Unless you’re a dermatologist or skin-care pro, you probably have basic knowledge of ingredients and formulas commonly used in skincare products. You might have heard of hyaluronic acid or niacinamide, but do you really know what they are and what they do? Well, that’s where The Inkey List enters the picture. The brand is on a mission to empower consumers with ingredient knowledge while making effective products available at an affordable price point.
Since its launch in 2019, The Inkey List has been known for its single-ingredient formulas that target specific concerns. But last month, the brand took things to the next level with the introduction of its SuperSolutions collection, a range of dermatologist-developed and clinically-proven skin-care products designed to provide solutions to people’s most challenging skin concerns, including acne and rosacea.
“We know access to dermatologist advice isn’t always easy, and by co-developing the range with expert dermatologists, we were able to break down a barrier and make targeted skin solutions accessible to all,” says Colette Laxton, co-founder of The Inkey List.
“This entire line prioritizes not just efficacy but improves the user experience by making sure the consistencies are smooth and lightweight instead of thick, pasty, or gritty and that the products can be used with other skin care,” adds Adeline Kikam, DO, one of the three board-certified dermatologists who had a pivotal role in creating the formulas. “They are all gently formulated without fragrance and other additives that may cause irritation to skin.”
Not only were the products developed by dermatologists, but they’re also all under $25. Instead of spending hundreds of dollars on name-brand clinical skin care, The Inkey List gives consumers a chance to treat their skin at a fraction of the price. “We work directly with ingredient suppliers and don’t charge our customers for expensive packs,” says Laxton of the brand’s affordable price point.
The range includes five products—The Dry and Rough Skin Solution ($20), The Redness Relief Solution ($18), The Acne Solution ($18), The Excess Oil Solution ($18), and The Scar, Mark and Wrinkle Solution ($25)—each of which uses clinical-grade ingredients to target a specific concern.
“Clinical-grade products involve formulations that use evidence-based ingredients with a higher percentage of active ingredients or concentrations where research has proven to yield direct therapeutic effects for specific conditions like acne or eczema,” says Dr. Kikam.
Each of the products in the Supersolutions range heroes a potent active designed to target and treat a unique concern. Keep scrolling to learn more about what they do, and then go ahead and shop them for yourself. At Under-$25 a pop, you really can’t go wrong.
1. Urea
This potent emollient replenishes and retains moisture by decreasing transepidermal water loss, and is clinically proven to improve dry skin conditions like eczema. As a keratolytic agent, urea helps to soften and resurface rough dead skin.
2. Azelaic acid
Azelaic acid is an acid derived from rye, wheat, and barley. It has anti-inflammatory properties that are useful for calming and improving redness in sensitive skin conditions like rosacea. It also has anti-hyperpigmentation properties to help treat and fade discoloration from acne scarring. The Inkey List uses a 10 percent concentration of the ingredient, which is the highest you can get over the counter.
3. Benzoyl Peroxide
Benzoyl peroxide is one of the most effective and researched ingredients for treating acne. It works by killing acne-causing bacteria, P. acnes, decreasing current breakouts and preventing new lesions.
4. Niacinamide
This potent emollient replenishes and retains moisture by decreasing transepidermal water loss, and is clinically proven to improve dry skin conditions like eczema. As a keratolytic agent, urea helps to soften and resurface rough dead skin.
5. Retinol
After sunscreen, retinol is the gold standard of anti-aging ingredients. It helps stimulate the production of collagen and elastin to improve firmness and elasticity in skin, which prevents the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. It also has anti-acne and discoloration properties. The Supersolutions retinoid contains the highest concentration of the ingredient that you can buy over the counter, but was formulated to be gentle enough so that it won’t cause irritation.
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