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COSRX vs Shiseido

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

COSRX and Shiseido are a Korean skincare brand founded in 2013 and a Japanese skincare brand founded in 1872, respectively. Skincare enthusiasts adore COSRX for its thoughtfully formulated serums, moisturizers, cleansers, masks, and more, which harness proven ingredients like hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and niacinamide, while Shiseido is beloved for its thoughtful array of moisturizers, cleansers, sunscreens, serums, and more, all formulated with key ingredients like glycerin. The first brand suits acne-prone skin and oily acne-prone skin best because these targeted formulations address specific blemishes effectively, whereas the second brand suits sensitive skin and mature skin best, offering gentle yet effective daily care. They differ in their founding origins, parent companies, specific ingredient combinations, and ideal skin types.

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

koreajoongangdaily.combeautymatter.comprnewswire.com

Shiseido is a Japanese skincare brand founded in 1872 and owned by Shiseido Company, Limited.

corp.shiseido.comen.wikipedia.orgmarketscreener.com

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

Popular COSRX vs Shiseido products

People Say

COSRXShiseido
  • Deep hydration and moisture Mostly MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “Immediate sensation of comfort — Shiseido Benefiance Wrinkle Smoothing Eye Cream”
    • “skin feels plump, soft and nourished, eliminates dryness, bouncy feel — Shiseido VITAL PERFECTION”
    • “Skin feels more hydrated — Shiseido Activating Essence”
    • “skin drinks it up — COSRX Advanced Snail 96 Mucin Power Essence”
  • Skin texture and smoothness improvement Often MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “silky smooth, rich but non-greasy, absorbs quickly, melts into skin — Shiseido VITAL PERFECTION”
    • “absorbs quickly — Shiseido White Lucent Brightening Gel Cream”
    • “Velvety, rich cream texture — Shiseido Benefiance Wrinkle Smoothing Eye Cream”
    • “gives me that glass skin look — COSRX Advanced Snail 96 Mucin Power Essence”
  • Lightweight and fast absorption Mostly MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “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)”
    • “Lightweight, silky, non-sticky, sinks in instantly. — Shiseido Ultimune Power Infusing Concentrate”
  • Effective acne and pore control Often MentionedRarely 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”
    • “face feels squeaky clean — Shiseido Clarifying Cleansing Foam”
  • Soothing and calming effect Often MentionedRarely Noted
    • “calms down my redness — COSRX Advanced Snail 96 Mucin Power Essence”
    • “calms inflammation — COSRX Advanced Snail 92 All in One Cream”
    • “no stinging — COSRX Advanced Snail Peptide Eye Cream”
    • “No irritation — Shiseido Essential Energy Hydrating Cream”
  • Gentle and non-stripping formulation Often MentionedNot noted
    • “No stinging or irritation — COSRX BHA Blackhead Power Liquid”
    • “perfect for first-time retinol users — COSRX The Retinol 0.1 Cream”
    • “doesn't strip my skin — COSRX Low pH Good Morning Gel Cleanser”
  • High price and value concerns Rarely NotedMostly Mentioned
    • “expensive for me — COSRX The Hyaluronic Acid 3 Serum”
    • “Very expensive for the size — Shiseido Benefiance Wrinkle Smoothing Eye Cream”
  • Strong scent or fragrance issues Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
    • “smells like chemicals — COSRX Low pH Good Morning Gel Cleanser”
    • “smells like onions — COSRX The Retinol 0.1 Cream”
    • “smells like tea tree/medicinal — COSRX Oil-Free Ultra-Moisturizing Lotion (with Birch Sap)”
    • “old lady smell — Shiseido Eudermine Revitalizing Essence”
  • Packaging and bottle issues Often MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “heavy to travel — Shiseido Eudermine Revitalizing Essence”
    • “Heavy bottle but plastic pump, cannot see remaining product, straw too short to get last drops. — Shiseido Ultimune Power Infusing Concentrate”
    • “heavy jar, waste of plastic, faulty pump (on dispenser versions) — Shiseido VITAL PERFECTION”
    • “only 20mls... significantly less product — COSRX The Hyaluronic Acid 3 Serum”

COSRX vs Shiseido routines for dry skin

Buy COSRX routine · SAR 690.19 · 83% fitBuy Shiseido routine · SAR 2,211.82 · 81% fitSee multi-brand routine · 96% fit

COSRX vs Shiseido routines for oily skin

Buy COSRX routine · SAR 843.29 · 90% fitBuy Shiseido routine · SAR 2,494.74 · 84% fitSee multi-brand routine · 97% fit

COSRX vs Shiseido routines for combination skin

Buy COSRX routine · SAR 735.92 · 89% fitBuy Shiseido routine · SAR 2,213.02 · 84% fitSee multi-brand routine · 97% fit

Questions and answers

COSRX or Shiseido: which is better?

