Between The Ordinary and The Inkey List, buy The Ordinary if you want the lowest price and you’re comfortable building a routine out of single-purpose bottles. Buy The Inkey List if you’d pay a few dollars more for a formula with a second supporting ingredient and directions that tell you where the product goes in your routine. We matched five pairs: niacinamide, hyaluronic acid, a starter retinoid, vitamin C and a caffeine eye product. The Ordinary is cheaper in all five, about $48 for the set against about $75. The percentages match for niacinamide and hyaluronic acid, sit close for vitamin C and are far apart for caffeine. The retinoid pair isn’t like for like, so read that section before you buy either one.
The two brands side by side
| Feature | The Ordinary | The Inkey List |
| How the five are built | One or two named actives, with the percentage in the product name | A lead active plus a supporting peptide, hydrator or soothing ingredient |
| Layering guidance | A “do not use with” list on three of the five | Routine order and what to avoid, written into the directions |
| Directions | “A few drops” on four of the five | “A pea-sized amount” on all five, with a suggested step in the routine |
| Vegan labeling on these five | The brand says all five are vegan | The hyaluronic acid, vitamin C and retinoid serums are; the niacinamide serum and the eye cream are not |
| Price for all five | About $48 | About $75 |
The five matched pairs
| Ingredient | The Ordinary | The Inkey List |
| Niacinamide | Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%, about $6 | 10% Niacinamide Serum, about $13 |
| Hyaluronic acid | Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5 (with Ceramides), about $10 | Hyaluronic Acid Serum, about $13 |
| Starter retinoid | Retinol 0.2% in Squalane, about $8 | Starter Retinol Serum, about $15 |
| Vitamin C | Ascorbyl Glucoside Solution 12%, about $15 | 15% Vitamin C + EGF Serum, about $20 |
| Caffeine for eyes | Caffeine Solution 5% + EGCG Eye Serum, about $9 | Caffeine Eye Cream, about $14 |
What each brand is
The Ordinary is the Deciem brand that names a product after what’s in it. Each product comes with a format (water-based or water-free), a “suited for” line, a pH range on the water-based products and, on many products, a short list of things the brand says not to use it with. The brand sorts everything into three steps it calls Prep, Treat and Seal. What you won’t get is a routine. You pick the bottles and combine them yourself, which we wrote about in what The Ordinary got right about skincare.
The Inkey List sells the same idea with more hand-holding. The brand says it takes the science and makes it simple, and its products follow through: each one names the key ingredients, usually with a percentage, then says when to use the product, what goes on before and after it, and what to keep out of the same routine. In the five products here, the lead ingredient usually comes with a partner. That partner is a peptide in three of them and hyaluronic acid in a fourth.
Niacinamide: same 10%, different extras
The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% is a water-based serum with 10% niacinamide and zinc PCA, at a pH the brand gives as 5.00 to 6.50. The Ordinary lists visible shine, signs of congestion and textural irregularities among its targets. Directions: a few drops, morning and evening.
The Inkey List 10% Niacinamide Serum has the same 10% niacinamide and swaps the zinc for hyaluronic acid, which the brand puts at 1%. Squalane and glycerin are on the ingredient list, and the brand gives the pH as 6.09. Directions: a pea-sized amount, morning and evening, after cleansing and a hydrating serum. This is the serum we named as a close swap for a pricier booster in our serum dupes list.
The two brands disagree on vitamin C. The Ordinary lists direct and indirect vitamin C under “do not use with” and recommends keeping niacinamide and vitamin C in separate routines, saying the combination may decrease effectiveness. The Inkey List says to avoid high-strength vitamin C and exfoliating acids in the same step, and says its own 15% vitamin C serum is safe to layer with it. Follow the guidance of whichever bottle you own. Our niacinamide guide covers the ingredient itself.
Zinc for oilier skin at less than half the price, or added hydration for more. That’s the choice.
