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COSRX vs Clarins

Rated by Lovi · Unbiased, science-based skincare AI trained on real user outcomes · How the Fit score works

COSRX and Clarins are renowned skincare brands offering distinct approaches to daily wellness, with the former originating in Korea in 2013 and the latter established in France in 1954. COSRX is beloved for its thoughtful array of serums, moisturizers, cleansers, masks, and more, all formulated with trusted ingredients like hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and niacinamide that suit oily and acne-prone skin best. Conversely, Clarins is loved for its luxurious moisturizers, potent serums, soothing eye products, and gentle toners thoughtfully enriched with nourishing shea and hydrating squalane, which suit sensitive and dry sensitive skin best. While both brands feature standout treatments for specific concerns like acne-prone skin, dark spots, and mature skin, they differ fundamentally through their specific ingredients and targeted skin types.

COSRX is a Korean skincare brand founded in 2013 and owned by Amorepacific Group since 2024.

koreajoongangdaily.combeautymatter.comprnewswire.com

Clarins is a French skincare brand founded in 1954 and owned by Famille C (Groupe Clarins).

groupeclarins.comen.wikipedia.orghappi.com

This page compares some of the most popular COSRX and Clarins products; for every product of both brands, with a fit score for your own skin, use the Lovi app.

Popular COSRX vs Clarins products

People Say

COSRXClarins
  • Deep hydration and moisturization Mostly MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “skin drinks it up — Clarins Double Serum”
    • “keeps skin moist — Clarins Multi-Active Jour”
    • “woke up with baby soft skin — Clarins Multi-Active Nuit”
    • “skin drinks it up — COSRX Advanced Snail 96 Mucin Power Essence”
  • Lightweight and fast-absorbing texture Often MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “absorbs instantly like water — COSRX The 6 Peptide Skin Booster Serum”
    • “sinks in immediately — COSRX Advanced Snail Peptide Eye Cream”
    • “absorbs immediately — Clarins Double Serum Eye”
    • “sinks in immediately — Clarins Double Serum Light Texture”
  • Skin texture improvement and smoothness Often MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “gives me that glass skin look — COSRX Advanced Snail 96 Mucin Power Essence”
    • “skin feels softer immediately — COSRX The 6 Peptide Skin Booster Serum”
    • “Skin feels like glass — COSRX BHA Blackhead Power Liquid”
    • “neck feels smoother — Clarins Extra-Firming Neck & Décolleté Cream”
  • Gentle and non-stripping formula Often MentionedRarely Noted
    • “No stinging or irritation — COSRX BHA Blackhead Power Liquid”
    • “perfect for first-time retinol users — COSRX The Retinol 0.1 Cream”
    • “doesn't strip my skin — COSRX Low pH Good Morning Gel Cleanser”
    • “no irritation for contact wearers — Clarins Total Eye Lift”
  • Effective acne and pore control Often MentionedRarely Noted
    • “helped to improve my acne after only 2 weeks — COSRX Salicylic Acid Daily Gentle Cleanser”
    • “cleared up my spots — COSRX Low pH Good Morning Gel Cleanser”
    • “Melted blackheads right off — COSRX BHA Blackhead Power Liquid”
    • “doesn't make me greasy — Clarins Double Serum Light Texture”
  • Luxurious texture Not notedOften Mentioned
    • “melting non-oily texture — Clarins Extra-Firming Neck & Décolleté Cream”
    • “Creamy texture feels luxurious upon application — Clarins Extra-Firming Day Cream”
    • “feels like silk — Clarins Double Serum”
  • Scent and fragrance issues Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
    • “smells like chemicals — COSRX Low pH Good Morning Gel Cleanser”
    • “smells like onions — COSRX The Retinol 0.1 Cream”
    • “smells like tea tree/medicinal — COSRX Oil-Free Ultra-Moisturizing Lotion (with Birch Sap)”
    • “smells like perfume — Clarins Multi-Active Jour”
  • High price and value concerns Rarely NotedMostly Mentioned
    • “expensive for me — COSRX The Hyaluronic Acid 3 Serum”
    • “way too expensive — Clarins Double Serum”
  • Packaging and size issues Often MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “only 20mls... significantly less product — COSRX The Hyaluronic Acid 3 Serum”
    • “tube is tiny — COSRX The Retinol 0.1 Cream”
    • “dispenses too much product — Clarins Total Eye Lift”
    • “dispenses too much — Clarins Double Serum Eye”
  • Ineffective or slow results Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “no change in circles — COSRX Advanced Snail Peptide Eye Cream”
    • “Takes a month to work — COSRX BHA Blackhead Power Liquid”
    • “didn't see a lift — Clarins Total Eye Lift”
    • “no change in circles — Clarins Double Serum Eye”

COSRX vs Clarins routines for dry skin

Buy COSRX routine · AED 408.70 · 83% fitBuy Clarins routine · AED 1,301.95 · 73% fitSee multi-brand routine · 96% fit

COSRX vs Clarins routines for oily skin

Buy COSRX routine · AED 581.27 · 91% fitBuy Clarins routine · AED 1,305.87 · 71% fitSee multi-brand routine · 97% fit

COSRX vs Clarins routines for combination skin

Buy COSRX routine · AED 475.50 · 89% fitBuy Clarins routine · AED 1,132.10 · 71% fitSee multi-brand routine · 96% fit

Questions and answers

COSRX or Clarins: which is better?