COSRX is better for oily and acne-prone skin with its superior fit levels, while both brands offer equal high routines for dry, combination, sensitive, and mature skin. COSRX also stands out for lightweight absorption and gentle formulations, whereas Shiseido is often noted for luxurious textures and deep hydration.

What is the difference between COSRX and Shiseido?

COSRX is generally better for oily and acne-prone skin with gentle, fragrance-free formulas, whereas Shiseido focuses more on luxury textures and deep hydration for mature skin. COSRX also tends to be more affordable, while Shiseido has a much higher price point.

COSRX or Shiseido for dry skin?

Both COSRX and Shiseido offer a High routine fit for dry skin, making them equally suitable options. Reviewers note that COSRX provides lightweight absorption and gentle formulas, while Shiseido delivers deep hydration and luxurious textures.

COSRX or Shiseido: which cleanser is better?

COSRX offers cleansers that are generally better suited for acne-prone and oily skin, with options like the Advanced Snail Mucin Gel Cleanser achieving a Superior fit level for sensitive, acne-prone, dry, and combination skin types. In contrast, Shiseido cleansers lean toward deep-cleansing formulations, though products like the Complete Cleansing Microfoam receive lower fit ratings across most skin types on this page.

Which is more affordable, COSRX or Shiseido?

COSRX is more affordable, whereas Shiseido has a high price point that reviewers frequently mention as a drawback.

Between COSRX and Shiseido, which brand is better for mature skin?

Both COSRX and Shiseido offer a High routine fit for mature skin, so neither brand is strictly better than the other for this skin type. COSRX features options like The 6 Peptide Skin Booster Serum, while Shiseido offers products like Benefiance Wrinkle Smoothing Day Cream.

How do COSRX and Shiseido compare regarding fragrance in their products?

COSRX offers products that are largely fragrance-free, with only one product on this page listing fragrance, whereas the majority of Shiseido products on this page include fragrance.

Which brand provides better options for treating skin with dark spots?

Both COSRX and Shiseido provide High fit options for skin with dark spots. COSRX features key ingredients like niacinamide, which may help reduce skin pigmentation, and vitamin C, while Shiseido offers brightening formulas such as White Lucent Brightening Gel Cream.

The British Journal of Dermatology, 2002Antioxidants, 2021

COSRX or Shiseido for oily skin?

COSRX is a better fit for oily skin, offering a Superior routine fit compared to Shiseido's High fit level. The products on this page for COSRX help provide lightweight absorption and effective oil control.

COSRX or Shiseido: which moisturizer is better?

Both COSRX and Shiseido offer moisturizers with a High routine fit for dry skin, but COSRX tends to excel with lightweight absorption and effective acne and pore control. Shiseido products on the page often provide deep hydration and luxurious textures.

COSRX or Shiseido for sensitive skin?

For sensitive skin, COSRX fits better with a Superior level compared to Shiseido's High. The products on this page help provide gentle and non-stripping formulations.

COSRX or Shiseido: which sunscreen is better?

COSRX is better for sun protection across a broader range of skin types, offering a Superior fit for acne-prone skin and High fits for sensitive skin, oily skin, and dry skin among the products on this page. Shiseido provides a Superior fit for mature skin and dry sensitive skin with its Benefiance Wrinkle Smoothing Day Cream, but its sunscreen options have lower fit levels for oily or acne-prone skin.

COSRX or Shiseido for acne-prone skin?

COSRX is a better fit for acne-prone skin, as Lovi rates its routine as Superior compared to Shiseido's High fit. The products on this page for COSRX offer effective acne control and gentle formulations that help manage breakouts.

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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