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COSRX vs Estée Lauder

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

COSRX and Estée Lauder are two distinct skincare lines established in 2013 and 1946, respectively, that offer thoughtful arrays of serums, moisturizers, cleansers, and masks. The Korean brand features ingredients like hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and niacinamide to suit oily and sensitive skin, while the American label utilizes hydrating elements like hyaluronic acid and glycerin to best nourish mature and sensitive skin. Both brands differ primarily in their formulation origins and targeted benefits, as the former emphasizes barrier repair and reducing hyperpigmentation through diverse active ingredients, whereas the latter focuses on deep hydration and smoothing care. Ultimately, these brands provide effective solutions for unique complexions through their carefully crafted compositions.

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

koreajoongangdaily.combeautymatter.comprnewswire.com

Estée Lauder is an American skincare brand founded in 1946 and owned by The Estée Lauder Companies Inc..

en.wikipedia.orgelcompanies.com

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

Popular COSRX vs Estée Lauder products

People Say

COSRXEstée Lauder
  • Deep hydration and moisturization Mostly MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “skin drinks it up immediately — Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair”
    • “The formula is incredibly hydrating and leaves my skin feeling smooth. — Estée Lauder Re-Nutriv”
    • “texture is dreamy — Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair Eye Supercharged Gel-Creme”
    • “skin drinks it up — COSRX Advanced Snail 96 Mucin Power Essence”
  • Improves skin texture and smoothness Mostly MentionedOften 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”
    • “skin feels like a baby's bottom — Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair”
    • “silky smooth — Estée Lauder Micro Essence Treatment Lotion”
  • Lightweight and fast-absorbing formula Often 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)”
    • “Absorbs quickly into the skin — Estée Lauder Revitalizing Supreme+”
  • Gentle and non-stripping cleansing/use Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
    • “doesn't strip the skin — Estée Lauder Advanced Night Cleansing Gelée”
    • “Lathers well — Estée Lauder Soft Clean Moisture Rich Foaming Cleanser”
    • “removes all my makeup effortlessly — Estée Lauder Advanced Night Cleansing Gelée”
    • “No stinging or irritation — COSRX BHA Blackhead Power Liquid”
  • Soothing, calming and barrier care Often MentionedRarely Noted
    • “perfect for first-time retinol users — COSRX The Retinol 0.1 Cream”
    • “calms down my redness — COSRX Advanced Snail 96 Mucin Power Essence”
    • “calms inflammation — COSRX Advanced Snail 92 All in One Cream”
    • “soothes redness — Estée Lauder Micro Essence Treatment Lotion”
  • Acne and pore control Often MentionedNot noted
    • “extremely gentle — COSRX AHA/BHA Clarifying Treatment Toner”
    • “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”
  • High price and value concerns Sometimes NotedMostly Mentioned
    • “only 20mls... significantly less product — COSRX The Hyaluronic Acid 3 Serum”
    • “tube is tiny — COSRX The Retinol 0.1 Cream”
    • “expensive for me — COSRX The Hyaluronic Acid 3 Serum”
    • “way too expensive for the size — Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair”
  • Packaging and container issues Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “tube cracked on the side — COSRX The Retinol 0.1 Cream”
    • “hate dipping fingers in — COSRX Advanced Snail 92 All in One Cream”
    • “lid is hard to open — Estée Lauder Advanced Night Cleansing Gelée”
    • “Please make a jar or refill that is not as big and heavy. — Estée Lauder Re-Nutriv”
  • Drying or insufficient for dry skin Often MentionedRarely Noted
    • “left my skin very dry — Estée Lauder Advanced Night Cleansing Gelée”
    • “Not moisturizing enough for winter — Estée Lauder Revitalizing Supreme+”
    • “left my face tight — COSRX Low pH Good Morning Gel Cleanser”
  • Slow or no visible 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 — COSRX The 6 Peptide Skin Booster Serum”
    • “didn't notice any difference — Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair”

COSRX vs Estée Lauder routines for dry skin

See multi-brand routine · 98% fit

COSRX vs Estée Lauder routines for oily skin

See multi-brand routine · 96% fit

COSRX vs Estée Lauder routines for combination skin

See multi-brand routine · 95% fit

Questions and answers

COSRX or Estée Lauder: which is better?

