The Ordinary vs The INKEY List: Retinol, Niacinamide and More

Choose The Ordinary if you want the lowest price per active and you are happy to build a routine from simple, single-ingredient formulas. Choose The INKEY List if you want a few more supporting ingredients in each bottle and clearer guidance for beginners, especially for a first retinoid. Most products from both cost under $15 in the US as of November 2026.

To see how a specific bottle from either brand fits your skin type, scan its barcode or label with the ingredient scanner in Pori. Pori flags ingredients; it does not diagnose skin conditions.

Below we compare who makes each brand, how their prices and formulas differ, and their retinoids, niacinamide, hyaluronic acid, exfoliants and moisturizers head to head. We compared published ingredient lists, brand claims and listed prices; we did not test these products on skin. Prices are from theordinary.com, theinkeylist.com and Sephora US as of November 2026.

Who makes The Ordinary and The INKEY List?

The Ordinary belongs to DECIEM, a company Brandon Truaxe founded in 2013. The Ordinary launched in 2016 with plain packaging and very low prices. Estée Lauder first invested in DECIEM in 2017, became the majority owner in 2021, and bought the remaining interests on May 31, 2024 for about $860 million. The Ordinary is now a wholly owned Estée Lauder brand.

The INKEY List is younger and smaller. Colette Laxton and Mark Curry launched it in the UK in 2018, and the founders still run it. The private equity firm Aria Growth Partners took a minority stake in February 2022. It sells through Sephora, Cult Beauty, Boots and its own site.

Both brands name products after their main ingredient. The Ordinary usually adds the percentage to the name. The INKEY List does that on some products and not others.

What is the main difference between The Ordinary and The INKEY List?

The difference is how much goes around the active. The Ordinary tends to sell one active in a plain base, so you can combine products like building blocks. The INKEY List more often adds peptides, soothing agents or a second hydrator to the same bottle, so each product does a little more on its own.

• The Ordinary suits people who like to control each step and who read the brand's "do not use with" notes. Its product pages list which actives clash.
• The INKEY List suits people who want fewer bottles and a softer start, at a slightly higher price.

Neither approach is automatically better for your skin. What matters is the specific formula and whether it suits your skin type. Our full guides to The Ordinary and The INKEY List go product by product.

Which is cheaper, The Ordinary or The INKEY List?

The Ordinary, in almost every category. Its niacinamide costs $6.00 and its hyaluronic acid serum $9.90, while The INKEY List's niacinamide costs $13. On retinoids the gap is smaller, because The INKEY List's starter serum costs $15 and The Ordinary's gentlest retinoid emulsion costs $12.10.

Which brand has the better retinol?

For a first retinoid, The INKEY List's Starter Retinol Serum is the easier pick, and The Ordinary is cheaper once you know what you tolerate.

The INKEY List Starter Retinol Serum ($15) states both of its doses: 1% encapsulated Granactive Retinoid Pro Plus and 0.01% retinal. It is made for first-time users and sensitive skin. Its older Retinol Serum ($15 at Sephora) pairs a retinol ester with Granactive Retinoid and squalane, and the Advanced Retinal Serum moves up to 0.2% retinal.

The Ordinary gives you a ladder. Granactive Retinoid 2% Emulsion ($12.10) is built on hydroxypinacolone retinoate in a creamy base and is the gentlest. Retinol 0.2% in Squalane ($8.10) and Retinol 1% in Squalane ($9.90) are water-free retinol serums in a squalane base. Retinal 0.2% Emulsion ($14.90 for 15 ml) is the strongest, and The Ordinary recommends it mainly for experienced retinoid users, starting once a week and building to twice a week.

Both brands' 0.2% retinal products sit at the top of their ranges. Our explainer on retinal vs retinol covers why retinal is stronger, and the best retinol serums for beginners ranks the starter options.

Which niacinamide serum is better?

Both use 10% niacinamide, so the core dose is the same. The difference is the partner ingredient and the feel.

• The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% ($6.00) adds zinc PCA, which is aimed at oil. It suits oily and blemish-prone skin.
• The INKEY List 10% Niacinamide Serum ($13) adds 1% hyaluronic acid, according to the brand's FAQ. It suits combination skin that wants oil control and some hydration in one step.

If cost is the deciding factor, The Ordinary wins at less than half the price. If you skip a separate hydrating serum, The INKEY List covers both jobs. Our roundup of the best niacinamide serums and our Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% review go further.

Which hyaluronic acid serum should you choose?

The Ordinary's Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5 ($9.90) now includes ceramides alongside several forms of hyaluronic acid and vitamin B5. The brand lists no products to avoid with it, which makes it an easy base layer under any routine.

The INKEY List's Hyaluronic Acid Serum lists 2% multi-molecular hyaluronic acid plus Matrixyl 3000, a peptide pair (palmitoyl tetrapeptide-7 and palmitoyl tripeptide-1), on its UK listing. The peptides are a small extra. Hydration is the main job of both.

Either works on damp skin under a moisturizer. Our guide on how to use hyaluronic acid explains why the moisturizer on top matters.

Which exfoliants are better?

The Ordinary has the deeper exfoliant range. Its Glycolic Acid 7% Exfoliating Toner costs $9.00 and has a pH of about 3.6, and its Lactic Acid 10% + HA costs $9.20 and is the gentler choice for dry or rough skin. It also sells a salicylic acid solution for clogged pores.

The INKEY List's best-known exfoliant is its Salicylic Acid Cleanser, which pairs 2% salicylic acid with allantoin and a zinc compound on its UK listing. A wash is rinsed off quickly, so it is a mild way to get BHA into an oily-skin routine.

Leave-on acids work harder and need more care. Use them a few times a week, keep them away from your retinoid nights, and wear sunscreen. The Ordinary says its glycolic toner should not be combined with retinoids or other direct acids. See physical vs chemical exfoliants, exfoliating acids for beginners and how often to exfoliate before you start.

Neither brand's salicylic acid products are in our catalogue, so the shelf below pairs The Ordinary's lactic acid with a gentle mandelic and lactic acid exfoliant from Paula's Choice.

Which moisturizer is better?

The Ordinary's Natural Moisturizing Factors + HA ($6.70) is a plain, fragrance-free cream built on humectants that mimic the skin's own moisturizing factors. It is light, so very dry skin may want something richer on top.

The INKEY List's Vitamin B, C and E Moisturizer adds niacinamide, panthenol, a vitamin C derivative and vitamin E, with no fragrance listed. It also has 1% coconut oil. For drier skin, the brand's Bio-Active Ceramide Moisturizer ($22) is the richer option. Our guide to types of moisturizers helps you match texture to skin type.

Should you pick The Ordinary or The INKEY List?

You do not have to choose one brand. A common mix is The Ordinary's hyaluronic acid and moisturizer with The INKEY List's Starter Retinol Serum at night. Add one product at a time, a couple of weeks apart, and check our list of ingredients not to mix before you layer actives from either brand.