKEY List vs Shiseido routines for combination skin

Buy The INKEY List routine · SAR 1,056.73 · 90% fitBuy Shiseido routine · SAR 2,213.02 · 84% fitSee multi-brand routine · 97% fit

Questions and answers

The INKEY List or Shiseido: which is better?

Both The INKEY List and Shiseido provide equal routine fit levels for dry skin, oily skin, acne-prone skin, mature skin, skin with dark spots, dry sensitive skin, and oily acne-prone skin. However, The INKEY List offers a superior fit for sensitive and combination skin, while featuring more affordable prices and fragrance-free formulas across the products on this page.

What is the difference between The INKEY List and Shiseido?

The INKEY List offers more affordable skincare products that fit combination and sensitive skin at a Superior level, whereas Shiseido provides luxurious textures and deep hydration with a higher price point. Every product on The INKEY List page lists no fragrance, while many Shiseido products contain fragrance.

The INKEY List or Shiseido for dry skin?

Both The INKEY List and Shiseido achieve a High routine fit for dry skin on the products on this page. Shiseido provides deep hydration, while The INKEY List offers affordable serums and gentle care.

The INKEY List or Shiseido: which cleanser is better?

When choosing between cleansers from these brands, The INKEY List features fragrance-free options like its Oat Cleansing Balm and Salicylic Acid Cleanser, while Shiseido offers deep-cleansing formulas such as the Deep Cleansing Foam and Clarifying Cleansing Foam.

Which is more affordable, The INKEY List or Shiseido?

The INKEY List is more affordable than Shiseido, as the products on this page feature affordable serums and moisturizers, whereas Shiseido is noted for its high price point.

The INKEY List or Shiseido: which has better fragrance-free options?

The INKEY List has better fragrance-free options because every product on the products on this page lists no fragrance in its ingredients. In contrast, Shiseido lists fragrance in 15 of its 20 products on the products on this page.

The INKEY List or Shiseido for oily skin?

Both The INKEY List and Shiseido provide a High routine fit for oily skin. The products on this page show that The INKEY List offers fragrance-free formulas, while Shiseido features key ingredients like glycerin and hyaluronic acid.

The INKEY List or Shiseido: which moisturizer is better?

Both The INKEY List and Shiseido offer moisturizers, with The INKEY List providing options like the Collagen Peptide Serum that fit dry skin at a High level and Shiseido featuring products like the Essential Energy Hydrating Cream that fit dry skin at a High level as well. Reviewers note that The INKEY List excels in affordable moisturizers, while Shiseido is known for deep hydration and luxurious textures.

The INKEY List or Shiseido for sensitive skin?

For sensitive skin, both The INKEY List and Shiseido offer a High routine fit on this page, but Lovi rates The INKEY List as Superior for this skin type.

The INKEY List or Shiseido for acne-prone skin?

Both The INKEY List and Shiseido offer products on this page that are a High fit for acne-prone skin, so either brand helps depending on your specific routine. Every product on The INKEY List page lists no fragrance in its ingredients, whereas most Shiseido products contain fragrance.

The INKEY List or Shiseido for combination skin?

For combination skin, The INKEY List is a Superior fit, while Shiseido achieves a High fit on the products on this page. Reviewers note that The INKEY List provides a more affordable price and value compared to Shiseido.

The INKEY List or Shiseido for mature skin?

Both The INKEY List and Shiseido fit mature skin at a High level. Reviewers report that the products on this page for Shiseido provide firming and line-reducing moisturizers, while The INKEY List offers affordable serums.

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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