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COSRX vs The INKEY List

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

COSRX and The INKEY List are popular skincare brands that offer a thoughtful array of serums, moisturizers, cleansers, masks, toners, eye products, and more. The Korean brand is formulated with trusted ingredients like hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and niacinamide to suit oily skin and acne-prone skin best, while the British brand is built around glycerin to fit combination skin and sensitive skin best. Both brands differ in their founding dates, ownership, and target skin types, yet each provides standout solutions for concerns like acne, dark spots, and mature skin through ingredients that increase hydration, restore barrier function, and reduce hyperpigmentation.

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

koreajoongangdaily.combeautymatter.comprnewswire.com

The INKEY List is a British skincare brand founded in 2018 and owned by Brand Evangelists for Beauty Limited.

cosmeticsbusiness.comprnewswire.comtheinkeylist.comtracxn.com

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

Popular COSRX vs The INKEY List products

People Say

COSRXThe INKEY List
  • Deep hydration and moisturization 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”
    • “Super hydrating — The INKEY List Polyglutamic Acid Serum”
    • “intense nourishment — The INKEY List Collagen Peptide Serum”
  • Lightweight and fast-absorbing Often MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “absorbs instantly like water — COSRX The 6 Peptide Skin Booster Serum”
    • “sinks in immediately — COSRX Advanced Snail Peptide Eye Cream”
    • “Gel consistency — The INKEY List Tranexamic Acid Serum”
    • “feels like applying straight up water to the skin — The INKEY List Omega Water Cream”
  • Texture improvement and smoothing 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”
    • “Skin feels softer — The INKEY List PHA Toner”
  • Gentle and non-stripping formula Often MentionedSometimes 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”
    • “Never tight or stripped — The INKEY List Salicylic Acid Cleanser”
  • Value for money Rarely NotedMostly Mentioned
    • “Good for the price — The INKEY List Salicylic Acid Cleanser”
    • “One of the best balms for quality and also price — The INKEY List Oat Cleansing Balm”
    • “unbeatable value — The INKEY List Hyaluronic Acid Serum”
    • “huge bottle — COSRX Advanced Snail Peptide Eye Cream”
  • Acne and pore control Often MentionedSometimes 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”
    • “Free of active acne — The INKEY List Salicylic Acid Cleanser”
  • Packaging issues and small size 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 leaks liquified oil when opened — The INKEY List Oat Cleansing Balm”
  • Drying or insufficient for dry skin Often MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “left my face tight — COSRX Low pH Good Morning Gel Cleanser”
    • “leaves skin feeling tight — COSRX Salicylic Acid Daily Gentle Cleanser”
    • “have dry skin but this doesn't feel hydrating at all — The INKEY List Omega Water Cream”
    • “leaves under eye dry — The INKEY List Caffeine Eye Cream”
  • Unpleasant texture and sticky finish Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “texture is gooey and stringy — COSRX Advanced Snail 92 All in One Cream”
    • “too slimy and sticky — COSRX Advanced Snail 96 Mucin Power Essence”
    • “Feels tacky on skin — The INKEY List PHA Toner”
    • “Leaves a greasy film on face after washing — The INKEY List Oat Cleansing Balm”

COSRX vs The INKEY List routines for dry skin

Buy COSRX routine · CA$218.38 · 91% fitBuy The INKEY List routine · CA$118.83 · 82% fitSee multi-brand routine · 99% fit

COSRX vs The INKEY List routines for oily skin

Buy COSRX routine · CA$288.29 · 92% fitBuy The INKEY List routine · CA$258.98 · 86% fitSee multi-brand routine · 96% fit

COSRX vs The INKEY List routines for combination skin

Buy COSRX routine · CA$271.24 · 91% fitBuy The INKEY List routine · CA$206.30 · 90% fitSee multi-brand routine · 96% fit

Questions and answers

COSRX or The INKEY List: which is better?

COSRX is better for texture improvement, acne control, and overall routine fit across most skin types, while The INKEY List offers greater value for money. Reviewers note that COSRX helps provide gentle, non-stripping care with effective acne clearing.

What is the difference between COSRX and The INKEY List?

COSRX stands out for texture improvement, acne control, and gentle formulas, while The INKEY List is particularly noted for value for money. For dry skin, Lovi fit is Superior for COSRX and High for The INKEY List.

COSRX or The INKEY List for dry skin?

COSRX is the better choice for dry skin, as Lovi rates its routine as Superior compared to High for The INKEY List. Reviewers note that COSRX also does better for gentle and non-stripping formulas as well as texture improvement.

COSRX or The INKEY List: which cleanser is better?

COSRX offers cleansers with a Lovi fit level of Superior for sensitive and acne-prone skin, while The INKEY List cleansers reach a High fit for those skin types. COSRX also does better on gentle and non-stripping formulas, whereas The INKEY List is known for value for money.

Which is more affordable, COSRX or The INKEY List?

The INKEY List offers better value for money than COSRX.

Between COSRX and The INKEY List, which brand is better for acne and pore control?

COSRX is better for acne and pore control, as the products on this page achieve a Superior routine fit for acne-prone skin compared to The INKEY List's High fit level.

How do the founding countries and corporate ownership differ between COSRX and The INKEY List?

COSRX was founded in 2013 in South Korea and is owned by Amorepacific Group, whereas The INKEY List was founded in 2018 in the United Kingdom and is owned by Brand Evangelists for Beauty Limited.

Which brand performs better regarding texture improvement and smoothing according to review themes?

COSRX performs better regarding texture improvement and smoothing.

COSRX or The INKEY List for oily skin?

For oily skin, Lovi finds that COSRX achieves a Superior routine fit while The INKEY List reaches a High fit level. The products on this page help provide lightweight absorption and deep hydration while targeting acne and pore control.

COSRX or The INKEY List: which moisturizer is better?

Both COSRX and The INKEY List offer effective moisturizers with key ingredients like hyaluronic acid and glycerin. Lovi shows that COSRX has a Superior routine fit for dry skin, while The INKEY List has a High fit for dry skin.

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

COSRX or The INKEY List for sensitive skin?

For sensitive skin, both brands offer a Superior routine fit on Lovi. COSRX features a high percentage of products with no fragrance, while every product on The INKEY List page lists no fragrance.

COSRX or The INKEY List for acne-prone skin?

For acne-prone skin, COSRX is the better choice because Lovi rates its routine as Superior, compared to High for The INKEY List.

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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