🇬🇧United Kingdom

The INKEY List vs Hada Labo

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

The INKEY List and Hada Labo are distinct skincare brands that offer targeted daily essentials. The British line features moisturizers, serums, toners, and eye products built around glycerin, fitting sensitive and combination skin best, whereas the Japanese brand is deeply loved for its hydrating toners, gentle makeup removers, and nourishing moisturizers, suiting dry and acne-prone skin best. Both utilize carefully selected ingredients to support a healthy skin barrier and deliver essential hydration. They differ primarily in their regional origins, primary formulations, 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

Hada Labo is a Japanese skincare brand founded in 2004 and owned by Rohto Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd..

en.wikipedia.orghadalabosa.co.zahadalabotokyo.pl

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

Popular The INKEY List vs Hada Labo products

People Say

The INKEY ListHada Labo
  • Hydration and Moisture Often MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “skin drinks it up — Hada Labo Gokujyun Lotion”
    • “Plumps fine lines — Hada Labo Gokujun Premium”
    • “leaves skin soft, smooth, and hydrated — Hada Labo Shirojyun Premium Whitening Lotion”
    • “Super hydrating — The INKEY List Polyglutamic Acid Serum”
  • Affordability and Value Mostly MentionedSometimes 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”
    • “bottle lasts forever — Hada Labo Gokujyun Lotion”
  • 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 super quickly — Hada Labo Premium Whitening Lotion (Light)”
  • Gentle and Non-Irritating Formula Sometimes NotedMostly Mentioned
    • “never stings my sensitive skin — Hada Labo Gokujyun Lotion”
    • “No fragrance/alcohol — Hada Labo Gokujun Premium”
    • “no irritation, no breakouts — Hada Labo Shirojyun Premium Whitening Lotion”
    • “Safe and gentle especially for my dry, sensitive skin — The INKEY List Oat Cleansing Balm”
  • Acne and Blemish Control Often MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “Free of active acne — The INKEY List Salicylic Acid Cleanser”
    • “calms redness instantly — The INKEY List 10% Azelaic Acid Serum”
    • “Skin instantly looks less oily — The INKEY List Salicylic Acid Cleanser”
    • “calms my redness — Hada Labo Premium Whitening Lotion (Light)”
  • Sticky or Tacky Finish Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
    • “Feels tacky on skin — The INKEY List PHA Toner”
    • “Leaves a tackiness that never goes away. — The INKEY List Niacinamide Serum”
    • “feeling sticky — The INKEY List Caffeine Eye Cream”
    • “Tacky residue — Hada Labo Gokujun Premium”
  • Causes Breakouts and Clogging Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
    • “did cause major breakouts — The INKEY List Omega Water Cream”
    • “New formula breaks me out — The INKEY List Salicylic Acid Cleanser”
    • “Caused cystic acne — The INKEY List PHA Toner”
    • “gave me tiny bumps — Hada Labo Gokujyun Lotion”
  • Packaging and Quality Issues Often MentionedRarely Noted
    • “Prefer old version — Hada Labo Gokujun Premium”
    • “Tube leaks liquified oil when opened — The INKEY List Oat Cleansing Balm”

The INKEY List vs Hada Labo routines for dry skin

Buy Hada Labo routine · £152.93 · 99% fitBuy The INKEY List routine · £92.69 · 82% fitSee multi-brand routine · 99% fit

The INKEY List vs Hada Labo routines for oily skin

Buy Hada Labo routine · £236.09 · 94% fitBuy The INKEY List routine · £160.15 · 86% fitSee multi-brand routine · 97% fit

The INKEY List vs Hada Labo routines for combination skin

Buy Hada Labo routine · £202.44 · 94% fitBuy The INKEY List routine · £130.06 · 88% fitSee multi-brand routine · 96% fit

Questions and answers

The INKEY List or Hada Labo: which is better?

The INKEY List excels in affordability and lightweight textures among the products on this page, whereas Hada Labo is noted for deep hydration and gentle formulations. Both brands offer solid options depending on whether budget or intensive moisture is your priority.

What is the difference between The INKEY List and Hada Labo?

Hada Labo provides superior hydration and moisture compared to The INKEY List, while The INKEY List offers greater affordability, value, and lightweight texture.

The INKEY List or Hada Labo for dry skin?

For dry skin, Hada Labo offers a Superior routine fit with deep hydration, while the products on this page for The INKEY List provide a High routine fit.

The INKEY List or Hada Labo: which moisturizer is better?

Both brands offer moisturizers on this page, with The INKEY List performing better for affordability while Hada Labo excels in deep hydration.

Which is more affordable, The INKEY List or Hada Labo?

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

Between The INKEY List and Hada Labo, which brand is better for hydration and moisture?

Hada Labo is better for hydration and moisture, as reviewers mostly note it for deep hydration and moisturization and the brand does better in that review theme. For dry skin, Lovi rates Hada Labo routines as Superior and The INKEY List routines as High.

How do The INKEY List and Hada Labo compare regarding sticky or tacky finish issues?

When comparing sticky or tacky finish issues, The INKEY List is noted by reviewers as having this drawback, while Hada Labo is also frequently mentioned for sticky and tacky finishes.

Which skincare brand is newer, The INKEY List or Hada Labo?

The INKEY List is newer, having been founded in the United Kingdom in 2018, whereas Hada Labo was founded in Japan in 2004.

The INKEY List or Hada Labo for oily skin?

For oily skin, both The INKEY List and Hada Labo achieve a High routine fit on the products on this page. Hada Labo does better for hydration and moisture, while The INKEY List does better for affordability and value, lightweight and fast-absorbing texture, and acne and blemish control.

The INKEY List or Hada Labo for acne-prone skin?

For acne-prone skin, both brands work well as the products on this page achieve a High fit level. The INKEY List does better for acne and blemish control, while Hada Labo provides superior routine fit.

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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