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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 beauty lines, with the Korean brand founded in 2013 and the American enterprise established in 1946. COSRX is celebrated for targeted serums, cleansers, and masks featuring hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and niacinamide that suit acne-prone and oily skin, while Estée Lauder offers comprehensive moisturizers and serums with hyaluronic acid and glycerin tailored for acne-prone and mature skin. These brands differ in their founding eras, geographic origins, and specialized ingredient profiles, such as the inclusion of niacinamide in the first and specialized peptide formulations in the second.

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 · 95% fit

COSRX vs Estée Lauder routines for combination skin

See multi-brand routine · 94% fit

Questions and answers

COSRX or Estée Lauder: which is better?

COSRX is generally better for acne-prone, oily, and dark spot concerns, as Lovi rates its routine fit as Superior or High for these skin types. Reviewers also highlight that COSRX offers effective acne control and lightweight absorption, whereas Estée Lauder faces frequent concerns about its high price point.

What is the difference between COSRX and Estée Lauder?

COSRX is generally better for acne-prone skin with a superior Lovi fit level, whereas Estée Lauder fits mature and sensitive skin equally well. Reviewers note that COSRX excels in lightweight formulas and acne control, while Estée Lauder offers deep hydration and gentle cleansers.

COSRX or Estée Lauder for dry skin?

Both COSRX and Estée Lauder achieve a High routine fit for dry skin on this page. COSRX features targeted hydrating options like snail mucin and propolis, while Estée Lauder offers rich moisturizers with hyaluronic acid that help maintain moisture.

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

COSRX or Estée Lauder: which cleanser is better?

Estée Lauder cleansers are rated as better for gentle and non-stripping use compared to COSRX. Reviewers mostly mention that Estée Lauder cleansers are gentle and non-drying.

Which is more affordable, COSRX or Estée Lauder?

COSRX is more affordable, whereas high price point is a mostly mentioned concern for Estée Lauder.

COSRX or Estée Lauder: which brand is better for managing skin with dark spots?

COSRX is better for managing skin with dark spots because the products on this page achieve a High fit level for this concern. Estée Lauder achieves an Average fit level for skin with dark spots.

COSRX or Estée Lauder: which brand has more fragrance-free products?

COSRX has more fragrance-free products on the products on this page, with 37 out of 38 formulas listing no fragrance. In comparison, Estée Lauder has 12 out of 14 fragrance-free products.

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

Both COSRX and Estée Lauder are a High fit for mature skin. Reviewers note that the products on this page for both brands offer deep hydration, and topical hyaluronic acid helps improve signs of skin aging.

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

COSRX or Estée Lauder for oily skin?

COSRX is a better fit for oily skin, as Lovi rates its routine fit as High compared to an Average fit for Estée Lauder. The products on this page help provide lightweight absorption and effective acne control.

COSRX or Estée Lauder: which moisturizer is better?

COSRX is better for a moisturizer as the products on this page achieve a High fit level for dry skin, whereas Estée Lauder achieves an Average fit level. COSRX also helps provide deep hydration and moisturization with ingredients like hyaluronic acid and glycerin.

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

COSRX or Estée Lauder for sensitive skin?

Both COSRX and Estée Lauder are a High fit for sensitive skin on the products on this page, offering gentle care. COSRX has a broader range of 38 fragrance-free products compared to Estée Lauder's 12 fragrance-free options.

COSRX or Estée Lauder: which sunscreen is better?

COSRX offers the Ultra-Light Invisible Sunscreen and Aloe Soothing Sun Cream, both of which achieve a high fit for acne-prone skin, sensitive skin, and dark spots. Estée Lauder features the DayWear Moisturizer, which achieves a superior fit for dry and sensitive skin as well as a high fit for acne-prone skin and dark spots.

COSRX or Estée Lauder for acne-prone skin?

COSRX is the better choice for acne-prone skin, as Lovi rates its overall routine fit as Superior compared to Estée Lauder's High fit level. The products on this page help provide effective acne control and clearing.

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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