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The INKEY List Alpha Arbutin 2% Serum vs The Ordinary Ascorbic Acid 8% + Alpha Arbutin 2%
The INKEY List Alpha Arbutin 2% Serum and The Ordinary Ascorbic Acid 8% + Alpha Arbutin 2% are both serums — both are dosed with Alpha Arbutin. On evidence, The Ordinary Ascorbic Acid 8% + Alpha Arbutin 2% grades higher — B, 75/100 versus C, 63/100. The Ordinary Ascorbic Acid 8% + Alpha Arbutin 2% costs $2 less (17% cheaper). That makes The Ordinary Ascorbic Acid 8% + Alpha Arbutin 2% the stronger pick on both efficacy and price.
Side by side
Grade, key actives, and price — the actives they share (Alpha Arbutin) are what do the work.
How we grade
Both products are graded A–F on the same standard: the active, its published effective concentration, and the study behind it — never marketing. A cheaper product can out-grade a pricier one. See the full methodology. Buy links are affiliate links; we may earn a small commission at no cost to you, and it never changes a grade.
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Get the appBased on published concentration thresholds and formulation science. Our algorithm predicts likely efficacy — it does not test the product. Individual results vary. Not evaluated by the FDA. Comparisons are based on graded efficacy, shared actives, and published dosing — not side-by-side clinical testing; textures and tolerability still differ.