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COSRX vs NIVEA

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

COSRX and NIVEA are distinguished skin care lines that offer thoughtful serums, moisturizers, cleansers, masks, and sunscreens. The Korean brand relies on hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and niacinamide to suit oily and sensitive skin best by balancing moisture, soothing irritation, lengthening toxin duration, reducing cell damage, significantly increasing hydration and barrier function, significantly decreasing hyperpigmentation, and reducing skin aging. Meanwhile, the German brand expertly formulates versatile sunscreens, targeted serums, and nourishing moisturizers with glycerin to suit sensitive and oily skin best by providing gentle care, lightweight hydration, and improved stratum corneum hydration and barrier function to keep the complexion healthy and calm. While both brands excel at addressing acne-prone skin, dark spots, and mature skin through standout products like their respective cleansers, toners, sun lotions, and specialized serums, they differ in their foundational ingredients, regional heritage, and specific formulations designed for varied skin concerns.

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

koreajoongangdaily.combeautymatter.comprnewswire.com

NIVEA is a German skincare brand founded in 1911 and owned by maxingvest GmbH & Co. KGaA since 2004.

beiersdorf.comen.wikipedia.org

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

Popular COSRX vs NIVEA products

People Say

COSRXNIVEA
  • Skin Texture and Smoothing Mostly MentionedMostly 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”
    • “Makes my face feel smooth and soft. — NIVEA Soft”
    • “skin feels squeaky clean and soft — NIVEA DERMA SKIN CLEAR”
  • Hydration and Moisture Mostly MentionedOften 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”
    • “gives a healthy glow — COSRX The 6 Peptide Skin Booster Serum”
    • “Smoothed out dry flaky scales on my cheeks overnight — NIVEA Creme”
  • Soothing and Gentle Formulas Mostly MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “No stinging or irritation — COSRX BHA Blackhead Power Liquid”
    • “extremely gentle — COSRX AHA/BHA Clarifying Treatment Toner”
    • “perfect for first-time retinol users — COSRX The Retinol 0.1 Cream”
    • “doesn't dry out skin — NIVEA Derma Skin Clear Anti-Blemish Scrub”
  • Other Positive Highlights Often MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “smells like holiday — NIVEA Protect & Moisture Sun Lotion SPF50+”
    • “unclogs pores — NIVEA Derma Skin Clear Anti-Blemish Scrub”
    • “Smell brings me back to childhood — NIVEA Creme”
    • “doesn't clog the pores — COSRX Oil-Free Ultra-Moisturizing Lotion (with Birch Sap)”
  • Lightweight and Fast Absorption Mostly 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)”
    • “It's lightweight on the skin and leaves a bit of subtle sheen. — NIVEA Soft”
  • Acne and Blemish Control Often MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “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”
    • “cleared my complexion in 7 days — NIVEA DERMA SKIN CLEAR”
    • “reduces blackheads — NIVEA Derma Skin Clear Anti-Blemish Scrub”
  • Unpleasant Texture and Finish Often MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “texture is gooey and stringy — COSRX Advanced Snail 92 All in One Cream”
    • “too slimy and sticky — COSRX Advanced Snail 96 Mucin Power Essence”
    • “Leaves a sticky film — COSRX BHA Blackhead Power Liquid”
    • “Leaves a shiny grease layer that doesn't go away — NIVEA Creme”
  • Other Minor Complaints Rarely NotedOften Mentioned
    • “expensive for me — COSRX The Hyaluronic Acid 3 Serum”
    • “The purging is real — COSRX BHA Blackhead Power Liquid”
    • “pH is 9 — COSRX Salicylic Acid Daily Gentle Cleanser”
    • “not super gritty — NIVEA Derma Skin Clear Anti-Blemish Scrub”
  • Breakouts and Skin Irritation Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
    • “stings really bad if it accidentally gets in the eyes — COSRX Salicylic Acid Daily Gentle Cleanser”
    • “burns eyes when sweating — COSRX Ultra-Light Invisible Sunscreen”
    • “Clogged my pores and caused bad acne — NIVEA Creme”
    • “I noticed some acne breakouts on my chin after using this crème for a while. — NIVEA Soft”

