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COSRX vs Clinique

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

COSRX and Clinique are distinct skincare brands offering thoughtfully formulated serums, moisturizers, cleansers, and masks. The former brand features ingredients like hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and niacinamide to suit oily and acne-prone skin, while the latter brand combines hyaluronic, glycerin, and caffeine to balance dry and oily skin. Although both brands utilize similar hydrating staples to improve barrier function and reduce aging signs, they differ in their heritage and targeted concerns, ranging from the Korean brand's snail mucin and propolis solutions to the American brand's exfoliating peels and lifting creams.

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

koreajoongangdaily.combeautymatter.comprnewswire.com

Clinique is an American skincare brand founded in 1968 and owned by The Estée Lauder Companies Inc..

en.wikipedia.orgelcompanies.combusinesswire.comglossy.co

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

Popular COSRX vs Clinique products

People Say

COSRXClinique
  • Soothing and calming for sensitive skin Mostly MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “No stinging or irritation — COSRX BHA Blackhead Power Liquid”
    • “perfect for first-time retinol users — COSRX The Retinol 0.1 Cream”
    • “never irritated my eyes — Clinique All About Eyes”
    • “No strong scent — Clinique Take The Day Off Cleansing Balm”
  • Lightweight and fast-absorbing texture Mostly MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “absorbs instantly like water — COSRX The 6 Peptide Skin Booster Serum”
    • “sinks in immediately — COSRX Advanced Snail Peptide Eye Cream”
    • “sinks in immediately — Clinique moisture surge”
    • “sinks in instantly — Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Gel”
  • 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”
    • “gives me that glass skin look — COSRX Advanced Snail 96 Mucin Power Essence”
    • “Keeps my dry patches at bay all day — Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion+”
  • Acne and pore control Often MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “extremely gentle — COSRX AHA/BHA Clarifying Treatment Toner”
    • “helped to improve my acne after only 2 weeks — COSRX Salicylic Acid Daily Gentle Cleanser”
    • “gentle enough for everyday — Clinique 7 Day Scrub Cream Rinse-Off Formula”
    • “You will see the dirt with one wipe — Clinique Clarifying Lotion 2”
  • Improves skin texture and smoothness Often MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “skin feels softer immediately — COSRX The 6 Peptide Skin Booster Serum”
    • “Skin feels like glass — COSRX BHA Blackhead Power Liquid”
    • “smoother skin — COSRX AHA/BHA Clarifying Treatment Toner”
    • “skin feels silky smooth — Clinique Smart Clinical Repair Wrinkle Correcting Serum”
  • Makeup base compatibility Not notedOften Mentioned
    • “foundation glides on — Clinique moisture surge”
    • “holds concealer in place — Clinique All About Eyes”
    • “wake up glowing — Clinique Moisture Surge Overnight Mask”
  • Insufficient hydration or dryness Often MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “left my face tight — COSRX Low pH Good Morning Gel Cleanser”
    • “leaves skin feeling tight — COSRX Salicylic Acid Daily Gentle Cleanser”
    • “skin felt tight — Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Gel”
    • “Made my skin super dry — Clinique Clarifying Lotion 2”
  • High price and poor value Rarely NotedOften Mentioned
    • “expensive for me — COSRX The Hyaluronic Acid 3 Serum”
    • “jar is too small for the cost — Clinique moisture surge”
  • 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”
    • “didn't help dark circles — Clinique All About Eyes”
    • “don't expect miracles overnight — Clinique Smart Clinical Repair Wrinkle Correcting Serum”
  • Sticky or greasy finish Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “hard to rinse off — Clinique 7 Day Scrub Cream Rinse-Off Formula”
    • “feels sticky to the touch — Clinique moisture surge”
    • “Left an oily film on my T-zone — Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion+”
    • “texture is gooey and stringy — COSRX Advanced Snail 92 All in One Cream”

COSRX vs Clinique routines for dry skin

Buy Clinique routine · S$253.28 · 95% fitBuy COSRX routine · S$41.07 · 89% fitSee multi-brand routine · 99% fit

COSRX vs Clinique routines for oily skin

Buy Clinique routine · S$486.90 · 94% fitBuy COSRX routine · S$130.21 · 90% fitSee multi-brand routine · 96% fit

COSRX vs Clinique routines for combination skin

Buy Clinique routine · S$382.80 · 94% fitBuy COSRX routine · S$130.21 · 88% fitSee multi-brand routine · 97% fit

Questions and answers

COSRX or Clinique: which is better?

Both COSRX and Clinique are strong skincare brands, with COSRX offering a Superior routine fit for oily acne-prone, oily, and acne-prone skin types, while Clinique provides a Superior routine fit for dry skin. When it comes to deep hydration, plumping, and improving skin texture, COSRX performs better among the products on this page.

What is the difference between COSRX and Clinique?

COSRX is founded in South Korea in 2013 and owned by Amorepacific Group, whereas Clinique was founded in the United States in 1968 and is owned by The Estee Lauder Companies Inc. The products on this page show that COSRX features key ingredients like snail mucin and centella asiatica, while Clinique highlights caffeine and a focus on makeup removers and hydrating moisturizers.

COSRX or Clinique for dry skin?

Clinique is a better fit for dry skin, as Lovi rates its routine as Superior compared to High for COSRX. The products on this page help deliver deep hydration to dry skin.

COSRX or Clinique: which cleanser is better?

COSRX offers cleansers with a better Lovi fit level for most skin types than Clinique. For example, the Advanced Snail Mucin Gel Cleanser achieves a Superior fit for sensitive, acne-prone, dry, dry sensitive, and combination skin, whereas Clinique cleansers generally score in the Average to Warning range across those same types.

Which is more affordable, COSRX or Clinique?

Clinique has a higher price point than COSRX, as high price is often mentioned for Clinique while poor value is sometimes noted for COSRX.

How do the founding years and corporate ownership of COSRX and Clinique compare?

COSRX was founded in 2013 in South Korea and is owned by Amorepacific Group, whereas Clinique was founded in 1968 in the United States and is owned by The Estée Lauder Companies Inc.

Which brand performs better for deep hydration and plumping according to review themes?

COSRX performs better for deep hydration and plumping. The products on this page help improve skin hydration and moisture retention.

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

How does the presence of fragrance differ between the products of COSRX and Clinique?

COSRX has fragrance in one of its 38 products on this page, while Clinique lists no fragrance in any of its products. This means nearly all COSRX products on this page are fragrance-free, matching Clinique's completely fragrance-free lineup.

COSRX or Clinique for oily skin?

Both COSRX and Clinique are well-suited for oily skin, as Lovi rates both brands as Superior for this skin type. The products on this page help control oil and provide lightweight hydration.

COSRX or Clinique: which moisturizer is better?

Both COSRX and Clinique offer effective moisturizers, with COSRX products on this page achieving a Superior fit level for dry skin and sensitive skin. Reviewers note that COSRX provides deep hydration and moisturization, while Clinique features lightweight and fast-absorbing moisturizers.

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

COSRX or Clinique for sensitive skin?

For sensitive skin, Lovi rates COSRX as High and Clinique as Superior. Both brands are often mentioned by reviewers for being gentle and effective for sensitive skin, while COSRX uses fragrance in only one product on the page and Clinique lists no fragrance across its products.

COSRX or Clinique for acne-prone skin?

Both COSRX and Clinique are a great match for acne-prone skin, as Lovi rates their routines as Superior. COSRX offers targeted acne control products like the BHA Blackhead Power Liquid, while Clinique features oil-controlling options like the for Men Oil-Free Moisturizer.

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.

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