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COSRX vs Minimalist

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

COSRX and Minimalist are skincare brands that offer products like moisturizers and cleansers. The Korean brand, founded in 2013 and owned by Amorepacific Group since 2024, is known for expertly formulated serums, moisturizers, cleansers, and masks featuring hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and niacinamide. Conversely, the Indian brand, founded in 2020 and owned by Unilever PLC since 2025, focuses on sunscreens, moisturizers, and cleansers. Both brands suit acne-prone skin and oily skin best, while differing in their regional origins and specific active ingredient combinations.

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

koreajoongangdaily.combeautymatter.comprnewswire.com

Minimalist is an Indian skincare brand founded in 2020 and owned by Unilever PLC since 2025.

m.economictimes.comunilever.combeminimalist.copersonalcareinsights.com

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

Popular COSRX vs Minimalist products

People Say

COSRXMinimalist
  • 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”
    • “very moisturizing — Minimalist SPF 50 Sunscreen”
    • “calmed it when my skin was super irritated — Minimalist Vitamin B5 10% Moisturizer”
  • Lightweight and Fast Absorption 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)”
    • “absorbs quickly and doesn't feel greasy — Minimalist Vitamin B5 10% Moisturizer”
  • Gentle and Non-Stripping Mostly MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “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”
    • “doesn't make skin feel tight — Minimalist Salicylic Acid + LHA 2% Face Cleanser”
  • Acne and Pore 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”
    • “acne cleared up in a week — Minimalist Salicylic Acid + LHA 2% Face Cleanser”
  • Deep Cleansing and Oil Control Sometimes NotedMostly Mentioned
    • “perfect moisturizer for oily skin — Minimalist Vitamin B5 10% Moisturizer”
    • “keeps skin oil-free for hours — Minimalist Salicylic Acid + LHA 2% Face Cleanser”
    • “whisking away that excess shine — COSRX Salicylic Acid Daily Gentle Cleanser”
  • Beneficial and Fragrance-Free Ingredients Not notedMostly Mentioned
    • “love the niacinamide — Minimalist SPF 50 Sunscreen”
    • “zero smell — Minimalist Vitamin B5 10% Moisturizer”
    • “great for sensitive skin — Minimalist Salicylic Acid + LHA 2% Face Cleanser”
  • Unpleasant Texture and Finish Sometimes NotedMostly 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”
    • “consistency is like water — Minimalist Salicylic Acid + LHA 2% Face Cleanser”
  • 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 — Minimalist Vitamin B5 10% Moisturizer”
    • “made skin flaky — Minimalist Salicylic Acid + LHA 2% Face Cleanser”
  • Medicinal and Chemical Scent Rarely NotedOften Mentioned
    • “smells like chemicals — COSRX Low pH Good Morning Gel Cleanser”
    • “smells like onions — COSRX The Retinol 0.1 Cream”
    • “smells of herbs and earth — COSRX Salicylic Acid Daily Gentle Cleanser”
    • “smells like chemicals — Minimalist Salicylic Acid + LHA 2% Face Cleanser”
  • Packaging and Quality Issues Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “tube cracked on the side — COSRX The Retinol 0.1 Cream”
    • “hate dipping fingers in — COSRX Advanced Snail 92 All in One Cream”
    • “cap leaks during travel — Minimalist Salicylic Acid + LHA 2% Face Cleanser”

COSRX vs Minimalist routines for dry skin

See multi-brand routine · 99% fit

COSRX vs Minimalist routines for oily skin

See multi-brand routine · 96% fit

COSRX vs Minimalist routines for combination skin

See multi-brand routine · 96% fit

Questions and answers

COSRX or Minimalist: which is better?

Both COSRX and Minimalist offer equal routine fit levels for dry skin, oily skin, acne-prone skin, mature skin, skin with dark spots, dry sensitive skin, and oily acne-prone skin. Minimalist achieves a Superior fit level for combination skin, whereas COSRX achieves High. Meanwhile, COSRX achieves a Superior fit level for sensitive skin, compared to Minimalist's High.

What is the difference between COSRX and Minimalist?

COSRX offers a much larger variety of products on this page across a wider range of categories, while Minimalist features a smaller, streamlined selection focused heavily on targeted serums and cleansers. Both brands achieve high or superior Lovi fit levels for most skin types, though COSRX is often noted for lighter absorption and gentler formulations, and Minimalist stands out for deep cleansing and fragrance-free ingredients.

COSRX or Minimalist for dry skin?

Both COSRX and Minimalist are a High fit for dry skin. COSRX offers a wide range of hydrating products on this page featuring ingredients like hyaluronic acid and panthenol to help soothe dryness.

Journal of Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2015American Journal of Clinical Dermatology, 2002

COSRX or Minimalist: which cleanser is better?

COSRX is better for sensitive skin, where the brand achieves a Superior fit with the Advanced Snail Mucin Gel Cleanser, while Minimalist is better for deep cleansing and oil control across the products on this page.

Which is more affordable, COSRX or Minimalist?

The products on this page do not list pricing information, so a comparison of affordability between COSRX and Minimalist cannot be made from these facts.

Between COSRX and Minimalist, which brand offers better lightweight absorption and gentle formulas?

COSRX does better than Minimalist for lightweight absorption and gentle formulas. Reviewers often mention lightweight absorption and gentle, non-irritating formulas as key strengths of the products on this page.

How do the founding years and corporate ownership of COSRX and Minimalist compare?

COSRX was founded in 2013 in South Korea and has been owned by Amorepacific Group since 2024, whereas Minimalist was founded in 2020 in India and is owned by Unilever PLC as of 2025.

Which brand performs better for deep cleansing and oil control when comparing COSRX and Minimalist?

Minimalist performs better than COSRX for deep cleansing and oil control.

COSRX or Minimalist for oily skin?

Both COSRX and Minimalist are a Superior fit for oily skin. Reviewers note that COSRX does better for a lightweight and fast absorption, while Minimalist does better for deep cleansing and oil control.

COSRX or Minimalist: which sunscreen is better?

Both COSRX and Minimalist offer sunscreens with a High fit level for most skin types, including sensitive and acne-prone skin, so the choice depends on your preference between brands. COSRX provides a wider range of sunscreen options on this page, whereas Minimalist features fragrance-free formulations across its entire product lineup.

COSRX or Minimalist for sensitive skin?

For sensitive skin, COSRX achieves a Superior routine fit, whereas Minimalist reaches a High fit level. The products on this page help provide gentle and non-stripping care for sensitive skin types.

COSRX or Minimalist for acne-prone skin?

Both COSRX and Minimalist provide a Superior Lovi fit level for acne-prone skin. Review themes show they perform equally well for acne and pore control on the products on this page.

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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