By Contributor,Gabby Shacknai

Copyright forbes

The INKEY List’s Colette Laxton is leading the charge on democratizing skincare, one clinically backed and affordably priced product at a time.
Courtesy of INKEY List

When The INKEY List launched in 2018, it positioned itself as a radical departure from the norm: no buzzy gimmicks, no ingredient fear-mongering, and no $80 moisturizers hiding behind minimalist packaging. Instead, the UK-born brand offered something surprisingly simple—and, in hindsight, revolutionary—by focusing on transparent education and clinically proven formulas that work, without breaking the bank.

Six years and 87 million products later, INKEY’s core message hasn’t changed, but its impact certainly has. Now a global force in accessible skincare, the brand has just entered its boldest chapter yet: a nationwide launch into all 1,450+ Ulta Beauty stores, a new campaign that throws down the gauntlet to an oversaturated beauty industry, and a reassertion of its founding ethos with a fresh rallying cry of “NO BS. Just Better Skin.”

For cofounders Colette Laxton and Mark Curry, the “NO BS” campaign is more than a slogan; it’s a mission statement. “When we founded the brand in 2018, we were on a mission to be transparent, to share knowledge, and to always put the consumer first,” says Laxton. “Not everyone is a skincare expert, and we wanted to be that brand to meet people wherever they were on their skincare journey.”

The campaign, which includes a creator-powered Skincare Club, community-driven social content, and even a cheeky Substack by Laxton herself (Mind the BS), serves as a line in the sand. “We invest every day in clinically backed formulas versus expensive packaging,” she adds. “We keep it real—our ads won’t show you models with invisible pores—and we’ll always keep it affordable, because great skincare doesn’t need to break the bank.”

At a time when consumers are facing skincare fatigue from increasingly complex routines and soaring prices, INKEY’s back-to-basics approach couldn’t feel more refreshing, or more necessary. “We’re stripping back to who we are at our core,” Laxton says. “There’s so much information, and misinformation, out there. We wanted to make it clear what we stand for: simple five-step routines, ingredient knowledge over trends, and skincare that’s science-backed, affordable, and works.”

MORE FOR YOU

Known for its no-frills packaging and affordable price point, INKEY puts every dollar into clinically backed formulas, not expensive jars.
Courtesy of The INKEY List

Until this summer, INKEY had been exclusive to Sephora in the U.S. since entering the market in 2019. But in July, the brand made waves with a full-scale expansion into Ulta Beauty, marking a major shift in its retail strategy and significantly broadening its reach. “Sephora has been, and will continue to be, such an amazing and important partner for INKEY,” says Laxton. “But Ulta allows us to fuel our brand proposition—affordable, efficacious skincare—for a greater U.S. audience.”

And the timing couldn’t be better. With inflation and economic uncertainty still top of mind for many shoppers, INKEY’s accessible price points ($7–$26.50) offer something rare in the prestige skincare aisle: relief. “We’ve remained transparent with consumers about any price increases since the U.S. tariffs were enacted, and we’re proud to say we’ve kept them as minimal as possible,” she says.

The Ulta rollout isn’t just expansive, though. It’s also exclusive. The retailer is the only place to shop several new SKUs from the brand, including the Glycerin Gentle Purifying Cleanser, a multi-award-winning Polyglutamic Acid Dewy Sunscreen SPF 30, and three shades of Tripeptide Plumping Lip Balms. “We wanted Ulta guests to discover something unique when they encountered INKEY,” says Laxton. “That moment should feel personal.”

So far, the bet appears to be paying off. While the brand hasn’t released specific sales data, early momentum is strong. Caffeine Eye Cream is already INKEY’s top-performing SKU at Ulta, and industry sources estimate the brand is on track to hit $200 million in global retail sales by 2026.

INKEY’s product innovations, including the new Exosome Hydro-Glow Complex, are born from a feedback loop with real users, not marketing playbooks.
Courtesy of The INKEY List

Despite its staggering growth, INKEY has never built its brand on splashy influencer deals or glossy celebrity co-signs. Instead, it’s grown from the inside out, fueled by word of mouth, ingredient literacy, and a thriving global community of users who genuinely trust the brand. “At INKEY, we’ve always believed growth comes from empowering people, not just promoting products,” Laxton says. “Community isn’t a campaign—it’s our foundation.”

The brand’s AskINKEY service, which offers 1:1 skincare support, is a pillar of that strategy. But in 2025, INKEY is bridging the gap between community and creator with a fresh take on ambassador marketing. “We’re working with what we call ‘out of category’ creators—people from business, entertainment, activism—because skincare users aren’t just in traditional beauty circles,” the cofounder explains. “We’re going way beyond product reviews and ingredient explainers.” The result is a growing network of “NO BS” voices who share the brand’s values and spark real dialogue. “It’s less about chasing influence and more about building relationships that are two-way, transparent, and long-term,” Laxton adds.

INKEY’s commitment to accessibility doesn’t stop at pricing. Behind the scenes, the brand is pushing the boundaries of personalization and skincare tech. Since 2021, its internal data team, INKEY IQ, has been translating over 10 million unique consumer interactions into insights that power everything from product development to marketing strategy. “We created INKEY IQ with the belief that if we aren’t a data-led company, we aren’t truly building for our consumers, or for the future,” Laxton says. “We use in-depth first-party data to deliver more personalized experiences, inform our innovation pipeline, and evolve our messaging in real time.” Tools like the Skin Quiz and AI Acne Analyzer are direct results of that strategy, and INKEY’s tech ambitions are only growing. “We’re developing some mind-blowing tools on that front,” she teases.

Seven years in, Laxton and Curry remain steadfast in steering INKEY’s mission to deliver world-class skincare without the luxury markup.
Courtesy of The INKEY List

For Laxton and Curry, staying ahead means staying scrappy. “There is nothing we love more than finding an amazing ingredient and bringing it to market first for a fraction of the cost,” she says. “We did it with our Polyglutamic Acid Serum in 2019, and again this year with our $22 Exosome Hydro-Glow Complex.” And while the founders are deep in the day-to-day of global expansion, they’re still focused on what comes next. “We have some unbelievable innovation coming at the end of 2025 that really speaks to the spirit of early INKEY,” Laxton hints.

For now, they’re staying grounded in their original raison d’être: to democratize skincare through knowledge and price. “Every decision we make has to ladder up to that,” she says. “We sold Hyaluronic Acid Serum at a loss for years, and we’d do it again.” As the brand prepares for its next phase, success isn’t measured by splashy collaborations or viral launches, but by trust. “We’ve always believed you don’t need to spend a fortune to get incredible skincare results,” Laxton says. “In a market flooded with overpromises, INKEY is committed to honesty, authenticity, and results you can see and feel.”

Editorial StandardsReprints & Permissions