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COSRX vs Estée Lauder

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

COSRX and Estée Lauder are two distinct skincare brands offering comprehensive collections of serums, moisturizers, and cleansers. The Korean brand, founded in 2013, harnesses hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and niacinamide to suit oily and sensitive skin best, whereas the American house, established in 1946, thoughtfully incorporates hyaluronic acid and glycerin to suit dry and dry sensitive skin. While both utilize key ingredients to increase hydration and barrier function, they differ in their heritage, specific formulations, and target skin types.

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

koreajoongangdaily.combeautymatter.comprnewswire.com

Estée Lauder is an American skincare brand founded in 1946 and owned by The Estée Lauder Companies Inc..

en.wikipedia.orgelcompanies.com

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

Popular COSRX vs Estée Lauder products

People Say

COSRXEstée Lauder
  • Deep hydration and moisturization Mostly MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “skin drinks it up immediately — Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair”
    • “The formula is incredibly hydrating and leaves my skin feeling smooth. — Estée Lauder Re-Nutriv”
    • “texture is dreamy — Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair Eye Supercharged Gel-Creme”
    • “skin drinks it up — COSRX Advanced Snail 96 Mucin Power Essence”
  • Improves skin texture and smoothness Mostly MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “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 a baby's bottom — Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair”
    • “silky smooth — Estée Lauder Micro Essence Treatment Lotion”
  • Lightweight and fast-absorbing formula Often MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “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)”
    • “Absorbs quickly into the skin — Estée Lauder Revitalizing Supreme+”
  • Gentle and non-stripping cleansing/use Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
    • “doesn't strip the skin — Estée Lauder Advanced Night Cleansing Gelée”
    • “Lathers well — Estée Lauder Soft Clean Moisture Rich Foaming Cleanser”
    • “removes all my makeup effortlessly — Estée Lauder Advanced Night Cleansing Gelée”
    • “No stinging or irritation — COSRX BHA Blackhead Power Liquid”
  • Soothing, calming and barrier care Often MentionedRarely Noted
    • “perfect for first-time retinol users — COSRX The Retinol 0.1 Cream”
    • “calms down my redness — COSRX Advanced Snail 96 Mucin Power Essence”
    • “calms inflammation — COSRX Advanced Snail 92 All in One Cream”
    • “soothes redness — Estée Lauder Micro Essence Treatment Lotion”
  • Acne and pore control Often MentionedNot noted
    • “extremely gentle — COSRX AHA/BHA Clarifying Treatment Toner”
    • “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”
  • High price and value concerns Sometimes NotedMostly Mentioned
    • “only 20mls... significantly less product — COSRX The Hyaluronic Acid 3 Serum”
    • “tube is tiny — COSRX The Retinol 0.1 Cream”
    • “expensive for me — COSRX The Hyaluronic Acid 3 Serum”
    • “way too expensive for the size — Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair”
  • Packaging and container issues Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “tube cracked on the side — COSRX The Retinol 0.1 Cream”
    • “hate dipping fingers in — COSRX Advanced Snail 92 All in One Cream”
    • “lid is hard to open — Estée Lauder Advanced Night Cleansing Gelée”
    • “Please make a jar or refill that is not as big and heavy. — Estée Lauder Re-Nutriv”
  • Drying or insufficient for dry skin Often MentionedRarely Noted
    • “left my skin very dry — Estée Lauder Advanced Night Cleansing Gelée”
    • “Not moisturizing enough for winter — Estée Lauder Revitalizing Supreme+”
    • “left my face tight — COSRX Low pH Good Morning Gel Cleanser”
  • Slow or no visible results Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “Takes a month to work — COSRX BHA Blackhead Power Liquid”
    • “didn't do anything — COSRX AHA/BHA Clarifying Treatment Toner”
    • “did absolutely nothing — COSRX The 6 Peptide Skin Booster Serum”
    • “didn't notice any difference — Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair”

