Brand Comparison

I Dew Care vs COSRX

A head-to-head comparison of two popular K-beauty brands. Which one is right for your skin?

Our Pick

COSRX

Higher editor rating (9 vs 7.8)

I Dew Care COSRX

Rating7.8/109/10

Price RangeMid-Range ($$)Budget ($)

Founded20172013

OriginSeoul, South KoreaSeoul, South Korea

Products131

Best Fornormal, Combo, dullOily, Combo, Acne-Prone, Sensitive

PhilosophyKorean indie skincare built for the US Sephora-buying generation — colorful packaging, multi-active formulations, and a TikTok-first marketing strategy that made the brand one of the few K-beauty indies to crack mainstream US prestige retail.Minimal, effective formulations at accessible prices. Every product built around one or two proven actives with short, transparent ingredient lists.

I Dew Care

I Dew Care is the K-beauty indie that built its identity on Sephora US distribution and TikTok virality. Founded in 2017 in Seoul as part of Memebox's accelerator program, the brand launched directly into the US prestige channel — bypassing the typical K-beauty exporter route through Olive Young Global. The Bright Side Up Vitamin C Serum, the Disco Kitten Glittery Sheet Mask line, and the Are You Saying Lash Lash mascara built the brand's TikTok-first cult following. Pricing sits at the accessible-prestige tier ($18-32 per product), and the brand's catalog leans heavily on multivitamin formulations and playful packaging.

Pros

✓ Sephora US distribution makes the brand accessible without K-beauty importer friction
✓ multivitamin formulations like Bright Side Up are genuinely active-loaded
✓ TikTok-first marketing aesthetic reads modern in a category dominated by traditional K-beauty branding
✓ accessible-prestige pricing without prestige overhead

Cons

✗ catalog reads more 'aesthetic' than 'category-defining'
✗ limited innovation pipeline vs the deeper indie K-beauty brands (Anua, Numbuzin, Mixsoon)
✗ playful packaging may turn off prestige-positioning purists
✗ less depth in skincare-only categories compared to broader K-beauty competitors

COSRX

The gateway brand for most people entering K-beauty, and for good reason. COSRX consistently delivers effective, no-frills products at prices that make most Western alternatives look overpriced. Their snail mucin line and BHA products are genuine category leaders. They rarely innovate, but they execute the basics exceptionally well.