🇬🇧United Kingdom

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 that help consumers address diverse needs with targeted formulations. The INKEY List focuses on glycerin-driven moisturizers, serums, toners, and eye products that suit sensitive and combination skin, while Olay thoughtfully pairs niacinamide and glycerin in cleansers, serums, eye products, and moisturizers that best fit acne-prone and mature skin. Both brands offer standout solutions for specific concerns, such as targeted dark spot treatments and specialized eye care. Ultimately, they differ in their foundational ingredients and primary skin compatibility, giving shoppers distinct choices for their routines.

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 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 · £92.69 · 82% fitBuy Olay routine · £83.22 · 82% fitSee multi-brand routine · 99% fit

The INKEY List vs Olay routines for oily skin

Buy The INKEY List routine · £160.15 · 86% fitBuy Olay routine · £195.17 · 86% fitSee multi-brand routine · 97% fit

The INKEY List vs Olay routines for combination skin

Buy The INKEY List routine · £130.06 · 88% fitBuy Olay routine · £188.48 · 86% fitSee multi-brand routine · 96% fit

Questions and answers

The INKEY List or Olay: which is better?

The INKEY List tends to be better for value and sensitivity, while Olay excels in skin smoothing and brightening. Both brands offer solid hydration, but the products on this page provide varying fit levels depending on your specific skin type.

What is the difference between The INKEY List and Olay?

The INKEY List tends to be more affordable and is gentler on sensitive skin, while Olay is better suited for acne-prone skin and improves skin texture and smoothing. Both brands offer equal hydration and lightweight textures across the products on this page.

The INKEY List or Olay for dry skin?

Both The INKEY List and Olay offer a high routine fit for dry skin. The products on this page for both brands feature hydrating ingredients like glycerin, while Olay additionally includes hyaluronic acid to help maintain moisture.

Journal of Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2015Drug Delivery, 2017

The INKEY List or Olay: which cleanser is better?

Both The INKEY List and Olay offer strong options for cleansing, with the products on this page delivering similar effectiveness for oiliness and combination skin. The INKEY List tends to be more affordable, while Olay provides options that focus on skin smoothing and texture improvement.

Which is more affordable, The INKEY List or Olay?

The INKEY List is more affordable, as the products on this page offer better affordable value and pricing compared to Olay.

Which brand is better for brightening and radiance, The INKEY List or Olay?

Olay is better for brightening and radiance, as reviewers note it outperforms The INKEY List in this area.

Do The INKEY List and Olay products contain fragrance?

Every product on The INKEY List page lists no fragrance in its ingredients, while almost all products on the Olay page also list no fragrance except for the Oil Minimizing Clean Toner.

Which brand fits sensitive skin better, The INKEY List or Olay?

The INKEY List fits sensitive skin better than Olay, as Lovi rates sensitive skin fit as Superior for The INKEY List and High for Olay.

The INKEY List or Olay for oily skin?

Both The INKEY List and Olay offer products on this page that achieve a High routine fit for oily skin. Olay may provide better skin smoothing and texture improvement, while The INKEY List tends to offer more affordable value and pricing.

The INKEY List or Olay: which moisturizer is better?

Both The INKEY List and Olay offer hydrating moisturizers on this page with equal routine fit levels for dry, oily, and combination skin types. Reviewers find that The INKEY List provides more affordable value, while Olay is better known for skin smoothing and texture improvement.

The INKEY List or Olay for sensitive skin?

The INKEY List fits sensitive skin better than Olay, as Lovi rates the sensitive skin routine fit as Superior for The INKEY List and High for Olay. Reviewers also find The INKEY List is more gentle on skin.

The INKEY List or Olay for acne-prone skin?

Olay fits acne-prone skin with a Superior level, while The INKEY List offers a High level on the products on this page. Olay excels in skin smoothing and texture improvement, whereas The INKEY List is noted for being more gentle on skin.

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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