One of the most famous Korean skincare brands is COSRX. Founded in 2013, COSRX has won fans all over the world with their minimalist packaging and effective formulas.
Most people have definitely heard of their snail mucin essence, a formula jam-packed with snail mucin to help skin achieve a natural glow. But this line has so much more to offer!
This is aigoo’s beginner’s skincare routine for anyone interested in exploring what makes COSRX so special. It’s perfect for all skin-types, and should help your skin maintain a healthy skin barrier, giving it a radiant finish.
Cleanser: Low pH Good Morning Gel Cleanser 
Start your mornings off with this gentle gel cleanser, which foams into a rich lather suitable for removing impurities. The two ingredients that will help your skin are BHA and tea tree. BHA is an exfoliant known for its deep pore cleansing abilities, whilst tea tree helps fight acne and is effective at controlling the oil levels in your skin.
There’s no parabens, phthalates, sulphates, or alcohol – just well-formulated goodness to purify your skin without leaving it tight and cracked.
Toner: Centella Water Alcohol-Free Mist Toner 
This toner uses centella, a medicinal herb famed for its antioxidant and wound-healing properties. It works especially well with products like BHA as it can efficiently soothe the skin and prepare it to absorb the next products in your routine.
Not only is it soothing, this COSRX toner is ultra-hydrating – its mist form means you can use this toner on-the-go, day or night. It’s also formulated with just nine ingredients, which makes it even more suitable for sensitive skin.
Moisturiser: Advanced Snail 92 All in one Cream 
You’re heard about the essence, but what about the moisturiser? The all in one cream is a fantastic cream for beginners, due to its all-rounder nature. The snail mucin Is famously beneficial for skin cell repair, but the cream also helps anti-aging, acne prevention, and hyperpigmentation.
Even though it’s got a slimy texture, it has a lightweight finish, ensuring ultimate hydration without overwhelming your skin. But beware - when we say it’s slimy, we really mean it! It’s best to use this with a spatula so the cream doesn’t pour out everywhere.
Sunscreen: Aloe Soothing Sun Cream 
Finding a good sunscreen can be really difficult, but COSRX’s Aloe Soothing Sun Cream has garnered cult status due to its friendly yet fierce formula.
For starters, this combines both mineral and chemical filters (and if you don’t know what these mean, read our blog post on simplifying sunscreens!). This means your skin gets full protection from the sun, so you can feel confident that you won’t damage your skin. Its use of chemical filters also means it doesn’t leave a white cast like mineral sunscreens might, so you won’t look like the long-lost relative of Casper the Ghost!
If that’s not enough, the formula smells divine. For those who are easily put off by the stench of sunscreen, the Aloe Soothing Sun Screen is gently fragranced to disguise the smell. Its use of aloe also lends it its soothing properties, meaning those with sensitive skin will love this sunscreen.
Bonus: Pimple patch! 
How could we forget the pimple patch? These are essential to COSRX’s success – and that’s because they get rid of all the gunk in your skin without causing severe damage.
The usual way of popping pimples is harsh and abrasive – squeezing the whitehead between your fingers, applying tons of pressure and leaving your face feeling sore and tender.
COSRX’s pimple patches are made of hydrocolloid, which sucks out the pus overnight. Apply a patch overnight, and when it looks cloudy, that’s when you’ll know your pimple is gone. There’s even three different sizes to make sure your patch fits your pimple.