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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 celebrated skincare brands that offer thoughtful serums, moisturizers, cleansers, toners, and masks. The Korean brand, founded in 2013, relies on ingredients like hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and niacinamide to suit acne-prone and oily acne-prone skin best, while the American brand, founded in 1851, depends on glycerin and squalane to suit mature and sensitive skin best. Both nourish the complexion, yet they differ because the former features targeted formulations for specific blemishes, while the latter features gentle formulations with barrier-supporting properties.

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 · 99% fit

COSRX vs Kiehl's routines for oily skin

See multi-brand routine · 95% fit

COSRX vs Kiehl's routines for combination skin

See multi-brand routine · 95% fit

Questions and answers

COSRX or Kiehl's: which is better?

Both COSRX and Kiehl's are great choices, but COSRX is a superior fit for acne-prone and oily acne-prone skin while Kiehl's focuses best on mature and sensitive skin. Reviewers find that COSRX offers more effective acne control, whereas Kiehl's provides deep hydration.

What is the difference between COSRX and Kiehl's?

COSRX is better suited for acne-prone and oily acne-prone skin with a Superior fit, whereas Kiehl's achieves a High fit for those skin types. Both brands offer High routine fit levels for dry, oily, combination, sensitive, mature, skin with dark spots, and dry sensitive skin.

COSRX or Kiehl's for dry skin?

Both COSRX and Kiehl's fit dry skin well, with Lovi rating both brands at a High routine fit level. COSRX helps dry skin through lightweight absorption and deep hydration, while Kiehl's is often mentioned for its lightweight, non-greasy moisturizers and deep hydration.

COSRX or Kiehl's: which cleanser is better?

COSRX is better for acne-prone skin and effective pore control, with products on the page like the Salicylic Acid Daily Gentle Cleanser and the Advanced Snail Mucin Gel Cleanser providing superior or high fit levels for acne-prone and oily acne-prone skin. Kiehl's also offers strong options like the Calendula Deep Cleansing Foaming Face Wash, but reviewers note that COSRX is generally more gentle and non-stripping.

Which is more affordable, COSRX or Kiehl's?

COSRX is more affordable than Kiehl's, as Kiehl's products often feature a high price point while COSRX reviewers note high price and poor value less frequently.

Between COSRX and Kiehl's, which brand performs better for acne and pore control according to review themes?

COSRX performs better for acne and pore control according to review themes. Lovi rates the routine fit for acne-prone skin and oily acne-prone skin as Superior for COSRX and High for Kiehl's.

How do the founding years and corporate ownerships of COSRX and Kiehl's compare?

COSRX was founded in 2013 in South Korea and has been owned by Amorepacific Group since 2024, whereas Kiehl's was founded much earlier in 1851 in the United States and has been owned by L'Oréal S.A. since 2000.

Which brand has more fragrance-free products between COSRX and Kiehl's?

COSRX has more fragrance-free products on this page than Kiehl's, with 37 out of 38 products listing no fragrance compared to 26 out of 28 for Kiehl's.

COSRX or Kiehl's for oily skin?

Both COSRX and Kiehl's are a High fit for oily skin. Lovi shows that both brands offer effective routines for oily skin types.

COSRX or Kiehl's: which moisturizer is better?

Both COSRX and Kiehl's offer effective moisturizers with high routine fit levels for various skin types, but COSRX is often favored for lightweight absorption and acne control, whereas Kiehl's is frequently noted for deep hydration. For dry skin, both brands provide high routine fit options.

COSRX or Kiehl's for sensitive skin?

Both COSRX and Kiehl's are a High fit for sensitive skin on Lovi. COSRX is noted for its gentle, non-stripping formulas across its products on this page.

COSRX or Kiehl's: which sunscreen is better?

COSRX has a superior fit level for acne-prone skin on the products on this page compared to Kiehl's. Kiehl's offers better deep hydration and moisturization according to the reviewers on this page.

COSRX or Kiehl's for acne-prone skin?

For acne-prone skin, COSRX is the superior choice because Lovi rates its routine as Superior compared to High for Kiehl's. COSRX also excels in 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.

  • 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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