The Ordinary Glycolic Acid 7% Exfoliating Toner VS The Inkey List 10% Glycolic Acid Toner: Which One Is Better?

Last Updated on October 4, 2026 by Giorgia Guazzarotti

Is The Inkey List 10% Glycolic Acid Toner a dupe for The Ordinary Glycolic Acid 7% Exfoliating Toner? It sure looks like it. Like The Ordinary, The Inkey List aims to give us actives that work at the cheapest possible price. Heck, the brand even took inspiration from The Ordinary’s black and white packaging! But are they as good as the original? When it comes to their Glycolic Acid Toner at least, The Inkey List has fallen off the mark. Here’s which glycolic acid toner you should really get:

The Ordinary vs The INKEY List Glycolic Acid Toner: At A Glance

What Do The Ordinary Glycolic Acid 7% Exfoliating Toner And The Inkey List 10% Glycolic Acid Toner Have In Common?

GLYCOLIC ACID TO EXFOLIATE SKIN

Derived from sugar cane, Glycolic acid is the most famous member of the Alpha Hydroxy Acid family, a group of exfoliating acids. It has several superpowers:

• It exfoliates skin: It dissolves the glue that holds skin cells together so they can slough off
• It boosts collagen: It firms skin and helps treats sun damage
• It hydrates skin: It draws water into it from the environment

Sounds too good to be true? Well, there’s a catch… Or two:

1. Irritation: Everything that removes dead skin cells can irritate skin. The lower the dose of GA, the lower the chance of irritation (and its effectiveness).
2. pH: A high pH neutralises GA, making it useless.

Both The Ordinary Glycolic Acid 7% Exfoliating Toner and The Inkey List 10% Glycolic Acid Toner have a pH of 3.6 – the sweet spot that makes this acid exfoliate at its best. The Inkey List 10% Glycolic Acid Toner does the job a little better. It has a slightly higher concentration of glycolic acid (10% vs 7%) that makes it a little more powerful… and irritating.

Related: The Complete Guide To Glycolic Acid: What It Is, What It Does & How To Use It

What Else Is In The Ordinary Glycolic Acid 7% Exfoliating Toner & The Inkey List 10% Glycolic Acid Toner?

Both The Ordinary Glycolic Acid 7% Exfoliating Acid and The Inkey List 10% Glycolic Acid Toner have simple formulas that let the acid do the bulk of the work. But The Ordinary has plenty of amino acids for extra hydration and more soothing ingredients to counteract the drying effects of exfoliation. As for The Inkey List, it only has glycolic acid and little else.

And that little else is witch hazel. Or should I say, alcohol and alcohol. Witch hazel is so problematic because it’s often distilled in alcohol… All this alcohol is here to help glycolic acid better penetrate skin so it works at its best. But is alcohol bad? Not if you moisturise well afterwards. Skip this step, and it can dry out and irritate your skin. Alcohol isn’t as bad as it’s made out to be. I’m just disappointed that The Inkey List hasn’t added anything to their toner to counteract its drying effect.

Related: The Truth About Alcohol-Free Skincare Products

What’s The Texture Like?

The Ordinary Glycolic Acid 7% Toning Solution is basically water. So when you’re pouring it onto a cotton pad you gotta be careful or it’ll just run everywhere. Sometimes it looks a bit bubbly or foamy in the bottle which is kinda weird but whatever, that’s just how it is. Goes on your face and sinks in immediately, doesn’t leave your skin feeling sticky or gross afterwards.

The Inkey List Glycolic Acid Toner is super watery and thin too. Pours out fast so don’t go crazy with it or you’ll waste half the bottle. Absorbs quick, no weird residue. This one tingles more because it’s got more glycolic acid in it – 10% instead of 7% – so it hits harder.

What’s The Packaging Like?

The Ordinary Glycolic Acid 7% Exfoliating Toner comes in a clear bottle, super basic. t’s got this pointed nozzle thing at the top that makes it way easier to control how much you’re squeezing out, which is actually pretty smart. You can see through the bottle so you know when you’re running low. Comes in two sizes, the small one and a bigger one if you’re really committed. The whole aesthetic is like “we don’t care about looking pretty, we just want the formula to work.”

