🇫🇷France

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 respected skincare brands offering thoughtfully formulated serums, moisturizers, cleansers, masks, toners, and eye products. The Korean brand, founded in 2013 and owned by Amorepacific Group, uses hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and niacinamide to suit acne-prone skin and oily acne-prone skin best. Meanwhile, the American label, founded in 1851 and owned by L'Orâeal S.A., incorporates glycerin and squalane to suit skin with dark spots and combination skin best. They differ through their regional roots and distinct key ingredients that address specific blemishes, dark spots, and maturity.

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 · 98% fit

COSRX vs Kiehl's routines for oily skin

See multi-brand routine · 97% 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 oily and acne-prone skin, where Lovi rates its routines as Superior, whereas Kiehl's is better for deep hydration and moisturization. Both brands perform equally well for dry, combination, sensitive, mature, and dark spot-prone skin, with equal routine fits on this page.

What is the difference between COSRX and Kiehl's?

COSRX is better for acne-prone, sensitive, and oily skin with a Superior fit level, whereas Kiehl's fits best for skin with dark spots, combination skin, and mature skin. Both brands offer good hydration and texture improvement, but COSRX is often gentler and more effective for acne control, while Kiehl's is known for deep hydration and targeting dark spots.

COSRX or Kiehl's for dry skin?

Both COSRX and Kiehl's are a High fit for dry skin, though COSRX stands out with a wider selection of products featuring a Superior fit level for dry skin types.

COSRX or Kiehl's: which cleanser is better?

COSRX offers better cleansers for oily and acne-prone skin, with the products on this page achieving superior Lovi fit levels for those skin types compared to Kiehl's. Reviewers also note that COSRX provides a more gentle and non-stripping formula.

Which is more affordable, COSRX or Kiehl's?

When comparing affordability, Kiehl's faces criticism for a high price point, whereas COSRX is noted for high price and poor value.

COSRX or Kiehl's for oily skin?

For oily skin, COSRX has a Superior routine fit, whereas Kiehl's has a High fit. Reviewers note that COSRX does better for effective acne and pore control.

COSRX or Kiehl's: which moisturizer is better?

Both COSRX and Kiehl's offer effective moisturizers, but COSRX is a Superior fit for oily and acne-prone skin, while Kiehl's provides deep hydration that helps dry skin types. Hyaluronic acid helps improve skin moisture levels across both product lines.

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

COSRX or Kiehl's for sensitive skin?

COSRX is the better choice for sensitive skin because Lovi rates its routine as Superior, while Kiehl's routine is High. The products on this page help provide deep hydration and gentle care without stripping the skin barrier.

COSRX or Kiehl's: which sunscreen is better?

Both COSRX and Kiehl's offer sunscreens on this page, but COSRX is better for acne-prone skin with a Superior Lovi fit level compared to Kiehl's High. Reviewers note that COSRX provides lightweight absorption and effective acne control, while Kiehl's sunscreens often come at a higher price point.

COSRX or Kiehl's for acne-prone skin?

COSRX is the better choice for acne-prone skin, as Lovi rates its routine as Superior compared to an Average fit for Kiehl's. The products on this page help provide effective acne control and gentle care.

COSRX or Kiehl's for mature skin?

Both COSRX and Kiehl's are a High fit for mature skin, offering products that target aging with ingredients like retinol and hyaluronic acid. Reviewers note that COSRX helps improve skin texture and provides deep hydration, while Kiehl's helps deliver deep hydration and a non-greasy feel.

The Journal of Investigative Dermatology, 2000Journal of Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2015

COSRX or Kiehl's for skin with dark spots?

Both COSRX and Kiehl's are good for skin with dark spots, with Lovi fit levels of High for the products on this page. COSRX uses ingredients like Niacinamide to help reduce cutaneous pigmentation, while Kiehl's offers targeted solutions like the Clearly Corrective Dark Spot Solution.

The British Journal of Dermatology, 2002

COSRX or Kiehl's for dry sensitive skin?

For dry sensitive skin, both COSRX and Kiehl's fit at a High level. COSRX has a gentle and non-stripping formula that helps maintain skin comfort.

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?

Scan your face, then any product: Lovi shows how well it fits you and what fits even better.

QR code: get the Lovi app
Download on theApp Store Get it onGoogle Play