Review - The Inkey List Blemish Clearing Moisturiser

My honest review of The Inkey List Blemish Clearing Moisturiser

Hydrating the skin whilst dealing with breakouts seems counter-intuitive for most clients that I have come across during my career.

I always seemed to have a hard job explaining to many adults with acne & breakouts, that adult acne is often a dry-skin condition and needs a careful mix of products to help stop the breakout skin cycle. Hydrating the skin after using targeted treatment products, helps to normalise skin-cell turnover and also helps the skin barrier to repair, which can be damaged by the often strong formulations in these type of treatment products. So when the opportunity to try The Inkey List Blemish Clearing Moisturiser, I decided to give it a try on my skin and see if this can be a help for my clients who may be dealing with skin blemishes and breakouts.

The Inkey List seem to have thought long and hard about the formulation of this product. Adding in ingredients that can actively deal with skin breakouts, but not compromise the skin barrier whist treating the breakout. In particular, they have included a clinically-proven ingredient called NovoRetin™. The Inkey List have included a 2% concentration of this ingredient for maximum breakout fighting effects.

The fact that it is designed to work overnight, whilst you sleep, might appeal to users who prefer to cleanse and treat their skin before bed.

Price Classification - €€€ (Affordable)

Pricing

€20

Sizes: 50ml

Strengths

Has some powerful breakout fighting ingredients designed to work whilst you sleep. The addition of 0.2% retinol can also aid the skin in so many ways, including repair and normalisation of skin cell turnover.

Weaknesses

The Smell!

Not only did this moisturiser sting when I applied it, it reeked of sulfur. Unfortunately I couldn't continue using this because of the smell. It seemed to get worse with each use and this is a major factor in any skincare product. If people can't stand the smell of it, then it won't be pleasurable to use.

Key Ingredients

2% NovoRetin™, 5% STAY-C®50 , 3% Sulfur, 0.2% Retinol.

Full Ingredient List

Aqua (Water), Glycerin, Octyldodecanol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Sulfur, Arachidyl Alcohol, Pentaerythrityl Distearate, Squalane, Glyceryl Stearate SE, Citronellyl Methylcrotonate, Behenyl Alcohol, Acacia Senegal Gum, Arachidyl Glucoside, Phenoxyethanol, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/VP Copolymer, Panthenol, Xanthan Gum, Benzyl Alcohol, Citric Acid, Retinol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Pentylene Glycol, Sodium Metabisulfite, Pistacia Lentiscus (Mastic) Gum, Dehydroacetic Acid, Lecithin, Glucose, Tocopherol, Glyceryl Caprylate

^* Whilst every care is taken to reflect the actual ingredient list, manufacturers sometimes make changes to their formulas. Therefore, always please check product packaging before purchasing.

Fragrance

None Added (Not declared).

Allergens

None Added (Not declared).

Rating

Unfortunately I have to give this product 1 star. The smell was unbearable and in the end (after 5 nights of use), I couldn't take it any more and so stopped using it. The fact that it had a slight sting on the skin when applied is forgivable, but a product this disgustingly smelly is unforgivable.

My Opinion

This was a big disappointment. I really do love so many of The Inkey List products. I've used (and continue using) so many of them. Many of their products are part of my daily routine. However I really found this product to be badly formulated and obviously it lacked end-user feedback before being put on the market. In my opinion, whether it works to reduce blemishes, nobody is going to continue use of a product that reeks so strongly of sulfur that you just want to wash it off.

I also asked my partner to try this, just to be sure it wasn't only my nose that was smelling this disgusting smell. They too, couldn't stand the smell and after 2 nights use, they also discontinued using it. Which is a shame because they do actually suffer from the occasional break-out, so had this not smelled so bad, they may have added this into their nightly skin routine.

Would I Buy It Again?

Absolutely NOT! If you have breakouts, stick to a lightweight water-based gel moisturiser instead.

Where to buy it

The Inkey List Website Click this link to purchase.

Parent Company Details

Brand Evangelists for Beauty (a British company with its headquarters in England, United Kingdom.)

Country of Manufacture

United Kingdom