The INKEY List Skincare Guide: What to Buy for Your Skin Type

The INKEY List is a British budget skincare brand, founded in 2018 by Colette Laxton and Mark Curry, that names each product after its main ingredient. Most of its serums cost $13 to $22 in the US. The best first buys are the Starter Retinol Serum for a gentle first retinoid, the 10% Niacinamide Serum for oil and pores, and a plain moisturizer such as the Vitamin B, C and E Moisturizer.

Before you add one to your cart, you can scan its barcode or label with the ingredient scanner in Pori to check the formula against your skin type. Pori reads the ingredient list for you; it does not diagnose skin conditions.

This guide covers who runs The INKEY List, how its ingredient-first naming works, its retinoids, niacinamide, cleansers and moisturizers, and what to buy for each skin type. We compared published ingredient lists, brand claims and listed prices; we did not test these products on skin. Prices are from theinkeylist.com and Sephora US as of November 2026, and some ingredient details come from the brand's UK retailer listings, because US and UK formulas can differ.

Who owns The INKEY List?

The INKEY List is still run by its founders. Colette Laxton and Mark Curry launched it in the UK in 2018. In February 2022 the private equity firm Aria Growth Partners took a minority stake, and the terms were not disclosed. So unlike The Ordinary, which Estée Lauder now owns outright, The INKEY List is not part of a large beauty group.

The company has had one change at the top. Stephanie Davis Michelman became chief executive in May 2023, with both founders staying on as executive directors. She left in October 2024 and Mark Curry returned as CEO. At the 2023 announcement the brand said it sold in more than 30 countries, through Sephora, Cult Beauty, Boots and its own website.

What makes The INKEY List different?

The name is the formula. Bottles say "Retinol Serum," "10% Niacinamide Serum" or "Oat Cleansing Balm," so you know the lead ingredient before you read the back. The INKEY List built its brand on explaining ingredients, and the plain labels follow from that.

Three habits set it apart from its closest rival, The Ordinary:

• Finished textures. Many INKEY serums carry supporting ingredients such as peptides, squalane or soothing agents. The Ordinary tends to sell one active in a simpler base.
• Disclosed doses on newer launches. The Starter Retinol Serum, for example, states both of its retinoid strengths. Older products sometimes name only the lead ingredient.
• Regional formulas. The same product name can carry a slightly different ingredient list in the US and the UK. Always read the box you actually buy.

A low price and a plain name tell you nothing about whether a product suits your skin. That depends on your skin type and what else is in your routine. Our guide to reading ingredient labels helps with the rest of the list.

Which INKEY List retinol should you buy?

The INKEY List sells several vitamin A serums, and they are easy to confuse. Here is how the main ones differ.

Starter Retinol Serum is the one most people should begin with. The brand describes a slow-release dual-retinoid complex: 1% encapsulated Granactive Retinoid Pro Plus, which is a form of hydroxypinacolone retinoate, plus a tiny 0.01% of retinal. It is aimed at first-time users and sensitive skin, and it is fragrance-free.

Retinol Serum is the older product. The UK ingredient list shows retinyl acetate, a gentler retinol ester, together with Granactive Retinoid, squalane, peptides and a vitamin C derivative. Sephora US lists it at $15. Because the US label may not match the UK one, check the box for the exact retinoid.

Advanced Retinal Serum uses 0.2% retinal, which converts to retinoic acid in fewer steps than retinol. That makes it stronger, and it belongs later in your routine. Our explainer on retinal vs retinol covers the difference in detail.

Whichever you pick, use a pea-sized amount at night and wear sunscreen in the morning. The American Academy of Dermatology advises starting with the least intense retinoid every other night and building up slowly, because retinoids can irritate and make skin more sensitive to the sun. Our ranking of the best retinol serums for beginners compares the Starter serum with CeraVe, Olay and The Ordinary.

Is The INKEY List niacinamide serum good?

Yes, for oily or combination skin that wants a bit of hydration too. The 10% Niacinamide Serum costs $13 for 30 ml on theinkeylist.com and pairs 10% niacinamide with 1% hyaluronic acid, according to the brand's FAQ. It is fragrance-free and lists sensitive skin among the types it suits.

Niacinamide is a well-tolerated vitamin B3 ingredient that may help with oiliness, the look of pores and uneven tone. Ten percent is a common strength, and higher is not clearly better. If you want to compare it with other 10% serums, see our roundup of the best niacinamide serums.

The INKEY List's niacinamide serum is not in our product catalogue, so the shelf below shows two other 10% serums with similar jobs: The Ordinary's Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%, which adds zinc for oil control, and Neutrogena's Stubborn Texture serum.

What are the best INKEY List cleansers?

The brand's two best-known cleansers sit at opposite ends.

• Oat Cleansing Balm ($17 for 150 ml on theinkeylist.com) is a balm that melts makeup and sunscreen. It suits dry skin and the first step of a double cleanse.
• Salicylic Acid Cleanser is a 2% salicylic acid wash with 0.5% allantoin and a zinc compound, according to its UK listing. It targets blackheads and oily, breakout-prone skin. Salicylic acid in a wash only stays on skin for a minute, so it is a gentle way to start with BHA.

If you are not sure which type of face wash suits you, our guide to types of face cleansers walks through gels, balms, creams and medicated washes.

Which INKEY List moisturizer is right for you?

The INKEY List makes several moisturizers, and the two richer ones cost $22 each on theinkeylist.com. Three are worth knowing:

• Vitamin B, C and E Moisturizer is the lightest of the three and the cheapest. Its ingredient list includes niacinamide, panthenol, sodium ascorbyl phosphate (a vitamin C derivative), sodium hyaluronate and vitamin E, with no fragrance listed. It also contains 1% coconut oil, which the brand highlights; people who break out easily from rich oils may want to patch test first.
• Bio-Active Ceramide Moisturizer ($22 on theinkeylist.com) is the barrier-repair option for dry or over-exfoliated skin.
• 10% Urea Moisturizer ($22) is aimed at dry, rough skin. See our guide to urea for dry skin for how urea works.

For normal to dry skin, The Ordinary's Natural Moisturizing Factors + HA is an equally simple, low-cost alternative that we can show from our catalogue next to the INKEY cream.

What should you buy from The INKEY List for your skin type?

Keep it to one active at a time and add products a couple of weeks apart, so you can tell what helps and what irritates.

Every routine still needs a broad-spectrum sunscreen each morning, especially once you use a retinoid. The INKEY List's range is thin on SPF in the US, so pick one from our sunscreen shelf or read sunscreen for your skin type.

What should you skip?

• Two retinoids at once. Pick one of the retinol serums. Layering them adds irritation without a clear benefit.
• Retinoid plus strong acids on the same night. If you also use a salicylic or glycolic product, alternate nights. Our list of skincare ingredients not to mix covers the common clashes.
• Buying the whole line. At these prices it is tempting, but a four-product routine you use every day beats eight products you rotate at random.

Is The INKEY List worth it?

For most people, yes. The prices are low, the lead ingredients are clear, and the Starter Retinol Serum is one of the few beginner retinoids that states its strengths. The main catch is regional formulas: the same product name can carry a different list in different countries. Read the box, start slowly, and judge each product after six to eight weeks of daily use.