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COSRX vs NIVEA

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

COSRX and NIVEA are established skincare brands offering distinct approaches to daily care, with the Korean line founded in 2013 and the German heritage brand established in 1911. COSRX is beloved for its thoughtful array of serums, moisturizers, cleansers, masks, and more formulated with hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and niacinamide to suit oily acne-prone skin and oily skin best, while NIVEA is deeply loved for its reliable sunscreens, targeted serums, and nourishing moisturizers formulated with glycerin to suit combination skin and sensitive skin best. The first brand relies on targeted components that lengthen toxin duration, increase skin hydration and barrier function, and decrease hyperpigmentation, whereas the second brand provides formulas that respect natural balance and improve stratum corneum hydration and barrier function.

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

koreajoongangdaily.combeautymatter.comprnewswire.com

NIVEA is a German skincare brand founded in 1911 and owned by maxingvest GmbH & Co. KGaA since 2004.

beiersdorf.comen.wikipedia.org

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

Popular COSRX vs NIVEA products

People Say

COSRXNIVEA
  • Skin Texture and Smoothing Mostly MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “gives me that glass skin look — COSRX Advanced Snail 96 Mucin Power Essence”
    • “skin feels softer immediately — COSRX The 6 Peptide Skin Booster Serum”
    • “Makes my face feel smooth and soft. — NIVEA Soft”
    • “skin feels squeaky clean and soft — NIVEA DERMA SKIN CLEAR”
  • Hydration and Moisture 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”
    • “Smoothed out dry flaky scales on my cheeks overnight — NIVEA Creme”
  • Soothing and Gentle Formulas Mostly MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “No stinging or irritation — COSRX BHA Blackhead Power Liquid”
    • “extremely gentle — COSRX AHA/BHA Clarifying Treatment Toner”
    • “perfect for first-time retinol users — COSRX The Retinol 0.1 Cream”
    • “doesn't dry out skin — NIVEA Derma Skin Clear Anti-Blemish Scrub”
  • Other Positive Highlights Often MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “smells like holiday — NIVEA Protect & Moisture Sun Lotion SPF50+”
    • “unclogs pores — NIVEA Derma Skin Clear Anti-Blemish Scrub”
    • “Smell brings me back to childhood — NIVEA Creme”
    • “doesn't clog the pores — COSRX Oil-Free Ultra-Moisturizing Lotion (with Birch Sap)”
  • Lightweight and Fast Absorption Mostly MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “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)”
    • “It's lightweight on the skin and leaves a bit of subtle sheen. — NIVEA Soft”
  • Acne and Blemish Control Often MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “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”
    • “cleared my complexion in 7 days — NIVEA DERMA SKIN CLEAR”
    • “reduces blackheads — NIVEA Derma Skin Clear Anti-Blemish Scrub”
  • Unpleasant Texture and Finish Often MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “texture is gooey and stringy — COSRX Advanced Snail 92 All in One Cream”
    • “too slimy and sticky — COSRX Advanced Snail 96 Mucin Power Essence”
    • “Leaves a sticky film — COSRX BHA Blackhead Power Liquid”
    • “Leaves a shiny grease layer that doesn't go away — NIVEA Creme”
  • Other Minor Complaints Rarely NotedOften Mentioned
    • “expensive for me — COSRX The Hyaluronic Acid 3 Serum”
    • “The purging is real — COSRX BHA Blackhead Power Liquid”
    • “pH is 9 — COSRX Salicylic Acid Daily Gentle Cleanser”
    • “not super gritty — NIVEA Derma Skin Clear Anti-Blemish Scrub”
  • Breakouts and Skin Irritation Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
    • “stings really bad if it accidentally gets in the eyes — COSRX Salicylic Acid Daily Gentle Cleanser”
    • “burns eyes when sweating — COSRX Ultra-Light Invisible Sunscreen”
    • “Clogged my pores and caused bad acne — NIVEA Creme”
    • “I noticed some acne breakouts on my chin after using this crème for a while. — NIVEA Soft”