COSRX is generally better for oily and acne-prone skin with its gentle, effective formulas, whereas Clarins is better suited for mature and sensitive skin due to its luxurious, deeply hydrating moisturizers. Reviewers note that COSRX excels at acne control and skin texture improvement, while Clarins is frequently praised for its luxurious textures and high price point.

What is the difference between COSRX and Clarins?

COSRX is a South Korean brand focusing on effective acne control, skin texture, and gentle formulas with a High routine fit for dry skin, while Clarins is a French brand focusing on deep hydration and luxurious textures with an Average routine fit for dry skin. COSRX products on this page mostly lack fragrance, whereas Clarins products on this page frequently include fragrance.

COSRX or Clarins for dry skin?

For dry skin, COSRX has a High Lovi routine fit while Clarins has an Average fit, making COSRX the better choice. COSRX products on this page help provide deep hydration and moisturization with a lightweight feel.

COSRX or Clarins: which cleanser is better?

COSRX offers cleansers with a better fit for oily acne-prone skin, where Lovi rates them as High, compared to Clarins cleansers which have an Average fit for that skin type. COSRX also provides more fragrance-free options across the products on this page.

Which is more affordable, COSRX or Clarins?

Clarins has a high price point while COSRX faces high price and value concerns. Reviewers mention a high price point mostly for Clarins, and COSRX is generally considered more affordable.

COSRX or Clarins for oily skin?

For oily skin, Lovi finds COSRX to be a Superior fit, while Clarins is an Average fit. COSRX features targeted formulations that help with effective acne and pore control, whereas Clarins focuses more on luxurious textures and deep hydration.

COSRX or Clarins: which moisturizer is better?

COSRX offers better moisturizer products on this page for oily, acne-prone, and combination skin, while Clarins is well-suited for dry and mature skin types. COSRX moisturizers frequently help provide lightweight hydration and effective pore control, whereas Clarins formulas focus on luxurious textures and deep nourishment.

COSRX or Clarins for sensitive skin?

COSRX has a Superior routine fit for sensitive skin, while Clarins has a High routine fit. COSRX is fragrance-free across almost all products, which helps reduce the likelihood of irritation for sensitive skin.

COSRX or Clarins for acne-prone skin?

COSRX has a Superior routine fit for acne-prone skin, while Clarins has a High fit level. COSRX helps with effective acne control and clearing, whereas Clarins products on this page frequently contain fragrance.

COSRX or Clarins for mature skin?

Both COSRX and Clarins are a High fit for mature skin. Clarins products on this page frequently feature fragrance, whereas COSRX products on this page mostly list no fragrance.

COSRX or Clarins for skin with dark spots?

Both COSRX and Clarins are a High fit for skin with dark spots. COSRX helps target discoloration with key ingredients like Niacinamide, while Clarins may offer luxurious hydrating options.

The British Journal of Dermatology, 2002Antioxidants, 2021

COSRX or Clarins for dry sensitive skin?

For dry sensitive skin, Lovi rates COSRX as High and Clarins as High. Both brands help provide deep hydration and moisturization through ingredients like hyaluronic acid and glycerin.

Journal of Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2015Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

Research behind their key ingredients

Behind this comparison

Lovi compares products by their fit scores, calculated from the full ingredient list with brand-independent rules our dermatologists and cosmetic chemists build and review, and personalizes every pick with AI trained on the real results of millions of users. Lovi trains its fit score models on a proprietary dataset built from more than 10,000 expert-labeled products and more than 100,000 simulated examples, following an internally consistent methodology presented at Cosmoprof, AMWC, and Skin of Color Update.

  • Nadia Kapleva, MS

    Nadia Kapleva, MS

    Co-founder, Medical Director

    Cosmetic chemist, cosmetologist, aesthetic products developer

  • Alexey Shagraev, PhD

    Alexey Shagraev, PhD

    Co-founder, CEO and CTO

    PhD in computer science, 3x US patent holder, ex-Google, ex-Yandex

  • Dr. Sofía Perea Pérez, MD, MSc

    Dr. Sofía Perea Pérez, MD, MSc

    Medical Board

    Aesthetic medicine practitioner, MSc in Longevity and Anti-Aging Medicine

  • Aishani Shah, MD

    Aishani Shah, MD

    Medical Board

    Specialist dermatologist, MBBS, MD, IFAAD

  • Asya Zubkova, MS

    Asya Zubkova, MS

    Medical Board

    Cosmetic chemist, SCS, IFSCC member

  • Hanna Kurets, MD

    Hanna Kurets, MD

    Medical Board, Medical Advisor

    Dermatology MD

  • Elina Nazarenko, MD

    Elina Nazarenko, MD

    Medical Board

    Dermatology and diagnostic consultant

  • Victoria Derkova, MS

    Victoria Derkova, MS

    Medical Board

    Cosmetic chemist, cosmetic development technologist

How does it fit your skin?

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