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COSRX vs Grown Alchemist

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

COSRX and Grown Alchemist are distinct skincare lines, with the former recognized for serums, moisturizers, cleansers, and masks featuring hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and niacinamide, and the latter beloved for its specialized cleansers, serums, and overall formulas. While the first option suits oily and acne-prone skin best through balancing and soothing active components, the second option caters primarily to sensitive, dry, and combination skin. Both offer targeted solutions for specific concerns, yet they differ fundamentally in their ingredient philosophies and geographic origins.

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

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

Popular COSRX vs Grown Alchemist products

People Say

COSRXGrown Alchemist
  • Deep Hydration and Moisture Mostly MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “skin drinks it up — COSRX Advanced Snail 96 Mucin Power Essence”
    • “woke up with soft, supple skin — COSRX Advanced Snail 92 All in One Cream”
    • “Skin version of chugging water — Grown Alchemist Instant Smoothing Serum”
    • “doesn't strip at all — Grown Alchemist Hydra-Restore Cream Cleanser”
  • Gentle and Non-Irritating Formulation Often MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “No stinging or irritation — COSRX BHA Blackhead Power Liquid”
    • “extremely gentle — COSRX AHA/BHA Clarifying Treatment Toner”
    • “Perfect for sensitive skin — Grown Alchemist Gentle Gel Facial Cleanser”
    • “calms my skin down — Grown Alchemist Hydra-Restore Cream Cleanser”
  • Lightweight and Fast Absorption Mostly MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “absorbs instantly like water — COSRX The 6 Peptide Skin Booster Serum”
    • “sinks in immediately — COSRX Advanced Snail Peptide Eye Cream”
    • “absorbs practically immediately — COSRX Oil-Free Ultra-Moisturizing Lotion (with Birch Sap)”
    • “Very light weight — Grown Alchemist Instant Smoothing Serum”
  • Gentle and Non-Stripping Cleansing Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
    • “Doesn't dry out my skin — Grown Alchemist Gentle Gel Facial Cleanser”
    • “Gets everything nice and clean — Grown Alchemist Gentle Gel Facial Cleanser”
    • “doesn't strip my skin — COSRX Low pH Good Morning Gel Cleanser”
  • Soothing and Calming Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
    • “smell is divine — Grown Alchemist Hydra-Restore Cream Cleanser”
    • “calms down my redness — COSRX Advanced Snail 96 Mucin Power Essence”
  • Skin Texture and Glow Improvement Often MentionedNot 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”
  • Price and Packaging Issues Often MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “only 20mls... significantly less product — COSRX The Hyaluronic Acid 3 Serum”
    • “tube is tiny — COSRX The Retinol 0.1 Cream”
    • “tube cracked on the side — COSRX The Retinol 0.1 Cream”
    • “tube cracks easily — Grown Alchemist Hydra-Restore Cream Cleanser”
  • Medicinal or Strong Scent 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)”
    • “Too perfumy notes — Grown Alchemist Gentle Gel Facial Cleanser”
  • Makeup Compatibility Not notedOften Mentioned
    • “Isn't going to be your makeup remover — Grown Alchemist Gentle Gel Facial Cleanser”

Questions and answers

COSRX or Grown Alchemist: which is better?

COSRX is better suited for oily and acne-prone skin types, offering a wide range of products that help control acne and improve skin texture. Grown Alchemist provides gentle and non-stripping cleansers, but its product selection on this page is much more limited.

What is the difference between COSRX and Grown Alchemist?

COSRX tends to offer a much larger product range focused heavily on oily and acne-prone skin, while Grown Alchemist features very few products on this page with average to high fits across various skin types. Reviewers note that COSRX provides better lightweight absorption, skin texture, and glow improvement, whereas Grown Alchemist stands out for gentle and non-stripping cleansing and soothing benefits.

COSRX or Grown Alchemist: which cleanser is better?

COSRX offers cleansers like the Advanced Snail Mucin Gel Cleanser that are well-suited for a wide range of skin types, achieving Superior fit levels for dry, sensitive, acne-prone, and combination skin. Grown Alchemist features cleansers like the Hydra-Restore Cream Cleanser that reviewers frequently note for being hydrating, gentle, and pleasant.

Which is more affordable, COSRX or Grown Alchemist?

The products on this page do not feature price comparisons, so this page does not indicate which brand is more affordable.

Which causes fewer breakouts, COSRX or Grown Alchemist?

COSRX is well suited for acne-prone skin, with multiple products earning superior and high Lovi fit levels for oily and acne-prone skin types. Grown Alchemist features fewer products on this page and lacks specific focus routines for acne-prone skin.

Which brand has more fragrance-free options between COSRX and Grown Alchemist?

Grown Alchemist and COSRX both offer extensive fragrance-free options, as every product on the Grown Alchemist page lists no fragrance, and 37 of the 38 products on the COSRX page list no fragrance.

How do the founding years and corporate ownership of COSRX and Grown Alchemist compare?

COSRX was founded in South Korea in 2013 and has been owned by Amorepacific Group since 2024. In comparison, Grown Alchemist was founded in 2008 and has been under independent ownership since 2024.

Which brand offers better hydration and moisture according to the review themes?

According to the review themes, both COSRX and Grown Alchemist offer equal performance when it comes to deep hydration and moisture.

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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