COSRX is generally better for oily, acne-prone, and sensitive skin types, where Lovi rates its routine fit as superior compared to Estée Lauder. For dry skin, Lovi rates the COSRX routine as High and the Estée Lauder routine as Average. Both brands perform equally well for mature skin, but COSRX offers better value and lighter formulas, whereas Estée Lauder provides deeper hydration at a higher price point.

What is the difference between COSRX and Estée Lauder?

COSRX is better for oily and acne-prone skin with its lightweight, soothing formulas, whereas Estée Lauder leans toward mature or sensitive skin with a focus on deep hydration. Lovi rates the routine fit for dry skin as High for COSRX and Average for Estée Lauder.

COSRX or Estée Lauder for dry skin?

COSRX is the better choice for dry skin, as Lovi rates its routine fit as High compared to an Average fit for Estée Lauder. The products on this page help deliver deep hydration while maintaining a lightweight feel.

COSRX or Estée Lauder: which cleanser is better?

Both COSRX and Estée Lauder offer solid cleansers, but COSRX is a better fit for oily, sensitive, and acne-prone skin, while Estée Lauder leans towards gentle and non-drying cleansing. Lovi rates the routine fit for sensitive skin as Superior for COSRX and High for Estée Lauder. Hyaluronic acid is found across the products on this page for both brands to help maintain hydration.

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

Which is more affordable, COSRX or Estée Lauder?

COSRX is more affordable than Estée Lauder, as Estée Lauder's products on this page frequently receive mentions for their high price point. COSRX also receives negative feedback regarding price and value concerns, but Estée Lauder is known for being a luxury brand.

COSRX or Estée Lauder: which brand is better for mature skin?

Both COSRX and Estée Lauder are well-suited for mature skin, as Lovi rates the routine fit for this skin type as High for both brands. COSRX products on this page frequently help with skin texture and provide deep hydration, while Estée Lauder offers targeted anti-aging formulations.

Which brand has a stronger fragrance profile across its products, COSRX or Estée Lauder?

COSRX has a much weaker fragrance profile, as only 1 out of 38 products on this page contains fragrance, compared to 12 out of 14 products for Estée Lauder.

COSRX or Estée Lauder: which brand offers better results for skin with dark spots?

COSRX offers better results for skin with dark spots, as the products on this page achieve a High fit level for this concern compared to Estée Lauder's Average fit level. Ingredients like niacinamide help reduce cutaneous pigmentation.

The British Journal of Dermatology, 2002Antioxidants, 2021

COSRX or Estée Lauder for oily skin?

For oily skin, Lovi finds COSRX to have a Superior routine fit, while Estée Lauder offers a High routine fit. The products on this page help provide lightweight absorption and effective acne control.

COSRX or Estée Lauder: which moisturizer is better?

Both COSRX and Estée Lauder offer moisturizers, with COSRX achieving a High routine fit for dry skin and Estée Lauder achieving an Average fit for dry skin on the products on this page. Ingredients like hyaluronic acid found in the moisturizers on this page help with skin hydration and anti-aging effects.

Dermatologic Therapy, 2022Drug Delivery, 2017

COSRX or Estée Lauder for sensitive skin?

COSRX is a better fit for sensitive skin, earning a Superior rating from Lovi compared to Estîe Lauder's High rating. The products on this page help deliver gentle care with ingredients like hyaluronic acid, which helps with skin hydration.

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

COSRX or Estée Lauder: which sunscreen is better?

COSRX is better for sun protection on this page, as Lovi rates its Ultra-Light Invisible Sunscreen as Superior for acne-prone skin, while Estée Lauder has DayWear Moisturizer rated as Superior for dry skin.

COSRX or Estée Lauder for acne-prone skin?

COSRX is the better choice for acne-prone skin, as Lovi rates its fit as Superior while Estée Lauder reaches High. COSRX also performs better in acne and pore control across the products on this page.

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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