🇳🇱Netherlands

COSRX vs Medik8

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

COSRX and Medik8 are established skincare brands offering thoughtfully formulated serums, moisturizers, cleansers, and toners. The Korean brand harnesses proven ingredients like hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and niacinamide, suiting acne-prone and oily acne-prone skin best, while the British brand builds its products around hyaluronic acid to suit dry and dry sensitive skin best. While both utilize powerful hydrating components, the brands differ in their founding origins, parent companies, and primary skin-type suitability.

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

koreajoongangdaily.combeautymatter.comprnewswire.com

Medik8 is a British skincare brand founded in 2009 and owned by L'Oréal Groupe since 2025.

loreal.commedik8.comtracxn.com

This page compares some of the most popular COSRX and Medik8 products; for every product of both brands, with a fit score for your own skin, use the Lovi app.

Popular COSRX vs Medik8 products

People Say

COSRXMedik8
  • Soothing, calming and gentle formulation Mostly MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “No stinging or irritation — COSRX BHA Blackhead Power Liquid”
    • “extremely gentle — COSRX AHA/BHA Clarifying Treatment Toner”
    • “zero irritation or peeling — Medik8 CRYSTAL RETINAL 3”
    • “only Vitamin C my sensitive skin can tolerate — Medik8 C-Tetra Serum”
  • Improves skin texture and glow Often MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “smoother skin — Medik8 Surface Radiance Cleanse”
    • “I wake up glowing. It adds back that youthful bloom that I've lost. — Medik8 Sleep Glycolic”
    • “My skin was smoother, my skin texture felt more resurfaced. — Medik8 Sleep Glycolic”
    • “gives me that glass skin look — COSRX Advanced Snail 96 Mucin Power Essence”
  • Deep hydration and plumping Mostly MentionedOften 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”
    • “Restores moisture — Medik8 Liquid Peptides”
    • “Instantly quenched the skin — Medik8 Hydr8 B5 Intense”
  • Lightweight and fast-absorbing Often MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “absorbs instantly like water — COSRX The 6 Peptide Skin Booster Serum”
    • “sinks in immediately — COSRX Advanced Snail Peptide Eye Cream”
    • “absorbed effortlessly — Medik8 Total Moisture Daily Facial Cream”
    • “Absorbs fast — Medik8 Liquid Peptides”
  • Additional beneficial features Often MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “calms inflammation — COSRX Advanced Snail 92 All in One Cream”
    • “removes all the oil — COSRX Low pH Good Morning Gel Cleanser”
    • “smells like a spa — Medik8 CRYSTAL RETINAL 3”
    • “softened crow's feet — Medik8 Crystal Retinal Ceramide Eye 3”
  • Acne and pore control Often MentionedRarely 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”
    • “pores feel cleaner — Medik8 Surface Radiance Cleanse”
  • Slow or no visible results Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “no change in circles — COSRX Advanced Snail Peptide Eye Cream”
    • “Takes a month to work — COSRX BHA Blackhead Power Liquid”
    • “Not as effective as retinol — Medik8 Bakuchiol Peptides”
    • “no difference — Medik8 Oxy-R Peptides”
  • Packaging and size issues Often MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “Glass bottle breaks easily — Medik8 Liquid Peptides”
    • “hard to get last bit — Medik8 CRYSTAL RETINAL 3”
    • “click mechanism tricky — Medik8 Oxy-R Peptides”
    • “only 20mls... significantly less product — COSRX The Hyaluronic Acid 3 Serum”
  • High price point Rarely NotedOften Mentioned
    • “expensive for me — COSRX The Hyaluronic Acid 3 Serum”
    • “Expensive per bottle — Medik8 Liquid Peptides”

COSRX vs Medik8 routines for dry skin

See multi-brand routine · 98% fit

COSRX vs Medik8 routines for oily skin

See multi-brand routine · 95% fit

COSRX vs Medik8 routines for combination skin

See multi-brand routine · 94% fit

Questions and answers

COSRX or Medik8: which is better?

COSRX is better for acne-prone, oily, and oily acne-prone skin, while Medik8 is better for dry, dry sensitive, sensitive, and combination skin. Lovi rates both brands as High for mature skin and skin with dark spots. COSRX helps with acne and pore control, whereas Medik8 may improve skin texture and glow.

What is the difference between COSRX and Medik8?

COSRX is a South Korean brand focused best on acne-prone, oily acne-prone, and oily skin, while Medik8 is a UK brand focused best on dry, dry sensitive, and sensitive skin. Medik8 does better at improving skin texture and glow, whereas COSRX does better at acne and pore control. Both brands are equal when it comes to soothing, calming, and gentle formulations, deep hydration and plumping, and lightweight and fast-absorbing products.

COSRX or Medik8 for dry skin?

For dry skin, Lovi rates Medik8 as Superior and COSRX as High, making Medik8 a better fit for this skin type. Medik8 also features dry skin as one of the skin types the brand fits best, with key ingredients like hyaluronic acid helping to provide deep hydration.

Journal of Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2015Drug Delivery, 2017

COSRX or Medik8: which cleanser is better?

COSRX and Medik8 both offer cleansers, with COSRX being a better fit for acne-prone skin and Medik8 performing better for dry and sensitive skin types.

Which is more affordable, COSRX or Medik8?

COSRX is more affordable, as Medik8 has a high price point among the products on this page.

Between COSRX and Medik8, which brand is better for managing skin with dark spots?

COSRX and Medik8 are both well-suited for managing skin with dark spots, as Lovi rates the routine fit for both brands as High. COSRX features key ingredients like niacinamide, which helps reduce cutaneous pigmentation, while Medik8 provides targeted peptide and vitamin C serums to help brighten the skin.

The British Journal of Dermatology, 2002Antioxidants, 2021

How do the founding years and countries of origin compare between COSRX and Medik8?

COSRX was founded in 2013 in South Korea, whereas Medik8 was founded earlier in 2009 in the United Kingdom. Both brands are now under major corporate ownership, with COSRX owned by Amorepacific Group and Medik8 owned by L'Oréal Groupe.

Which brand performs better for acne and pore control according to the review themes?

According to the review themes on this page, COSRX performs better than Medik8 for acne and pore control. Lovi rates COSRX as having a Superior routine fit for acne-prone skin and oily acne-prone skin.

COSRX or Medik8 for oily skin?

For oily skin, Lovi finds that both COSRX and Medik8 have a High routine fit. COSRX is especially noted for acne and pore control on the products on this page.

COSRX or Medik8: which moisturizer is better?

Medik8 offers superior hydration for dry skin with products like Hydr8 B5 Intense, while COSRX delivers superior results for oily and acne-prone skin with moisturizers like the Advanced Snail 96 Mucin Power Essence. Both brands feature deep hydration and moisturization across their moisturizer ranges.

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

COSRX or Medik8 for sensitive skin?

For sensitive skin, COSRX fits well and Medik8 has a superior routine fit. Medik8 improves skin texture and glow better, while COSRX does better on price point.

COSRX or Medik8 for acne-prone skin?

COSRX is the better choice for acne-prone skin, achieving a Superior routine fit compared to Medik8's High fit level. For acne and pore control, the products on this page for COSRX perform better.

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?

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

QR code: get the Lovi app
Download on theApp Store Get it onGoogle Play