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COSRX vs CeraVe

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

COSRX and CeraVe are popular skincare lines offering trusted moisturizers, cleansers, serums, and more. The Korean brand is known for its expertly formulated products featuring hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and niacinamide that suit acne-prone and oily skin best, while the American brand is celebrated for soothing formulations harnessing hyaluronic acid and glycerin that suit acne-prone and dry skin best. Both brands rely on key ingredients to significantly increase skin hydration and barrier function, though they differ through COSRX focusing additionally on targeted components like propolis and centella for dark spots and aging.

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

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CeraVe is an American skincare brand founded in 2005 and owned by L'Oréal since 2017.

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

Popular COSRX vs CeraVe products

People Say

COSRXCeraVe
  • Deep hydration and moisturization Mostly MentionedMostly 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”
    • “Saved my dry winter skin — CeraVe Moisturising Cream”
    • “woke up with plump skin — CeraVe Skin Renewing Night Cream”
  • Lightweight and fast-absorbing 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)”
    • “Absorbs into skin without residue — CeraVe Daily Moisturizing Lotion”
  • Gentle and non-stripping cleansing Often MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “No stinging or irritation — COSRX BHA Blackhead Power Liquid”
    • “doesn't strip my skin — COSRX Low pH Good Morning Gel Cleanser”
    • “doesn't leave face tight — CeraVe Hydrating Facial Cleanser”
    • “no burning sensation — CeraVe Resurfacing Retinol Serum”
  • Improves skin texture and smoothness Often MentionedOften 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”
    • “Skin feels like glass — COSRX BHA Blackhead Power Liquid”
    • “difference in my skin's texture is noticeable — CeraVe Renewing SA Cleanser”
  • Acne control and clearing pores Often MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “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”
    • “Melted blackheads right off — COSRX BHA Blackhead Power Liquid”
    • “lightened dark spots — CeraVe Resurfacing Retinol Serum”
  • Price and value for money Rarely NotedOften Mentioned
    • “reasonably priced — CeraVe Foaming Facial Cleanser”
    • “Huge tub lasts forever — CeraVe Moisturising Cream”
    • “Great everyday moisturizer — CeraVe Daily Moisturizing Lotion”
    • “huge bottle — COSRX Advanced Snail Peptide Eye Cream”
  • Packaging and size issues Often MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “only 20mls... significantly less product — COSRX The Hyaluronic Acid 3 Serum”
    • “tube is tiny — COSRX The Retinol 0.1 Cream”
    • “no safety seal included — CeraVe Skin Renewing Night Cream”
    • “jar is tiny — CeraVe Skin Renewing Night Cream”
  • Drying or insufficient for dry skin Often MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “left my face tight — COSRX Low pH Good Morning Gel Cleanser”
    • “leaves skin feeling tight — COSRX Salicylic Acid Daily Gentle Cleanser”
    • “face feels stripped — CeraVe Foaming Facial Cleanser”
    • “Not moisturizing enough for winter — CeraVe Daily Moisturizing Lotion”
  • Unpleasant texture or sticky finish Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “feels like washing with conditioner — CeraVe Hydrating Facial Cleanser”
    • “too sticky — CeraVe Healing Ointment”
    • “hard to spread — CeraVe Skin Renewing Night Cream”
    • “texture is gooey and stringy — COSRX Advanced Snail 92 All in One Cream”

COSRX vs CeraVe routines for dry skin

Buy COSRX routine · £52.48 · 89% fitBuy CeraVe routine · £78.52 · 89% fitSee multi-brand routine · 99% fit

COSRX vs CeraVe routines for oily skin

Buy COSRX routine · £143.60 · 90% fitBuy CeraVe routine · £185.98 · 84% fitSee multi-brand routine · 97% fit

COSRX vs CeraVe routines for combination skin

Buy COSRX routine · £119.44 · 88% fitBuy CeraVe routine · £145.74 · 87% fitSee multi-brand routine · 96% fit

Questions and answers

COSRX or CeraVe: which is better?

Both COSRX and CeraVe are great, but COSRX is Superior for oily skin, sensitive skin, and oily acne-prone skin, while CeraVe is Superior for acne-prone skin, dry skin, and mature skin. Both brands offer equal routine fit levels for dry sensitive skin, combination skin, skin with dark spots, and mature skin, making them strong choices depending on your specific skin type.

What is the difference between COSRX and CeraVe?

COSRX and CeraVe both offer strong routines across most skin types, but COSRX is superior for oily and sensitive skin, while CeraVe provides better value for money. COSRX products on this page often feature snail mucin and propolis, whereas CeraVe focuses heavily on ceramides.

COSRX or CeraVe for dry skin?

Both COSRX and CeraVe achieve a High routine fit for dry skin, making them strong choices for hydration. CeraVe features ceramide-dominant barrier repair lipids that help alleviate dry and atopic skin.

COSRX or CeraVe: which cleanser is better?

Both COSRX and CeraVe offer cleansers that fit skin types well, with CeraVe performing especially well for dry skin and COSRX excelling in acne-prone and oily skin routines. Both brands feature gentle, non-stripping cleansers, though reviewers note that CeraVe also provides strong value for money.

Which is more affordable, COSRX or CeraVe?

CeraVe is more affordable, offering better price and value for money compared to COSRX.

Between COSRX and CeraVe, which brand is better for oily acne-prone skin?

COSRX is better for oily acne-prone skin, as Lovi rates its overall routine as Superior compared to High for CeraVe. Reviewers find that COSRX does better with acne control and clearing pores, while its products help improve skin texture and smoothness.

Which brand has more fragrance options across its products, COSRX or CeraVe?

COSRX has more fragrance options across the products on this page, as 37 of its 38 products list no fragrance while the Vitamin E Vitalizing Sunscreen SPF 50+ includes it. In contrast, every CeraVe product on this page lists no fragrance in its ingredients.

How do the founding origins and current ownership compare between COSRX and CeraVe?

COSRX was founded in 2013 in South Korea and is owned by Amorepacific Group, whereas CeraVe was founded in 2005 in the United States and is owned by L'Oréal.

COSRX or CeraVe for oily skin?

COSRX is superior to CeraVe for oily skin. Lovi rates COSRX as Superior for oily skin, whereas CeraVe achieves a High fit level.

COSRX or CeraVe: which moisturizer is better?

Both COSRX and CeraVe offer moisturizers on the products on this page with High to Superior fit levels across most skin types. COSRX leans toward lightweight and fast-absorbing formulas featuring snail mucin and propolis, while CeraVe focuses on barrier-repairing ceramides.

COSRX or CeraVe for sensitive skin?

COSRX is superior for sensitive skin, while CeraVe has a high fit. Reviewers note that COSRX products are generally gentle and non-irritating.

COSRX or CeraVe: which sunscreen is better?

Both COSRX and CeraVe offer sunscreens on this page with High fit levels for most skin types. COSRX features options like the Ultra-Light Invisible Sunscreen, while CeraVe includes choices such as the Hydrating Mineral Sunscreen.

COSRX or CeraVe for acne-prone skin?

Both brands achieve a Superior fit for acne-prone skin on Lovi. COSRX provides options like Advanced Snail 96 Mucin Power Essence with a Superior fit, while CeraVe offers options like Foaming Facial Cleanser achieving a Superior fit.

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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