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COSRX vs Simple

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

COSRX and Simple are well-regarded skincare brands, with the former originating in Korea in 2013 and the latter established in Britain in 1960. The Korean label is beloved for its thoughtful serums, moisturizers, cleansers, and masks incorporating hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and niacinamide, while the British brand is lovingly chosen for its gentle moisturizers, makeup removers, cleansers, and toners enriched with niacinamide and glycerin. Both companies suit oily skin and acne-prone skin best, though they differ in their specific heritage and exact ingredient profiles, with the first also utilizing hyaluronic acid to lengthen toxin duration and reduce cell damage.

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

koreajoongangdaily.combeautymatter.comprnewswire.com

Simple is a British skincare brand founded in 1960 and owned by Unilever PLC since 2011.

en.wikipedia.orgsec.govprnewswire.comsimple.co.uk

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

Popular COSRX vs Simple products

People Say

COSRXSimple
  • Soothing and Gentle Care Mostly MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “Does not cause any form of irritation on the skin which I love. — Simple Micellar Cleansing Water”
    • “The only cleanser that doesn't turn my face red. — Simple Micellar Water”
    • “no artificial perfume — Simple Hydrating Light Moisturiser”
    • “No stinging or irritation — COSRX BHA Blackhead Power Liquid”
  • Texture and Glow 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)”
    • “sinks in instantly — Simple Water Boost Hydrating Gel Cream”
  • 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”
    • “banished dryness within days — Simple Replenishing Rich Moisturiser”
    • “Instantly boosts skin's hydration... face doesn't feel dry and tight. — Simple Micellar Cleansing Water”
  • Value and Convenience Rarely NotedMostly Mentioned
    • “great value for money — Simple Kind to Skin Soothing Facial Toner”
    • “super affordable — Simple Hydrating Light Moisturiser”
    • “No need to rinse... perfect for traveling or lazy nights. — Simple Micellar Cleansing Water”
    • “fine mist spray — COSRX AHA/BHA Clarifying Treatment Toner”
  • Acne and Pore 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”
    • “Takes off any makeup residue and makes my face feel refreshed. — Simple Micellar Cleansing Water”
  • Drying or Insufficient Moisture Often MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “left my face tight — COSRX Low pH Good Morning Gel Cleanser”
    • “leaves skin feeling tight — COSRX Salicylic Acid Daily Gentle Cleanser”
    • “not moisturizing enough — Simple Hydrating Light Moisturiser”
    • “need to apply multiple layers — Simple Replenishing Rich Moisturiser”
  • Unpleasant Texture Often MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “Feels slimy on skin — Simple Refreshing Facial Wash”
    • “Still feeling a little bit of a film on my skin. — Simple Micellar Cleansing Water”
    • “feels like a film — Simple Hydrating Light Moisturiser”
    • “texture is gooey and stringy — COSRX Advanced Snail 92 All in One Cream”
  • Formulation and Performance Issues Rarely NotedOften Mentioned
    • “weird smell — COSRX AHA/BHA Clarifying Treatment Toner”
    • “pH is 9 — COSRX Salicylic Acid Daily Gentle Cleanser”
    • “runs with sweat — COSRX Ultra-Light Invisible Sunscreen”
    • “Did not remove my mascara very well at all. — Simple Micellar Cleansing Water”
  • Packaging and Size Issues Often MentionedRarely Noted
    • “Worried about the snap top bottle leaking when travelling. — Simple Micellar Cleansing Water”
    • “The cap broke off immediately. — Simple Micellar Water”
    • “hard to get last bit out — Simple Replenishing Rich Moisturiser”
    • “only 20mls... significantly less product — COSRX The Hyaluronic Acid 3 Serum”

COSRX vs Simple routines for dry skin

Buy COSRX routine · $128.96 · 87% fitBuy Simple routine · $128.28 · 83% fitSee multi-brand routine · 99% fit

COSRX vs Simple routines for oily skin

Buy COSRX routine · $292.12 · 91% fitBuy Simple routine · $280.29 · 88% fitSee multi-brand routine · 98% fit

COSRX vs Simple routines for combination skin

Buy COSRX routine · $268.03 · 89% fitBuy Simple routine · $259.77 · 87% fitSee multi-brand routine · 97% fit

Questions and answers

COSRX or Simple: which is better?

COSRX is better overall for performance, while Simple is better for value and convenience. COSRX provides superior acne and pore control as well as texture and glow, whereas Simple offers better soothing and gentle care.

What is the difference between COSRX and Simple?

COSRX is owned by Amorepacific Group and Simple is owned by Unilever PLC. COSRX offers superior fit levels for oily skin and oily acne-prone skin, whereas Simple offers high fit levels for those skin types. Review themes show that COSRX does better for texture and glow, and acne and pore control, while Simple does better for soothing and gentle care, and value and convenience.

COSRX or Simple for dry skin?

Both COSRX and Simple offer a High routine fit for dry skin, with COSRX providing numerous products specifically rated as Superior for dry skin like the Advanced Snail 96 Mucin Power Essence. While Simple features value-friendly options, COSRX helps deliver superior hydration and moisture through key ingredients like hyaluronic acid.

Journal of Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2015Drug Delivery, 2017

COSRX or Simple: which cleanser is better?

COSRX offers a wider range of cleansers with specific targeted benefits, whereas the products on this page for Simple include only one standard facial wash. For example, the COSRX Advanced Snail Mucin Gel Cleanser achieves a Superior fit level for sensitive, acne-prone, dry, and dry sensitive skin, while Simple's cleanser achieves an Average fit level for those same types.

Which is more affordable, COSRX or Simple?

Simple does better for value and convenience among the products on this page, offering lightweight, value-friendly moisturizers.

COSRX or Simple: which brand offers better soothing and gentle care?

Simple does better for soothing and gentle care compared to COSRX. Review themes show that Simple takes the lead in providing soothing and gentle care for the skin across the products on this page.

COSRX or Simple: how do their product scent and fragrance options compare?

COSRX offers products with scent options, as one sunscreen on the page contains fragrance while the rest do not. Simple provides only fragrance-free options across all products on this page.

COSRX or Simple: which brand is better for acne and pore control?

COSRX does better for acne and pore control than Simple according to the review themes on this page.

COSRX or Simple for oily skin?

COSRX is a better fit for oily skin, where Lovi rates the brand as Superior, compared to High for Simple. Reviewers note that the products on this page help with lightweight absorption and effective acne control.

COSRX or Simple: which moisturizer is better?

COSRX offers moisturizers with Superior and High Lovi fit levels across multiple skin types, featuring key ingredients like hyaluronic acid that helps with hydration and wound healing. Simple provides moisturizers with Average Lovi fit levels across skin types, helping to maintain basic hydration.

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

COSRX or Simple for sensitive skin?

For sensitive skin, both COSRX and Simple offer a high Lovi fit level. COSRX features gentle formulas with ingredients like snail mucin, while Simple focuses on fragrance-free, sensitive-skin-friendly makeup removers.

COSRX or Simple for acne-prone skin?

Both COSRX and Simple fit acne-prone skin well, with Lovi giving them both a High fit level. The products on this page for COSRX stand out for effective acne control and clearing, whereas reviewers often note that Simple can cause breakouts or irritations.

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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