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COSRX vs Avène

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

COSRX and Avène are respected skincare brands, with the former being a Korean line founded in 2013 and the latter a French house established in 1990. The first brand is beloved for its thoughtful array of serums, moisturizers, cleansers, and masks featuring hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and niacinamide, while the second relies on rich moisturizers, reliable sunscreens, targeted serums, gentle cleansers, and hydrating glycerin. Both lines suit oily and acne-prone skin best, as their formulations expertly balance delicate moisture levels and restore barrier function. They differ primarily in their cultural origins and specific ingredient delivery, with the Korean brand utilizing snail mucin, propolis, and centella alongside science-backed components to target distinct concerns like dark spots and aging.

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

koreajoongangdaily.combeautymatter.comprnewswire.com

Avène is a French skincare brand founded in 1990 and owned by Fondation Pierre Fabre.

pierre-fabre.comavene.co.ukaveneusa.com

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

Popular COSRX vs Avène products

People Say

COSRXAvène
  • Gentle and Non-Stripping Mostly MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “No stinging or irritation — COSRX BHA Blackhead Power Liquid”
    • “extremely gentle — COSRX AHA/BHA Clarifying Treatment Toner”
    • “leaves face clean but not dry — Avène Cleanance”
    • “Perfect cleanser for sensitive skin. — Avène Milk Cleanser”
  • 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”
    • “Restores moisture barrier — Avène Cold Cream”
  • 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)”
    • “absorbs very quickly — Avène Vitamin Activ Cg Radiance Concentrated Serum”
  • Skin Texture and Smoothing Mostly 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”
    • “I've noticed a definite improvement in the fine lines around my eyes — Avène RetrinAL EYES”
  • Soothing and Calming Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
    • “Calmed my angry red skin overnight — Avène Cicalfate+ Restorative Protective Cream”
    • “Nothing has ever worked to soothe or heal my skin like these before. — Avène Tolerance Control Soothing Skin Recovery Balm”
    • “Calms angry, red skin — Avène Soothing Radiance Mask”
    • “calms down my redness — COSRX Advanced Snail 96 Mucin Power Essence”
  • Acne and Pores 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”
    • “Cleared my cystic acne — Avène Cleanance Cleansing Gel”
  • Unpleasant Texture and 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”
    • “Tube squirted water everywhere — Avène Cicalfate+ Restorative Protective Cream”
    • “Leaves a greasy film — Avène Cold Cream”
  • Strong Scent or Fragrance Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “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)”
    • “The fragrance is very present. — Avène Milk Cleanser”
  • Packaging Issues and Size Often MentionedRarely Noted
    • “Tube cracked on the side — Avène Cicalfate+ Restorative Protective Cream”
    • “Cap leaks in bag — Avène Cleanance Cleansing Gel”
    • “Good product bad packaging. — Avène RetrinAL EYES”
    • “only 20mls... significantly less product — COSRX The Hyaluronic Acid 3 Serum”

COSRX vs Avène routines for dry skin

Buy COSRX routine · $128.96 · 87% fitBuy Avène routine · $207.69 · 76% fitSee multi-brand routine · 99% fit

COSRX vs Avène routines for oily skin

Buy COSRX routine · $292.12 · 91% fitBuy Avène routine · $377.02 · 85% fitSee multi-brand routine · 98% fit

COSRX vs Avène routines for combination skin

Buy COSRX routine · $268.03 · 89% fitBuy Avène routine · $358.50 · 88% fitSee multi-brand routine · 97% fit

Questions and answers

COSRX or Avène: which is better?

COSRX is better for hydration, lightweight texture, and acne control, while Avène is better for soothing sensitive skin, and both brands provide an equal routine fit for most skin types. COSRX helps improve skin texture and moisture levels, whereas Avène helps calm irritation with thermal spring water.

What is the difference between COSRX and Avène?

COSRX generally offers superior hydration and acne control, whereas Avène stands out for soothing sensitive skin. Additionally, the products on this page show that COSRX provides more fragrance-free options than Avène.

COSRX or Avène for dry skin?

Both COSRX and Avène offer a High routine fit for dry skin. COSRX products on this page help provide deeper hydration and faster absorption, while Avène helps soothe irritation and features thermal water.

COSRX or Avène: which cleanser is better?

Both COSRX and Avène offer cleansers with high fits for oily and acne-prone skin, such as the COSRX Salicylic Acid Daily Gentle Cleanser and the Avène Cleanance Cleansing Gel. However, COSRX provides more options on this page that maintain higher fit levels across dry and sensitive skin types compared to Avène.

Which is more affordable, COSRX or Avène?

The provided page facts do not contain pricing information to determine whether COSRX or Avène is more affordable.

COSRX or Avène: which brand has better fragrance-free options?

COSRX offers significantly more fragrance-free options, with 37 of its 38 products on this page listing no fragrance. In comparison, nearly half of Avène's products on this page contain fragrance.

COSRX or Avène: which is better for dry sensitive skin?

COSRX is a better fit for dry sensitive skin, as Lovi rates its routine High compared to Avène at Average. The products on this page for COSRX also list fewer fragrances, helping to minimize potential irritation.

COSRX or Avène: which brand is better for soothing irritation?

Avène does better for soothing irritation compared to COSRX. The products on this page help calm sensitive skin effectively.

COSRX or Avène for oily skin?

For oily skin, COSRX has a Superior Lovi fit level, whereas Avène has a High fit level. The products on this page help provide effective oil control and lightweight absorption.

COSRX or Avène: which moisturizer is better?

COSRX offers better moisturizers for hydration and lightweight absorption, while Avène is superior for soothing sensitive skin. COSRX fits oily skin with a Superior level, whereas Avène reaches a High level for the same skin type.

COSRX or Avène for sensitive skin?

Both COSRX and Avène offer a High Lovi fit for sensitive skin, but COSRX is much less likely to contain added fragrance as 37 of its 38 products on this page list none compared to only 7 of 15 for Avène.

COSRX or Avène: which sunscreen is better?

When comparing sunscreens, COSRX offers products with High Lovi fit levels across skin types, including sensitive and dry skin, and nearly all of its products feature fragrance-free formulas. Avène also provides gentle options, such as its Cleanance sunscreen which has a Superior fit for oily skin.

COSRX or Avène for acne-prone skin?

Both COSRX and Avène offer a High routine fit for acne-prone skin, with COSRX leaning more toward acne and pores control. COSRX lists no fragrance across nearly all the products on this page, which helps minimize irritation for sensitive skin.

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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