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The INKEY List vs Medik8

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

The INKEY List and Medik8 are British skincare brands offering diverse moisturizers, serums, toners, and eye products. The INKEY List relies on glycerin to suit dry and dry sensitive skin best, with standout options for acne-prone, dark spot, and mature skin. Medik8 relies on hyaluronic acid to serve various skin types, featuring targeted solutions for different concerns. Both brands differ in their foundational ingredients and specific formulations, while each remains a thoughtful choice for individual skincare needs.

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

cosmeticsbusiness.comprnewswire.comtheinkeylist.comtracxn.com

Medik8 is a British skincare brand founded in 2009 and owned by L'Oréal Groupe since 2025.

loreal.commedik8.comtracxn.com

This page compares some of the most popular The INKEY List and Medik8 products; for every product of both brands, with a fit score for your own skin, use the Lovi app.

Popular The INKEY List vs Medik8 products

People Say

The INKEY ListMedik8
  • Texture and Absorption Mostly MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “sits beautifully under makeup — The INKEY List Caffeine Eye Cream”
    • “Gel consistency — The INKEY List Tranexamic Acid Serum”
    • “absorbed effortlessly — Medik8 Total Moisture Daily Facial Cream”
    • “smoother skin — Medik8 Surface Radiance Cleanse”
  • Results and Effectiveness Mostly MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “I wake up glowing. It adds back that youthful bloom that I've lost. — Medik8 Sleep Glycolic”
    • “Reduces fine lines — Medik8 Liquid Peptides”
    • “smells like a spa — Medik8 CRYSTAL RETINAL 3”
    • “skin looks fresh and plump — The INKEY List Collagen Peptide Serum”
  • Gentle and Non-Irritating Formula Often MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “zero irritation or peeling — Medik8 CRYSTAL RETINAL 3”
    • “only Vitamin C my sensitive skin can tolerate — Medik8 C-Tetra Serum”
    • “Best retinol replacement — Medik8 Bakuchiol Peptides”
    • “Great for sensitive skin — The INKEY List PHA Toner”
  • Hydration and Moisture Often MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “Super hydrating — The INKEY List Polyglutamic Acid Serum”
    • “intense nourishment — The INKEY List Collagen Peptide Serum”
    • “Restores moisture — Medik8 Liquid Peptides”
    • “Instantly quenched the skin — Medik8 Hydr8 B5 Intense”
  • Price and Value Mostly MentionedRarely 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”
    • “better value than Skinceuticals — Medik8 Super C Ferulic”
  • Acne and Blemish Control Often MentionedRarely Noted
    • “Free of active acne — The INKEY List Salicylic Acid Cleanser”
    • “Skin instantly looks less oily — The INKEY List Salicylic Acid Cleanser”
    • “Visibly reduces acne scars — The INKEY List Tranexamic Acid Serum”
    • “pigmentation lightened slightly — Medik8 Oxy-R Peptides”
  • Lack of Results or Slow Progress Often MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “Not as effective as retinol — Medik8 Bakuchiol Peptides”
    • “no difference — Medik8 Oxy-R Peptides”
    • “no difference yet — Medik8 Crystal Retinal Ceramide Eye 3”
    • “Tube leaks liquified oil when opened — The INKEY List Oat Cleansing Balm”
  • Packaging Issues Often MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “Glass bottle breaks easily — Medik8 Liquid Peptides”
    • “hard to get last bit — Medik8 CRYSTAL RETINAL 3”
    • “click mechanism tricky — Medik8 Oxy-R Peptides”
    • “Pump breaks easily — The INKEY List Tranexamic Acid Serum”
  • High Price Point Not notedOften Mentioned
    • “Expensive per bottle — Medik8 Liquid Peptides”

The INKEY List vs Medik8 serums and treatments

Questions and answers

The INKEY List or Medik8: which is better?

The INKEY List does better for price and value as well as acne and blemish control, while Medik8 does better for gentle and non-irritating formulas and overall results and effectiveness. Both brands perform equally well when it comes to texture, absorption, hydration, and moisture.

What is the difference between The INKEY List and Medik8?

The INKEY List offers more affordable pricing and better acne and blemish control across the products on this page, whereas Medik8 is noted for superior results, effectiveness, and gentleness. Both brands provide similar benefits in texture, absorption, hydration, and moisture.

The INKEY List or Medik8: which cleanser is better?

For cleansers, The INKEY List is better for acne and blemish control while Medik8 offers superior options for targeting skin with dark spots and oily acne-prone skin.

Which is more affordable, The INKEY List or Medik8?

The INKEY List offers better affordability for shoppers, as reviewers on the page frequently note its high price point as a drawback for Medik8 while praising The INKEY List for affordable serums and moisturizers.

Which causes fewer breakouts, The INKEY List or Medik8?

The INKEY List does better for acne and blemish control among the products on this page. Reviewers note that The INKEY List helps with acne and breakouts, whereas Medik8 may occasionally involve slow progress.

Between The INKEY List and Medik8, which brand is better for gentle and non-irritating formulas?

Medik8 does better for gentle and non-irritating formulas.

How do the packaging issues reported by reviewers compare between The INKEY List and Medik8?

Reviewers note packaging issues for both The INKEY List and Medik8 among the products on this page.

Which brand features products containing fragrance, The INKEY List or Medik8?

Medik8 features products containing fragrance, as one of its twelve products on the page lists fragrance, whereas every product on The INKEY List page lists no fragrance.

The INKEY List or Medik8: which moisturizer is better?

Both brands offer well-rated moisturizers, with The INKEY List providing affordable options like the Omega Water Cream and Bio-Active Ceramide Repairing and Plumping Moisturizer, while Medik8 features deep hydration and plumping products such as Total Moisture Daily Facial Cream and Hydr8 B5 Intense. Reviewers note that The INKEY List excels in price and value, whereas Medik8 is recognized for deep hydration and plumping.

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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