What does the low pH actually mean here?

COSRX publishes a figure of 5.31±1.00 for this formula, which sits close to the acidity of skin itself. Soap-based washes land much higher on the scale, and that gap is what tends to leave the squeaky, drawn feeling afterwards. A mildly acidic wash is simply a gentler starting point. It describes the formula rather than guaranteeing an outcome, so judge it by how your own face feels after a week.

Does it take off sunscreen and makeup?

It will handle a light sunscreen layer and a bare face on its own. COSRX places it after makeup removal in the official directions, though, so use it as the back half of a double cleanse rather than a one-step solution. Long-wear foundation, waterproof mascara and thick SPF all want an oil cleanser or a balm first, with this gel clearing whatever is left behind.

Does it contain tea tree oil or added fragrance?

Melaleuca Alternifolia (Tea Tree) Leaf Oil is in the current ingredient list, so this is not a fragrance-free formula. There is no separate parfum entry, but an essential oil still carries scent and can be a lot for a routine already busy with strong leave-on products. If that sounds like yours, bring the cleanser in on its own for a week before adding anything else.

Can I use it alongside acids or retinol?

Usually, yes. Betaine salicylate sits low in the ingredient list and the whole thing is off your face in well under a minute, so a rinse-off wash is rarely the step that tips a routine over the edge. The safer habit is to introduce one new leave-on product at a time and give skin a week to settle before layering another on top.

Will it dry my skin out?

Most people find the opposite. The mild surfactant pair and the near-skin pH are both there to avoid that stripped, taut after-feel. A cleanser is only one variable, though: very hot water, a long massage and a heavy routine on top all pull in the wrong direction. Keep the water lukewarm, hold contact to twenty or thirty seconds, and moisturise while skin is still damp.

Is it vegan or cruelty-free?

COSRX publishes no vegan or cruelty-free statement for this particular formula, so we make neither claim for it. The ingredient list reads as plant- and mineral-derived, but that is not the same thing as a brand certification, and we would rather leave a question open than answer it wrongly. COSRX's own brand pages are the place to check if either matters to your decision.

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COSRX

COSRX Low pH Good Morning Gel Cleanser 150ml

Fresh rinse
Light gel
Low pH
Botanicals

150ml ·$9.69 USD

Fresh rinse

Light gel

Low pH

Botanicals

PRODUCT DETAILS

COSRX Low pH Good Morning Gel Cleanser is a water-based face wash that comes in a 150 ml tube. The clear gel lathers as soon as water hits it and clears in seconds, which makes it an easy first move at the sink. Use it on its own in the morning, or as the second step at night once makeup has come off.

Cocamidopropyl betaine and sodium lauroyl methyl isethionate do the washing here, a mild pair chosen to lift oil and sunscreen without the pulled feeling a high-pH bar can leave behind. COSRX measures the finished product at pH 5.31±1.00. Betaine salicylate, allantoin and seven plant extracts round out the base, among them lotus leaf, pine leaf, elm root and evening primrose flower.

It fits people who want one uncomplicated cleansing step instead of a ritual. Skin should feel properly clean and still soft afterwards, with nothing sitting on the surface to get in the way of whatever goes on next. At twice a day, a 150 ml tube goes a long way.

Two things to know before you buy. Tea tree leaf oil is in the formula, so it is not fragrance-free. And it is not built to break down long-wear makeup alone: COSRX puts it after your remover, not in place of one.

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ANUA 7 Rice Ceramide Hydrating Barrier Serum 50ml$17.99 USD

Anua Rice 70 Glow Milky Toner 250ml$15.99 USD

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100 Reedle Shot Stick Pouch$8.09 USD

100 VITA-LIGHT Reedle Shot$9.49 USD

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1025 Dokdo Lotion$14.99 USD

1025 Dokdo Sleeping Pack$15.99 USD

What this gel wash actually does at the sink each day, from the pH it sits at to the way it clears in a single rinse.

Clean Without The Squeak
Mildly Acidic Formula
Gel Turns To Soft Foam
Botanical Extract Blend

Key Ingredients

Three oversized translucent, softly faceted glass crystals arranged on a pale lavender stage above a blush background with a small coral accent.

Allantoin

Helps soothe and soften dry, rough-feeling skin.

Fresh Melaleuca alternifolia tea tree branchlets with narrow gray-green leaves on a warm stone background.

Tea Tree Oil

An aromatic botanical oil used in lightweight formulas for oily, blemish-prone skin.

A round pool of clear pale-yellow cleansing gel with tiny bubbles suspended in it, spread on a bright yellow surface.

Concerns & Benefits

Your Concerns

1
Oiliness
By mid-morning the forehead already looks shiny and skin feels slick.
2
Dull Skin
Skin looks flat and a bit grey in daylight, like it never quite woke up.
3

How To Use

1Wet your hands and your face with lukewarm water. Squeeze out about a fingertip's worth, work it between wet palms until it turns milky, then massage over the face in small circles, staying clear of the eye and mouth area. Rinse with warm water and pat dry.
2COSRX directs both morning and evening use. In the evening, take makeup off first with a remover or an oil cleanser. In the morning, finish the routine with a broad-spectrum SPF.

A hand holds the white COSRX tube upside down against a yellow background while a thin thread of clear gel runs from the nozzle.

Frequently asked questions

Is this only a morning cleanser?

No. The name points at the low-pH, wake-up feel rather than a time restriction, and COSRX's own directions cover both morning and evening use. At night it works as the water-based half of a double cleanse, following an oil cleanser or a dedicated remover. In the morning it is usually all you need before the rest of your routine goes on. Twice a day suits most people comfortably.

Customer reviews

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This itemCOSRX Low pH Good Morning Gel Cleanser 150ml$9.69 USD

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Anua Rice 70 Glow Milky Toner 250ml$15.99 USD

Total price: $43.67 USD

This itemCOSRX Low pH Good Morning Gel Cleanser 150ml$9.69 USD

ANUA 7 Rice Ceramide Hydrating Barrier Serum 50ml$17.99 USD

Anua Rice 70 Glow Milky Toner 250ml$15.99 USD

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COSRX Low pH Good Morning Gel Cleanser 150ml | Sleepy Hello

COSRX

COSRX Low pH Good Morning Gel Cleanser 150ml

Fresh rinse
Light gel
Low pH
Botanicals

COSRX Low pH Good Morning Gel Cleanser 150ml

150ml ·$9.69 USD

Fresh rinse

Light gel

Low pH

Botanicals

PRODUCT DETAILS

Learn more

GOES WELL WITH

ANUA 7 Rice Ceramide Hydrating Barrier Serum 50ml$17.99 USD

Anua Rice 70 Glow Milky Toner 250ml$15.99 USD

ANUA Heartleaf 77% Soothing Toner 250ml$15.99 USD

100 Reedle Shot Stick Pouch$8.09 USD

100 VITA-LIGHT Reedle Shot$9.49 USD

1025 Dokdo Eye Cream$22.99 USD

1025 Dokdo Lotion$14.99 USD

1025 Dokdo Sleeping Pack$15.99 USD

What this gel wash actually does at the sink each day, from the pH it sits at to the way it clears in a single rinse.

Clean Without The Squeak
Mildly Acidic Formula
Gel Turns To Soft Foam
Botanical Extract Blend