Hyaluronic acid: ceramides or a peptide
Both are 2% hyaluronic acid serums. The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5 (with Ceramides) uses what the brand describes as five types of hyaluronic acid, with ceramides and pro-vitamin B5 (panthenol) for barrier support, and says it dries to a non-tacky finish. It’s water-based, the stated pH is 6.0 to 7.5, and the directions are a few drops morning and evening.
The Inkey List Hyaluronic Acid Serum pairs 2% multi-molecular hyaluronic acid with Matrixyl 3000, a peptide blend the brand says helps skin look plumper and firmer. Its pH is given as 6.21, and the brand says it’s certified by The Vegan Society. The directions add a detail The Ordinary’s don’t: apply it to damp skin, then follow with moisturizer.
The Inkey List takes up this exact comparison itself and says the key difference is the peptide. Its firmer-skin figure comes from a four-week consumer study of 22 people, so treat it as the brand’s claim. If hydration is all you’re after, the two do a similar job and The Ordinary’s costs about $3 less.
Retinoids: these two aren’t the same thing
The Ordinary Retinol 0.2% in Squalane is what the name says: 0.2% retinol in a water-free squalane base, which the brand calls entry-level. A few drops in the evening. The brand says to refrigerate it once opened and use it within three months, warns that retinol can cause irritation, redness and peeling while skin builds tolerance, and lists copper peptides, direct acids, direct vitamin C and other retinoids under “do not use with.”
The Inkey List Starter Retinol Serum is a different kind of formula. Its key ingredients are 1% Granactive Pro+, which the brand describes as a next-generation retinoid with encapsulation technology, and 0.01% retinal, plus a lipid complex and a soothing ingredient called SymRelief. Water and glycerin lead the ingredient list. One thing for label readers: the brand’s description mentions encapsulated retinol, but the ingredient list doesn’t include an ingredient named retinol. The retinoids on it are hydroxypinacolone retinoate and retinal. It’s also sold as the Starter Dual Retinol Serum.
The Inkey List’s directions are evening only, two or three nights a week to start, and it stores at room temperature. The brand says the serum smoothed fine lines in seven days without irritation in a four-week clinical study of 30 participants. Again, that’s the brand’s own testing.
We’d pick by tolerance for fuss. A plain retinol at a stated strength that lives in the fridge, or a gentler-sounding blend that sits on the shelf and costs about twice as much. Both brands say to wear sunscreen during the day. The Ordinary recommends avoiding retinoids when pregnant or breastfeeding, and The Inkey List says not to use vitamin A products in pregnancy without asking your doctor first. More on easing in: the retinol sandwich method and our retinol serum roundup.
Vitamin C: the same derivative at 12% and 15%
Both brands use ascorbyl glucoside, a vitamin C derivative. The Ordinary says outright that it’s much more stable in water than pure vitamin C and less potent than direct L-ascorbic acid.
The Ordinary Ascorbyl Glucoside Solution 12% is a water-based serum at a stated pH of 6.00 to 7.00. A few drops morning and evening, away from the eye contour, with sun protection during the day. Niacinamide is on its “do not use with” list.
The Inkey List 15% Vitamin C + EGF Serum has 15% of the same derivative plus 1% of a plant-based peptide the brand calls EGF, at a pH of 6.8 to 7.2. The brand recommends mornings, suggests beginners start two or three times a week, and says to keep it out of the same routine as retinol and exfoliating acids. It also says to use the bottle within six months of opening.
Three percentage points and a peptide for about $5 more. If you already own a niacinamide serum, note that The Ordinary tells you to keep these apart and The Inkey List says its two can be layered.
Caffeine for eyes: a serum against a cream
The Ordinary Caffeine Solution 5% + EGCG Eye Serum is a water-based serum with 5% caffeine and an EGCG derivative the brand describes as an antioxidant. The bottle is 30 ml. Directions: a small amount around the eye contour, morning and evening. The brand says puffiness may ease within a few days of consistent use and dark circles may take several weeks.
The Inkey List Caffeine Eye Cream is a cream with 0.3% caffeine, Matrixyl 3000 peptide and Albizia julibrissin bark extract. Squalane is on the ingredient list, and so is beeswax, so the brand says it isn’t vegan. The tube is 15 ml. Directions: a pea-sized amount for both eyes, morning and evening. The brand says to expect results in two weeks and full results in up to six. It’s also in our eye cream dupes list.
