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Anua vs COSRX

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

Anua and COSRX are two popular Korean skincare brands that offer moisturizers, toners, serums, cleansers, and more, built around key ingredients like hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and niacinamide. While Anua fits oily acne-prone skin and oily skin best, the latter brand suits acne-prone skin and oily acne-prone skin best through thoughtfully formulated products. Both brands differ in their founding dates, parent companies, and specific top-rated formulations for distinct concerns such as acne, dark spots, and mature skin.

Anua is a Korean skincare brand founded in 2019 and owned by The Founders Inc..

prnewswire.comkedglobal.comtracxn.comv.daum.net

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

koreajoongangdaily.combeautymatter.comprnewswire.com

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

Popular Anua vs COSRX products

People Say

AnuaCOSRX
  • Hydration and Moisture Mostly MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “complexion feels so plump — Anua PDRN Hyaluronic Acid Capsule 100 Serum”
    • “leaves skin plump — Anua Rice 70 Glow Milky Toner”
    • “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”
  • Lightweight and Fast-Absorbing Texture Often MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “melts into skin — Anua Heartleaf Silky Moisture Sun Cream”
    • “Feels like water, not heavy oil — Anua Heartleaf Pore Control Cleansing Oil”
    • “absorbs instantly like water — COSRX The 6 Peptide Skin Booster Serum”
    • “sinks in immediately — COSRX Advanced Snail Peptide Eye Cream”
  • Skin Texture Improvement Often MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “Skin feels super smooth — Anua PEACH 70% NIACINAMIDE SERUM”
    • “skin feels so smooth — Anua BHA 2% Gentle Exfoliating Toner”
    • “skin feels softer immediately — COSRX The 6 Peptide Skin Booster Serum”
    • “Skin feels like glass — COSRX BHA Blackhead Power Liquid”
  • Pore Cleansing and Acne Control Sometimes NotedOften 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”
    • “Melted blackheads right off — COSRX BHA Blackhead Power Liquid”
    • “Dissolved my sebaceous filaments immediately — Anua Heartleaf Pore Control Cleansing Oil”
  • Gentle and Non-Irritating Formula Sometimes NotedOften 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”
    • “didn't sensitize my skin — Anua BHA 2% Gentle Exfoliating Toner”
  • Brightening and Glow Often MentionedRarely Noted
    • “Significant reduction in hyperpigmentation from acne scarring. — Anua Niacinamide 10% + TXA 4% Serum”
    • “glass-like glow — Anua Rice 70 Glow Milky Toner”
    • “Gives a nice healthy glow — Anua PEACH 70% NIACINAMIDE SERUM”
    • “gives me that glass skin look — COSRX Advanced Snail 96 Mucin Power Essence”
  • Breakouts and Acne Clogging Often MentionedRarely Noted
    • “gave me fungal acne — COSRX Advanced Snail 96 Mucin Power Essence”
    • “gave me tiny bumps — COSRX Low pH Good Morning Gel Cleanser”
    • “gave me closed comedones — COSRX The 6 Peptide Skin Booster Serum”
    • “Wrecked my skin barrier — Anua Heartleaf Pore Control Cleansing Oil”
  • Sticky, Tacky or Greasy Finish Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “Left such a gross tacky finish that refused to dry. — Anua Niacinamide 10% + TXA 4% Serum”
    • “leaves a tacky finish — Anua BHA 2% Gentle Exfoliating Toner”
    • “texture is gooey and stringy — COSRX Advanced Snail 92 All in One Cream”
    • “Leaves a sticky film — COSRX BHA Blackhead Power Liquid”
  • Slow or No Visible Results Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “Did absolutely nothing — Anua Heartleaf 77% Soothing Toner”
    • “not instant fix — Anua NANO RETINOL™ 0.3% + NIACIN RENEWING SERUM”
    • “no change in circles — COSRX Advanced Snail Peptide Eye Cream”
    • “Takes a month to work — COSRX BHA Blackhead Power Liquid”

Anua vs COSRX routines for dry skin

See multi-brand routine · 98% fit

Anua vs COSRX routines for oily skin

See multi-brand routine · 95% fit

Anua vs COSRX routines for combination skin

See multi-brand routine · 94% fit

Questions and answers

Anua or COSRX: which is better?

Both brands are a strong match for most skin types, but COSRX does better for pore cleansing and acne control, while Anua does better for brightening and glow. For acne-prone and oily acne-prone skin specifically, COSRX has a Superior routine fit compared to Anua's High fit level. Reviewers often mention that COSRX provides effective acne control and clearing, whereas Anua is mostly known for its brightening serums.

What is the difference between Anua and COSRX?

COSRX does better than Anua for pore cleansing, acne control, and gentle formulas, while Anua takes the lead in brightening and glow. Both brands match closely on hydration, texture improvement, and fit levels across most skin types, though COSRX achieves a superior fit for acne-prone and oily acne-prone skin.

Anua or COSRX for dry skin?

Anua and COSRX both fit dry skin well, offering an equal level of routine fit across the products on this page. COSRX also features hydrating ingredients like hyaluronic acid that helps support skin quality and signs of aging.

Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

Anua or COSRX: which cleanser is better?

Both Anua and COSRX offer effective cleansers, but COSRX does better for pore cleansing and acne control as well as for gentle and non-irritating formulas.

Which is more affordable, Anua or COSRX?

This page does not provide pricing or affordability information for either Anua or COSRX, so it is not possible to compare which brand is more affordable.

Which brand performs better for skin brightening and glow?

Anua performs better for brightening and glow according to the review themes on the page. Both brands offer brightening serums and products with ingredients like niacinamide that help reduce skin pigmentation, but Anua is noted by reviewers for doing better in this category.

The British Journal of Dermatology, 2002Antioxidants, 2021

How do Anua and COSRX compare regarding pore cleansing and acne control?

COSRX does better than Anua for pore cleansing and acne control. Both brands offer products on this page that help target breakouts, but COSRX is noted as stronger in this category.

What are the differences in fragrance inclusion between Anua and COSRX products?

Anua products on this page list no fragrance in their ingredients. Similarly, almost all COSRX products on this page are fragrance-free, though the Vitamin E Vitalizing Sunscreen SPF 50+ includes fragrance.

Anua or COSRX for oily skin?

Both Anua and COSRX are a High fit for oily skin. Reviewers note that COSRX does better for pore cleansing and acne control, while Anua does better for brightening and glow.

Anua or COSRX: which sunscreen is better?

Both Anua and COSRX offer sunscreens that fit sensitive, oily, and dry skin at a High level, with COSRX also achieving a Superior fit for acne-prone skin on the products on this page. Reviewers note that COSRX provides effective acne control and gentle formulas, while Anua excels in brightening and glow.

Anua or COSRX for sensitive skin?

Both Anua and COSRX have a High routine fit for sensitive skin. COSRX does better for a gentle and non-irritating formula.

Anua or COSRX for acne-prone skin?

For acne-prone skin, COSRX fits better than Anua, as COSRX achieves a Superior routine fit compared to Anua's High fit. Reviewers also indicate that COSRX does better for pore cleansing and acne 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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