Make Up Review

The Inkey List Retinol vs The Ordinary Retinol 1% Serums

by Mohammad Ali Ayaz on Jan 04, 2024

This post will be reviewing The Inkey List Retinol vs The Ordinary Retinol serums.

It’s been a while since I did these comparison reviews. The previous ones were The Inkey List Niacinamide vs The Ordinary Niacinamide Serums and The Inkey List Hyaluronic Acid vs The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid Serums. So far, many people have appreciated the comparison between these two brands. As it helps them make better-informed decisions based on their skin’s needs.

The Ordinary was pretty revolutionary in introducing single-ingredient serums. But then, a lot of their products lack cosmetic elegance. If you’re getting a Retinol serum for $5, you’re probably not getting a well-formulated one. Instead, you’ll be getting a basic one that does the job, which is usually a hit or miss.

The Inkey List were on the sidelines taking notes of all the shortcomings of The Ordinary, and they happily stepped in and took advantage of the popularity. Instead of following in the exact steps of The Ordinary, they tried to formulate slightly more cosmetically elegant serums, which many people have come to prefer.

They are generally nicer to use, and you won’t have the same piling or greasiness as The Ordinary.

As with all of my comparison reviews, I’ll be comparing these products side by side to help you make an informed decision before purchasing. My criteria for reviewing them will be based on the following;

The Inkey List Retinol vs The Ordinary Retinol 1% Serums

The Inkey List Retinol Review

If you know skincare basics, you’ll not be unfamiliar with Retinol. It is part of Vitamin A, also known as the Retinoid family, which is the gold standard of anti-ageing. So, if you notice any signs of ageing, from wrinkles to crow’s feet, fine lines and whatnot, you need a Retinoid in your life.

The most potent Retinoid, also known as Tretinoin, is pretty strong and not many people can tolerate it. Although, that is starting to change now. So, the beauty industry started to formulate anti-ageing serums with Retinoid derivatives which deliver the same results, albeit slowly but with fewer irritations. So you have:

Retinyl Ester >>>> Retinol >>>> Retinaldehyde >>>> Retinoic Acid

You can see here that while Retinol serums are pretty decent, they still require two steps to be converted into Retinoic Acid. That simply means they’ll take slightly longer to get results. But it is important to remember that anti-ageing skincare is a marathon and not a sprint, and the results will compound over time.

The Inkey List Retinol vs The Ordinary Retinol 1% Serums

Ingredient List & Fragrance

According to The Inkey List, the percentage in their Retinol Serum is 1%, which is easily comparable to The Ordinary’s Retinol 1%. Although, I feel the latter is more potent. 1% Retinol is the highest dose you’ll get for over-the-counter serums. So you need to work your way up from 0.2%. Other ingredients include:

For the price, this is a pretty decent Retinol serum. It is formulated with other hydrating and moisturizing ingredients to buffer any irritations that might occur. Although I would have preferred it if it had more soothing ingredients like Panthenol, Adenosine, Allantoin or Centella Asiatica. From the ingredient angle, this is not too bad at all.

As always, it is alcohol, essential oil and fragrance-free.

The Inkey List Retinol vs The Ordinary Retinol 1% Serums

Texture & Consistency

The Inkey List Retinol serum has a super lightweight creamy consistency that immediately melts into the skin application. It feels like a gel cream which is almost always a dream to use because you can’t feel anything. It is, in fact, weightless. So, if you have oily to combination skin and you hate the feel of serums on your skin, this is honestly worth trying. It’s absolutely lovely!

Availability, Price & Size

Now, my only problem with this serum and the majority of The Inkey List serums is how tiny they are. It feels like you get less product than The Ordinary even though they’re both 30ml. While I understand that certain products, particularly Retinol serums, have a 3-6 month shelf-like, the quantity sometimes feels like a scam, especially since you’re paying about $11/£11 for it.

Performance

As someone like me who barely has any wrinkles, using Retinol is primarily a preventative measure. But I specifically use it to complement my tyrosinase inhibitors to fade my old hyperpigmentation. Retinol is fantastic for cell turnover, which helps my Alpha Arbutin, Tranexamic Acid and Kojic Acid work even faster.

It’s also great to know that I’m preventing wrinkles while also fading acne scars. Honestly, if you need one thing in your routine, it is a Retinol serum. This serum is as gentle as they come. While the percentage of Retinol is pretty high, it is still gentle enough to work across all skin types. But it is still advisable to start slowly – about twice a week – before working your way up to daily use.

Rating: 4 out of 5.
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The Ordinary Retinol 1% Review

Unlike The Inkey List, which has just one Retinol serum, The Ordinary has five across different percentages. So, it’s wise to start slow and work your way until you can use the highest percentage without irritation. As you might not know, The Ordinary serums are very potent.

The Inkey List Retinol vs The Ordinary Retinol 1% Serums

Ingredient List & Fragrance

The Ordinary Retinol is formulated in a water-free solution. Instead, it uses Squalane, which many people with oily to combination skin hate because of its greasiness. Squalane is not precisely oil, but it feels like one because of its skin moisturization properties. In other words, it’s an oily liquid which has a long shelf life.

So, don’t take it too personally. The Ordinary was just trying to formulate a Retinol serum that won’t go bad quickly. As someone with dry, dehydrated skin, I honestly don’t mind the Squalane because it keeps my skin moisturized. But it’s understandable how others without dry skin can hate this product.

This formula is as basic as they come with only Rosemary Seed and Tomato Fruit extracts as the extra ingredients, which act as antioxidants. Asides from that, the serum is alcohol, essential oil and fragrance-free.

The Inkey List Retinol vs The Ordinary Retinol 1% Serums

Texture & Consistency

The trick to getting around the oily texture is to use less product. If you still want to use this serum without dealing with the greasiness that might occur if you use too much, use one-two drops before or after your moisturizer. I prefer to use the latter, but the former method works. Just make sure you’re using a thick emollient, non-greasy moisturizer like the Cerave Moisturizing Cream at the end of your routine.

Performance

The first time I used The Ordinary Retinol 0.2%, the irritation was real. My skin was literally on fire, and I had to wait it out until I could sleep because it was so uncomfortable. That was the first, and the last time I took the potency of The Ordinary serums for granted.

So yes, the product works, but you just have to be consistent and use it properly. Start with twice a week until you can use it daily. Also, make sure you’re using barrier-repairing products like the La Roche Posay Cicaplast Baume B5 in your routine afterwards.

Rating: 4 out of 5.
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The Inkey List Retinol vs The Ordinary Retinol 1% Serums

Verdict

Both are great Retinol serums for beginners. They work as long as you can use them consistently. But I’ll definitely recommend The Inkey List Retinol serum for people with oily to combination skin. Those with dry to dehydrated skin are better off using The Ordinary Retinol. Your skin is in a better position to absorb the Squalane completely without leaving anything behind.

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