The INKEY List

Great skin care doesn’t have to be expensive. And if you’ve read any reviews of The Inkey List, you know this to be true.

The British brand has been providing reliable skin-care essentials under $15 since 2018, but thanks in part to TikTok, the buzz for the best Inkey List products is just getting started.

The line is often compared to The Ordinary for its affordable cost and formulas focused on single ingredients. And while both brands have truly impressive quality, where they differ is the packaging.

The Ordinary takes a clinical approach with names that refer to specific ingredients, while The Inkey List breaks down the phonetic spelling of ingredients, along with a clear description of the result it gives.

This is no coincidence, as the brand’s founders Colette Laxton and Mark Curry set out to simplify the world of skin care.

To do so, the brand offers a quick quiz on its website, called the Recipe Builder, which will craft you a customized routine, or you can use the brand’s Ask Inkey feature to have any imaginable question answered at all times.

Still, the line, which features 36 skin-care products in nearly identical packaging, can be a bit confusing. While you could theoretically test your way through the entire line for the cost of one luxury serum, that’s what we’re here for.

We had Glamour editors—from skin-care obsessives to true minimalists—put the whole line to the test. Read on for our honest The Inkey List reviews and our breakdown of the products truly worth adding to your routine.

The Inkey List’s Vitamin C serum Using topical vitamin C is a great way to amp up your skincare game against aging and pigmentation.

Pure, active vitamin C (sometimes referred to as L-ascorbic acid) helps to reduce sun damage, brighten skin and increase collagen levels in the skin

The Inkey List’s skincare products live up to expectations as a no-frills and affordable skincare line. My favourites and recommendations from The Inkey List are the niacinamide and retinol serums.