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The Ordinary Buffet takes this one, winning 3 of 5 attributes.
8 unique
Where The Ordinary Buffet really shines is active ingredient strength, scoring 8.4 compared to The Inkey List Retinol Serum's 3.6. Its formula features Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, and Allantoin in high positions, signalling meaningful concentrations.
Hydration Efficacy is another area of separation. The Ordinary Buffet scores 8.7 here versus 5.6 for The Inkey List Retinol Serum. That difference comes down to how each formula is built — the ingredient list tells the story.
The Ordinary Buffet brings Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, and Allantoin as actives, while the Inkey List Retinol Serum relies on Retinol. Both approaches have merit, but the positioning and supporting ingredients make the difference.
The Inkey List Retinol Serum is better if you have
The Ordinary Buffet is better if you have
Both sit in the budget bracket, so value comes down to formulation quality. The Ordinary Buffet gets the nod here with its 8.8 overall score — you're getting more for a similar outlay.
The Ordinary Buffet wins this comparison with a meaningfully stronger ingredient profile and overall score.
Based on ingredient analysis, The Ordinary Buffet scores higher overall. See the full score breakdown above for details on each attribute.
Yes, they share common ingredients. Check the ingredient face-off section above for a detailed comparison.
The key differences are in their active ingredients and formulation approach. Check the attribute battle above for a detailed breakdown.
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