🇬🇧United Kingdom

celimax vs The INKEY List

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

celimax and The INKEY List are independent skincare brands founded in 2019 and 2018 respectively, offering thoughtful assortments of serums, moisturizers, toners, and more. While celimax features carefully crafted daily formulas best suited for sensitive and mature skin, The INKEY List builds its products around glycerin to fit sensitive and combination skin. Both brands differ in their standout options for specific concerns, as the Korean line addresses complex skin needs with items like its Heartleaf BHA Peeling Pad and Dual Barrier Creamy Toner, whereas the British brand relies on ingredients like PHA and azelaic acid.

celimax is a Korean skincare brand founded in 2019 and owned by ABSORBLAB Co., Ltd..

celimax.comcelimax.us

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 celimax and The INKEY List products; for every product of both brands, with a fit score for your own skin, use the Lovi app.

Popular celimax vs The INKEY List products

People Say

celimaxThe INKEY List
  • Lightweight and Fast-Absorbing Texture Often MentionedMostly 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 incredibly fast — celimax Pore+Dark Spot Brightening Serum”
  • Hydration and Moisture Often MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “Skin stays soft throughout the day — celimax Dual Barrier Creamy Toner”
    • “gives a very beautiful glow to your skin — celimax Noni Ampoule”
    • “Super hydrating — The INKEY List Polyglutamic Acid Serum”
    • “intense nourishment — The INKEY List Collagen Peptide Serum”
  • Soothing, Calming, and Barrier Repair Mostly MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “calms my face redness upon application — celimax Noni Ampoule”
    • “Helped restore skin after chemical peels — celimax Dual Barrier Skin Wearable Cream”
    • “cleans deeply without stripping — celimax Noni Acne Bubble Cleanser”
    • “Safe and gentle especially for my dry, sensitive skin — The INKEY List Oat Cleansing Balm”
  • Affordable Price and Value Not notedMostly 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”
  • Acne Clearing and Oil Control Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
    • “Free of active acne — The INKEY List Salicylic Acid Cleanser”
    • “Skin instantly looks less oily — The INKEY List Salicylic Acid Cleanser”
    • “great for oily skin but anyone can use it — The INKEY List Omega Water Cream”
    • “effectively controls oil, leaving a matte finish without making the skin feel greasy — celimax Oil Control Light Sunscreen”
  • Texture Improvement and Exfoliation Often MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “glass-like smoothness — celimax RETINAL SHOT”
    • “skin feels noticeably smoother — celimax Heartleaf BHA Peeling Pad”
    • “skin feels noticeably smoother — celimax Ji.Woo.Gae Cica BHA Blemish Toner Pad”
    • “Great for sensitive skin — The INKEY List PHA Toner”
  • Packaging and Dispenser Issues Often MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “tiny — celimax RETINAL SHOT”
    • “pump shoots out — celimax Derma Nature Fresh Blackhead Jojoba Cleansing Oil”
    • “Pump breaks easily — The INKEY List Tranexamic Acid Serum”
    • “Very difficult to squeeze out at first — The INKEY List Oat Cleansing Balm”
  • Texture Problems and Inconsistencies Rarely NotedSometimes Noted
    • “leaves a white cast this is not suitable for deeper skin tone — celimax Oil Control Light Sunscreen”
    • “Felt a bit suffocating in summer — celimax Dual Barrier Skin Wearable Cream”
    • “Pills if I apply foundation over it — celimax Dual Barrier Skin Wearable Cream”
    • “Tube leaks liquified oil when opened — The INKEY List Oat Cleansing Balm”
  • Sticky, Tacky, or Heavy Residue Rarely NotedOften Mentioned
    • “slight yellow tint — celimax RETINAL SHOT”
    • “tacky finish — celimax Pore+Dark Spot Brightening Pad”
    • “slightly tacky finish — celimax Heartleaf BHA Peeling Pad”
    • “Feels tacky on skin — The INKEY List PHA Toner”
  • Lack of Results or Ineffectiveness Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “didn't notice pore reduction — celimax Pore+Dark Spot Brightening Serum”
    • “results take time — celimax Pore+Dark Spot Brightening Serum”
    • “didn't do anything for circles — The INKEY List Caffeine Eye Cream”
    • “did absolutely nothing — The INKEY List Caffeine Eye Cream”

celimax vs The INKEY List routines for dry skin

Buy The INKEY List routine · £92.69 · 82% fitBuy celimax routine · £136.02 · 73% fitSee multi-brand routine · 99% fit

celimax vs The INKEY List routines for oily skin

Buy The INKEY List routine · £160.15 · 86% fitBuy celimax routine · £202.20 · 80% fitSee multi-brand routine · 97% fit

celimax vs The INKEY List routines for combination skin

Buy The INKEY List routine · £130.06 · 88% fitBuy celimax routine · £147.92 · 76% fitSee multi-brand routine · 96% fit

Questions and answers

celimax or The INKEY List: which is better?

Both brands are great choices depending on your specific skin goals, as The INKEY List offers budget-friendly, lightweight formulas while celimax excels in soothing and barrier repair. For sensitive skin, Lovi rates The INKEY List as Superior and celimax as High.

What is the difference between celimax and The INKEY List?

celimax is a South Korean skincare brand focused heavily on soothing moisturizers and barrier repair, while The INKEY List is a British brand known for lightweight, affordable serums and acne-clearing options. Reviewers note that celimax does better for soothing and barrier repair, whereas The INKEY List excels in lightweight texture and affordability.

celimax or The INKEY List for dry skin?

The INKEY List is a better fit for dry skin, offering a High routine fit compared to celimax at Average. Both brands feature fragrance-free products.

celimax or The INKEY List: which cleanser is better?

The INKEY List tends to be better for acne clearing and oil control on this page, while celimax does better with soothing, calming, and barrier repair. For cleansing specifically, both brands offer products that work well for acne-prone and oily skin types.

Which is more affordable, celimax or The INKEY List?

The INKEY List does better for affordable price and value among the products on this page.

Between celimax and The INKEY List, which brand is better for texture improvement and exfoliation?

For texture improvement and exfoliation, celimax does better than The INKEY List based on the review themes on this page.

How do the founding years and countries of origin compare between celimax and The INKEY List?

celimax was founded in South Korea in 2019, whereas The INKEY List was founded in the United Kingdom in 2018.

Which brand performs better for soothing, calming, and barrier repair?

celimax performs better for soothing, calming, and barrier repair.

celimax or The INKEY List for oily skin?

Both celimax and The INKEY List fit oily skin well, as the products on this page offer equal routine fit levels for this skin type.

celimax or The INKEY List: which moisturizer is better?

When comparing moisturizers, both celimax and The INKEY List offer products on this page that are well-rated for hydration. The INKEY List is particularly noted for its lightweight and fast-absorbing formulas as well as its affordability.

celimax or The INKEY List for sensitive skin?

For sensitive skin, The INKEY List is a Superior fit on Lovi, while celimax fits at a High level. Reviewers note that both brands offer soothing benefits, but The INKEY List tends to be more lightweight and fast-absorbing.

celimax or The INKEY List for acne-prone skin?

Both celimax and The INKEY List provide products on this page that fit acne-prone skin well, with a High Lovi fit level. Reviewers note that The INKEY List does better for acne clearing and oil control, while celimax does better for soothing, calming, and barrier repair.

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?

Scan your face, then any product: Lovi shows how well it fits you and what fits even better.

QR code: get the Lovi app
Download on theApp Store Get it onGoogle Play