COSRX vs NIVEA routines for dry skin

Buy COSRX routine · S$41.07 · 89% fitBuy NIVEA routine · S$227.16 · 80% fitSee multi-brand routine · 99% fit

COSRX vs NIVEA routines for oily skin

Buy COSRX routine · S$130.21 · 90% fitBuy NIVEA routine · S$458.64 · 84% fitSee multi-brand routine · 96% fit

COSRX vs NIVEA routines for combination skin

Buy COSRX routine · S$130.21 · 88% fitBuy NIVEA routine · S$354.54 · 86% fitSee multi-brand routine · 97% fit

Questions and answers

COSRX or NIVEA: which is better?

COSRX outperforms NIVEA for oily and acne-prone skin, achieving a Superior routine fit compared to NIVEA's High level. Both brands offer equal High fit levels for dry, combination, sensitive, mature, and dark spot-prone skin types.

What is the difference between COSRX and NIVEA?

COSRX stands out with its focus on lightweight formulas and multi-ingredient blends featuring snail mucin and niacinamide, whereas NIVEA offers versatile, deeply hydrating moisturizers and targeted blemish-clearing serums. COSRX achieves a Superior fit level for oily and acne-prone skin types, while NIVEA reaches a High fit level for those same categories. Topical niacinamide helps reduce cutaneous pigmentation and suppresses melanosome transfer.

The British Journal of Dermatology, 2002Antioxidants, 2021

COSRX or NIVEA for dry skin?

Both COSRX and NIVEA are well-suited for dry skin, as Lovi rates their routines as High for this skin type. COSRX products on this page frequently feature hydrating key ingredients like hyaluronic acid and glycerin, which helps maintain skin moisture.

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

COSRX or NIVEA: which moisturizer is better?

COSRX offers a superior moisturizer fit for oily and acne-prone skin types compared to NIVEA, providing effective deep hydration alongside lightweight absorption. NIVEA moisturizers may be versatile and provide intense deep hydration, but reviewers frequently note greasy and oily residues.

Which is more affordable, COSRX or NIVEA?

The products on this page do not include pricing information, so it is not possible to determine whether COSRX or NIVEA is more affordable.

COSRX or NIVEA: which brand offers better hydration and moisture?

COSRX offers better hydration and moisture than NIVEA based on reviewers. COSRX also achieves a Superior fit level for dry skin routines, while NIVEA reaches a High fit level.

Which brand has more products without fragrance, COSRX or NIVEA?

COSRX has more products without fragrance, as 37 of its 38 products on this page list no fragrance compared to only 3 of the 9 NIVEA products.

COSRX or NIVEA: which brand performs better for acne and blemish control?

COSRX performs better for acne-prone and oily acne-prone skin, achieving a Superior routine fit compared to NIVEA's High fit level. The products on this page help provide effective acne control and clearing.

COSRX or NIVEA for oily skin?

COSRX is a better fit than NIVEA for oily skin, as Lovi rates the COSRX routine as Superior for oily skin while NIVEA is rated High.

COSRX or NIVEA: which sunscreen is better?

COSRX sunscreen has a Superior Lovi fit level for acne-prone skin and a High fit for sensitive skin, while NIVEA sunscreen has a High fit for both skin types.

COSRX or NIVEA for sensitive skin?

For sensitive skin, both brands work well because Lovi rates the routine fit as High for COSRX and High for NIVEA. Reviewers frequently note that COSRX products are gentle and non-irritating, while NIVEA offers versatile moisturizers, though some users occasionally report strong fragrance with NIVEA.

COSRX or NIVEA for acne-prone skin?

For acne-prone skin, Lovi rates COSRX as having a Superior routine fit compared to NIVEA at High. COSRX products on this page often feature acne control ingredients like salicylic acid and snail mucin, which help soothe skin while reducing blemishes.

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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