The Inkey List Glycolic 10% Acid Toner comes in a black and white bottle, totally ripping off The Ordinary’s whole minimalist thing but whatever. You can’t see through it so you have no idea how much is left until you pick it up and realize it’s almost empty. Just has a regular opening at the top, not a nozzle, so it’s really easy to pour out way too much by accident. Only comes in one size. The packaging’s fine, nothing special, just very no-frills and functional.

How To Use Them

Use both of these at night, not in the morning, because glycolic acid makes your skin way more sensitive to the sun and you don’t want to deal with that during the day. If you’ve never used acids before, start with like 2 or 3 times a week and see how your skin handles it before you go using it every single night. After you wash your face, put some on a cotton pad and wipe it all over your face and neck, just stay away from your eyes because getting acid in your eyes is not fun. Let it sit there and dry, don’t rinse it off.

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Which Of The Two Should You Go For?

Sorry, The Inkey List! The Ordinary Glycolic Acid 7% Exfoliating Toner wins hands down here. It may be a little less powerful with its 7% glycolic acid compared to The Inkey List’s 10%, but it has all those extras thrown in, which help soothe your skin and keep it hydrated while the glycolic acid is doing its thing. The Inkey List is basically just glycolic acid and witch hazel, which is fine if that’s all you need, but it doesn’t have much going on to counteract the potential irritation or dryness that can come with using a strong acid like this. Remember: when it comes to exfoliation, gentler is better than powerful.

Related: How To Choose The Right Exfoliant For Your Skin Type

Availability

The Inkey List Glycolic Acid Toner ($15.00): Available at Asos, Cult Beauty, Look Fantastic, Sephora, SpaceNK

The Ordinary Glycolic Acid 7% Toning Solution ($13.00): Available at Cult Beauty, The Ordinary, and Ulta

FAQs

Is 10% Glycolic Acid Better Than 7%?

Not so fast. More glycolic acid means stronger exfoliation, but it also means a higher risk of irritation. And if your skin’s red, flaky, and angry, who cares how much dead skin you’ve removed?

Plus, the concentration of glycolic acid isn’t the only thing that matters. The pH and the rest of the formula play a role, too. A well-formulated 7% toner can be a better choice than a 10% one that leaves your skin feeling like sandpaper.

Don’t get caught up in the numbers. The best exfoliant is the one that gives you results without irritating the heck out of your skin.

Which Glycolic Acid Toner Is Better For Beginners?

The Ordinary Glycolic Acid 7% Exfoliating Toner. Hands down. At 7%, it’s less likely to irritate your skin than The INKEY List’s 10% toner. Plus, it has extra hydrating ingredients to help counteract the drying effects of exfoliation.

But don’t go thinking 7% glycolic acid is child’s play. It’s still a pretty powerful exfoliant, especially if your skin’s never met an acid before. Start with twice a week and see how your skin handles it. You can always increase the frequency later. Your face isn’t going anywhere.

Can You Use The Ordinary And The INKEY List Glycolic Acid Toners Together?

Sure. If your goal is to turn your face into a flaky, irritated mess. 🙄 Seriously, what’s the point? Both toners do the same job. Using them together won’t give you twice the glow. It’ll just increase your chances of over-exfoliation.

And alternating them every night isn’t necessarily any better, either. Your skin doesn’t care that you’re using two different bottles. It’s still getting exfoliated. Pick one. Use it consistently. Give it time to work. If 7% glycolic acid isn’t cutting it and your skin tolerates exfoliation well, you can consider moving up to 10%.

Is The Inkey List 10% Glycolic Acid Toner A Dupe For The Ordinary Glycolic Acid 7% Exfoliating Toner?

I wouldn’t call them dupes. It may be hard to believe, but The Inkey List 10% Glycolic Acid Toner is an even more basic version of The Ordinary Glycolic Acid 7% Exfoliating Toner. Unfortunately, it’s more irritating, too.