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COSRX vs Simple

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

COSRX and Simple are a Korean skincare brand founded in 2013 and a British skincare brand founded in 1960, respectively. Skincare enthusiasts adore the former for its thoughtfully formulated serums, moisturizers, cleansers, masks, and more, which harness proven ingredients like hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and niacinamide, while the latter is beloved for its gentle moisturizers, makeup removers, cleansers, and toners crafted with niacinamide and glycerin. Products from the Korean brand suit acne-prone skin and oily acne-prone skin best, whereas the British brand suits acne-prone skin and skin with dark spots best. They differ because the former utilizes hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and niacinamide to address specific blemishes effectively, while the latter relies on gentle formulations with niacinamide and glycerin.

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

koreajoongangdaily.combeautymatter.comprnewswire.com

Simple is a British skincare brand founded in 1960 and owned by Unilever PLC since 2011.

en.wikipedia.orgsec.govprnewswire.comsimple.co.uk

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

Popular COSRX vs Simple products

People Say

COSRXSimple
  • Soothing and Gentle Care Mostly MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “Does not cause any form of irritation on the skin which I love. — Simple Micellar Cleansing Water”
    • “The only cleanser that doesn't turn my face red. — Simple Micellar Water”
    • “no artificial perfume — Simple Hydrating Light Moisturiser”
    • “No stinging or irritation — COSRX BHA Blackhead Power Liquid”
  • Texture and Glow 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)”
    • “sinks in instantly — Simple Water Boost Hydrating Gel Cream”
  • Hydration and Moisture Mostly MentionedMostly 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”
    • “banished dryness within days — Simple Replenishing Rich Moisturiser”
    • “Instantly boosts skin's hydration... face doesn't feel dry and tight. — Simple Micellar Cleansing Water”
  • Value and Convenience Rarely NotedMostly Mentioned
    • “great value for money — Simple Kind to Skin Soothing Facial Toner”
    • “super affordable — Simple Hydrating Light Moisturiser”
    • “No need to rinse... perfect for traveling or lazy nights. — Simple Micellar Cleansing Water”
    • “fine mist spray — COSRX AHA/BHA Clarifying Treatment Toner”
  • Acne and Pore Control Often MentionedRarely 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”
    • “Takes off any makeup residue and makes my face feel refreshed. — Simple Micellar Cleansing Water”
  • 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 — Simple Hydrating Light Moisturiser”
    • “need to apply multiple layers — Simple Replenishing Rich Moisturiser”
  • Unpleasant Texture Often MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “Feels slimy on skin — Simple Refreshing Facial Wash”
    • “Still feeling a little bit of a film on my skin. — Simple Micellar Cleansing Water”
    • “feels like a film — Simple Hydrating Light Moisturiser”
    • “texture is gooey and stringy — COSRX Advanced Snail 92 All in One Cream”
  • Formulation and Performance Issues Rarely NotedOften Mentioned
    • “weird smell — COSRX AHA/BHA Clarifying Treatment Toner”
    • “pH is 9 — COSRX Salicylic Acid Daily Gentle Cleanser”
    • “runs with sweat — COSRX Ultra-Light Invisible Sunscreen”
    • “Did not remove my mascara very well at all. — Simple Micellar Cleansing Water”
  • Packaging and Size Issues Often MentionedRarely Noted
    • “Worried about the snap top bottle leaking when travelling. — Simple Micellar Cleansing Water”
    • “The cap broke off immediately. — Simple Micellar Water”
    • “hard to get last bit out — Simple Replenishing Rich Moisturiser”
    • “only 20mls... significantly less product — COSRX The Hyaluronic Acid 3 Serum”

COSRX vs Simple routines for dry skin

See multi-brand routine · 98% fit

COSRX vs Simple routines for oily skin

See multi-brand routine · 97% fit

COSRX vs Simple routines for combination skin

See multi-brand routine · 96% fit

Questions and answers

COSRX or Simple: which is better?

COSRX outperforms Simple for oily and acne-prone skin with a Superior Lovi fit level, whereas Simple matches COSRX with a High fit level for dry and sensitive skin. Reviewers note that COSRX excels in texture and glow, while Simple offers better value and convenience.

What is the difference between COSRX and Simple?

COSRX excels for oily and acne-prone skin with superior routine fits and effective acne control, whereas Simple offers gentle, value-friendly cleansing and moisturizing options. Both brands feature fragrance-free formulations across the products on this page.

COSRX or Simple for dry skin?

For dry skin, both COSRX and Simple achieve a High routine fit level on Lovi. COSRX features key moisturizing ingredients like hyaluronic acid and glycerin across the products on this page to help improve skin hydration.

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

COSRX or Simple: which cleanser is better?

COSRX is generally the better option for cleansers, as the products on this page feature formulations better suited for oily and acne-prone skin types compared to Simple.

Which is more affordable, COSRX or Simple?

Simple is more affordable as the products on this page are known for being value-friendly, while COSRX reviewers sometimes note small bottle sizes or quantities as an issue.

COSRX or Simple for oily skin?

COSRX is a better fit for oily skin, with Lovi rating its routine as Superior compared to High for Simple. COSRX products on this page feature key ingredients like hyaluronic acid and niacinamide, which help regulate oil and improve skin texture.

Journal of Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2015The British Journal of Dermatology, 2002

COSRX or Simple: which moisturizer is better?

COSRX is better for moisturizers because its products on this page achieve a Superior fit for dry and sensitive skin types, whereas Simple moisturizers only reach an Average fit. COSRX moisturizers also benefit from key ingredients like hyaluronic acid and glycerin that help support skin hydration.

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

COSRX or Simple for sensitive skin?

For sensitive skin, Lovi rates COSRX as Superior and Simple as High. Reviewers note that Simple offers better soothing and gentle care, while COSRX uses key ingredients like hyaluronic acid to help deliver hydration.

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

COSRX or Simple for acne-prone skin?

COSRX is the better choice for acne-prone skin, as Lovi rates its routine as Superior compared to High for Simple. COSRX also does better on acne and pore control according to reviews, featuring key ingredients like niacinamide and salicylic acid.

The British Journal of Dermatology, 2002Antioxidants, 2021

COSRX or Simple for mature skin?

For mature skin, Lovi rates COSRX as High and Simple as High. Both brands offer solid options for this skin type, with COSRX products featuring key ingredients like retinol which helps improve skin texture and reduce signs of aging.

The Journal of Investigative Dermatology, 2000Archives of Dermatology, 2007

COSRX or Simple for skin with dark spots?

COSRX and Simple offer equal High fit levels for skin with dark spots, but COSRX is often noted for texture and glow while Simple provides gentle care and value. The Niacinamide in both brands helps reduce pigmentation and suppress melanosome transfer.

The British Journal of Dermatology, 2002Antioxidants, 2021

COSRX or Simple for dry sensitive skin?

For dry sensitive skin, Lovi rates COSRX as High and Simple as High. Both brands offer solid options for this skin type, but COSRX tends to excel in texture and glow, while Simple is noted for soothing and gentle care.

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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