🇬🇧United Kingdom

The INKEY List vs Aēsop

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

The INKEY List and Aēsop are two distinct skincare lines offering thoughtfully formulated moisturizers, serums, toners, and cleansers. The British brand relies on glycerin to suit sensitive, combination, acne-prone, and mature skin, whereas the other utilizes botanical and scientifically validated ingredients to support balanced, combination, and sensitive skin. Both ranges offer targeted solutions for dark spots, acne, and aging, though they differ in their foundational ingredients and overall approach.

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

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

Popular The INKEY List vs Aēsop products

People Say

The INKEY ListAēsop
  • Hydration and Moisture Often MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “woke up with baby-soft skin — Aēsop Damascan Rose Facial Treatment”
    • “Savior of my winter-fueled dry skin. — Aēsop B Triple C Facial Balancing Gel”
    • “delivers deep hydration that really fills your skin — Aēsop Parsley Seed Anti-Oxidant Intense Serum”
    • “Super hydrating — The INKEY List Polyglutamic Acid Serum”
  • 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 well into the skin — Aēsop Damascan Rose Facial Treatment”
  • Acne and Blemish Control Often MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “Free of active acne — The INKEY List Salicylic Acid Cleanser”
    • “Skin instantly looks less oily — The INKEY List Salicylic Acid Cleanser”
    • “Intensely hydrating yet mattifying effect. — Aēsop B Triple C Facial Balancing Gel”
    • “my small blemishes noticeably diminished — Aēsop Parsley Seed Anti-Oxidant Intense Serum”
  • Affordability 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”
  • General Effectiveness and Results Often MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “calms redness instantly — The INKEY List 10% Azelaic Acid Serum”
    • “bags are gone — The INKEY List Caffeine Eye Cream”
    • “saved my skin — Aēsop Damascan Rose Facial Treatment”
    • “I used to have severe flaking... but after using this product, it's disappeared. — Aēsop Parsley Seed Facial Cleanser”
  • Gentle and Soothing Formula Often MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “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”
    • “Never tight or stripped — The INKEY List Salicylic Acid Cleanser”
    • “Leaves my face feeling soft after cleansing. — Aēsop Parsley Seed Facial Cleanser”
  • High Price Not notedMostly Mentioned
    • “quantity is too small — Aēsop Damascan Rose Facial Treatment”
  • Sticky, Tacky, or Heavy Finish Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
    • “Feels tacky on skin — The INKEY List PHA Toner”
    • “Leaves a greasy film on face after washing — The INKEY List Oat Cleansing Balm”
    • “Leaves a tackiness that never goes away. — The INKEY List Niacinamide Serum”
    • “Thick, almost honey-like, and needs a moment to melt in. — Aēsop B Triple C Facial Balancing Gel”
  • 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”
    • “The downside is the pump. — Aēsop Parsley Seed Facial Cleanser”
    • “pipette means potential contamination — Aēsop Damascan Rose Facial Treatment”
  • Makeup Pilling and Issues Rarely NotedOften Mentioned
    • “pills soo much — The INKEY List ECTOIN HYDRO-BARRIER SERUM”
    • “pills under makeup — The INKEY List 10% Azelaic Acid Serum”
    • “When applied directly to the face, it feels slippery and pills up. — Aēsop B Triple C Facial Balancing Gel”

Questions and answers

The INKEY List or Aēsop: which is better?

The INKEY List tends to be better for shoppers seeking affordability and lightweight textures, while Aēsop excels in providing deep hydration and luxurious, refreshing scents. The INKEY List features products on this page that offer an Average fit for mature skin, whereas Aēsop products on this page provide an Average to High fit for mature skin.

What is the difference between The INKEY List and Aēsop?

The INKEY List and Aēsop differ mainly in texture, hydration, and price, with The INKEY List offering more affordable and lightweight products while Aēsop provides deeper hydration and luxurious scents. Reviewers note that the products on this page for The INKEY List focus on affordability and fast-absorbing formulas, whereas Aēsop stands out for deep hydration.

The INKEY List or Aēsop: which cleanser is better?

The INKEY List Salicylic Acid Cleanser is well suited with a High Lovi fit level for combination, acne-prone, oily, oily acne-prone, sensitive skin, and skin with dark spots, whereas the Parsley Seed Facial Cleanser by Aēsop has an Average or Low fit across those same skin types.

Which is more affordable, The INKEY List or Aēsop?

The INKEY List is more affordable than Aēsop, as shoppers frequently mention the brand for its affordable serums and moisturizers while Aēsop is noted for its high price.

Which causes fewer breakouts, The INKEY List or Aēsop?

When it comes to acne and blemish control, The INKEY List and Aēsop perform equally well according to reviewers on this page.

Between The INKEY List and Aēsop, which brand is better suited for acne-prone skin according to their best-fit routines?

The INKEY List fits acne-prone skin best by its brand-focused routines, while Aēsop has no listed best-fit skin types for its routines.

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

The INKEY List was founded in 2018 in the United Kingdom and is owned by Brand Evangelists for Beauty Limited, while Aēsop was founded in 1987 and has been owned by L'Oréal Groupe since 2023.

Which brand performs better in terms of hydration and moisture according to reviewer themes?

Aēsop performs better in terms of hydration and moisture according to reviewer themes.

The INKEY List or Aēsop: which moisturizer is better?

When comparing moisturizers, The INKEY List offers the products on this page that are noted for being affordable and lightweight, while Aēsop excels in providing deep hydration with non-greasy, balancing formulas. Reviewers frequently mention that The INKEY List moisturizers are hydrating, fast-absorbing, and budget-friendly, whereas Aēsop is known for its luxurious hydration despite a high price.

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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