The INKEY List Ectoin Hydro Barrier Serum: a Guru Score of 77%

What the gurus are saying.

Every take we've logged from this product's reviews across YouTube. Click any row to watch the moment they said it.

All takes Yay takes Nay takes Mixed takes Hide sponsored

✓Yay

"I really love this serum [...] because of the texture in addition to the hero ingredient ectoin. It is a medium gel texture that sinks into your skin really nicely, but it has a plumping quality to it with that medium gel. It's a little bit bouncy. So it not only gives you that deep down replenishing feeling as it absorbs into your skin, but it also gives you that plump bouncy feel to your skin, which I absolutely adore, especially when you're going through dehydration."

All 2 takes from Kelly Driscoll

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"The Inkey List Ectoin Hydro Barrier Serum contains 2 percent of ectoin in a really beautiful hydrating, plumping gel textured serum. This sinks into your skin and you can feel how the hydration gets deeper down and you can feel how it lasts within your skin. It sticks with you and really gets you through your day without feeling like a dried-up, crusty sponge. [...] It's all those benefits that you would want in hyaluronic acid without all the extra hoops you need to jump through."

My Skin Does All 7 of These in Fall. Here's What I Use for Each.

"I really love this serum [...] because of the texture in addition to the hero ingredient ectoin. It is a medium gel texture that sinks into your skin really nicely, but it has a plumping quality to it with that medium gel. It's a little bit bouncy. So it not only gives you that deep down replenishing feeling as it absorbs into your skin, but it also gives you that plump bouncy feel to your skin, which I absolutely adore, especially when you're going through dehydration."

No BS Beauty

89k subs

✓Yay

"The Inky List ectoin barrier serum contains the ectoin. It also contains panthenol which is a great soothing anti-redness ingredient. It's got jojoba esters which are great for hydrating skin, oat kernel for soothing as well as ceramides. This one's got kind of a similar kind of a gel lotiony texture to it. It plays really well with other products and pretty friendly for most skin types and super affordable as well."

Dr Dray

2.69M subs

✓Nay

"I ended up enjoying the INKEY List Ectoin Hydro Barrier Serum, [...] but it is not as hydrating, it's not as moisturizing. It doesn't impart that overall improved plumpness, smoothness, radiance, and glow. So you are paying less, but you're not quite getting the same thing. This is fine, but I don't know that I would necessarily repurchase it."

All 2 takes from Dr Dray

Why Ectoin Might Be the Barrier-Repair Ingredient Your Skin Needs

"Once it dried down, it didn't really leave my skin feeling immediately quenched, moisturized. I felt like I needed moisturizer on over it. It wasn't drying, but it wasn't quite like I had just moisturized my skin. The pros of this are that it's affordable and it's easy to layer. A con is that it just kind of dries down a bit filmy and doesn't really leave the skin feeling immediately moisturized."

Dermatologist Skincare Empties: What I’d Actually Buy Again

"I ended up enjoying the INKEY List Ectoin Hydro Barrier Serum, [...] but it is not as hydrating, it's not as moisturizing. It doesn't impart that overall improved plumpness, smoothness, radiance, and glow. So you are paying less, but you're not quite getting the same thing. This is fine, but I don't know that I would necessarily repurchase it."

Doctor Anne

56k subs

✓Yay

"I took it on a one week trip to the mountains in the snow where being outdoors exposed to cold winds and dry air can lead to dryness and irritation when paired with my Tretinoin, and this formula [...] really helped keep my skin happy throughout the whole trip. For me it is a great product to use during winter, and if your skin is prone to dehydration, you might feel the same way."

All 2 takes from Doctor Anne

The Inkey List Ectoin Hydro Barrier Serum Review: Must have or Skip? | Doctor Anne

"I took it on a one week trip to the mountains in the snow where being outdoors exposed to cold winds and dry air can lead to dryness and irritation when paired with my Tretinoin, and this formula [...] really helped keep my skin happy throughout the whole trip. For me it is a great product to use during winter, and if your skin is prone to dehydration, you might feel the same way."

Acne, Allergies and Aging: my Spring Skincare Routine Adjustments | Doctor Anne

"On Tretinoin nights I use The Inkey List Ectoin Hydro-Barrier Serum first. Ectoin is a film former that seems to be beneficial in eczema prone skin and helps protect the skin barrier from irritation. I have already written my review on it and, little spoiler, I really think it helps in the long run, even though I wasn't too impressed at the beginning."

The Budget Dermatologist

724k subs

✓Yay

"It's the Ectoin Hydro Barrier Serum. It's about $15 and when I use it, I feel super super hydrated. It makes my skin look more bouncy. It feels really nice. It can be a key product in your glass skincare routine, and it's from the Inkey List, so it does not break the bank."

Mad About Skin

731k subs

✓Yay

"Coming in at I think this is like £15 here in the UK, a beautifully affordable ectoin serum that really could deliver calming, soothing and barrier support. [...] I did try [...] it and it is actually lovely. Smooths onto the skin instantly, calms, soothes, hydrates and will support with barrier function in the long term. This is a real win."

What the evidence says.

Independent of what the gurus think, this is what the published research supports about the main active ingredients here.

Ceramides

Ceramides are part of the skin's own barrier, and moisturisers built around them have evidence for holding water in and settling the tightness and flaking that come with a damaged barrier.

Source: DermNet

Humectants and emollients

Ingredients like these draw water into the surface layers and slow how fast it leaves. The evidence is for comfort, softness and hydration rather than for changing the structure of the skin.

Source: DermNet

Frequently asked.

What is The INKEY List Ectoin Hydro Barrier Serum?

A gel-textured hydrating serum from The INKEY List, built around the skin-barrier ingredient ectoin and designed to hydrate and help support the skin barrier.

Is The INKEY List Ectoin Hydro Barrier Serum worth it?

Mostly yes. 5 of the 6 gurus who reviewed it give it their stamp of approval, for a Guru Score of 77%.

What is The INKEY List Ectoin Hydro Barrier Serum's Guru Score?

The INKEY List Ectoin Hydro Barrier Serum holds a Guru Score of 77%. That is our read on how warmly the experts talk about it, based on the verdicts of 6 expert reviewers we have collected.