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The INKEY List vs Elemis

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

The INKEY List and Elemis are British skincare brands offering moisturizers, serums, toners, and eye products built around nourishing ingredients like glycerin and shea. The INKEY List features formulas suited best for dry and dry sensitive skin, addressing acne-prone, dark spot, and mature concerns through targeted treatments, while Elemis extends its gentle, deeply hydrating formulations to balanced skin as well. Both brands differ in their founding eras and specialized offerings, with the British brand founded in 2018 focusing on single-ingredient efficacy and the 1989 counterpart incorporating multi-action botanicals like shea butter.

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

cosmeticsbusiness.comprnewswire.comtheinkeylist.comtracxn.com

Elemis is a British skincare brand founded in 1989 and owned by L'Occitane Group since 2019.

elemis.comau.elemis.comen.wikipedia.org

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

Popular The INKEY List vs Elemis products

People Say

The INKEY ListElemis
  • Hydration and Moisture Often MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “Super hydrating — The INKEY List Polyglutamic Acid Serum”
    • “intense nourishment — The INKEY List Collagen Peptide Serum”
    • “The cream really hydrates and my face looks amazing. — Elemis Pro-Collagen Night Cream”
    • “Quenches thirsty skin... immediate improvement. — Elemis Pro-Collagen Marine Cream”
  • 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 almost immediately, and my skin feels well hydrated all day. — Elemis Pro-Collagen Marine Cream”
  • Gentle and Soothing Formula Often 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”
    • “no stinging or redness — Elemis Papaya Enzyme Peel”
  • 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 Smoothing and Texture Improvement Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
    • “baby soft — Elemis Dynamic Resurfacing Facial Pads”
    • “skin feels baby soft — Elemis Papaya Enzyme Peel”
    • “skin feels baby-soft — Elemis Dynamic Resurfacing Facial Wash”
    • “Skin feels softer — The INKEY List PHA Toner”
  • Acne and Blemish Control Often MentionedNot 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”
  • High Price Point Not notedMostly Mentioned
    • “Complete waste of money for me. — Elemis Pro-Collagen Marine Cream”
  • Fragrance and Scent Issues 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”
    • “The smell is very strong... could not handle for long. — Elemis Pro-Collagen Marine Cream”
  • Packaging Issues Often MentionedRarely Noted
    • “jar looks half empty — Elemis Superfood Midnight Facial”
    • “tube feels half empty — Elemis Papaya Enzyme Peel”
    • “pump broke quickly — Elemis Dynamic Resurfacing Facial Wash”
    • “Pump breaks easily — The INKEY List Tranexamic Acid Serum”

The INKEY List vs Elemis moisturizers

The INKEY List vs Elemis serums and treatments

Questions and answers

The INKEY List or Elemis: which is better?

The INKEY List generally offers better value and gentler formulas, while Elemis stands out for smoother skin texture and a radiant glow. Reviewers note that the products on this page from The INKEY List provide affordable hydration, whereas Elemis features a higher price point and luxury textures.

What is the difference between The INKEY List and Elemis?

The INKEY List offers budget-friendly skincare with fragrance-free formulas that help with hydration and acne, whereas Elemis focuses on luxury anti-aging and skin smoothing with scented options. The INKEY List fits best for dry skin, dry sensitive skin, and oily acne-prone skin, while featuring a high fit level for hydrating moisturizers across the products on this page.

The INKEY List or Elemis: which cleanser is better?

The INKEY List offers a better cleanser experience for acne-prone skin with its Salicylic Acid Cleanser, which has a High Lovi fit level compared to the Average fit of the Elemis Superfood Facial Wash. Reviewers note that The INKEY List provides better acne and blemish control as well as more gentle and soothing formulas across the products on this page.

Which is more affordable, The INKEY List or Elemis?

The INKEY List is more affordable than Elemis, as reviewers on the products on this page mostly mention the brand for its affordable moisturizers and affordable serums.

Which causes fewer breakouts, The INKEY List or Elemis?

The INKEY List does better for acne and blemish control across the products on this page, making it the better choice if breakouts are a concern. Elemis reviewers sometimes note skin irritation, whereas The INKEY List focuses on gentle formulas.

Between The INKEY List and Elemis, which brand offers a better selection of fragrance-free products?

The INKEY List offers a better selection of fragrance-free options, as every product on its page lists no fragrance in its ingredients, whereas most Elemis products contain fragrance.

Which brand has a better performance for skin smoothing and texture improvement, The INKEY List or Elemis?

Elemis performs better for skin smoothing and texture improvement among the products on this page.

How do the founding years and corporate ownerships of The INKEY List and Elemis compare?

The INKEY List was founded in 2018 in the United Kingdom and is owned by Brand Evangelists for Beauty Limited, while Elemis was founded earlier in 1989 in the United Kingdom and has been owned by the L'Occitane Group since 2019.

The INKEY List or Elemis: which moisturizer is better?

When it comes to moisturizers, The INKEY List is better for shoppers seeking affordable options, while Elemis is better for those looking for skin smoothing and texture improvement.

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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