COSRX vs NIVEA routines for dry skin

Buy COSRX routine · A$239.37 · 91% fitBuy NIVEA routine · A$176.64 · 83% fitSee multi-brand routine · 97% fit

COSRX vs NIVEA routines for oily skin

Buy COSRX routine · A$330.57 · 92% fitBuy NIVEA routine · A$394.61 · 87% fitSee multi-brand routine · 96% fit

COSRX vs NIVEA routines for combination skin

Buy COSRX routine · A$311.08 · 89% fitBuy NIVEA routine · A$366.08 · 86% fitSee multi-brand routine · 95% fit

Questions and answers

COSRX or NIVEA: which is better?

COSRX is better for hydration and soothing formulas, as Lovi rates its routine fit for dry sensitive skin as Superior compared to Nivea's High level. The products on this page help provide deep moisture with ingredients like hyaluronic acid and glycerin.

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

What is the difference between COSRX and NIVEA?

COSRX offers superior routine fit for dry skin, sensitive skin, dry sensitive skin, acne-prone skin, and oily acne-prone skin, while NIVEA provides a High fit for these types. COSRX also performs better in hydration and moisture, soothing and gentle formulas, and lightweight and fast absorption.

COSRX or NIVEA for dry skin?

For dry skin, COSRX is the better choice because Lovi rates its routine as Superior, while NIVEA gets a High rating. The products on this page help deliver deep hydration with key ingredients like hyaluronic acid, which helps improve skin quality.

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

COSRX or NIVEA: which moisturizer is better?

COSRX is better for moisturizers on this page, offering superior fit levels like Superior for dry skin with products such as Advanced Snail 96 Mucin Power Essence compared to NIVEA's High fit level for Creme. Hyaluronic acid helps improve skin hydration and moisture retention.

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

Which is more affordable, COSRX or NIVEA?

The products on this page do not list pricing information, so it is not possible to determine whether COSRX or NIVEA is more affordable.

COSRX or NIVEA: which brand has more fragrance-free products?

COSRX has more fragrance-free products on this page, with 37 out of 38 products listing no fragrance compared to only 3 of 9 products for NIVEA.

COSRX or NIVEA: which brand is better for dry sensitive skin?

COSRX is better for dry sensitive skin, offering a Superior routine fit compared to NIVEA which has a High fit. Lovi rates COSRX as Superior for this skin type, whereas NIVEA is rated High.

COSRX or NIVEA: how do their company origins and ownership compare?

COSRX was founded in South Korea in 2013 and is owned by Amorepacific Group, whereas NIVEA was founded in Germany in 1911 and is owned by maxingvest GmbH & Co. KGaA.

COSRX or NIVEA for oily skin?

COSRX is better for oily skin because the products on this page achieve a Superior fit level compared to Nivea's High fit level. Furthermore, reviewing the routines shows that COSRX provides superior hydration and soothing benefits without feeling heavy.

COSRX or NIVEA: which sunscreen is better?

COSRX is better for sun protection on this page because its sunscreens offer High to Superior Lovi fit levels across nearly all skin types, whereas NIVEA sunscreens have lower fits for dry and sensitive skin.

COSRX or NIVEA for sensitive skin?

COSRX is a better fit for sensitive skin, achieving a Superior routine fit compared to NIVEA's High fit. The products on this page for COSRX are mostly fragrance-free and feature soothing key ingredients like allantoin and centella asiatica, which help calm irritation.

COSRX or NIVEA for acne-prone skin?

For acne-prone skin, COSRX is better with a Superior routine fit compared to NIVEA at High. The products on this page help provide effective acne control and clearing.

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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