✶

COSRX Niacinamide 15… vs Drunk Elephant A-Pas… — Which Is Better? | Gracie

Products
Ingredients
Brands
K-Beauty
Blog
How We Score

Gracie
/Compare
/COSRX Niacinamide 15 Serum
/vs
/Drunk Elephant A-Passioni Retinol Cream

COSRX Niacinamide 15 Serum vs Drunk Elephant A-Passioni Retinol Cream

Drunk Elephant A-Passioni Retinol Cream scores 9.0/9.8 vs COSRX Niacinamide 15 Serum at 7.6/9.8. Drunk Elephant A-Passioni Retinol Cream wins for active ingredients.

Head to head

COSRX

Niacinamide 15 Serum

serumbudget

7.6

Buy at Olive Young

Compare

Best Moisturisers
Best Serums
Best Cleansers
Best SPF

Ingredients

Niacinamide
Retinol
Hyaluronic Acid
Salicylic Acid

K-Beauty

K-Beauty Hub
K-Beauty Moisturisers
K-Beauty Serums
K-Beauty Sunscreens

About

Methodology
About Us
All Brands
All Products

Gracie

Honest skincare intel. No jargon, no gatekeeping — just the ingredients decoded.

✶

Drunk Elephant

A-Passioni Retinol Cream

serumpremium

9.0

Score comparison

Drunk Elephant A-Passioni Retinol Cream takes this one, winning 3 of 5 attributes.

COSRX wins 0

Tied 2

Drunk Elephant wins 3

13COSRX

4Shared

56Drunk Elephant

Only in COSRX Niacinamide 15 Serum

9 unique

Water Butylene Glycol 2-Hexanediol Panthenol Allantoin Sodium Hyaluronate Zinc Pca Adenosine Arginine

Shared ingredients

4 in common

Niacinamide Glycerin Carbomer Ethylhexylglycerin

Only in Drunk Elephant A-Passioni Retinol Cream

52 unique

Water/Aqua/Eau Coco-Caprylate Stearic Acid Coconut Alkanes Glyceryl Stearate Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride Cetearyl Alcohol Pentylene Glycol Passiflora Edulis Seed Oil Retinol+42 more

Why Drunk Elephant A-Passioni Retinol Cream comes out ahead

Where Drunk Elephant A-Passioni Retinol Cream really shines is active ingredient strength, scoring 9.3 compared to COSRX Niacinamide 15 Serum's 5.1. Its formula features Niacinamide, Retinol, and Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1 in high positions, signalling meaningful concentrations.

Hydration Efficacy is another area of separation. Drunk Elephant A-Passioni Retinol Cream scores 8.7 here versus 6.7 for COSRX Niacinamide 15 Serum. That difference comes down to how each formula is built — the ingredient list tells the story.

Drunk Elephant A-Passioni Retinol Cream brings Niacinamide, Retinol, and Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1 as actives, while cOSRX Niacinamide 15 Serum relies on Niacinamide, Allantoin, and Zinc Pca. Both approaches have merit, but the positioning and supporting ingredients make the difference.

Best for your skin type

COSRX Niacinamide 15 Serum is better if you have

Sensitive skin — the low-irritation formula keeps things gentle
Anyone who prefers clean, well-vetted formulations

Drunk Elephant A-Passioni Retinol Cream is better if you have

Sensitive skin — the low-irritation formula keeps things gentle
Dry or dehydrated skin that craves moisture, thanks to Glycerin
Targeting specific concerns like aging or uneven tone — Niacinamide does the heavy lifting

Value comparison

At budget pricing with a score of 7.6, COSRX Niacinamide 15 Serum is a decent pick. Drunk Elephant A-Passioni Retinol Cream sits at the premium level with a 9.0 score — the higher investment pays off in formulation quality.

Our verdict

✶ Our verdict

+1.4 lead

Drunk Elephant A-Passioni Retinol Cream wins this comparison with a meaningfully stronger ingredient profile and overall score.

7.6COSRX

✶

9.0Drunk Elephant

Frequently asked questions

Which is better: COSRX Niacinamide 15 Serum or Drunk Elephant A-Passioni Retinol Cream?

Based on ingredient analysis, Drunk Elephant A-Passioni Retinol Cream scores higher overall. See the full score breakdown above for details on each attribute.

Do COSRX Niacinamide 15 Serum and Drunk Elephant A-Passioni Retinol Cream share ingredients?

Yes, they share common ingredients. Check the ingredient face-off section above for a detailed comparison.

What's the main difference between COSRX Niacinamide 15 Serum and Drunk Elephant A-Passioni Retinol Cream?

The key differences are in their active ingredients and formulation approach. Check the attribute battle above for a detailed breakdown.

Full analysis: COSRX Niacinamide 15 Serum→Full analysis: Drunk Elephant A-Passioni Retinol Cream→

We may earn a commission from purchases made through our links, at no extra cost to you. This helps us keep Gracie free and independent.

Some links on this site are affiliate links. We may earn a commission from purchases made through our links, at no extra cost to you. This helps us keep Gracie free and independent.