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COSRX vs ISDIN

COSRX and ISDIN are established skincare brands offering thoughtfully formulated serums, moisturizers, cleansers, masks, advanced sunscreens, and targeted eye products that harness proven ingredients like hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and niacinamide. The Korean brand suits acne-prone skin and oily acne-prone skin best through targeted blemish formulations, while the Spanish brand suits dry skin and sensitive skin best by providing gentle daily comfort and dependable protection. They differ primarily in their regional heritage, founding eras, parent companies, and specific active profiles, with the former emphasizing blemish remedies and the latter focusing on restorative sun and moisture care.

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

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ISDIN is a Spanish skincare brand founded in 1975 and owned by Puig.

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

People Say

COSRXISDIN
  • Lightweight and fast-absorbing texture Often MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “absorbs instantly — ISDIN Eryfotona Actinica”
    • “ultra-light fluid product, which makes it super easy to apply — ISDIN Fusion Water”
    • “Lightweight formula absorbs fast — ISDIN Hyaluronic Concentrate”
    • “absorbs instantly like water — COSRX The 6 Peptide Skin Booster Serum”
  • Deep hydration and moisturization 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”
    • “Improved moisture and texture — ISDIN Hyaluronic Moisture”
    • “My skin felt sooo hydrated and looks so plump and dewey. — ISDIN Fusion Water”
  • Gentle and non-stripping formulation Often MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “No stinging or irritation — COSRX BHA Blackhead Power Liquid”
    • “perfect for first-time retinol users — COSRX The Retinol 0.1 Cream”
    • “Sensitive/reactive skin tolerates — ISDIN Hyaluronic Moisture”
    • “no excessive exfoliation — ISDIN Retinal Intense Serum”
  • Skin texture and smoothing improvement Often MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “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 glass — COSRX BHA Blackhead Power Liquid”
    • “skin looks smooth and healthy — ISDIN K-Ox Eyes”
  • Invisible and non-greasy sunscreen finish Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
    • “doesn't leave you white as a ghost — ISDIN Fusion Water”
    • “dries down matte — ISDIN Eryfotona Actinica”
    • “Non-greasy — ISDIN Hyaluronic Moisture”
    • “dark skin friendly — COSRX Ultra-Light Invisible Sunscreen”
  • Effective 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”
  • Strong scent or medicinal fragrance Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
    • “smells like chemicals — COSRX Low pH Good Morning Gel Cleanser”
    • “smells like onions — COSRX The Retinol 0.1 Cream”
    • “smell is overpowering — ISDIN Eryfotona Actinica”
    • “lingering headache inducing effect — ISDIN K-Ox Eyes”
  • Packaging and size issues Often MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “My only wish is that ISDIN would make this product in a bigger size bottle. — ISDIN Fusion Water”
    • “Pump stopped working — ISDIN Hyaluronic Concentrate”
    • “I like the actual product, but the packaging is awful, I've already lost three bottles the applicator pops off. — ISDIN Flavo-C Serum”
    • “only 20mls... significantly less product — COSRX The Hyaluronic Acid 3 Serum”
  • Price and value considerations Rarely NotedOften Mentioned
    • “expensive for me — COSRX The Hyaluronic Acid 3 Serum”
    • “very expensive — ISDIN Eryfotona Actinica”

COSRX vs ISDIN routines for dry skin

See multi-brand routine · 99% fit

COSRX vs ISDIN routines for oily skin

See multi-brand routine · 95% fit

COSRX vs ISDIN routines for combination skin

See multi-brand routine · 95% fit

Questions and answers

COSRX or ISDIN: which is better?

Both COSRX and ISDIN offer great options depending on your skincare goals. COSRX is often favored for its effective acne control and value, while ISDIN delivers superior results for anti-aging routines and ultralight sunscreens.

What is the difference between COSRX and ISDIN?

COSRX fits best for acne-prone, oily acne-prone, and dry skin, while ISDIN fits best for dry, sensitive, and mature skin. COSRX is often noted for effective acne control, whereas ISDIN is well-known for ultralight, makeup-friendly sunscreens.

COSRX or ISDIN for dry skin?

For dry skin, Lovi finds that COSRX has a High routine fit while ISDIN achieves a Superior routine fit. COSRX helps with deep hydration and moisturization using key ingredients like hyaluronic acid and glycerin.

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

COSRX or ISDIN: which moisturizer is better?

Both COSRX and ISDIN offer moisturizers with similar deep hydration performance, while ISDIN provides lighter textures and COSRX delivers better value for money. Lovi rates the routine fit for dry skin as High for COSRX and Superior for ISDIN.

Which is more affordable, COSRX or ISDIN?

COSRX is more affordable than ISDIN, as ISDIN has a high price point while COSRX is noted for its value.

Between COSRX and ISDIN, which brand offers better options for mature skin?

ISDIN offers superior options for mature skin, achieving a Superior Lovi fit level compared to COSRX which has a High fit level. ISDIN features highly rated options like Eryfotona Actinica sunscreen, while reviewers frequently note its ultralight sunscreens and lightweight moisturizers.

How do COSRX and ISDIN compare in terms of fragrance across their product lines?

COSRX products on this page are mostly fragrance-free, with only one product listing fragrance, whereas ISDIN has a higher proportion of items with added scent. Reviewers note that both brands share similar concerns regarding strong or medicinal scents.

Which brand provides better targeted treatments for skin with dark spots?

For skin with dark spots, ISDIN has a Superior routine fit on Lovi, while COSRX has a High routine fit. Ingredients like niacinamide help reduce cutaneous pigmentation and suppress melanosome transfer.

The British Journal of Dermatology, 2002Antioxidants, 2021

COSRX or ISDIN for oily skin?

COSRX is well-suited for oily skin, offering products like the Advanced Snail 96 Mucin Power Essence with a Superior Lovi fit level on this page. ISDIN also achieves a Superior routine fit for oily skin, driven by ultralight sunscreens and fast-absorbing formulas.

COSRX or ISDIN: which sunscreen is better?

Both COSRX and ISDIN offer sunscreens with high Lovi fit levels for acne-prone, sensitive, and dry skin. ISDIN reviewers mostly mention ultralight, makeup-friendly, and skin-friendly sunscreens, while COSRX sunscreens on this page mostly list no fragrance.

COSRX or ISDIN for sensitive skin?

For sensitive skin, both COSRX and ISDIN achieve a High Lovi fit. COSRX features gentle, fragrance-free formulations with ingredients like allantoin and panthenol that help soothe irritation. Meanwhile, ISDIN offers ultralight sunscreens and moisturizers that are well-tolerated by sensitive skin types.

American Journal of Clinical Dermatology, 2002

COSRX or ISDIN for acne-prone skin?

Both COSRX and ISDIN offer a Superior Lovi fit level for acne-prone skin. Reviewers note that COSRX does better for effective acne and pore 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.

How does it fit your skin?

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