The Inkey List Sea Kelp Serum (30ml for $9.99)
The formula of this product is relatively basic, but it does contain 1% of sea kelp: which is an antioxidant and can potentially protect skin from pollution. The texture is watery gel one and sinks right in. I personally didn't mind this fragrance-free serum but wouldn't repurchase as I don't see much value.
The Inkey List Snow Mushroom Moisturizer (30ml for £10)
This product contains tremella fuciformis -- a very powerful hydrating ingredient that has a lower molecular size and hence penetrates better into the skin than our favourite hyaluronic acid. Although I do find this gel-like moisturiser hydrating on my skin, when I look at the inci list, my lips and surrounding muscles turn into a frown. You see, all good that it has snow mushroom. But why does it come after Phenoxyethanol, which is only allowed in concentration of maximum 1%? Well, that means that the concentration of snow mushroom is laughable in this product, and that, ladies and gentlemen, is relatively unsatisfactory. Another thing I want to point out is the packaging. For those of you who followed my stories, you would have known that the upper part of the tube has a hole in it, which, hilariously, @cultbeauty claims to be normal "wear and tear", and hence, doesn't want to refund me my money. I am so sorry that @theinkeylist used faulty packaging for my particular tube, but I never had that happen before, and I have reviewed A LOT of products in similar packaging. Bottom line, it's not the customer's fault. Stop treating it like it is.
The Inkey List Polyglutamic Acid (30ml for £12.99)
I hope to stay alive after this post, so please have some consideration when you leave a reply. Anyways. Where should I start? Oh yes, I will start by saying the following. Having tested hundreds of products, I always know what I think about a particular product after using half of it. This one, ... is definitely an exception. As you know, I have finished it, and yet, I can't say that I have a clear opinion about it yet. Which is definitely a first. Now, let me explain. When I started using it, I disliked it. The consistency is thick-gel-liquidy. I didn't like how it felt on my skin. So, I stopped using it (after having used it for 2 weeks). But you guys are all raving about it, so I thought, "well, I would have to finish the bottle, one way or the other". I started using it again (we are not talking about usage of drugs, but of this acid... Alright, I am definitely not helping my case). The second time around, I found it at least slightly hydrating, but still, not my favourite consistency. It's a weird product, this Polyglutamic Acid. Weird, because I can't say I love it. But at least, I don't hate it either... anymore. So we parted ways (with its last squeeze and drop) without really fully understanding each other. It was a weird relationship this one -- a relationship surrounded by mystery and potentially unfulfilled promises. Maybe that's why I would always long for more, to try to understand it, so it can satisfy me for once in full.
The Inkey List Oil and Water Double Cleanser (150ml for £10)
With sea buckthorn and sweet almond oils, you need to shake it before usage and apply it on cotton pad to remove makeup and impurities. The liquid that you put on your pad looks like concentrated orange Fanta -- super orange. You know how Garnier does bi-phase micellar water in oil in like 400ml bottles? Oh, and it charges a lot less per ml than The Inkey List? Just a suggestion. Honestly, this Inkey bi-phase cleanser is not bad at all. It removes the initial layer of makeup well. However, if you think that that would qualify as "double cleansing", you are mistaken. I would still want to use an oil based balm and a water based cleanser after it. So my suggestion: don't buy it if you take face cleansing after makeup seriously (and not like some YouTubers or IGers who just use a wipe and think it's "enough"), this product is completely unnecessary at such a price point. Get a Garnier if you want to remove the initial layer of makeup (at least it will be a lot cheaper).
The Inkey List Hyaluronic Acid (30ml for £6)
This serum costs the same as it's sister from The Ordinary. Although they are very similar, they are also a little different, so let's get into the details. 2% concentration of pure hyaluronic acid and in three molecular weights (high, medium and low) to ensure maximum absorption at every layer of your skin-- this is what this product is in a nutshell. So far, same as The Ordinary, however, TO also has an additional vitamin B5 in their formula. The consistency between these two brands is different. The Inkey List has created a more liquidy formula, while TO's one is slightly thicker. And here comes your preference-- I find that both penetrate well into my skin, and my skin feels plump, but depending on my mood, I prefer different consistencies. The packaging is different too. The Inkey List one is plastic, which is more travel friendly, so think about that. Honestly, I can't write more about Hyaluronic Acid. It's simple but effective. It is so essential in skincare, so if you don't have one, you should definitely get yourself one. And as both The Ordinary and The Inkey List demonstrate, you don't need to spend £230 on it (but if you want to, Dr Barbara Sturm's one has been tested by me and is recommended for those with a sky-high limit on their credit card).