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COSRX vs NIVEA

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

COSRX and NIVEA are established skincare brands offering distinct approaches to daily care through thoughtfully formulated serums, moisturizers, cleansers, and masks. The Korean brand is known for utilizing hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and niacinamide to suit acne-prone and oily skin types, while the German brand relies on skin-smoothing glycerin to benefit oily and acne-prone complexions. While both ranges address blemishes and dark spots effectively, they differ in their heritage and precise active ingredients.

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

koreajoongangdaily.combeautymatter.comprnewswire.com

NIVEA is a German skincare brand founded in 1911 and owned by maxingvest GmbH & Co. KGaA since 2004.

beiersdorf.comen.wikipedia.org

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

Popular COSRX vs NIVEA products

People Say

COSRXNIVEA
  • Skin Texture and Smoothing Mostly MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “gives me that glass skin look — COSRX Advanced Snail 96 Mucin Power Essence”
    • “skin feels softer immediately — COSRX The 6 Peptide Skin Booster Serum”
    • “Makes my face feel smooth and soft. — NIVEA Soft”
    • “skin feels squeaky clean and soft — NIVEA DERMA SKIN CLEAR”
  • 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”
    • “gives a healthy glow — COSRX The 6 Peptide Skin Booster Serum”
    • “Smoothed out dry flaky scales on my cheeks overnight — NIVEA Creme”
  • Soothing and Gentle Formulas Mostly MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “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”
    • “doesn't dry out skin — NIVEA Derma Skin Clear Anti-Blemish Scrub”
  • Other Positive Highlights Often MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “smells like holiday — NIVEA Protect & Moisture Sun Lotion SPF50+”
    • “unclogs pores — NIVEA Derma Skin Clear Anti-Blemish Scrub”
    • “Smell brings me back to childhood — NIVEA Creme”
    • “doesn't clog the pores — COSRX Oil-Free Ultra-Moisturizing Lotion (with Birch Sap)”
  • Lightweight and Fast Absorption Mostly MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “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)”
    • “It's lightweight on the skin and leaves a bit of subtle sheen. — NIVEA Soft”
  • Acne and Blemish 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”
    • “cleared my complexion in 7 days — NIVEA DERMA SKIN CLEAR”
    • “reduces blackheads — NIVEA Derma Skin Clear Anti-Blemish Scrub”
  • Unpleasant Texture and Finish Often 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”
    • “Leaves a shiny grease layer that doesn't go away — NIVEA Creme”
  • Other Minor Complaints Rarely NotedOften Mentioned
    • “expensive for me — COSRX The Hyaluronic Acid 3 Serum”
    • “The purging is real — COSRX BHA Blackhead Power Liquid”
    • “pH is 9 — COSRX Salicylic Acid Daily Gentle Cleanser”
    • “not super gritty — NIVEA Derma Skin Clear Anti-Blemish Scrub”
  • Breakouts and Skin Irritation Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
    • “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”
    • “Clogged my pores and caused bad acne — NIVEA Creme”
    • “I noticed some acne breakouts on my chin after using this crème for a while. — NIVEA Soft”

COSRX vs NIVEA routines for dry skin

See multi-brand routine · 98% fit

COSRX vs NIVEA routines for oily skin

See multi-brand routine · 97% fit

COSRX vs NIVEA routines for combination skin

See multi-brand routine · 96% fit

Questions and answers

COSRX or NIVEA: which is better?

COSRX is generally better than NIVEA for hydration, soothing formulas, and lightweight absorption, whereas both brands offer equal performance for acne and blemish control. Lovi rates COSRX as having a Superior routine fit for oily skin, sensitive skin, acne-prone skin, and oily acne-prone skin, while NIVEA has a High routine fit for those skin types.

What is the difference between COSRX and NIVEA?

COSRX offers superior fit levels for oily acne-prone, oily, and sensitive skin compared to NIVEA. Furthermore, the products on this page from COSRX feature diverse key ingredients like snail mucin and niacinamide, whereas NIVEA primarily relies on glycerin.

COSRX or NIVEA for dry skin?

Both COSRX and NIVEA achieve a High routine fit for dry skin on this page. COSRX helps deliver deep hydration with products like Advanced Snail 96 Mucin Power Essence, while NIVEA offers versatile moisturizers such as Creme.

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

COSRX or NIVEA: which moisturizer is better?

COSRX offers the better moisturizers on this page, as they feature a superior Lovi fit for dry and sensitive skin alongside lightweight hydration and gentle ingredients like snail mucin and hyaluronic acid. NIVEA moisturizers tend to provide deep hydration, but certain options may feel greasy or cause breakouts for some users.

Journal of Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2015Drug Delivery, 2017

Which is more affordable, COSRX or NIVEA?

The provided page facts do not mention the prices of products from either COSRX or NIVEA, so it is not possible to determine which brand is more affordable.

How do COSRX and NIVEA compare when it comes to fragrance options in their products?

COSRX offers significantly more fragrance-free options, as 37 of the 38 products on its page list no fragrance. In contrast, NIVEA includes fragrance in six of the nine products listed on its page.

Which brand has a wider variety of key ingredients across its product line, COSRX or NIVEA?

COSRX has a wider variety of key ingredients across its products on this page, featuring ingredients like snail mucin, niacinamide, and hyaluronic acid, whereas NIVEA mainly relies on glycerin. Niacinamide helps reduce pigmentation and improves skin aging, while hyaluronic acid and sodium hyaluronate help with hydration and wound healing.

The British Journal of Dermatology, 2002Antioxidants, 2021

Which brand performs better for hydration and moisture according to the review themes?

According to the review themes, COSRX performs better for hydration and moisture.

COSRX or NIVEA for oily skin?

For oily skin, Lovi rates COSRX as having Superior routine fit, while NIVEA has High routine fit.

COSRX or NIVEA: which sunscreen is better?

Both COSRX and NIVEA offer sunscreens with High Lovi fit levels for acne-prone skin, sensitive skin, and oily skin on the products on this page. COSRX sunscreens are known to feature fragrance-free options across nearly all of their formulas, while NIVEA includes fragrance in most of its sun lotions.

COSRX or NIVEA for sensitive skin?

COSRX has a Superior routine fit for sensitive skin, whereas NIVEA has a High fit. COSRX features gentle, non-irritating formulas with Key ingredients like Allantoin and Panthenol that help soothe sensitive skin.

American Journal of Clinical Dermatology, 2002

COSRX or NIVEA for acne-prone skin?

For acne-prone skin, Lovi rates COSRX as having a Superior routine fit, while NIVEA has a High routine fit.

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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