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The INKEY List vs Olay

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

The INKEY List and Olay are accessible skincare brands offering thoughtfully formulated moisturizers, serums, eye products, and more. The British brand is built around glycerin and suits dry skin and dry sensitive skin best, whereas the latter is enriched with nourishing niacinamide and glycerin to suit sensitive skin and acne-prone skin best. Both brands address specific concerns with targeted products, such as dark spots, mature skin, and acne-prone skin, while differing in their primary ingredient focus 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

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

Popular The INKEY List vs Olay products

People Say

The INKEY ListOlay
  • Lightweight and Fast-Absorbing Texture Mostly MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “sits beautifully under makeup — The INKEY List Caffeine Eye Cream”
    • “Gel consistency — The INKEY List Tranexamic Acid Serum”
    • “sinks in quickly — Olay Super Serum”
    • “absorbs quickly — Olay Vitamin C Serum”
  • Hydration and Moisture Often MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “Super hydrating — The INKEY List Polyglutamic Acid Serum”
    • “intense nourishment — The INKEY List Collagen Peptide Serum”
    • “Instantly smoother, softer, and more hydrated — Olay Regenerist Micro-Sculpting Cream”
    • “light and smooth — Olay Ultimate Eye Cream”
  • Skin Smoothing and Texture Improvement Sometimes NotedMostly Mentioned
    • “skin feels baby soft — Olay Retinol24”
    • “Skin feels like silk — Olay Regenerist Retinol 24 Night Moisturizer”
    • “hydrates the skin — Olay Advanced Eye Cream”
    • “Skin feels softer — The INKEY List PHA Toner”
  • Gentle on Skin 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”
    • “tiny beads aren't harsh — Olay Regenerating Cream Cleanser”
  • Affordable Value and Pricing 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 than high-end moisturizers — Olay Regenerist Micro-Sculpting Cream”
  • Brightening and Radiance Rarely NotedOften Mentioned
    • “iridescent glow — Olay Super Serum”
    • “hides dark shadows — Olay Ultimate Eye Cream”
    • “skin looks brighter — Olay Vitamin C Serum”
    • “Visibly reduces acne scars — The INKEY List Tranexamic Acid Serum”
  • Packaging Issues Often MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “Pump breaks easily — The INKEY List Tranexamic Acid Serum”
    • “Very difficult to squeeze out at first — The INKEY List Oat Cleansing Balm”
    • “hard to dispense — Olay Super Serum”
    • “dropper is frustrating — Olay Super Serum Night Repair”
  • Unpleasant Scent or Fragrance Issues Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “Smells like BBQ/meat — The INKEY List Tranexamic Acid Serum”
    • “Smells like chemicals — The INKEY List Polyglutamic Acid Serum”
    • “Fragrance can be an irritant — Olay Regenerist Micro-Sculpting Cream”
    • “floral scent — Olay Super Serum”

The INKEY List vs Olay routines for dry skin

Buy The INKEY List routine · S$253.28 · 96% fitBuy Olay routine · S$248.06 · 83% fitSee multi-brand routine · 99% fit

The INKEY List vs Olay routines for oily skin

Buy The INKEY List routine · S$520.95 · 94% fitBuy Olay routine · S$485.72 · 81% fitSee multi-brand routine · 96% fit

The INKEY List vs Olay routines for combination skin

Buy The INKEY List routine · S$411.40 · 94% fitBuy Olay routine · S$383.33 · 80% fitSee multi-brand routine · 97% fit

Questions and answers

The INKEY List or Olay: which is better?

The INKEY List is better for gentle care and affordability, while Olay does better for skin smoothing and brightening. Both brands offer solid hydration and lightweight textures across the products on this page.

What is the difference between The INKEY List and Olay?

The INKEY List tends to be more affordable and is noted for being especially gentle on skin, whereas Olay stands out for skin smoothing and brightening. Lovi gives The INKEY List a Superior routine fit across all skin types compared to a High fit for Olay.

The INKEY List or Olay for dry skin?

Both The INKEY List and Olay feature products on this page that provide high hydration for dry skin, with routine fit levels reaching Superior for The INKEY List and High for Olay. Reviewers note that both brands offer intense hydration and lightweight feels.

The INKEY List or Olay: which cleanser is better?

Both The INKEY List and Olay offer cleansers on the products on this page, but they cater to different skin needs. The INKEY List is noted for being gentler on skin, whereas Olay tends to do better for skin smoothing and texture improvement.

Which is more affordable, The INKEY List or Olay?

The INKEY List does better than Olay for affordable value and pricing. Reviewers note that the products on this page include affordable moisturizers and affordable serums.

Between The INKEY List and Olay, which brand performs better for mature skin?

Between The INKEY List and Olay, The INKEY List performs better for mature skin overall because Lovi fit for mature skin is Superior. Olay does better on skin smoothing and texture improvement as well as brightening and radiance.

Do The INKEY List products contain fragrance?

Every product on this page from The INKEY List lists no fragrance in its ingredients.

Which brand has better options for addressing skin with dark spots?

Olay does better for brightening and radiance, while both brands offer products with a High fit level for skin with dark spots. Niacinamide helps reduce cutaneous pigmentation and suppresses melanosome transfer.

The British Journal of Dermatology, 2002

The INKEY List or Olay for oily skin?

For oily skin, The INKEY List has a Superior routine fit on this page, while Olay has a High routine fit. Reviewers note that The INKEY List does better for gentle care and affordability.

The INKEY List or Olay: which moisturizer is better?

Both The INKEY List and Olay offer a range of moisturizers that provide intense hydration and lightweight feel. The products on this page from The INKEY List help deliver affordable value, while Olay excels in skin smoothing and texture improvement.

The INKEY List or Olay for sensitive skin?

The INKEY List is better suited for sensitive skin because Lovi rates its overall routine fit as Superior compared to Olay's High.

The INKEY List or Olay for acne-prone skin?

For acne-prone skin, both brands offer strong options, but Lovi rates The INKEY List as having a Superior routine fit compared to Olay's High fit. The products on this page from The INKEY List focus on key ingredients like glycerin while avoiding added fragrance, which helps keep the formulas gentle.

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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