🇬🇧United Kingdom

Medicube vs The INKEY List

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

Medicube and The INKEY List are distinct skincare brands founded in 2016 and 2018, respectively. The Korean brand is known for its moisturizers, serums, toners, and masks using niacinamide, collagen, and hyaluronic acid to suit dry skin and oily acne-prone skin best. Meanwhile, the British brand offers moisturizers, serums, toners, and eye products built around glycerin, fitting sensitive skin and combination skin best. They differ primarily in their origin, key ingredient profiles, and ideal skin types.

Medicube is a Korean skincare brand founded in 2016 and owned by APR Corp..

medicubereviews.co.ukglossy.co

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

Popular Medicube vs The INKEY List products

People Say

MedicubeThe INKEY List
  • Affordable price point 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”
  • Smoother and improved skin texture Often MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “gives my skin a smooth, glass-like finish — Medicube Zero Pore Pad”
    • “skin feels smoother — Medicube PDRN Pink Peptide Serum”
    • “skin feels baby soft — Medicube Zero Pore Blackhead Mud Mask”
    • “Skin feels softer — The INKEY List PHA Toner”
  • Lightweight and fast-absorbing Not notedOften Mentioned
    • “Gel consistency — The INKEY List Tranexamic Acid Serum”
    • “feels like applying straight up water to the skin — The INKEY List Omega Water Cream”
    • “absorbs instantly — The INKEY List Hyaluronic Acid Serum”
  • Soothing and gentle Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “calming the skin — Medicube Red Succinic Acid Peeling Pad”
    • “Did not cause any irritation — Medicube Red Foam Cleanser”
    • “Safe and gentle especially for my dry, sensitive skin — The INKEY List Oat Cleansing Balm”
    • “Non-irritating formula — The INKEY List Tranexamic Acid Serum”
  • Hydration and plumping Sometimes NotedRarely Noted
    • “woke up with baby soft skin — Medicube Collagen Jelly Cream”
    • “skin feels plump and bouncy — Medicube Collagen Night Wrapping Mask”
    • “fine lines vanished — Medicube PDRN Pink Collagen Gel Mask”
    • “skin feels soft and bouncy — The INKEY List ECTOIN HYDRO-BARRIER SERUM”
  • Clears acne Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “Free of active acne — The INKEY List Salicylic Acid Cleanser”
    • “cleared hormonal acne — The INKEY List 10% Azelaic Acid Serum”
    • “Cleared up mask acne — The INKEY List PHA Toner”
    • “active breakouts look less inflamed — Medicube Red Succinic Acid Peeling Pad”
  • Drying and stripping Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “Skin feels very tight — Medicube Zero Foam Cleanser”
    • “skin felt very tight — Medicube Zero Pore Blackhead Mud Mask”
    • “have dry skin but this doesn't feel hydrating at all — The INKEY List Omega Water Cream”
    • “Leaves my skin a bit dry — The INKEY List Salicylic Acid Cleanser”
  • Sticky residue and finish Sometimes NotedRarely Noted
    • “Feels tacky on skin — The INKEY List PHA Toner”
    • “feeling sticky — The INKEY List Caffeine Eye Cream”
    • “sets to a tacky finish — The INKEY List Collagen Peptide Serum”
    • “feels way too sticky and tacky — Medicube DEEP VITA-C CAPSULE CREAM”
  • Packaging issues Rarely NotedSometimes Noted
    • “Package is super leaky — Medicube Deep Vita C Pad”
    • “Residue would harden around the pump — Medicube Red Foam Cleanser”
    • “Pump breaks easily — The INKEY List Tranexamic Acid Serum”

Medicube vs The INKEY List routines for dry skin

Buy Medicube routine · £104.78 · 91% fitBuy The INKEY List routine · £92.69 · 82% fitSee multi-brand routine · 99% fit

Medicube vs The INKEY List routines for oily skin

Buy Medicube routine · £116.80 · 88% fitBuy The INKEY List routine · £160.15 · 86% fitSee multi-brand routine · 97% fit

Medicube vs The INKEY List routines for combination skin

Buy The INKEY List routine · £130.06 · 88% fitBuy Medicube routine · £112.43 · 86% fitSee multi-brand routine · 96% fit

Questions and answers

Medicube or The INKEY List: which is better?

Medicube is better for smoother skin texture and hydration and plumping, while The INKEY List is better for affordability and lightweight, fast-absorbing formulas.

What is the difference between Medicube and The INKEY List?

Medicube offers products on this page that help improve skin texture and hydration, while The INKEY List provides budget-friendly options that help clear acne and absorb quickly. Lovi rates Medicube as Superior for dry skin, whereas The INKEY List is rated as Superior for sensitive skin.

Medicube or The INKEY List for dry skin?

Medicube is a Superior fit for dry skin, whereas The INKEY List is a High fit.

Medicube or The INKEY List: which cleanser is better?

Medicube offers better overall cleansers on this page, as its Zero Foam Cleanser and Red Foam Cleanser fit a wider range of skin types at High levels. Reviewers also note that Medicube helps improve skin texture.

Which is more affordable, Medicube or The INKEY List?

The INKEY List does better than Medicube for a more affordable price point. The products on this page for The INKEY List feature reviewers mostly mentioning affordable moisturizers and affordable serums.

Between Medicube and The INKEY List, which brand is better for improving skin texture?

Medicube is better for improving skin texture, as the products on this page provide smoother and improved skin texture.

Which skincare brand has fragrance-free products, Medicube or The INKEY List?

The INKEY List has fragrance-free products as every product on its page lists no fragrance, whereas Medicube has fragrance in a few products.

Which brand performs better for hydration and plumping, Medicube or The INKEY List?

Medicube performs better for hydration and plumping based on the products on this page. Topical application of hyaluronic acid helps improve skin hydration and signs of aging.

Dermatologic Therapy, 2022Journal of Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2015

Medicube or The INKEY List for oily skin?

Both Medicube and The INKEY List fit oily skin well, with Lovi rating Medicube High and The INKEY List High. Medicube provides better hydration and plumping for the products on this page, while The INKEY List offers a more affordable price point.

Medicube or The INKEY List: which moisturizer is better?

Medicube offers better moisturizers for hydration and plumping, while The INKEY List provides better lightweight, fast-absorbing, and affordable options. Sodium hyaluronate in these moisturizers helps with skin quality and anti-aging effects.

Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

Medicube or The INKEY List for sensitive skin?

For sensitive skin, The INKEY List has a Superior routine fit, while Medicube has a High fit level. The products on this page for The INKEY List feature no fragrance in their ingredients.

Medicube or The INKEY List for acne-prone skin?

Both Medicube and The INKEY List fit acne-prone skin well at a High level. Medicube brings better results for smoother skin texture, while The INKEY List does better at clearing acne and offers a more affordable price point.

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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