🇬🇧United Kingdom

Medicube vs COSRX

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

Medicube and COSRX are Korean skincare brands that respectively offer thoughtfully formulated moisturizers, serums, toners, and masks featuring ingredients like niacinamide, collagen, hyaluronic acid, and glycerin. Both suit dry, oily, and acne-prone skin best to balance hydration, clarity, and barrier function. Medicube harnesses collagen and hyaluronic acid to address dry and mature skin, while COSRX incorporates propolis and snail mucin to primarily restore acne-prone and oily skin. The brands differ through their distinct targeted formulations and foundational philosophies, offering specialized care for various skin concerns.

Medicube is a Korean skincare brand founded in 2016 and owned by APR Corp..

medicubereviews.co.ukglossy.co

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

koreajoongangdaily.combeautymatter.comprnewswire.com

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

Popular Medicube vs COSRX products

People Say

MedicubeCOSRX
  • Hydration and Moisture Mostly MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “skin feels bouncier and hydrated — Medicube PDRN Pink Peptide Serum”
    • “glass skin — Medicube PDRN Pink Collagen Gel Mask”
    • “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”
  • Soothing and Gentle Formulas Often MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “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”
    • “refreshing sensation — Medicube PDRN Pink Collagen Gel Mask”
  • Skin Texture and Smoothing 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”
    • “gives my skin a smooth, glass-like finish — Medicube Zero Pore Pad”
  • Lightweight and Fast Absorbing Rarely NotedMostly 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)”
    • “dries super fast — Medicube Zero Pore Blackhead Mud Mask”
  • Glow and Brightening Often MentionedNot noted
    • “gave me instant glass skin — Medicube Collagen Jelly Cream”
    • “woke up with glowing skin — Medicube Collagen Night Wrapping Mask”
    • “Dark spots go away faster — Medicube Deep Vita C Pad”
  • Pore Appearance and Oil Control Rarely NotedOften Mentioned
    • “Melted blackheads right off — COSRX BHA Blackhead Power Liquid”
    • “helps with whiteheads — COSRX AHA/BHA Clarifying Treatment Toner”
    • “whisking away that excess shine — COSRX Salicylic Acid Daily Gentle Cleanser”
    • “noticed a real difference in pore visibility — Medicube Zero Pore Pad”
  • Sticky and Heavy Residue Often MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “texture is gooey and stringy — COSRX Advanced Snail 92 All in One Cream”
    • “Leaves a sticky film — COSRX BHA Blackhead Power Liquid”
    • “feels slightly sticky — COSRX The Hyaluronic Acid 3 Serum”
    • “hair sticks to my face — Medicube Collagen Jelly Cream”
  • General Product Inadequacy Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
    • “lifted around the nose/eyes — Medicube PDRN Pink Collagen Gel Mask”
    • “didn't remove deep blackheads — Medicube Zero Pore Blackhead Mud Mask”
    • “hard to wash off completely — Medicube Zero Pore Blackhead Mud Mask”
    • “no change in circles — COSRX Advanced Snail Peptide Eye Cream”
  • Strong Fragrance and Scents Often MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “slightly fishy smell — Medicube PDRN Pink Peptide Serum”
    • “smells like old lady perfume — Medicube Collagen Jelly Cream”
    • “smells like chemicals — COSRX Low pH Good Morning Gel Cleanser”
    • “smells like onions — COSRX The Retinol 0.1 Cream”

Medicube vs COSRX routines for dry skin

Buy Medicube routine · £104.78 · 91% fitBuy COSRX routine · £52.48 · 89% fitSee multi-brand routine · 99% fit

Medicube vs COSRX routines for oily skin

Buy COSRX routine · £143.60 · 90% fitBuy Medicube routine · £116.80 · 88% fitSee multi-brand routine · 97% fit

Medicube vs COSRX routines for combination skin

Buy COSRX routine · £119.44 · 88% fitBuy Medicube routine · £112.43 · 86% fitSee multi-brand routine · 96% fit

Questions and answers

Medicube or COSRX: which is better?

Both brands offer strong options, but COSRX is better suited for acne-prone, sensitive, and oily skin with its gentle and lightweight formulas, while Medicube delivers higher glow and brightening results. Hyaluronic acid helps improve skin hydration and anti-aging signs for both brands.

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

What is the difference between Medicube and COSRX?

Medicube and COSRX both offer effective products for various skin concerns, but COSRX generally performs better for soothing formulas, texture improvement, and acne control, while Medicube stands out for glow and brightening. COSRX has a Superior routine fit for oily, sensitive, acne-prone, and oily acne-prone skin, whereas Medicube provides a Superior routine fit for dry skin.

Medicube or COSRX for dry skin?

Medicube is a Superior fit for dry skin, while COSRX offers a High level of routine fit on the products on this page. Topical hyaluronic acid helps improve skin hydration and signs of aging.

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

Medicube or COSRX: which cleanser is better?

Both Medicube and COSRX offer cleansers on this page that fit acne-prone, oily, and sensitive skin types at high or superior levels, but reviewers highlight COSRX as generally doing better for soothing formulas and skin texture. COSRX also features specialized options like the Low pH Good Morning Gel Cleanser and Advanced Snail Mucin Gel Cleanser, while Medicube provides highly rated cleansers such as the Zero Foam Cleanser.

Which is more affordable, Medicube or COSRX?

Reviewers note that Medicube products have small quantity and pricing issues.

Medicube or COSRX for reducing pore appearance and oil control?

COSRX is better for reducing pore appearance and oil control because reviewers note it performs better in this category. For oily skin, Lovi rates COSRX as Superior while Medicube is High.

Which brand offers better glow and brightening effects, Medicube or COSRX?

Medicube offers better glow and brightening effects compared to COSRX according to the reviewer themes on the page. Both brands feature key ingredients like niacinamide, which helps reduce cutaneous pigmentation, and vitamin C derivatives that support photoaged skin.

The British Journal of Dermatology, 2002Antioxidants, 2021

Medicube or COSRX: which is more gentle and better for soothing formulas?

COSRX is more gentle and better for soothing formulas than Medicube. Reviewers note that COSRX provides gentle and non-irritating formulas, and Lovi rates its routine fit for sensitive skin as Superior compared to High for Medicube.

Medicube or COSRX for oily skin?

For oily skin, Lovi finds that COSRX has a Superior routine fit while Medicube has a High fit. COSRX also does better than Medicube for pore appearance and oil control.

Medicube or COSRX: which moisturizer is better?

Both Medicube and COSRX offer effective moisturizers, with Medicube standing out for rich hydration and glowing finishes, while COSRX is often praised for lightweight absorption and soothing properties. Hyaluronic acid helps bind moisture to the skin in these formulas, and niacinamide may improve skin tone and reduce pigmentation.

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

Medicube or COSRX for sensitive skin?

For sensitive skin, COSRX fits better than Medicube, offering a Superior routine fit compared to Medicube's High fit on this page. Reviewers frequently note that COSRX formulas are gentle and non-irritating.

Medicube or COSRX for acne-prone skin?

For acne-prone skin, Lovi rates COSRX as Superior and Medicube as High. Reviewers note that COSRX provides effective acne control and clearing, while Medicube products on this page feature key ingredients like salicylic acid and niacinamide that help target blemishes.

The British Journal of Dermatology, 2002Antioxidants, 2021

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.

QR code: get the Lovi app
Download on theApp Store Get it onGoogle Play