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COSRX vs Simple

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

COSRX and Simple are a Korean skincare brand founded in 2013 and a British skincare brand founded in 1960, respectively. The former is dearly loved for its expertly formulated serums, moisturizers, cleansers, masks, and more, which thoughtfully incorporate hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and niacinamide, while the latter is beloved for its gentle moisturizers, makeup removers, cleansers, and toners, which are thoughtfully crafted with niacinamide and glycerin. The first brand suits acne-prone skin and oily skin best, whereas the second brand suits acne-prone skin and skin with dark spots best. They differ in their targeted standout products, founding origins, and specific ingredient combinations for concerns like aging and hyperpigmentation.

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

koreajoongangdaily.combeautymatter.comprnewswire.com

Simple is a British skincare brand founded in 1960 and owned by Unilever PLC since 2011.

en.wikipedia.orgsec.govprnewswire.comsimple.co.uk

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

Popular COSRX vs Simple products

People Say

COSRXSimple
  • Soothing and Gentle Care Mostly MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “Does not cause any form of irritation on the skin which I love. — Simple Micellar Cleansing Water”
    • “The only cleanser that doesn't turn my face red. — Simple Micellar Water”
    • “no artificial perfume — Simple Hydrating Light Moisturiser”
    • “No stinging or irritation — COSRX BHA Blackhead Power Liquid”
  • Texture and Glow 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)”
    • “sinks in instantly — Simple Water Boost Hydrating Gel Cream”
  • Hydration and Moisture 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”
    • “banished dryness within days — Simple Replenishing Rich Moisturiser”
    • “Instantly boosts skin's hydration... face doesn't feel dry and tight. — Simple Micellar Cleansing Water”
  • Value and Convenience Rarely NotedMostly Mentioned
    • “great value for money — Simple Kind to Skin Soothing Facial Toner”
    • “super affordable — Simple Hydrating Light Moisturiser”
    • “No need to rinse... perfect for traveling or lazy nights. — Simple Micellar Cleansing Water”
    • “fine mist spray — COSRX AHA/BHA Clarifying Treatment Toner”
  • Acne and Pore Control Often MentionedRarely 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”
    • “Takes off any makeup residue and makes my face feel refreshed. — Simple Micellar Cleansing Water”
  • Drying or Insufficient Moisture Often MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “left my face tight — COSRX Low pH Good Morning Gel Cleanser”
    • “leaves skin feeling tight — COSRX Salicylic Acid Daily Gentle Cleanser”
    • “not moisturizing enough — Simple Hydrating Light Moisturiser”
    • “need to apply multiple layers — Simple Replenishing Rich Moisturiser”
  • Unpleasant Texture Often MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “Feels slimy on skin — Simple Refreshing Facial Wash”
    • “Still feeling a little bit of a film on my skin. — Simple Micellar Cleansing Water”
    • “feels like a film — Simple Hydrating Light Moisturiser”
    • “texture is gooey and stringy — COSRX Advanced Snail 92 All in One Cream”
  • Formulation and Performance Issues Rarely NotedOften Mentioned
    • “weird smell — COSRX AHA/BHA Clarifying Treatment Toner”
    • “pH is 9 — COSRX Salicylic Acid Daily Gentle Cleanser”
    • “runs with sweat — COSRX Ultra-Light Invisible Sunscreen”
    • “Did not remove my mascara very well at all. — Simple Micellar Cleansing Water”
  • Packaging and Size Issues Often MentionedRarely Noted
    • “Worried about the snap top bottle leaking when travelling. — Simple Micellar Cleansing Water”
    • “The cap broke off immediately. — Simple Micellar Water”
    • “hard to get last bit out — Simple Replenishing Rich Moisturiser”
    • “only 20mls... significantly less product — COSRX The Hyaluronic Acid 3 Serum”

COSRX vs Simple routines for dry skin

Buy COSRX routine · £52.48 · 89% fitBuy Simple routine · £136.73 · 83% fitSee multi-brand routine · 99% fit

COSRX vs Simple routines for oily skin

Buy COSRX routine · £143.60 · 90% fitBuy Simple routine · £221.50 · 87% fitSee multi-brand routine · 97% fit

COSRX vs Simple routines for combination skin

Buy COSRX routine · £119.44 · 88% fitBuy Simple routine · £185.60 · 85% fitSee multi-brand routine · 96% fit

Questions and answers

COSRX or Simple: which is better?

COSRX outperforms Simple for acne and pore control as well as texture and glow, while Simple excels in providing soothing, gentle care and value-friendly options. For oily skin, acne-prone skin, and sensitive skin, Lovi rates COSRX as Superior compared to Simple's High fit level.

What is the difference between COSRX and Simple?

COSRX is founded in South Korea and owned by Amorepacific Group, while Simple originates in the United Kingdom and is owned by Unilever PLC. The products on this page show that COSRX features a broader selection of specialized essences, toners, and serums containing key ingredients like snail mucin and niacinamide, whereas Simple focuses on straightforward cleansers and moisturizers. Furthermore, COSRX achieves superior Lovi fit levels for oily, sensitive, and acne-prone skin types compared to Simple.

COSRX or Simple for dry skin?

Both COSRX and Simple offer a High routine fit for dry skin. The products on this page provide great choices for this skin type, with COSRX leaning toward snail mucin and propolis treatments while Simple features gentle daily cleansers and hydrating moisturisers.

COSRX or Simple: which cleanser is better?

COSRX offers cleansers that are well-suited for multiple skin types on the page, such as the Advanced Snail Mucin Gel Cleanser which fits sensitive, acne-prone, dry, and combination skin at a Superior level. In contrast, Simple offers the Refreshing Facial Wash, which has lower fit levels including Low for dry skin.

Which is more affordable, COSRX or Simple?

Simple is more affordable, as reviewers often mention its lightweight, value-friendly moisturizers and convenient makeup removers. COSRX reviewers sometimes note small bottle sizes or quantities as a drawback.

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

COSRX offers a much larger selection of fragrance-free options because 37 of its 38 products on this page list no fragrance, whereas Simple has only 7 products total on the page.

How do COSRX and Simple compare in terms of soothing and gentle care?

Simple does better than COSRX in terms of soothing and gentle care. Reviewers often mention that Simple provides gentle, sensitive-skin-friendly makeup removers, while COSRX reviewers frequently note potential issues with formulation and performance.

Which brand is better for acne and pore control, COSRX or Simple?

COSRX is better for acne and pore control, as the products on this page outperform Simple in this area.

COSRX or Simple for oily skin?

COSRX is the better fit for oily skin, as Lovi rates its routine fit as Superior compared to High for Simple. The products on this page help control oil and acne through effective ingredients like salicylic acid and niacinamide.

The British Journal of Dermatology, 2002Antioxidants, 2021

COSRX or Simple: which moisturizer is better?

COSRX is the better choice for moisturizers on this page, as Lovi rates its formulas as Superior or High across most skin types while Simple's moisturizers average out at lower fit levels. COSRX also excels specifically in texture and glow, while reviewers mention that Simple's products sometimes lack sufficient hydration.

COSRX or Simple for sensitive skin?

COSRX is the better fit for sensitive skin, where Lovi rates it as Superior while Simple is rated High. Reviewers note that COSRX offers soothing and gentle care, and its products on this page are fragrance-free except for one sunscreen.

COSRX or Simple for acne-prone skin?

For acne-prone skin, COSRX has a Superior routine fit, whereas Simple has a High routine fit. COSRX features targeted acne-clearing products like the BHA Blackhead Power Liquid, which helps manage breakouts effectively.

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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