COSRX vs Estée Lauder routines for dry skin

Buy COSRX routine · A$239.37 · 91% fitBuy Estée Lauder routine · A$330.00 · 83% fitSee multi-brand routine · 97% fit

COSRX vs Estée Lauder routines for oily skin

Buy COSRX routine · A$330.57 · 92% fitBuy Estée Lauder routine · A$497.39 · 80% fitSee multi-brand routine · 96% fit

COSRX vs Estée Lauder routines for combination skin

Buy COSRX routine · A$311.08 · 89% fitBuy Estée Lauder routine · A$490.31 · 78% fitSee multi-brand routine · 95% fit

Questions and answers

COSRX or Estée Lauder: which is better?

COSRX offers better value and superior fit levels across most skin types on this page compared to Estée Lauder. The products on this page help provide lightweight absorption and effective acne control.

What is the difference between COSRX and Estée Lauder?

COSRX offers better value and a lighter feel with superior acne control, while Estée Lauder provides deeper hydration and gentler cleansing at a higher price point. Lovi rates COSRX as a Superior fit for dry sensitive skin and Estée Lauder as a High fit for the same skin type.

COSRX or Estée Lauder for dry skin?

COSRX is a better choice for dry skin, as Lovi rates its routine as Superior compared to Estée Lauder's High fit level. The products on this page help deliver lightweight absorption and deep hydration while maintaining a gentle, non-irritating formula.

COSRX or Estée Lauder: which cleanser is better?

When it comes to cleansers on the products on this page, COSRX generally offers better options for acne control and oily skin, while Estée Lauder tends to provide gentler, non-drying cleansers. Lovi rates the COSRX Advanced Snail Mucin Gel Cleanser as Superior for dry skin, sensitive skin, and acne-prone skin, whereas the Estée Lauder Advanced Night Cleansing Gelée achieves a High fit for acne-prone skin and mature skin.

Which is more affordable, COSRX or Estée Lauder?

COSRX is more affordable, whereas high price and value concerns are frequently noted for Estée Lauder.

Between COSRX and Estée Lauder, which brand performs better for acne and pore control?

COSRX performs better for acne and pore control, as the products on this page excel at acne control and clearing while studies show that targeted ingredients like retinol help manage skin conditions.

The Journal of Investigative Dermatology, 2000Archives of Dermatology, 2007

How do the founding years and countries of origin compare between COSRX and Estée Lauder?

COSRX was founded in South Korea in 2013, while Estée Lauder was established in the United States in 1946.

Which brand has more fragrance-free products, COSRX or Estée Lauder?

COSRX has more fragrance-free products on this page, with thirty-seven out of thirty-eight items listing no fragrance compared to twelve out of fourteen for Estée Lauder.

COSRX or Estée Lauder for oily skin?

For oily skin, COSRX has a superior routine fit compared to Estée Lauder which is high. Reviewers note that COSRX is better for lightweight and fast-absorbing formulas, acne and pore control.

COSRX or Estée Lauder: which moisturizer is better?

When it comes to moisturizers, COSRX is a better option for shoppers seeking lightweight absorption and effective hydration. Lovi rates the routine fit for the products on this page as Superior for COSRX and High for Estée Lauder.

COSRX or Estée Lauder for sensitive skin?

COSRX is the better choice for sensitive skin, as Lovi rates its overall routine fit as Superior compared to High for Estée Lauder. The products on this page help provide soothing care and a gentle, lightweight feel.

COSRX or Estée Lauder: which sunscreen is better?

Both brands offer solid options on this page, but COSRX tends to be favored for acne-prone skin while Estée Lauder stands out for dry skin. For example, the COSRX Ultra-Light Invisible Sunscreen provides Superior fit levels for acne-prone skin, whereas the Estée Lauder DayWear Moisturizer delivers Superior fit levels for dry and sensitive skin.

COSRX or Estée Lauder for acne-prone skin?

For acne-prone skin, COSRX is the better choice because Lovi rates its routine fit as Superior, compared to High for Estée Lauder. The products on this page for COSRX also excel in acne and pore control.

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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