Side-by-side comparison

COSRX The Retinol 0.5 Oil vs The Inkey List Retinol Anti-Aging Serum

Both are serums. They share a 77% active-ingredient overlap, so the real decision is about price, texture and the supporting ingredients. Here's the side-by-side.

77%Active overlap
COSRX
The Retinol 0.5 Oil
SerumBudgetEvening only
Fine LinesRough TextureDullness

A beginner-friendly 0.5% retinol in a squalane-rich oil base with sea buckthorn. A gentle introductory retinol that buffers irritation through its oil base; build up slowly and follow with SPF in the morning.

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The Inkey List
Retinol Anti-Aging Serum
SerumBudgetEvening only
AgingRough TextureSensitive skinDamaged barrier

Stabilised 1% retinoid complex (a blend of retinol and slow-release granactive retinoid) in a squalane base. Budget-priced gentler-than-classical retinol — a reasonable first step into the category.

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The verdict

Which should you choose?

Both sit in the Budget tier, so cost isn't the deciding factor here — choose on texture, finish and the supporting ingredients. The COSRX leans toward Dullness, Fine Lines. The The Inkey List leans toward Aging.

The overlap

What they share

At 77% active overlap, these are the ingredients doing comparable work in both formulas:

RetinolSqualane
The formulation

Ingredient stacks, side by side

COSRX — top of the list

  • Caprylic/Capric…~30–70%
  • Squalane~5–25%
  • Helianthus Annu…~3–10%
  • Retinol~2–6%
  • Hippophae Rhamn…~1.5–4%
  • Tocopherol~1–2%

The Inkey List — top of the list

  • Caprylic/Capri…~50–80%
  • Squalane~5–25%
  • Dimethyl Isoso…~3–10%
  • Isononyl Isono…~2–6%
  • Hydroxypinacol…~1.5–4%
  • Retinol~1–2%
  • Hydrogenated O…~1–2%

● marks ingredients that appear near the top of both lists. Percentages are positional estimates from INCI order, not disclosed doses.

At a glance

The specs

COSRXThe Inkey List
CategorySerumSerum
Price tierBudgetBudget
Best forFine Lines, Rough Texture, DullnessAging, Rough Texture
Usage notesEvening onlyEvening only
Active overlap77% — Retinol, Squalane
Questions

Common questions

Is the COSRX The Retinol 0.5 Oil or the The Inkey List Retinol Anti-Aging Serum better?
Neither is clearly better — they overlap 77% on active ingredients and sit in the same price tier. The difference comes down to texture, finish and the supporting ingredients, so the right choice depends on your skin type and preferences.
What's the difference between the COSRX The Retinol 0.5 Oil and the The Inkey List Retinol Anti-Aging Serum?
Both are serums that share Retinol, Squalane. Where they differ: the COSRX targets Dullness, Fine Lines; the The Inkey List targets Aging.
Are the COSRX The Retinol 0.5 Oil and The Inkey List Retinol Anti-Aging Serum dupes for each other?
They share 77% active-ingredient overlap based on published INCI lists, so one can stand in for the other on the actives that matter — chiefly Retinol, Squalane. A dupe matches the hero actives, not the full sensory experience, so expect differences in texture, fragrance and exact concentrations.
Can I use the COSRX The Retinol 0.5 Oil and The Inkey List Retinol Anti-Aging Serum together?
They both fill the serum slot in a routine, so you'd normally pick one rather than layer both. If you want to use both, treat one as your daytime option and the other for evening, and patch-test when introducing anything new.
Keep comparing

Related comparisons

COSRX The Retinol 0.5 Oil vs The Ordinary Retinol 1% in Squalane
70% overlapCOSRX The Retinol 0.5 Oil vs Neutrogena Rapid Wrinkle Repair Retinol Oil
66% overlapCeraVe Resurfacing Retinol Serum (Post-Blemish) vs COSRX The Retinol 0.5 Oil
64% overlapThe Inkey List Retinol Anti-Aging Serum vs The Ordinary Granactive Retinoid 2% Emulsion
70% overlapThe Inkey List Retinol Anti-Aging Serum vs The Ordinary Retinol 1% in Squalane
70% overlapThe Inkey List Retinol Anti-Aging Serum vs Neutrogena Rapid Wrinkle Repair Retinol Oil
66% overlap

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