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COSRX vs Kiehl's

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

COSRX and Kiehl's are two celebrated skincare brands that offer thoughtfully formulated serums, moisturizers, cleansers, toners, and masks. The Korean brand, founded in 2013, relies on hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and niacinamide to suit acne-prone and sensitive skin best, while the American brand, founded in 1851, incorporates glycerin and squalane to suit combination and mature skin best. Both brands differ in their historical origins, corporate ownership, and core active ingredients, yet they each deliver targeted solutions for reactive, dry, or aging complexions.

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

koreajoongangdaily.combeautymatter.comprnewswire.com

Kiehl's is an American skincare brand founded in 1851 and owned by L'Oréal S.A. since 2000.

loreal.comen.wikipedia.org

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

Popular COSRX vs Kiehl's products

People Say

COSRXKiehl's
  • Glow and skin texture improvement Mostly MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “woke up with soft, supple skin — COSRX Advanced Snail 92 All in One Cream”
    • “gives me that glass skin look — COSRX Advanced Snail 96 Mucin Power Essence”
    • “woke up glowing — Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Concentrate”
    • “leaves skin feeling silky — Kiehl's Powerful-Strength Line-Reducing Concentrate”
  • Lightweight and fast-absorbing Often MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “absorbs instantly like water — COSRX The 6 Peptide Skin Booster Serum”
    • “sinks in immediately — COSRX Advanced Snail Peptide Eye Cream”
    • “feels like nothing — Kiehl's Better Screen UV Serum”
    • “absorbs instantly without residue — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Oil-Free Gel Cream”
  • Gentle and non-stripping formula Often MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “No stinging or irritation — COSRX BHA Blackhead Power Liquid”
    • “doesn't strip my skin — COSRX Low pH Good Morning Gel Cleanser”
    • “no stinging — COSRX Advanced Snail Peptide Eye Cream”
    • “experienced zero irritation — Kiehl's Retinol Skin-Renewing Daily Micro-Dose Serum”
  • Deep hydration and moisturization Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
    • “Keeps skin moisturized for 24+ hours — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”
    • “Feels like a drink of water — Kiehl's Hydro-Plumping Serum Concentrate”
    • “savior for dry patches — Kiehl's Creamy Eye Treatment with Avocado”
    • “skin drinks it up — COSRX Advanced Snail 96 Mucin Power Essence”
  • Effective 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”
    • “sucked the gunk out of my pores — Kiehl's Rare Earth Deep Pore Cleansing Masque”
  • High price and poor value Rarely NotedMostly Mentioned
    • “expensive for me — COSRX The Hyaluronic Acid 3 Serum”
    • “pricy daily staple — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”
  • Allergic reactions and skin irritation Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “stings really bad if it accidentally gets in the eyes — COSRX Salicylic Acid Daily Gentle Cleanser”
    • “burns eyes when sweating — COSRX Ultra-Light Invisible Sunscreen”
    • “burned my face immediately — Kiehl's Rare Earth Deep Pore Cleansing Masque”
    • “stings my face and feels like burning — Kiehl's Super Multi-Corrective Cream”
  • Dryness or insufficient moisture Often MentionedRarely Noted
    • “skin felt tight after an hour — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Oil-Free Gel Cream”
    • “some extremely dry skin types need a thicker balm or oil on top — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”
    • “left my face tight — COSRX Low pH Good Morning Gel Cleanser”
  • No visible or slow results Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “Takes a month to work — COSRX BHA Blackhead Power Liquid”
    • “didn't do anything — COSRX AHA/BHA Clarifying Treatment Toner”
    • “Did absolutely nothing — Kiehl's Clearly Corrective™ Dark Spot Solution”
    • “Takes months to see — Kiehl's Clearly Corrective™ Dark Spot Solution”

COSRX vs Kiehl's routines for dry skin

See multi-brand routine · 97% fit

COSRX vs Kiehl's routines for oily skin

See multi-brand routine · 95% fit

COSRX vs Kiehl's routines for combination skin

See multi-brand routine · 96% fit

Questions and answers

COSRX or Kiehl's: which is better?

COSRX is better for sensitive and acne-prone skin because Lovi rates its fit as Superior for those skin types, whereas Kiehl's is rated High and Average. COSRX also does better on gentle and non-stripping formulas and effective acne and pore control, while Kiehl's performs better on deep hydration.

What is the difference between COSRX and Kiehl's?

COSRX is best for acne-prone and sensitive skin with gentle, non-stripping formulas, whereas Kiehl's specializes in deep hydration and anti-aging care for mature skin and dark spots. Both brands offer lightweight absorption and improve skin texture equally well, but COSRX is more affordable while Kiehl's carries a higher price point.

COSRX or Kiehl's for dry skin?

Both COSRX and Kiehl's are good options for dry skin, as the routine fit level for both brands on this page is High. Reviewers note that Kiehl's provides deep hydration and moisturization, while COSRX offers gentle and non-stripping formulas.

COSRX or Kiehl's: which cleanser is better?

COSRX is better for acne-prone skin, as its cleansers offer superior or high fit levels, whereas Kiehl's cleansers often fit acne-prone skin less well. Reviewers note that COSRX provides more effective acne and pore control and a more gentle, non-stripping formula.

Which is more affordable, COSRX or Kiehl's?

Kiehl's products on this page often come with a high price point, whereas review themes note that COSRX has a high price and poor value.

Between COSRX and Kiehl's, which brand is better suited for mature skin?

Both COSRX and Kiehl's are well-suited for mature skin, as the routine fit for this skin type is High for the products on this page. Reviewers note that both brands help improve skin texture and provide deep hydration.

How do COSRX and Kiehl's compare when it comes to reducing dark spots?

When it comes to reducing dark spots, COSRX and Kiehl's offer comparable effectiveness, with both brands achieving a High routine fit level for skin with dark spots. Reviewers note that products from both brands help with brightening and fading dark spots, utilizing key ingredients like niacinamide and vitamin C. Lovi rates the routine fit for skin with dark spots as High for the products on this page for both COSRX and Kiehl's.

The British Journal of Dermatology, 2002Antioxidants, 2021

Which brand performs better for dry sensitive skin, COSRX or Kiehl's?

COSRX and Kiehl's offer an equal routine fit level for dry sensitive skin on the products on this page. Reviewers note that COSRX provides a more gentle and non-stripping formula.

COSRX or Kiehl's for oily skin?

Both COSRX and Kiehl's are a High fit for oily skin. Reviewers note that both brands offer lightweight and fast-absorbing products.

COSRX or Kiehl's: which moisturizer is better?

When it comes to moisturizers, COSRX is better for acne-prone, sensitive, and oily skin types, while Kiehl's provides deeper hydration for drier skin. Both brands offer lightweight, fast-absorbing options across the products on this page.

COSRX or Kiehl's for sensitive skin?

COSRX is the better choice for sensitive skin because Lovi finds its routine fit to be Superior, whereas Kiehl's is High. COSRX also does better when it comes to gentle and non-stripping formulas.

COSRX or Kiehl's: which sunscreen is better?

Comparing the sunscreens on this page, COSRX fits sensitive and acne-prone skin with Superior levels, while Kiehl's products on this page are rated High for those skin types. Review themes show that COSRX is considered more gentle, and Lovi rates the routine fit for sensitive and acne-prone skin as Superior for COSRX and High or Average for Kiehl's.

COSRX or Kiehl's for acne-prone skin?

COSRX is the better choice for acne-prone skin because the products on this page achieve a Superior routine fit compared to Kiehl's Average fit. Reviewers note that COSRX provides effective acne control and clearing along with gentle, non-stripping formulas.

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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