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COSRX vs Anessa

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

COSRX and Anessa are beloved skincare brands from Korea and Japan, respectively. The first brand offers thoughtful serums, moisturizers, cleansers, and masks formulated with hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and niacinamide to suit oily and acne-prone skin best. Meanwhile, the second brand provides advanced sunscreens and sophisticated formulas that suit all skin types and offer reliable daily protection. They differ primarily in their product focus, as the Korean line targets specific concerns with active ingredients while the Japanese line specializes in protective sun care.

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

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Anessa is a Japanese skincare brand founded in 1992 and owned by Shiseido Company, Limited.

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

Popular COSRX vs Anessa products

Questions and answers

COSRX or Anessa: which is better?

COSRX is better for a wide range of everyday skincare needs because the products on this page cover multiple categories like cleansers, moisturizers, and sunscreens with many Superior fits, whereas Anessa offers only two sunscreen options. Shoppers also benefit from COSRX ingredients like niacinamide, which helps reduce pigmentation.

The British Journal of Dermatology, 2002Antioxidants, 2021

What is the difference between COSRX and Anessa?

COSRX is a South Korean brand founded in 2013, offering a wide range of products including cleansers, essences, and sunscreens that fit best on oily and acne-prone skin. In contrast, Anessa is a Japanese brand founded in 1992 and owned by Shiseido, which features a specialized sunscreen range on this page.

COSRX or Anessa: which sunscreen is better?

For sunscreens, COSRX offers a wider selection with options like the Ultra-Light Invisible Sunscreen, which has a Superior fit for acne-prone skin, whereas Anessa features formulations such as the Perfect UV Sunscreen Skincare Gel with a High fit for sensitive skin.

Which is more affordable, COSRX or Anessa?

The provided page data does not contain information on the prices of COSRX or Anessa products, so it is not possible to determine which brand is more affordable.

Which causes fewer breakouts, COSRX or Anessa?

Both COSRX and Anessa offer sunscreens that fit acne-prone skin well, with COSRX having an Ultra-Light Invisible Sunscreen rated as Superior for acne-prone skin and Anessa offering sunscreens rated as High. COSRX also provides a wider range of products specifically targeted at oily acne-prone skin, such as cleansers and serums.

Between COSRX and Anessa, which brand offers fragrance-free options?

Both COSRX and Anessa offer fragrance-free options. COSRX has 37 out of 38 products on this page listing no fragrance, while every product on this page for Anessa lists no fragrance.

How do the founding years and parent companies of COSRX and Anessa compare?

COSRX was founded in 2013 in South Korea and is owned by Amorepacific Group, whereas Anessa was founded in 1992 in Japan and is owned by Shiseido Company, Limited.

Which brand provides a wider variety of skincare products such as cleansers, toners, and serums beyond just sunscreens?

COSRX provides a wider variety of skincare products, offering cleansers, toners, serums, and masks alongside sunscreens, while Anessa features exclusively sunscreens on this page.

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

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