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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 two popular skincare brands founded in 2013 and 2018, respectively. The Korean brand is beloved for its thoughtful array of serums, moisturizers, cleansers, and masks, while the British brand offers moisturizers, serums, toners, and eye products. The first brand suits oily skin and oily acne-prone skin best, whereas the second brand fits combination skin and sensitive skin best. They differ primarily in their formulation approaches, with both incorporating hydrating glycerin, but the first also thoughtfully utilizing hyaluronic acid and niacinamide.

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 · $128.96 · 87% fitBuy The INKEY List routine · $106.98 · 82% fitSee multi-brand routine · 99% fit

COSRX vs The INKEY List routines for oily skin

Buy COSRX routine · $292.12 · 91% fitBuy The INKEY List routine · $261.57 · 87% fitSee multi-brand routine · 98% fit

COSRX vs The INKEY List routines for combination skin

Buy The INKEY List routine · $254.57 · 90% fitBuy COSRX routine · $268.03 · 89% fitSee multi-brand routine · 97% fit

Questions and answers

COSRX or The INKEY List: which is better?

Both COSRX and The INKEY List perform well, but COSRX is superior for oily and oily acne-prone skin while The INKEY List is superior for combination and sensitive skin. Reviewers note that COSRX does better for acne and pore control and texture improvement, whereas The INKEY List provides better value for money.

What is the difference between COSRX and The INKEY List?

COSRX excels in acne and pore control as well as texture improvement, whereas The INKEY List offers greater value for money across its products on this page. Lovi fit for oily skin is Superior for COSRX and High for The INKEY List.

COSRX or The INKEY List for dry skin?

Both COSRX and The INKEY List fit dry skin at a High level. COSRX features a routine that helps with deep hydration and moisturization using ingredients like hyaluronic acid, while The INKEY List offers affordable moisturizers that are well-suited for everyday hydration.

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

COSRX or The INKEY List: which cleanser is better?

COSRX is better for acne and pore control, whereas The INKEY List offers superior value for money across its products.

Which is more affordable, COSRX or The INKEY List?

The INKEY List does better for value for money compared to COSRX among the products on this page.

COSRX or The INKEY List for oily skin?

COSRX has a Superior fit level for oily skin, whereas The INKEY List has a High fit level.

COSRX or The INKEY List: which moisturizer is better?

Both COSRX and The INKEY List offer effective moisturizers with high Lovi fit levels for dry skin. COSRX features snail mucin and various hydrating serums, while The INKEY List provides lightweight and fast-absorbing options like the Omega Water Cream. Hyaluronic acid helps bind moisture to the skin in formulations from both brands.

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

COSRX or The INKEY List for sensitive skin?

Both COSRX and The INKEY List fit sensitive skin well, with Lovi fit levels of High for COSRX and Superior for The INKEY List.

COSRX or The INKEY List for acne-prone skin?

Both COSRX and The INKEY List fit acne-prone skin well, with Lovi giving COSRX a High fit level and The INKEY List a High fit level. Reviewers note that COSRX does better for acne and pore control.

COSRX or The INKEY List for combination skin?

For combination skin, both COSRX and The INKEY List fit well, with The INKEY List rated as Superior and COSRX as High. The INKEY List features key ingredients like glycerin across the products on this page.

COSRX or The INKEY List for mature skin?

Both COSRX and The INKEY List achieve a High Lovi fit level for mature skin, offering effective options for aging care. COSRX features key ingredients like retinol, which helps stimulate collagen accumulation in naturally aged human skin.

The Journal of Investigative Dermatology, 2000

COSRX or The INKEY List for skin with dark spots?

Both COSRX and The INKEY List fit skin with dark spots well at a High level. Reviewers note that COSRX does better for texture improvement and smoothing, while The INKEY List offers better value for money. Niacinamide helps reduce cutaneous pigmentation and suppress melanosome transfer.

The British Journal of Dermatology, 2002Antioxidants, 2021

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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