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COSRX vs Dr. Althea

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

COSRX and Dr. Althea are two popular Korean skincare brands founded in 2013 and 2014, respectively. The former offers thoughtfully formulated serums, moisturizers, cleansers, masks, and more using hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and niacinamide, while the latter is widely loved for its thoughtfully crafted moisturizers, cleansers, makeup removers, and serums driven by gentle formulas. Both brands suit acne-prone skin best, though the first also caters well to oily acne-prone skin with targeted blemish solutions, and the second accommodates dry skin with balanced care. They differ mainly in their ingredient approaches and specific product lineups, such as the Advanced Snail Mucin Gel Cleanser versus the Amino Acid Gentle Bubble Cleanser.

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

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Dr. Althea is a Korean skincare brand founded in 2014 and owned by The Pure Lab Co., Ltd..

doctoraltheaglobal.comdoctoralthea.co.kr

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

Popular COSRX vs Dr. Althea products

People Say

COSRXDr. Althea
  • Soothing and calming sensitive skin Mostly MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “doesn't dry out my face — Dr. Althea Amino Acid Gentle Bubble Cleanser”
    • “skin doesn't feel stripped — Dr. Althea Amino Gel Cleanser”
    • “great for sensitive skin — Dr. Althea Vitamin C Boosting Serum”
    • “No stinging or irritation — COSRX BHA Blackhead Power Liquid”
  • Texture and skin smoothing Mostly MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “absorbs instantly like water — COSRX The 6 Peptide Skin Booster Serum”
    • “sinks in immediately — COSRX Advanced Snail Peptide Eye Cream”
    • “absorbs beautifully — Dr. Althea 345 Relief Cream”
    • “rich but non-greasy — Dr. Althea Barrier Cream”
  • Value, barrier, and additional benefits Often MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “dark skin friendly — COSRX Ultra-Light Invisible Sunscreen”
    • “doesn't strip my skin — COSRX Low pH Good Morning Gel Cleanser”
    • “strengthened my skin barrier — Dr. Althea Barrier Cream”
    • “Innovative dial mechanism — Dr. Althea Pure Grinding Cleansing Balm”
  • Deep hydration and moisturization 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”
    • “gives a healthy glow — COSRX The 6 Peptide Skin Booster Serum”
    • “consistently hydrated mornings — Dr. Althea Barrier Cream”
  • Acne and pore control Often MentionedSometimes 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”
    • “hydrating but light — Dr. Althea 345 Relief Cream”
  • Cleansing and lather Rarely NotedSometimes Noted
    • “foam is rich and creamy — Dr. Althea Amino Acid Gentle Bubble Cleanser”
    • “Removes sunscreen well — Dr. Althea Pure Grinding Cleansing Balm”
    • “great for morning routine — Dr. Althea Amino Acid Gentle Bubble Cleanser”
    • “removes all the oil — COSRX Low pH Good Morning Gel Cleanser”
  • Packaging and size limitations Often MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “Runs out fast — Dr. Althea Pure Grinding Cleansing Balm”
    • “Hard to see remaining amount — Dr. Althea Pure Grinding Cleansing Balm”
    • “bottle goes fast — Dr. Althea Amino Acid Gentle Bubble Cleanser”
    • “only 20mls... significantly less product — COSRX The Hyaluronic Acid 3 Serum”
  • Sticky or heavy finish Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “texture is gooey and stringy — COSRX Advanced Snail 92 All in One Cream”
    • “Leaves a sticky film — COSRX BHA Blackhead Power Liquid”
    • “too nourishing for combo skin — Dr. Althea Barrier Cream”
    • “left a moisturizing film — Dr. Althea Amino Gel Cleanser”
  • Caused breakouts and skin irritation Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “too slimy and sticky — COSRX Advanced Snail 96 Mucin Power Essence”
    • “burned my skin — COSRX Advanced Snail 96 Mucin Power Essence”
    • “broke me out — Dr. Althea 345 Relief Cream”
    • “gave me cystic acne — Dr. Althea Barrier Cream”

COSRX vs Dr. Althea routines for dry skin

Buy Dr. Althea routine · SAR 722.37 · 90% fitBuy COSRX routine · SAR 690.19 · 83% fitSee multi-brand routine · 96% fit

COSRX vs Dr. Althea routines for oily skin

Buy COSRX routine · SAR 843.29 · 90% fitBuy Dr. Althea routine · SAR 982.49 · 90% fitSee multi-brand routine · 97% fit

COSRX vs Dr. Althea routines for combination skin

Buy COSRX routine · SAR 735.92 · 89% fitBuy Dr. Althea routine · SAR 814.63 · 89% fitSee multi-brand routine · 97% fit

Questions and answers

COSRX or Dr. Althea: which is better?

Both brands perform well, but COSRX is better for deep hydration and acne control, while Dr. Althea does better for soothing sensitive skin. Lovi rates COSRX as having a Superior routine fit for sensitive skin, and Dr. Althea as having a Superior routine fit for dry and mature skin.

What is the difference between COSRX and Dr. Althea?

COSRX tends to do better for deep hydration and acne control, while Dr. Althea excels at soothing sensitive skin and cleansing. For dry skin routines, Lovi rates COSRX as High and Dr. Althea as Superior.

COSRX or Dr. Althea for dry skin?

For dry skin, Dr. Althea achieves a Superior routine fit while COSRX reaches a High fit level. Both brands offer products that help provide deep hydration and moisturization for dry skin.

COSRX or Dr. Althea: which cleanser is better?

Dr. Althea does better for cleansing and lather overall on this page. Reviewers mostly mention that Dr. Althea features gentle cleansers.

Which is more affordable, COSRX or Dr. Althea?

The provided page facts do not contain pricing information to determine whether COSRX or Dr. Althea is more affordable.

COSRX or Dr. Althea: which brand is better for mature skin?

For mature skin, COSRX offers products on this page with a Lovi fit level of High, whereas Dr. Althea achieves a Superior fit level for the routine fit. Both brands feature options like vitamin C serums to help support aging skin.

COSRX or Dr. Althea: how do their fragrance-free product options compare?

COSRX offers 37 fragrance-free products on the products on this page, while every Dr. Althea product on this page lists no fragrance in its ingredients. Both brands help you avoid artificial scents, but COSRX gives you a much larger total selection.

COSRX or Dr. Althea: which brand provides better deep hydration and moisturization?

COSRX provides better deep hydration and moisturization compared to Dr. Althea.

COSRX or Dr. Althea for oily skin?

Both COSRX and Dr. Althea are a Superior fit for oily skin according to their routines on this page. COSRX products on this page often help with acne and pore control, while Dr. Althea provides gentle and soothing cleansers.

COSRX or Dr. Althea: which moisturizer is better?

Both COSRX and Dr. Althea offer highly rated moisturizers on the products on this page, with COSRX excelling in deep hydration and Dr. Althea providing exceptionally soothing care. COSRX features popular options like the Advanced Snail 92 All in One Cream, while Dr. Althea offers the 345 Relief Cream.

COSRX or Dr. Althea for sensitive skin?

COSRX is better for sensitive skin, as Lovi rates its routine as Superior compared to Dr. Althea's High fit level. Review themes also show that COSRX does better for deep hydration and moisturization.

COSRX or Dr. Althea for acne-prone skin?

Both COSRX and Dr. Althea are great choices for acne-prone skin, as Lovi rates both brands as having a Superior routine fit for this skin type. Reviewers note that COSRX is especially effective for acne control and clearing, while Dr. Althea provides soothing moisturizers.

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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