5% against 0.3% looks lopsided, but the formats are different and neither brand publishes a test against the other, so the number alone doesn’t settle which works better. What you can count on: The Ordinary gives you twice the volume, far more caffeine and a thin liquid, for about $5 less. The Inkey List gives you a cream the brand says hydrates and works as a base for makeup. Both brands suggest keeping theirs in the fridge.
What the price gap looks like
The five from The Ordinary come to about $48 and the five from The Inkey List to about $75. The Ordinary is the cheaper one in every pair, by about $3 for hyaluronic acid and about $7 for niacinamide and the retinoid. Four of the five pairs come in the same 1 oz size. The eye products are the exception, at 30 ml against 15 ml.
What else to consider
Naturium Niacinamide Serum 12% Plus Zinc 2%
12% niacinamide, 2% zinc PCA; about $14
CeraVe Skin Renewing Retinol Serum
Encapsulated retinol, niacinamide, hyaluronic acid, three ceramides; about $20
Good Molecules Hyaluronic Acid Serum
A lightweight hyaluronic acid serum; about $6
Prices move constantly, so we link to live listings instead of printing a number that is wrong by the time you read it. Links go to Amazon, which is where a referral gets credited.
CeraVe says its retinol serum is for evening use only and has no added fragrance, and it doesn’t publish a retinol percentage.
How we picked
We matched one product from each brand for each of five ingredients. Prices move, so check before you order.
If I Were You
If the budget is the whole point, buy The Ordinary. Niacinamide, hyaluronic acid and the retinol together come to about $24.
If you’ve never built a routine, start with The Inkey List’s hyaluronic acid and niacinamide serums. The directions tell you which goes first.
If your skin is oily and shiny by noon, The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% is the one with zinc.
If you want to try a retinoid and you’re nervous, The Inkey List Starter Retinol Serum has the gentler-sounding formula and the simpler storage. If you want plain retinol at a known strength, that’s The Ordinary.
If you use niacinamide and vitamin C in the same morning, The Inkey List is the brand that says its two can share a routine.
If your under-eyes are dry as well as puffy, pick the cream. If they’re only puffy, pick the serum.
FAQ
Is The Inkey List better than The Ordinary?
Neither brand has shown that. In these five pairs the active percentages are the same or close in three, The Ordinary is cheaper in all five, and The Inkey List tends to add a second ingredient and more guidance. Which is better depends on whether you want the lower price or the extra help.
Can you mix The Ordinary and The Inkey List in one routine?
Neither brand says a product only works with its own line. The limits are about ingredients. The Ordinary says not to use its retinol with direct acids or a second retinoid and keeps niacinamide and vitamin C apart. The Inkey List says its vitamin C shouldn’t share a routine with retinol or exfoliating acids. Apply each brand’s rule to the ingredient, whoever made the other bottle.
Which brand is better for beginners?
The Inkey List explains more: the order of steps, how often to start and what to follow with. The Ordinary costs less to experiment with. A first-timer who wants instructions will find more of them at The Inkey List.
Are both brands vegan and cruelty-free?
The Ordinary says all five of these products are vegan and cruelty-free. The Inkey List cites the Leaping Bunny program for the brand and says its hyaluronic acid and vitamin C serums are certified by The Vegan Society and that the starter retinoid serum is vegan. It also says the caffeine eye cream contains beeswax and that the niacinamide serum can’t be certified vegan. These are the brands’ own statements.
Bottom line
The Ordinary sells you the ingredient and the percentage and leaves the routine to you. The Inkey List charges a little more, adds a supporting ingredient and tells you where the product goes. For hyaluronic acid, the cheaper bottle does a similar job. For niacinamide and vitamin C, choose by the extra you want. For retinoids and eye products, the two brands have made different things, so buy the one that matches how your skin behaves. Patch test first, as both brands advise. There’s more in our skin archive.
