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The Ordinary vs COSRX

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

The Ordinary and COSRX are two popular lines of serums, moisturizers, cleansers, and more, with the Canadian brand built around hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and squalane, and the Korean brand harnessing hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and niacinamide. The Ordinary fits dry skin, dry sensitive skin, and specific concerns like acne, dark spots, and aging best, while COSRX suits acne-prone and sensitive skin with gentle, targeted formulations. Both brands differ in their origins and core ingredients, offering thoughtful options for diverse complexions.

The Ordinary is a Canadian skincare brand founded in 2016 and owned by The Estée Lauder Companies Inc. since 2021.

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

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

Popular The Ordinary vs COSRX products

People Say

The OrdinaryCOSRX
  • Miscellaneous Performance Mostly MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “eliminated armpit odor — The Ordinary Glycolic Acid 7% Toning Solution”
    • “pores look significantly smaller — The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%”
    • “dark skin friendly — COSRX Ultra-Light Invisible Sunscreen”
    • “calms down my redness — COSRX Advanced Snail 96 Mucin Power Essence”
  • Smooth and Improved Skin Texture Often MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “glass skin effect — The Ordinary Glycolic Acid 7% Toning Solution”
    • “skin feels baby butt smooth — The Ordinary AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution”
    • “gives me that glass skin look — COSRX Advanced Snail 96 Mucin Power Essence”
    • “skin feels softer immediately — COSRX The 6 Peptide Skin Booster Serum”
  • Acne and Blemish Control Often MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “pimples disappear within a day — The Ordinary Salicylic Acid 2% Solution”
    • “scars and hormonal acne faded — The Ordinary Azelaic Acid Suspension 10%”
    • “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”
  • Gentle and Sensitive Skin Care Sometimes NotedMostly Mentioned
    • “No stinging or irritation — COSRX BHA Blackhead Power Liquid”
    • “extremely gentle — COSRX AHA/BHA Clarifying Treatment Toner”
    • “perfect for first-time retinol users — COSRX The Retinol 0.1 Cream”
    • “Leaves my face feeling soft and not tight at all. — The Ordinary Squalane Cleanser”
  • Value and Pricing Mostly MentionedRarely Noted
    • “lasts forever — The Ordinary Glycolic Acid 7% Toning Solution”
    • “can't beat the price — The Ordinary Salicylic Acid 2% Solution”
    • “extremely affordable — The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%”
    • “huge bottle — COSRX Advanced Snail Peptide Eye Cream”
  • Hydration and Moisture Sometimes NotedMostly 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”
    • “skin feels immediately hydrated — The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5”
  • Texture and Pilling Mostly MentionedOften 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”
    • “crumbles and piles under moisturizer — The Ordinary Azelaic Acid Suspension 10%”
  • Irritation and Harshness Often MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “irritated AF the next day — The Ordinary AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution”
    • “stings a little but worth it — The Ordinary AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution”
    • “left my face tight — COSRX Low pH Good Morning Gel Cleanser”
    • “leaves skin feeling tight — COSRX Salicylic Acid Daily Gentle Cleanser”
  • Miscellaneous Complaints Often MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “Takes a month to work — COSRX BHA Blackhead Power Liquid”
    • “didn't do anything — COSRX AHA/BHA Clarifying Treatment Toner”
    • “did absolutely nothing — COSRX Advanced Snail 96 Mucin Power Essence”
    • “Hard to layer — The Ordinary Multi-Peptide + Copper Peptides 1% Serum”

The Ordinary vs COSRX routines for dry skin

See multi-brand routine · 97% fit

The Ordinary vs COSRX routines for oily skin

See multi-brand routine · 95% fit

The Ordinary vs COSRX routines for combination skin

See multi-brand routine · 96% fit

Questions and answers

The Ordinary or COSRX: which is better?

Both brands are great choices, but they suit different needs since The Ordinary offers better value and pricing while COSRX delivers superior hydration and moisture.

What is the difference between The Ordinary and COSRX?

The Ordinary offers better value and pricing, while COSRX is preferred for hydration, moisture, and sensitive skin care. Both brands provide products on this page that help improve skin texture and control acne.

The Ordinary or COSRX for dry skin?

For dry skin, The Ordinary fits better, offering a superior routine compared to the high routine fit of COSRX. Hyaluronic acid helps maintain skin hydration and improve skin quality.

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

The Ordinary or COSRX: which cleanser is better?

When comparing cleansers, The Ordinary offers better value and pricing across the products on this page, while COSRX is noted for its gentle and sensitive skin care and hydration. Lovi rates the cleansing options for dry skin as Superior for The Ordinary and High for COSRX.

Which is more affordable, The Ordinary or COSRX?

The Ordinary provides better value and pricing among the products on this page compared to COSRX. Reviewers often note The Ordinary's serums as affordable and great value.

Which brand performs better for hydration and moisture, The Ordinary or COSRX?

COSRX performs better for hydration and moisture. Lovi finds that COSRX provides superior hydration and moisture for dry skin, while the products on this page help improve skin texture and offer deep moisturization.

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

The Ordinary was founded in Canada in 2016 and is owned by The Estée Lauder Companies Inc., whereas COSRX was founded in South Korea in 2013 and is owned by Amorepacific Group.

What key ingredients are common across the product lines of The Ordinary and COSRX?

The Ordinary and COSRX share hyaluronic acid and glycerin as key ingredients across their product lines.

The Ordinary or COSRX for oily skin?

For oily skin, The Ordinary provides a superior routine fit compared to the high fit offered by COSRX on this page. Reviewers report that The Ordinary is better for value and pricing, whereas COSRX is better for hydration and moisture.

The Ordinary or COSRX: which moisturizer is better?

Both The Ordinary and COSRX offer top-rated moisturizers, but COSRX is often preferred for deep hydration and soothing sensitive skin. For instance, the COSRX Advanced Snail 96 Mucin Power Essence helps provide superior moisture and fits dry skin exceptionally well. Meanwhile, the products on this page from The Ordinary provide great value and feature hydrating staples like hyaluronic acid to support the skin barrier.

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

The Ordinary or COSRX for sensitive skin?

Both brands are a great match for sensitive skin, but The Ordinary is rated superior overall for this skin type based on the products on this page. COSRX also performs strongly, with reviewers frequently mentioning that its formulas are gentle and non-irritating.

The Ordinary or COSRX for acne-prone skin?

For acne-prone skin, COSRX is the better choice because Lovi rates its routine as Superior compared to High for The Ordinary. Reviewers also say that COSRX does better for acne and blemish control.

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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