Plus the founders discuss their sell-out success and the values at the heart of their brand
The Inkey List sprang onto the skincare scene just a few short months ago and already has a committed base of die-hard fans, with just shy of 11 thousand Instagram followers to its name.
The sell-out success is impressive enough, but what about if I told you the brand went from concept to consumer in just 18 weeks? No really, that is how quickly founders Colette Newberry and Mark Curry got their products selling in the UK. Not even six months after they came up with the brand were they completely selling out on Cult Beauty – #JoinTheWaitlist.
Seriously down-to-earth and passionate about their products, the pair had both previously worked for some of the biggest names in the beauty industry in product development, marketing, branding and more. But both felt there was a gap in the market for something a bit simpler for the regular customer.
‘We launched the brand to answer consumer needs; there is so much clutter and frustration out there in the jargon-filled beauty world,’ Mark explains. ‘We wanted to make it easy for consumers interested in skincare; whether you are a skincare junkie or newbie and wanting to try something new, The Inkey List is for you.’
The Inkey List’s founders, Mark and Colette
Fun fact: the brand’s unique name is word play on the ;International Nomenclature of Cosmetic Ingredients’ – the complicated, often Latin names of ingredients that you usually need translated. And so the INCI List became The Inkey List, ‘Your Beauty Translator’.
The most important thing for the two brand founders when creating and marketing their products? ‘Our consumers!’ Colette enthuses; ‘We responded to a demand for simpler, more straightforward products with high-quality ingredients for less.
‘We pride ourselves on offering products that cut through the beauty jargon – our packaging reflects this, calling our products after the key ingredients and even telling you how to pronounce them.
But there’s more: ‘We also have a team of dedicated skincare experts on hand 24/7 so you can secure skincare solutions to your specific needs, any time of day!’
Case in point; The Inkey List is always putting in-depth, informative posts on Instagram and their direct messages are full of burning skincare questions from their followers (all of which they endeavour to answer).
‘You won’t find confusing, technical talk or exaggerated beauty marketing at The Inkey List,’ Mark adds. ‘You won’t find complicated science or overinflated price points either; instead you’ll get transparent communication, straightforward packaging and cutting-edge formulations made with cutting-edge ingredients. And all under £10!’
With that in mind, shop a few of our favourite products from the capsule line below – and watch this space for even more products coming soon. We reckon you’ll be just as obsessed as we are.
The Inkey List Zinc Oxide Cream, £8.99, Cult Beauty
The best sun cream is essential, and this combination of mineral and chemical sun protection is a must-have skincare step at SPF 50.
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The Inkey List Retinol Serum, £9.99, Cult Beauty
A form of Vitamin A, retinol is the anti-ageing ingredient everybody is talking about at the moment, and The Inkey List’s is an impressive concoction. Combining 1% stable retinol and 0.5% of (slightly stronger) granactive retinoid, this solution also contains soothing ingredients to counter the sometimes irritating effects Vitamin A can have on the skin.
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The Inkey List Q10 Serum, £4.99, Cult Beauty
A protective anti-oxidant, Q10 naturally occurs in the body, so this serum supplements the body’s stores to help protect against the damaging effects of the environment.
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The Inkey List Vitamin C, £7.99 at Cult Beauty
Vitamin C serums are a great brightening skincare step, both in terms of preventing and treating visible signs of damage and evening out the skin tone. Vitamin C is notoriously difficult to stabilise in skincare products, but the brains at The Inkey List have managed to do so in a waterless 30% formula.
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The Inkey List Caffeine Serum, £8.99 at Cult Beauty
Dark under-eye circles and puffiness? You need a hit of caffeine – in this anti-inflammatory serum, not just in your morning coffee. It’ll help protect against free radicals, which can make the appearance of dark circles worse.
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The Inkey List Hyaluronic Acid, £4.99 at Cult Beauty
I’m going to come out and say it: This is without question one of my favourite hyaluronic acid serums ever, not just because it only costs a fiver and is seriously accessible. It’s not sticky, absorbs into the skin really quickly and keeps skin’s hydration levels up – exactly what a good HA serum should do.
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The Inkey List Glycolic Acid Liquid Toner, £6.99 at Cult Beauty
Glycolic acid is the real MVP of the skincare world, helping to combat all sorts of issues including congestion and uneven skin texture. And at 10% concentration, it’s powerful stuff.
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Already loving The Inkey List and want to shout about one of their great products? Let us know on social at @marieclaireuk
